Connectivity is always essential to our customers – doctors and nurses, first responders, governments, banks, grocery stores, pharmacies and others delivering vital services. It’s even more critical during a public health crisis that’s challenging everyone. In fact, as a critical infrastructure provider, AT&T believes we have a civic duty to step up and keep our customers and communities connected.

I wanted to share some of the ways the people of AT&T are working to respond. We will keep this site updated with new developments as they happen.

Our path forward



One of AT&T’s core values is to Be There when people need us. And we can’t do that if our employees are sick. A simple, effective way to minimize risk is to maximize social distance. So last Friday, we implemented a sweeping work-from-home policy. If AT&T employees can work from home, they will.

We greatly appreciate our customers’ patience as we manage through these challenging times. In these situations, we work to prioritize and serve critical needs. And because we anticipate higher call volumes, we recommend, when your need isn’t critical and when possible, reaching out through att.com or our myAT&T app for customer support, additional resources or to access our online store.

Staying safe on the front lines

At the same time, we have implemented new policies and guidelines to help protect our nonmanagement and management employees who are on the front line serving customers or who can’t do their jobs from home. We’re working to keep up with demand for hand sanitizer and other supplies and are sourcing these from multiple vendors.

In retail , our goal is to limit employees’ exposure while still upholding our responsibility to meet the essential needs of customers, FirstNet subscribers and the public safety community, who are counting on us.

So, today we’ll begin closing 40% of our company-owned retail stores nationwide. Closures will continue while we concentrate our resources on select stores to meet the immediate service needs of our customers, including first responders and health care providers.

At stores that do remain open, we’re adjusting store hours to 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time, and we’re closing all stores on Sundays.

Staffing in stores that remain open will adhere to social distancing guidelines, while still being able to serve customers.

Our call center capacity has declined because of the leave accommodations we have made for employees who are parents of children whose schools have closed and our employees who are at higher risk for the coronavirus. As a result of reduced capacity in our call centers, we’re taking the following steps:

Using new IVR (Interactive Voice Response) messaging that encourages customers to take advantage of our self-help online tools at att.com.

Adjusting call center staffing levels and shifts to ensure proper social distancing. This may result in longer hold times for service.

And just like in retail, we’re taking actions to prioritize service issues - optimizing the handling of calls, whether inbound or outbound, and balancing capacity across all functions.

Our field technicians play a critical role in installing and repairing our services for millions of businesses and consumers. While their mission is essential to keep our customers connected, we also recognize that there is a balance between providing service and keeping our technicians safe. To accomplish that balance, we’re providing them with new policies and procedures, so they feel comfortable serving customers at their businesses and in their homes, while delivering on our commitment to service. Our first priority is repair of the network and the services we provide to customers. Our second priority is installing broadband for health care providers, first responders, government and other essential business and service providers. We will work other installations as resources allow.

Supporting customers and communities

Here’s what we’re doing to help our customers and our communities get through this:

Last week, we announced that we are suspending broadband usage caps for our home internet customers. That means no overage fees while people are home using more data.

We’re keeping our public Wi-Fi hotspots open for anyone who needs them.

We continue to offer internet access for qualifying limited-income households at $10/month through our Access from AT&T program.

We won’t terminate service of any wireless, home phone or broadband residential or small business customer due to an inability to pay their bill as a result of the coronavirus pandemic – and we’re waiving late payment fees for those customers.

We are underwriting expenses for a “one-stop” resource center to support eLearning Days from the State Educational Technology Directors Association. It’s available to help all educators handle school closings and virtual learning.

As public safety’s partner – not simply a vendor or commercial network provider – our FirstNet teams are working closely with first responders – firefighters, police, medics and more – to keep them connected when and where they need it most.



And we are helping businesses and universities stand-up virtual offices and classrooms with conference call and videoconferencing with Cisco Webex Meetings with AT&T. We’re also enabling businesses to forward calls to both mobile and landline phones with AT&T IP Flexible Reach.

Connecting first responders

For over a month now, police, fire, EMS, public health, emergency management and military personnel have been working around the clock to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. Through FirstNet, AT&T is not just a vendor or commercial network provider. We're the partner for public safety providers, giving first responders the connectivity that they need to serve our communities.

Emergency Operations Centers : FirstNet liaisons at AT&T are embedded with state and federal emergency operations centers. This strengthens public safety’s command and control of their network and helps ensure they have the mobile connectivity and devices they need to respond to the coronavirus.

: FirstNet liaisons at AT&T are embedded with state and federal emergency operations centers. This strengthens public safety’s command and control of their network and helps ensure they have the mobile connectivity and devices they need to respond to the coronavirus. FirstNet Fleet: All at no additional charge, public safety agencies on FirstNet have access to a dedicated fleet of 76 deployable cell sites. The deployment of these assets is led by the FirstNet Response Operations Group, a team of former first responders who manage the program in alignment with the National Incident Management System and FEMA’s National Response Framework.

We've deployed FirstNet fleet assets such as portable cell sites, optimized the network or provided FirstNet Ready™ devices to support quarantine zones, airports, emergency operations and other public safety centers.

Looking ahead

I want you to know that AT&T will continue to do everything we can do to help. I truly believe that together we can help slow the spread of the coronavirus and lessen its impact. And once we do that, it is only a matter of time before we get our communities back to normal.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through this challenge together.

Jeff McElfresh

CEO of AT&T Communications