Noticing some issues with the AT&T network? Here's what to do to determine if there's an outage in your area.
Unlike the other major wireless carriers, mobile service is but one piece of AT&T's business, which also includes DirectTV, home internet, and digital home phone. Managing such a massive nationwide network that handles so much data on a daily basis is no small feat, so there's inevitably going to be the occasional technical hiccup.
But when you notice an issue with your cellular service, how can you be sure whether the problem is on AT&T's side, or if it's your phone that's on the fritz? Here's a quick troubleshooting guide for determining if there's an outage in your area.
Could it be your phone causing the problem?
If you're having trouble with your AT&T device and are thinking of calling technical support, you should save yourself some time and be sure that it isn't a setting on your phone that's causing the connectivity issues.
AT&T has a support page for troubleshooting issues with specific phones and it's a pretty good resource for troubleshooting both network issues as well as any device-specific problems you may be having. If you're having some trouble connecting to the AT&T network, here are the first things you should try:
- Be sure to check your device settings to make sure Airplane mode is off and Data Roaming is turned on. In network settings, the Network mode should be set to auto.
- Tap the Mobile data icon in your notification shade twice to
- Remove any cases or covers from the device.
- Try turning off your device, wait five seconds, and then turn your device on again.
Sometimes it's a simple fix to get your phone's connectivity back, but if it's not a setting on your phone the next step is check for a reported AT&T outage in your area.
Check out AT&T's outage report
If your usual AT&T service is being interrupted, there might be an outage in your area. Outage Report is a great resource that tracks outages reported across the country for all major carriers, but especially AT&T. Outages are tracked as individuals report issues with their service and then conveniently mapped in real-time on a map.
At a glance, you'll be able to see the frequency of outage reports in the last 20 minutes, a color-coded history of network problems reported over the last few months, along with a heat map showing areas currently experiencing service issues. It's an incredibly handy site worth bookmarking if you're an AT&T customer. Also, If you think you're experiencing an outage make sure to click the "Not working for me" button and report it!
Time to check in on AT&T's website
Nobody likes calling in to talk to tech support, so AT&T has done their part make things way easier when help you troubleshoot and resolve any issues. Simply log into the AT&T support site and you can start troubleshooting based on your account specifics. AT&T will automatically start running tests to determine the status of your service, and you can also go in and sign up for notifications to alert you if AT&T notices any issues with your services.
Alternatively, you can browse or search for help and how-to articles for common issues for all the services AT&T provides.
Still need help?
If you've done everything on your end to ensure your phone is operating correctly, and you've checked to ensure that there's no outage in your area, it's time to speak with an AT&T customer service rep.
You can call AT&T Wireless customer service anytime by dialing 611 from an AT&T mobile device or at 1-800-331-0500, but from the looks of AT&T's contact us page they'd rather have you chat online with one of their tech support agents.
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