The Connecticut state attorney general called on AT&T Inc on Wednesday to abandon plans for 2,500 new layoffs and criticized the phone company for deteriorating services in the state.

AT&T, which has about 290,000 employees, has told workers that there will be 2,500 layoffs nationwide including at least 75 workers in Connecticut, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said in an statement, citing plans to layoff engineers and technicians responsible for maintaining network services.

A representative for AT&T did not comment immediately.

AT&T has reached new heights of arrogance -- dropping workers, deteriorating service and disregarding a Department of Public Utility Control ruling that it has failed to meet service standards, Blumenthal said in the statement.

The Communications Workers of America union also voiced concerns about the layoffs in the statement.

AT&T shares were up 99 cents or 3.7 percent at $27.49 on New York Stock Exchange.

(Reporting by Sinead Carew, editing by Leslie Gevirtz)