AT&T wireless networks go down on East Coast

AT&T's wireless data services experienced a meltdown earlier this morning, leading to widespread 3G and EDGE service outages across the broader North East and other parts of the country.

The problem has persisted for about 10 to 12 hours according to ArsTechnica, leaving a good number of iPhone and other mobile phone users without access to email, the web, and other data services. Voice calls and text messaging thus far appear unaffected.

"A technical representative from AT&T confirmed on the telephone with me this morning that there are major problems with the data network affecting a large part of the US today — what she called a Level 1 issue," one AppleInsider reader wrote in an email. "She said her map, which normally shows green with occasional yellow areas, has red on major parts of the US."

iPhone users have been proactive in reporting the problems since the early a.m. hours Wednesday on both AT&T's support forms (1, 2, 3) and Apple's (1, 2, 3). Some users have reported success in receiving a credit from AT&T ranging from $20 to $30 as a result of the persistent problems.

Among the states reported to be experience service interruptions are Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The Associated Press cited AT&T spokesman Michael Coe as saying the company was looking into the problem.

Update: AT&T says it restored service shortly after noon Eastern time on Wednesday. "We identified it as a routing issue in the way data is routed to and from wireless devices," company spokesman Mark Siegel told Reuters.