What you need to know about the ATT outage credit

Hey, did you get your ATT outage credit? Following Thursday’s big AT&T service problem that left many customers without phone or internet access, there’s talk about what AT&T is doing to compensate for it.

The ATT outage cause is a network misconfiguration, according to AT&T. This means there was probably a mistake or error in how their network was set up rather than an intentional cyberattack or other external interference. The company has said they’ll give affected customers a credit as a way to say sorry for the trouble.

Based on our initial review, we believe the outage was caused by the application & execution of an incorrect process used as we were expanding our network, not a cyber attack. We are continuing our assessment to ensure we keep delivering the service that our customers deserve.

— AT&T News (@ATTNEWS) February 23, 2024

Is ATT giving credit for the outage?

Yes, AT&T is offering affected customers a “make it right” credit as compensation for the outage experienced on Thursday. In this particular instance, following Thursday’s outage which left many AT&T customers unable to make calls, send texts, or use the internet on their mobile phones for hours, AT&T announced that impacted customers would receive an automatic “make it right” credit.

We recognize the frustration Thursday’s outage caused & know we let many of our customers down. To help make it right, we are applying a credit to potentially impacted accounts to help reassure our customers of our commitment to reliably connect them – anytime and anywhere. It…

— AT&T News (@ATTNEWS) February 25, 2024

This credit is equivalent to the average cost of a day’s service and is intended to acknowledge the inconvenience caused by the outage. It will typically be applied within two bill cycles to affected wireless accounts, although it does not extend to AT&T Business, AT&T Prepaid, or Cricket customers.

The purpose of the credit is to provide some form of compensation to affected users and demonstrate AT&T’s commitment to customer satisfaction. Additionally, the credit serves as a gesture of goodwill from the company, acknowledging the disruption and inconvenience experienced by customers during the outage.

It’s important to note that while the credit may help alleviate some of the frustration caused by the outage, its announcement has elicited mixed reactions from users, with some appreciating the gesture while others consider it insufficient. Nonetheless, the ATT outage credit represents the company’s effort to address the impact of the outage and maintain positive relationships with its customer base.

How much is the ATT credit for the outage?

The credit announced by AT&T for the outage is $5, which the company referred to as a “make it right” credit, representing the average cost of a day’s service for affected customers.

The ATT outage credit is a form of compensation offered to customers affected by the recent service disruption (Image credit) How to get the ATT outage credit

To receive the ATT outage credit, affected customers do not need to take any action. The credit will be applied automatically to their wireless accounts within two bill cycles, as stated by AT&T in its announcement. Therefore, customers who experienced service disruptions during the outage period will see the credit reflected on their bills without needing to request it separately. AT&T trying to reach out the affected customers at the moment.

Hi E, we’re reaching out to potentially impacted customers by SMS or email to proactively credit them for the average cost of a full day of service. Go to https://t.co/NJaBTwyXkk for more details.

— AT&T News (@ATTNEWS) February 26, 2024

It’s important to note that the credit does not apply to AT&T Business, AT&T Prepaid, or Cricket customers, as specified by the company.

Is ATT outage credit enough?

Whether the ATT outage credit is enough depends on individual perspectives and experiences. For some customers, the $5 credit may be seen as a gesture of goodwill from the company, acknowledging the inconvenience caused by the outage. However, others may feel that it falls short of adequately compensating for the disruption and inconvenience they experienced.

A single $5 credit per account with multiple phones is an insult. You failed here @ATTNEWS.

— Glenn Gossett (@GlennGossett_) February 25, 2024

From our perspective, we can not see such gestures in other cases. So, it’s a good thing. However, the adequacy of the credit is subjective and may vary among affected customers.

A recap to the ATT outage

The AT&T outage, which occurred on February 22nd, 2024, led to widespread disruptions for customers across the nation, affecting communication services such as calls, texts, and internet access. While initial suspicions of a cyberattack were dispelled, investigations revealed that a software update error was the primary cause of the outage. The outage prompted swift action from federal agencies, including the FBI and DHS, and AT&T worked diligently to restore service to affected customers. Despite disruptions for more than 70,000 users at its peak, wireless service has been successfully restored, with investigations into the cause ongoing.

For more detailed information, click here.

Featured image credit: Chad Morehead/Unsplash