"Everything is down:" AT&T customers frustrated by new year service outages



MILWAUKEE -- No phone, television or internet -- it sounds like consequences for a teenager who is grounded, but that's the reality for some people in Milwaukee, since the beginning of 2018.

Karen Anderson



"I am really upset. I am just blown away," said Karen Anderson, AT&T customer.

On the first day of 2018, Anderson awoke to an unpleasant surprise. She had no phone service, no TV and no internet.

"Everything is down," Anderson said. "Nothing. It says 'server cannot be found.'"

Using her daughter's cellphone, Anderson said she called AT&T, and was told a repairman would stop by on January 2nd.

"Nobody showed up," said Anderson.



Another call to AT&T may have gotten Anderson closer to what's actually causing the problem.

"They told me that there was an outage within my area," said Anderson.



AT&T told FOX6's Contact 6:

"Due to severe cold and icy conditions, a limited number of customers in the Milwaukee area may be experiencing issues with their wireline service.

Technicians continue to work around the clock and have made significant progress restoring affected equipment. We will continue to work as quickly as conditions allow."






"If I have an emergency, if I have a fire, if I need an ambulance, it's all hooked up," Anderson said.

Recently, AT&T outages have also been reported in Madison, and in multiple cities across the country.

Downdetector.com reports AT&T outages affecting SE Wisconsin, northern Illinois and parts of Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. But an AT&T spokesman said he does not consider the website a reliable source of information.

While she waits for repairs, Anderson said she'll be using her daughter's cellphone to call AT&T and ask for updates.

"45 minutes and you get no answers," Anderson said.



Again -- AT&T said crews are working around the clock to restore services.