LITTLE ROCK — U-verse problem fixed, AT&T says
Service has been restored to all AT&T U-verse customers whose service failed this week in Arkansas and some other Southern states, said AT&T spokesman Anita Smith.
A software problem causing the service failures, which began Monday, was fixed Thursday morning, she said.
“We are not pleased it took so long to fix the issue,” she said in a statement. “AT&T will provide a credit to customers who were affected. We know our customers count on their U-verse service and we apologize for the inconvenience.”
The service failure affected fewer than 1 percent of the company’s 7.4 million television and Internet subscribers, Smith said.
The U-verse service includes telephone, digital television and Internet access.
- Jessica Seaman
Entergy puts price on storm damage
Entergy Arkansas said Thursday that its costs from the Christmas snowstorm were $55 million to $65 million.
The costs cover repair and replacement of Entergy Arkansas’ electrical infrastructure. The damage was done by ice, snow and high winds.
More than 194,000 customers were without electricity during last month’s storm, some for as long as a week.
By comparison, the cost of the utility’s damage from the December 2000 ice storms was about $195 million. That storm disrupted power for more than 400,000 customers.
Entergy Arkansas plans to present a cost recovery proposal to the Arkansas Public Service Commission in a filing in March.
Entergy Arkansas has about 700,000 customers in 63 counties.
- David Smith
State index up 5.10 as 15 stocks gain
The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, rose 5.10 to 260.26 on Thursday.
The index reached 260.93 during trading Thursday, its all-time high.
“U.S. stocks ended mixed Thursday after a round of mixed earnings reports and better-than-expected jobless claims,” said John Blackwell, senior vice president and managing director of equity trading at Stephens Inc. in Little Rock. “The Arkansas Index moved higher, led by J.B. Hunt after a strong earnings report, as 15 stocks advanced and one declined.”
J.B. Hunt Transport jumped 6.5 percent, hitting a 52-week high of $68.58 during trading before closing at $67.57.
Three other companies also reached 52-week highs Thursday.
Bank of the Ozarks reached $36.65 during trading before closing at $36.50.
Deltic Timber hit $72.47 before closing at $72.22.
Tyson Foods reached $22.41 before closing at $22.30.
The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.
Business, Pages 25 on 01/25/2013