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Verizon outage was not caused by cyber attack; report reveals real reason phones went to SOS mode
A Verizon outage on Wednesday affected over 170,000 users across the US, Downdetector data showed
A Verizon outage on Wednesday affected over 170,000 users across the US, Downdetector data showed. In a statement, about 10 hours after phones started going into SOS mode, the company said that the issues were resolved. However, the carrier did not specify what caused the disruptions.
“Today, we let many of our customers down and for that, we are truly sorry,” Verizon wrote in updates shared on social media. A spokesperson later added that the company would give those impacted a $20 account credit through Verizon's app, which on average “covers multiple days of service," and directly contact its business customers with compensation.
What caused the Verizon outage?
While several social media users and commentators speculated whether the Verizon outage was caused by a cyber attack, a report revealed the real reason. ABC News cited reports stating that multiple law enforcement agencies investigated the cyber attack angle, but the scenario was ruled out. Officials believe that the disruptions stemmed from an internal network issue tied to server failure in New Jersey.
“The outage has been resolved. If customers are still having an issue, we encourage them to restart their devices to reconnect to the network,” a Verizon spokesperson said in a statement late on Wednesday.
“For those affected, we will provide account credits. Details will be shared directly with customers. We sincerely apologize for the disruption.”
The widespread Verizon outage left users struggling to connect, with many reporting their phones had switched into ‘SOS’ mode or were displaying no-service alerts.
In major cities such as New York, residents received warnings that the disruption could interfere with 911 calls. Officials advised people experiencing emergencies to use landlines, try devices from other wireless carriers, or go directly to nearby police or fire stations if necessary.
Outage-tracking service Downdetector showed significant disruptions in several large metro areas, including Houston, Philadelphia, Dallas and Miami. Reports also poured in from customers nationwide, suggesting the problem was not limited to a single region.
While some users noted brief connectivity issues with other carriers, both T-Mobile and AT&T stated publicly that their networks were functioning normally. The companies indicated that any perceived problems may have stemmed from attempts to reach Verizon customers during the outage.
Telecom providers often recommend switching to Wi-Fi during cellular disruptions and using internet-based calling features when available.
