AT&T Outage Sparks Worry Over Online Education

After an almost 12-hour network shutdown, AT&T is now offering to pay anyone who was affected to make up for their troubles. These reoccurring issues with technology are continuing the worry for some about online education and reliance on technology. 

AT&T, the largest wireless carrier in the U.S., serves around 241.5 million people. On Feb. 22, AT&T’s network had an outage. While the shutdown of service did not afflict all users, it was estimated that about 58,000 people were without service for most of the day. AT&T is now offering $5 credit for anyone that had any troubles due to the outage. As their website states, “To help make it right, we’re reaching out to potentially impacted customers and we’re proactively applying a credit to their accounts.” Credits are supposed to be added in the next two bill cycles, however, not everyone is applicable for this credit. Excluded in the $5 credit are AT&T Business Enterprise and Platinum accounts, AT&T Prepaid and Cricket. 

Wireless service is something most people rely on, especially college campuses like St. Lawrence University. SLU has roughly 2,200 students, and likely each has a phone and a laptop, so many devices that must be up and running. Since current education is largely online based, especially after COVID and advancements made in online learning, people on campus were affected by this shutdown even though SLU has its own internet.  

“The Wi-Fi happened to be working that day, so I didn’t really notice anything,” said Ellie Strade ’27, an AT&T user, as she remembered the day of the outage. Strade commented that the lack of service did not affect her personally during classes but said, “I’m sure it really affected some people especially with work, so if someone couldn’t work for a day due to AT&T then $5 is not enough.” 

SLU’s internet is from Eduroam, a company that provides international Wi-Fi connection to institutions. As it states on SLU’s website, “It also allows St. Lawrence University faculty, staff and students to connect to Wi-Fi at all Eduroam institutions the same way they connect at St. Lawrence.” While this specific wireless network allows for students and professors to continue to connect even in different parts of the world, some professors have fully embraced the aspect of online education which can lead to many problems. Although this is an added bonus to the school’s network, there have been a lot of ongoing issues with the Wi-Fi, with the most complaints being taken to Yik-Yak. With professors relying on students turning in work remotely, Wi-Fi and other technology issues are a barrier between more traditional methods of teaching.   

While many professors have entirely embraced the use of online education, not all think it is the best option. “I would say the happiest I’ve ever been was when I taught with no technology at all,” said Natalia Singer, an English professor at SLU. Singer recalled her time teaching during the Adirondack Semester and how wholesome and connected the learning was. She has continued to practice using less technology in class, helping students to regain skills they may have lost during COVID. “This college is known for its artisanal hands-on way of teaching and way of being. Whenever we seem to be slipping away from that, I get scared because that’s what we offer that not every college does,” said Singer.