If there's a blackout, consumer advocates advise requesting a refund from AT&T.

• On Feb. 22, a service outage from AT&T affected numerous customers.
• The company announced that it would automatically give a $5 credit to the accounts of affected customers.
• Customers should request reimbursement from phone and internet providers in the event of future blackouts, according to consumer advocates. They do not need to automatically apply for refunds.

The company is automatically applying a $5 credit to customers affected by a nationwide cellular outage, which is expected to be reimbursed in the next one or two billing cycles.

If there is a future phone or internet blackout, customers should proactively request a reimbursement from their provider, as many companies do not automatically give them, according to consumer advocates.

Consumers must often apply to receive any financial benefit from class-action lawsuit settlements.

The biggest, most consistent problem for taxpayers with the IRS is a persistent issue. Major airlines have recently increased their fees for checked bags. Credit cards have never been more expensive.

Susan Weinstock, CEO of the Consumer Federation of America, stated that it is uncommon for a company to simply return the money.

"Often, individuals must apply for it, yet many people are unaware of it or do not take action," she stated. "This presents a significant issue."

'It won't be our last'

On Thursday, an internal company error caused an outage at AT&T, resulting in service disruption for tens of thousands of customers. Despite this, the company clarified that the issue was not a cyberattack, but rather part of their efforts to enhance their network.

John Stankey, CEO of AT&T, wrote in a letter on Sunday that the company is compensating consumers and small business customers who were most affected by the outage to make up for the inconvenience they experienced.

Unfortunately, our business reality includes network outages, as this is not our first and won't be our last.

According to AT&T, the average cost of a full day of service is being credited.

The credit does not apply to AT&T Business Enterprise and Platinum accounts, AT&T prepaid or Cricket, its low-cost service, the company stated. Impacted prepaid customers will have options available to them, according to Stankey, though no further details were provided.

Don't wait for your provider

John Breyault, vice president of public policy, telecommunications and fraud at the National Consumers League, advised consumers who were affected by the issue not to wait for AT&T to determine if they qualify for a credit.

He added, 'I was impacted by this. I want to make sure I get the credit,' by calling and stating it.

A provider's online portal or chatbot can be used by consumers who prefer not to call customer service for quicker resolution, according to him.

While phone and internet companies may offer credits on their own accord, federal law mandates airlines to provide refunds for flight cancellations. However, a similar consumer protection law is lacking in the wireless industry, according to Breyault.

In January, the Federal Communications Commission suggested a rule mandating rebates for consumers experiencing programming blackouts on their cable or satellite TV subscriptions.

"Consumers should always contact their carrier to request reimbursement for outages that were not their fault, according to Weinstock."