Source: Getty
INDIANAPOLIS — People who use AT&T for their cell service are having trouble with their phones today. Instead of seeing the usual bars that show how good their signal is, some people are seeing an “SOS” message instead. This issue isn’t just happening in Indiana; it’s affecting AT&T users nationwide.
Johnson County Sheriff Duane Burgess expressed concern about the outage’s impact on the ability of his deputies to perform essential functions of their jobs.
“We transfer so much data when we communicate back-and-forth that’s a valuable item we use daily,” said Burgess. “Our 9-1-1 center, our in-car computers, or our items that we use every day are not being affected.”
Media reports say that the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and other agencies are looking into whether the cause is a cyberattack or technical difficulties. AT&T said some customers are experiencing interruptions and are encouraged to call Wi-Fi until service is restored.
“You go to your internet service at your house and use WI-FI calling,” he said.
A website called Downdetector, which keeps an eye on phone and internet problems, shows that many people in places like Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, and Houston are having trouble getting connected or are losing their service altogether.
Burgess stated that his department uses radio frequency capabilities for continuous communication in case of emergency.
T-Mobile and Verizon say they are also dealing without outages.
