NEW BRITAIN, Conn. -- AT&T was put in the hot seat after allegations started pouring in that the company’s customer service has suffered because hundreds of jobs were transferred out of state recently.

Three AT&T representatives said Tuesday that AT&T is doing a good job in Connecticut.

“We do our level best to provide customer service,” said Rex Hatch, AT&T’s area manager.

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal disagreed. He said, among other things, that AT&T takes longer than 24 hours to repair phone service, leaving people without that lifeline.

“The level of service is completely unacceptable and unconscionable,” he said.

But Hatch and his fellow representatives said AT&T says the level of service is great. They said when you call 1-800-ATT-2020, your call is answered within 10 seconds by a computer.

AT&T's spokesman said a third of their customers' questions are answered by the computer. The spokesman said the rest get to speak with an employee.

But AT&T's union said it simply doesn't have enough bodies because of job cuts and transfers.

In less than 10 years, about 1,000 AT&T employees in Connecticut have been laid off, he said.

The company can't provide service when it doesn't have people in Connecticut doing the job.

AT&T said it has enough staff, but because they're union they can't force the staff to work weekends, when it's busiest.

“We may ask to schedule 20, 18 may really want to work,” said AT&T representative David Mancuso.

“The commission may vote to hold AT&T higher standards and even fine the company,” he said.

The hearings will go on through next April.