The Celebrity Infinity pictured docked in Skagway in 2011.(Flickr/Jasperado)
Many AT&T cell phone and landline customers in Skagway were without service Thursday for most of the day.
AT&T spokesman Andy Colley says a cruise ship blocked the wireless signal while docked. He says after the ship departed, service was restored.
Colley says AT&T is working with Cruise Lines Agencies of Alaska to investigate the issue and find a solution to prevent a similar occurrence in the future.
Dozens of Skagway residents took to Facebook Thursday to try to figure out why their cell phones and landlines weren’t working. Many reported getting differing answers from AT&T representatives.
KHNS will have a more detailed story about the summer phone service issues in Skagway, coming soon.
I reported it to FCC on AUg 2- when the local bar tender said it happens daily when cruise ships come in
Thank you Emily for covering our cell phone problems with cruise ships, I hope you will continue covering this issue. Some questions I’d like address:
Are the cruise ships blocking our phones due to overdemand, or physically blocking the path of the signal, or, as many are suggesting, are they purposely jamming the signal?
I would love to have a discussion with you on this, My cell is 907-612-0024…. though it’s not working at the moment.. Oh yea the Celebrity is in town.
Wow, that’s just not right. Imagine if a local had an emergency and AT&T was their only way to communicate for help? This must be changed.