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(AP) -- LOS ANGELES (AP) -- AT&T says its employees didn't change the outcome of "American Idol."

The company says a few of its overeager employees took demo phones with them to "American Idol" viewing parties in Arkansas, and helped fans text their votes.

But the company says that didn't affect the outcome of the competition between Kris Allen of Arkansas -- who emerged as the winner -- and Adam Lambert.

The producers aren't saying what the winning margin was, though nearly 100 million votes were reportedly sent by phone or text message after last Tuesday's final performance.

Lambert had been cast by the show's judges as the front-runner.

Anyone in the United States could phone in votes, but only AT&T customers were allowed to text.

According to a person familiar with the gatherings, about 20 phones were brought to two separate parties in Arkansas, and two of the phones were capable of sending multiple votes by so-called "power-texting."

But another person with knowledge of the voting results says Allen won by a large enough margin that a handful of voters couldn't have swayed the outcome.

Fox and the show's producer say the results were "fair, accurate and verified" by an independent third-party monitor.

(Copyright ©2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)