In response to Thursday’s widespread network outage that left tens of thousands of customers without cellphone service, AT&T has announced a compensation plan for affected users. AT&T CEO John Stankey stated in a letter to employees that impacted customers will receive a $5 credit, acknowledging the inconvenience caused by the disruption, which lasted for a significant part of the day.
The credit, equivalent to “essentially a full day of service,” is AT&T’s way of apologizing to customers for the network outage. Stankey emphasized in the letter that the outage was not the result of a cyber attack but was due to an error in the application and execution of a network expansion process.
Here are the key details on how to claim the $5 credit:
Amount of Credit: AT&T is providing a $5 credit per account for customers affected by the network disruption on February 22.
Qualification Criteria: Individuals and certain small businesses that experienced the outage are eligible for the $5 credit. However, AT&T Business, AT&T Prepaid, and Cricket customers are excluded from this compensation.
Ineligibility for Business, Prepaid, and Cricket Customers: AT&T Business customers are being addressed separately, and the company is actively working to resolve their concerns. Stankey mentioned in his letter that prepaid customers impacted by the outage will have alternative options, though details were not provided. Cricket customers, however, are not eligible for the $5 credit, and AT&T has not clarified the reasoning behind this decision.
Claim Process: Customers do not need to take any action to claim the $5 credit. AT&T has assured that the credit will be automatically applied to their accounts, and it should reflect within two billing cycles.
AT&T recognizes the impact the outage had on customers’ ability to connect with family, friends, and others. The company is proactively taking steps to rectify the situation and express its commitment to customer satisfaction.
