AT&T attributes mass 911 outages in 3 states to fiber cuts made by 'third parties'

JACKSON, Miss. -- Mass 911 outages that swept across parts of Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama on Thursday afternoon were caused by fiber cuts made by “third parties," according to a statement from AT & T. Initial reports of outages were circulating around 2 p.m. in Mississippi. By 4:45 p.m., AT & T reported service had been restored in all three states. “911 service continues to operate normally across previously affected areas in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama," the AT & T statement said. “We understand how important these services are and apologize to our customers for the inconvenience.” AT & T also said the outages were “at no time statewide," contradicting some reports from local authorities.