Did AT&T Help Allen Win American Idol?

According to The New York Times, representatives of national phone network service provider AT&T may have skewed the results of the "American Idol" finale last week, resulting in long-shot finalist Kris Allen's victory over competition favorite Adam Lambert.

AT&T employees were invited to two parties in Arkansas, Allen's home state, after the show's last performances before crowning a winner. The reps brought demo phones with free text-messaging to the parties, reports the Times. The representatives allegedly gave messaging tutorials to party guests, showing them how to send blocks of 10 or more messages with the press of a single button, known as power texting.

AT&T's mobile phone network is the only service fans can use to vote via text message on "Idol." According to the Times, AT&T is one of the biggest corporate sponsors of the show.

Fans of Adam Lambert, Allen's opponent and projected winner, are up in arms over the news, claiming that Allen fans were given an unfair advantage to elect him the winner. The Chicago Tribune reports no AT&T representatives were present at parties for Lambert to extend the same services the Allen fans in Arkansas enjoyed.

FOX has yet to release a statement.