AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon Customers Hit by International Roaming Outage

Overview:

On March 8, 2023, customers of AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon experienced a widespread international roaming outage, affecting their ability to make calls, send text messages, and access data while traveling abroad. The outage impacted customers on various mobile networks around the world.

Affected Countries:

The outage affected customers roaming in a wide range of countries, including:

Europe: United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece
Asia: Japan, South Korea, China, Thailand, Singapore, India
Central and South America: Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru
Oceania: Australia, New Zealand

Cause of Outage:

The exact cause of the outage has not been officially determined. However, it is believed to be related to a technical issue with a third-party provider that manages international roaming connectivity.

Impact on Customers:

Customers affected by the outage experienced the following problems:

Inability to make or receive phone calls
Inability to send or receive text messages
No access to data roaming
Difficulty connecting to Wi-Fi networks

Response from Carriers:

All three carriers acknowledged the outage and advised customers of the following:

AT&T: Stated that the outage was affecting roaming services worldwide and was working to resolve it as quickly as possible.
T-Mobile: Indicated that the outage was impacting roaming services in "multiple international markets" and was working with partners to resolve the issue.
Verizon: Confirmed that the outage was affecting international roaming in "certain countries" and was working to restore services as soon as possible.

Suggested Solutions:

Carriers suggested the following temporary solutions for affected customers:

AT&T: Purchase local SIM cards in the destination country
T-Mobile: Connect to local Wi-Fi networks or use T-Mobile's Global Plus add-on for unlimited texting and data in certain countries
Verizon: Consider purchasing local SIM cards or using Verizon's TravelPass add-on for data roaming in certain countries

Compensation for Affected Customers:

Carriers did not announce any specific compensation measures for customers affected by the outage. However, it is possible that customers may receive some form of compensation, such as account credits or free international roaming minutes, once the issue is resolved.

Advice for Future Travelers:

To avoid being impacted by similar outages in the future, travelers are advised to:

Contact their carrier before traveling to confirm roaming availability
Consider purchasing a local SIM card to avoid relying solely on roaming services
Research the availability of Wi-Fi networks at their destination
Consider using messaging apps that work over Wi-Fi, such as WhatsApp or Telegram

Conclusion:

The international roaming outage experienced by AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon customers on March 8, 2023, was a significant disruption to their travel plans. While the cause of the outage remains under investigation, carriers are working to restore services as quickly as possible. In the meantime, affected customers can consider temporary solutions, such as purchasing local SIM cards or connecting to Wi-Fi networks, to maintain communication while abroad.