Verizon outage: Why are phones going on SOS mode? Thousands report ‘network unavailable’

Verizon reportedly faced a major outage as 90,000+ users on Down Detector said their phones switched to SOS mode during service disruption.

Updated on: Jan 15, 2026, 24:06:33 IST

By Shamik Banerjee

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Mobile network provider Verizon purportedly faced a major outage on Wednesday as thousands of users reported that their phones were going into SOS mode. On Down Detector, a platform that tracks outages based on users' data, more than 185,000 users are reported an outage with Verizon at its peak.

Since then, the number of users reporting outage on the has come down to around 150,000.

More than 113874 users reported an outage with Verizon. (Unsplash)

Reports state that Verizon Wireless users are suffering the most outage. According to the numbers available on Down Detector, 64% are reporting that the their phones are on SOS mode. 33% say that they have no signal, while 3% reported issues with mobile internet.

Why Are Phones Going On SOS Mode?

Verizon is experiencing a country-wide network outage. The company has acknowledged the issue in a social media post, saying they are working to fix the issue "quickly."

"We are aware of an issue impacting wireless voice and data services for some customers," Verizon Support replied to a X complain. "Our engineers are engaged and are working to identify and solve the issue quickly. We understand how important reliable connectivity is and apologize for the inconvenience."

Also read: Verizon outage map: Which US cities are affected? Here's when will services be restored

Verizon Outage Map

Reports Down Detector showed that the outage was concentrated around most major US cities. New York reported the most outage in the US, followed by Chicago, Richmond and Virginia Beach, among others.

This is a developing story.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shamik Banerjee
Shamik is a journalist covering the United States for Hindustan Times. He has more than four years of experience reporting on US politics, sports, and major breaking stories across fast-moving cycles. He previously worked at Times Now and Sportskeeda, building strong newsroom instincts and digital storytelling skills. At HT.com, he focuses on day-to-day coverage of US political developments while also handling high-impact stories that demand speed, accuracy, clarity, and context under pressure. Shamik has extensive experience covering NFL game days over the past two years, coordinating live updates, analysis, and explainers. He is particularly drawn to large news moments such as US elections and the Super Bowl, where he thrives at the news desk working alongside the team. He holds degrees in Media Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia and English Literature from Jadavpur University. Before entering journalism, he briefly worked in digital marketing and political consultancy roles. Currently a Senior Content Producer at HT Digital, he is driven by curiosity, discipline, and a constant desire to explore new and obscure topics. Outside work, he enjoys reading, films, sports, and learning continuously.Read More

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