HAGERSTOWN, MD (February 22, 2024) – Washington County’s 911 Communications Center reassures the public that it remains fully operational amidst the widespread outages experienced by AT&T’s network across the country on Thursday morning.
Reports from the tracking site Downdetector indicated a significant disruption in cellular service and internet connectivity, primarily impacting AT&T customers. Over 32,000 outages were reported by AT&T customers around 4 a.m. ET, with numbers surging to over 71,000 just before 8 a.m. ET. Some Verizon and T-Mobile customers also reported outages, although less widespread than those experienced by AT&T users.
While the cause of the service disruption remains unclear, AT&T acknowledged the issue Thursday morning, stating, “Some of our customers are experiencing wireless service interruptions this morning. We are working urgently to restore service to them. We encourage the use of Wi-Fi calling until service is restored.”
Verizon confirmed that the outages did not directly impact their network but acknowledged the challenges their customers faced in reaching other carriers affected by the issue. Similarly, T-Mobile stated that their network remained operational and suggested that Downdetector numbers likely reflected customers attempting to reach users on other networks.
The outages raised concerns, particularly regarding the ability to make emergency calls. In the event of difficulties reaching 911 for AT&T customers, alternative measures such as using a landline, texting 9-1-1 or seeking assistance from friends or family with different carriers are recommended. Individuals experiencing cell service issues in Washington County can also utilize their phone’s SOS/Emergency call function. This feature has the capability to leverage nearby networks, potentially allowing connections through alternative working cell service providers.
Washington County’s 911 Communications Center assures residents that it remains fully functional and ready to respond to emergency calls without interruption.
For additional information, please contact Washington County’s Public Relations and Marketing Department at [email protected].
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