Update - just spoke with ATT Tech Support. LG has agreed to accept the phone as a warranty claim. Send phone to LG to reflash the memory. LG nor ATT will cover the cost of shipping the phone.

Still struggling with why a foced ATT FOTA upgrade sent over the ATT network that compromizes the functionality of the phone is now a customer problem and expense to resolve.

Next step: Calling credit card company to withold payment on defective software/hardware device purchased from ATT.