AT&T's failed carrier update disabled 125 million devices

A recent investigation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has revealed the causes and effects of the massive AT&T network outage that occurred on 22 February 2024.

Here's What We Know

The outage was caused by a failed network upgrade that disconnected more than 125 million devices and blocked 92 million calls, including 25,000 attempts to reach 911 service. The FCC criticised AT&T for failing to follow best practices for testing and validating network changes before they are implemented.

A configuration error caused by an improper network expansion process caused all devices to automatically disconnect from the network. It took more than 12 hours to restore services due to overloaded device registration systems. The FCC also identified problems in AT&T's processes that increased the likelihood of failure and made recovery more difficult.

As a result, AT&T could face some penalties. The Bureau of Public Safety and Homeland Security has referred the case to the FCC's Enforcement Bureau because of alleged violations of FCC rules.

Source: Arstechnica