AT&T customers getting a $5 billing credit after wireless outage

The disruption occurred because of “an incorrect process” while AT&T was expanding its wireless network.

By Michelle Kaske | Bloomberg

AT&T customers will receive a billing credit after a widespread outage of its wireless network interrupted service for hundreds of thousands of subscribers, the company said Sunday.

Customers will get a $5 credit on their wireless accounts, the average cost of a full day of service, according to the telecommunication company’s website. The cost of reimbursing customers is “fully manageable while achieving the 2024 business objective we have set for ourselves and our stated financial guidance,” John Stankey, AT&T’s chief executive officer, wrote in a letter to employees on Sunday.

The disruption occurred because of “an incorrect process” while AT&T was expanding its wireless network. The outage lasted from the early hours of Thursday morning New York time to the afternoon.

“Every AT&T customer deserves a connectivity experience they can feel confident in and that’s exactly what we’re going to deliver,” Stankey said in his letter. “While it is not unexpected to encounter challenges as we enhance and expand our network, we have processes and redundancies in place for a reason.”

AT&T has about 87 million subscribers and is the third-largest US retail wireless carrier, behind Verizon Communications Inc. and T-Mobile US Inc.