And so it ends: AT&T users report network outages amidst Wal-Mart’s iPhone 3G launch
Oops. Murphy’s Law may be in full swing today for the country’s largest GSM carrier at the worst-possible time – iPhone 3G / Wal-Mart launch day. We’ve yet to have any issues in the New York area but emails are hitting us en masse from AT&T customers reporting network outages across the east coast and beyond. Most reports recount difficulties with connecting via AT&T’s 3G network but some go further to detail voicemail difficulties, BlackBerry service outages and even complete network outages spanning hours at a time. This is obviously a pretty big deal for Wal-Mart locations in affected areas – imagine switching from your current carrier to snag a shiny new iPhone 3G and stepping out of the store only to find that your new toy won’t make a voice or data connection. Yikes. We spoke to AT&T after hours customer service and after about 30 minutes on hold, they did confirm “reports of network troubles” but couldn’t (or wouldn’t) specify which regions might be affected or whether or not these issues had been resolved. Time to sound off, BGR readers – any problems in your area?
Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
Storm’s been solid on THE NETWORK
Reason why I LEFT at&t.
I don’t have an iphone, but i have a sister that does. both our phones didn’t work when we were at the woodfield mall, IL and it took about 3 hours to find each other. Both our phones didn’t accept or send calls, saying, “network busy, network fail, even wrong number”. her iphone said, “no service” while my samsung phone had full signal, but still had the same errors. My home phone didn’t work for a while, (also connected through att). so…..I do want to call customer service to see if i can get 3 hours of my life back.
It’s 5:05 PM here in Rochester, NY and I’ve had “NO SERVICE” for at least the last two hours. I will say this is the first time I’ve experienced this since switching to AT&T last January.
Shouldn’t you people be doing something more constructive with your time? Perhaps making fun of Sprint service and their EVDO speed? C’mon now. It’s been nearly 12 hours since BGR ran a Sprint Sucks story.
No service in Wixom, Michigan 12/28/08.
Been out all day in Central Arkansas. SOS on the Bold. Learn how to support your network ATT!
I am here in Chicago and I have one person on a iphone on my family plan they called me from another phone asking me if i did something to his phone at 1:35….. and they were going to call AT&T cause they have had nothing but problems with the phone….. and then I hav been trying to use my phone since around 2 and nothing……. it goes from SOS to GSM….. will not place calls……nor receive ( i tried calling myself from my work phone) and i get nothin not even voice mail just a busy signal!!!
I live in Detroit. My Service worked until 11 AM, then it went down, came back on around noon, and went back out as I was driving a quarter mile to the laundromat (at 3), hasn’t been back on since. Both of my IPhone’s are totally down…this is my primary phone. Wife is 8 months pregnant, no way to contact anyone. I brought her to my mother’s house so that she has access to a phone line (we use our IPhone’s as primary lines, no home phone). I have to stay at home because we’re waiting for out of town guest to come in, and they all have AT&T, can’t contact them to tell them to meet us at relatives homes. This is utterly ridiculous! Not even an ETA on when this is going to be resolved! I left Sprint in October due to sucky service, but at least I never had this happen.
no service in Ann Arbor
@sh0N: buzz off dude, do you work for AT&T or your momma does???
Have had no service issues on my Bold here in Connecticut.
I would rather not have a service interruption. I am really entertained by the high expectations, the statements of how unreasonable it all is, and the really cool quick web communications that acknowledge the problems that AT&T seems to be reluctant to publicize. The web services are much more important than the phone services. I can get along without the phone. I have a hard time getting along without the internet.
Ann Arbor, Michigan, is still out at 17:37.
Down in Milwaukee – no service at all
Des moines, Ia. 3g pantech Duo has not worked all day. 611 here says seven states are out, and no idea when theyll be back up. could be 72 hours. no data or phone service.
AT&T never likes to accept blame for anything. They’ll spin the issue any way they can to make us think the problem is self inflicted or due to a manufacturer defect.
Face it, their 3G network, although fast in some areas; is really built poorly without decent backhaul in most areas. Corp reps hate hearing this but time and time again the network fails to deliver RELIABLY.
Not all networks are built for resiliency and reliability just because they’re fast or new.
AT&T even has the audacity to take pot shots at VZW’s and Sprint’s 3G networks as if they were not even on the same league. At the very least they work as advertised.
No service on my curve today in Fenton, MI.
This would happen on the day tech support is closed. To their credit, they were very helpful to me yesterday straightening out a couple of issues when my phone was working.
The irritating thing about this is if they know there is a problem, get out in front of it, don’t just stick your head in the sand. They have to have people on call for “disasters” like this, and there should’ve been a communication on their site hours ago.
One would think ATT-w would’ve learned from the airlines or the cable companies when there are problems affecting customer service. But if I were handing out grades … FAIL!
All they’re doing is setting themselves up for a flood of angry customers Monday morning, and competitors saying “we didn’t have a problem with our system.”
Service just returned to my phone.
Still doesn’t justify the lack of communication on their part.
Vacationing in Tucson with a suburban Chicago number & we’re down late afternoon on Sunday & have been for 3 hours.
Just a note for anyone having trouble with their new Iphone purchased at Wal-Mart. “Please return it to point of purchase and see if they can help you with your problem.”
Just switched yesterday to ATT to get the BOLD. Here in Chicago with no data….WELCOME TO ATT!
I drove from Southern Illinois (75 miles northeast of St. Louis) to my home in Chicago today and had no service anywhere and still have none now. I tried calling my mother who has AT&T as well and got messages saying it was an invalid number. This is CRAP! It’s a good thing I didn’t have a road emergency.
Naperville IL My 3g has been out all afternoon. ATT’s “weekend emergency line” confirms network outage.
Oklahoma City, OK
3G service is working fine on iPhone for voice and data haven’t had any problems with iPhone and network since I purchased iPhone and have had since launch. Sorry to everyone having issues hopefully ATT gets their act together in the impacted areas
yea, i thought it was my iphone…my girlfriend called att and they said its illinois and michigan, and it will be fixed when its fixed. Rude. But its like a rolling service blackout. every 20 minutes or so i can txt.
oak park illinois : out since 1325 ct ARGH!!!