AT&T has agreed to pay a $950,000 fine after a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) investigation found that the company failed to deliver 911 calls to emergency call centers during an outage in August 2023.
The FCC's investigation revealed that AT&T also did not notify officials on time about the outage, which affected parts of Illinois, Kansas, Texas, and Wisconsin.
AT&T Fined $950,000 by FCC for 911 Outage
According to Reuters, the outage occurred while AT&T was testing sections of its 911 network. During the testing, an AT&T contractor technician accidentally disabled a part of the network, and AT&T's system failed to adjust to the disruption automatically.
As a result, over 400 emergency calls could not be completed, and the outage lasted 1 hour and 14 minutes. According to the FCC, the testing was not part of planned maintenance, so it did not go through the usual technical review process.
As part of the settlement with the FCC, AT&T has committed to a three-year plan to ensure compliance with the FCC's rules for 911 and outage notifications.
This plan aims to prevent similar incidents in the future and improve the reliability of emergency services for AT&T customers. "We recognize the importance of having critical access to 911," an AT&T spokesperson said. "We've resolved this matter and are committed to keeping our customers connected in times they need it most."
The FCC is also investigating a separate, nationwide AT&T wireless outage that occurred in February. This outage lasted for more than 12 hours, blocking over 92 million voice calls and preventing more than 25,000 attempts to reach 911 emergency services. The FCC's ongoing investigation will determine if AT&T violated any regulations during this incident.
AT&T is not the only telecommunications company facing scrutiny from the FCC. In recent months, other companies have also reached settlements with the agency over similar issues.
In June, Verizon Communications agreed to pay a $1.05 million fine to resolve an FCC investigation into a December 2022 outage that affected six states and disrupted 911 services.
Last month, Charter Communications settled with the FCC for $15 million following an investigation into their compliance with network and 911 outage notification rules.
These incidents highlight the importance of reliable communication systems, especially for emergency services. The FCC has been vigilant in ensuring that companies adhere to regulations designed to protect public safety.
The agency's enforcement actions send a clear message that failures in 911 service delivery will not be tolerated.
Read also: D
AT&T Faces Labor Disputes
Meanwhile, AT&T is also facing internal challenges. Workers represented by the Communication Workers of America (CWA) Local 3704 gathered in downtown areas on Monday to raise awareness about ongoing contract negotiations.
The union, representing approximately 17,000 AT&T workers across nine Southeastern states, initiated a strike on August 16 due to stalled negotiations over the Bellsouth Telecommunications Contract. These negotiations have been ongoing since June 25, with the contract expiring on August 3, according to Live 5 News.
A federal mediator was brought in on Wednesday to assist in the negotiations and help bridge the gap between the union and company leadership. "AT&T holds all the power," said Bill Johnson, president of CWA Local 3704.
The union has also filed an unfair labor practices charge with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing AT&T of not sending representatives with decision-making authority to the bargaining table.
The involvement of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service aims to ensure that both parties' concerns are addressed, promoting fair and constructive negotiations.
