Connecticut Attorney General's Office
Press Release
Attorney General Says AT&T Violated State Consumer Service Standards
April 3, 2009
AT&T -- a company that earned nearly 30 percent profit on revenues of $1.4 billion in 2007 -- has never completed 90 percent of out-of-service repairs within 24 hours or filed appropriate compliance reports, as state regulations require.
Blumenthal said AT&T's average speed answering service calls is also unacceptably slow, resulting in many consumers hanging up, abandoning their calls for help.
In a brief filed with the Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC), Blumenthal called for civil penalties up to $920,000, as well as requirements that AT&T submit a plan to improve compliance and address whether AT&T's staffing levels in Connecticut are sufficient to provide adequate quality of service.
"AT&T has exported jobs -- along with service quality -- to other states," Blumenthal said. "DPUC must stop the AT&T bleed -- a steady drain of good jobs and quality consumer service that violates state regulations, compromises consumers and devastates our economy.
"AT&T has literally and illegally hung up on Connecticut consumers, imperiling customers by leaving them without working telephone service for days on end. This failure is not only bad business, but dangerous to consumers - especially senior citizens -- who may need a working phone line for 911 service.
"AT&T's decline in service quality -- dipping below some of its competitors -- has directly coincided with its shrinking workforce in Connecticut.
"Meaningful change requires meaningful penalties for AT&T's failure to comply with long-standing service regulations. The DPUC has a duty to hold AT&T to the law and enforce regulations intended to protect consumers."