The US contact centre industry could be approaching a major shift as companies reconsider where their customer service operations are based. AT&T has announced plans to serve all its home internet, phone and postpaid wireless customers through customer care staff located in the United States by the end of 2027.

AT&T's Reshoring Strategy

AT&T's decision reflects a broader discussion around bringing customer service jobs back to the United States.

The company is also investing in improved tools to help customer care representatives spend less time navigating internal systems and more time assisting customers.

AT&T has not yet finalised its workforce model for the transition. A company spokesperson told CX Dive that the approach is expected to include union employees and US-based contractors.

The move comes as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) considers a proposed rule that would require US-based companies to handle a certain percentage of customer service calls through US-based contact centres. The proposal is not yet finalised, but it is already influencing industry discussions.

The Cost Challenge of Bringing Jobs Back

Reshoring customer service operations presents significant financial and staffing challenges.

According to industry experts quoted by CX Dive, outsourced contact centre billable rates in the United States currently range from $35 to $40 per hour, compared with approximately $12 to $14 per hour in the Philippines.

Labour is also a major component of business process outsourcing (BPO) expenses, accounting for around 70% of operating costs, according to an industry executive cited in the report.

These differences explain why many companies have historically outsourced customer service operations to lower-cost markets.

Bringing these roles back to the United States could increase demand for domestic agents, potentially putting upward pressure on wages and making recruitment more challenging.

How AI Is Changing Contact Centre Operations

Artificial intelligence is introducing another dimension to the reshoring debate.

AI-powered self-service tools can handle routine customer enquiries, while agent-assist systems support human representatives during calls. These systems can automate note-taking, recommend responses, manage follow-ups and help agents retrieve information more quickly.

As AI takes over simpler interactions, human representatives are increasingly expected to handle complex customer problems requiring analytical thinking and stronger communication skills.

Industry experts suggest that companies could potentially operate with smaller, more skilled domestic teams supported by AI rather than relying on larger offshore teams for routine enquiries.

However, AI implementation also involves software and usage costs, meaning automation does not automatically make domestic operations cheaper.

What This Means for Offshore Contact Centre Markets

AT&T's announcement could have implications for offshore outsourcing destinations, including India and the Philippines.

Industry experts interviewed by CX Dive believe that entry-level customer service roles handling routine enquiries could face greater pressure as companies combine AI automation with domestic staffing strategies.

For outsourcing providers, this may increase the importance of developing specialised services, improving agent capabilities and integrating AI into existing operations.

Rather than competing only on labour costs, BPO companies may need to demonstrate measurable improvements in customer experience, productivity and operational efficiency.

The Future of Contact Centre Operations

AT&T's reshoring plan highlights how customer service strategies are evolving. Regulatory developments, labour economics and AI adoption are increasingly influencing decisions about where contact centres operate and how customer interactions are managed.

The future may not involve a complete shift from offshore outsourcing to domestic operations. Instead, companies could adopt hybrid models that combine local customer service teams, specialised offshore support and AI-powered automation.

For the contact centre industry, the biggest challenge will be finding the right balance between cost efficiency, workforce quality and customer experience.