AT&T CEO Apologizes for Widespread Cellular Outage and Announces Customer Credits

The CEO of AT&T has issued a formal apology for the recent widespread cellular outage that disrupted service for thousands of customers. In a letter to employees, Chief Executive John Stankey expressed regret over the inconvenience experienced by affected consumers and small business customers. He acknowledged the outsized impact that outages can have on subscribers and announced that the company would be providing account credits to compensate for the disruption.

Stankey stated that AT&T would automatically apply account credits to the accounts of the most impacted consumer and small business customers. He emphasized the importance of acknowledging the inconvenience and stated, "I believe that crediting those customers for essentially a full day of service is the right thing to do." The CEO also reassured stakeholders that despite the impact on the business, the compensation approach is manageable and aligns with the company's long-term objectives and financial guidance.

In addition to addressing the needs of postpaid customers, AT&T is working to provide options for impacted prepaid customers. The company is also engaging with mid-market and enterprise customers to address their concerns and ensure that their needs are met in the aftermath of the service disruption.

The widespread outage, which affected tens of thousands of AT&T customers across the U.S., was initially attributed to a potential cyberattack. However, an investigation revealed that it was caused by the incorrect application of a network expansion process. Stankey stressed that teams worked diligently to normalize the network and that restoring service to first responders was a top priority once the outage was identified.

Addressing the impact of the outage on customers and staff, Stankey expressed regret and emphasized the need to learn from the incident. He declared that the company had already implemented changes to prevent similar occurrences in the future, underscoring the commitment to continuous improvement and preparedness.

Throughout the letter, Stankey expressed gratitude for the efforts of AT&T staff in managing customer complaints, communicating information about the outage, and restoring service. He recognized the challenges faced and the dedication demonstrated by employees during the incident.

The CEO's apology and the announcement of account credits for impacted customers signify AT&T's commitment to accountability and customer satisfaction. The company's proactive approach to addressing the outage, providing compensation, and implementing preventive measures reflects its dedication to improving service reliability and responding effectively to unexpected disruptions.