Many are asking, ‘Why is my phone in SOS mode?’
There’s a widespread Verizon outage today. Credit: T. Schneider / Shutterstock.com
Check out our live blog coverage on the Verizon outage for more up-to-date details on the major cellular network issue.
A massive Verizon outage has caused widespread, nationwide connectivity issues for customers across the U.S.
Based on Google Trends, there’s been an uptick of people searching for, “Why is my phone in SOS?” This captures the experience that numerous Verizon users have been reporting; many have claimed that their phones are now limited to SOS service.
Verizon Down: Widespread outage disrupts customers across U.S.
As of 12:00 p.m. ET, DownDetector (a site that shares the same parent company as Mashable) shows that there have been over 100,000 reports of Verizon outages. Fifty percent say that the issue involves their mobile phone, 35 percent say they’re not getting any signals, and 14 percent say they’re experiencing a total blackout.
DownDetector percentages regarding Verizon outage Credit: DownDetector
According to DownDetector’s heat map, it appears that outages are concentrated in the following states: New York, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, and North Carolina.
DownDetector map shows where the Verizon outage is concentrated Credit: DownDetector
DownDetector said that most reports, however, are coming from the following cities: Chicago, Phoenix, Denver, Seattle, Los Angeles, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Omaha, and Las Vegas
A site that has been tracking the issue claims that outage reports began piling up at around 9:04 am ET.
Mashable Light Speed
On X, users have been flooding Verizon Support, the company’s official help page, regarding the issue.
“We are aware of an issue impacting service for some customers. Our engineers are engaged and we are working quickly to identify and solve the issue,” Verizon said on X.
The company, according to CNN, has 114 million subscribers in the United States.
Phones stuck in SOS mode: What to do
Your phone being in SOS mode is an indication that your device cannot connect to a network, but it can reach certain personnel via satellite connectivity.
SOS mode is Apple’s “Emergency SOS via Satellite” feature that lets users connect to satellites to reach emergency services in poor coverage areas.
Although technically not a “fix,” there is a way around a dropped network via a method called Wi-Fi calling. As the name indicates, Wi-Fi calling lets you make calls and texts on popular communication apps, like WhatsApp, FaceTime, and iMessage — without cellular service. Just make sure you can connect to a non-Verizon-based Wi-Fi network.
(For a tutorial on how to turn on Wi-Fi calling, here’s a great one on YouTube.)
T-Mobile and AT&T report that its networks are working
If you are a T-Mobile and AT&T user, and you’ve been experiencing some issues, it’s more likely you’re encountering troubles because you’ve been trying to contact a Verizon user dealing with poor connectivity.
According to CNET, T-Mobile and AT&T reported that their respective networks are currently up and running.
This story is developing … Check back at Mashable for more.
Kimberly Gedeon, at Mashable since 2023, is a tech explorer who enjoys doing deep dives into the most popular gadgets, from the latest iPhones to the most immersive VR headsets. She’s drawn to strange, avant-garde, bizarre tech, whether it’s a 3D laptop, a gaming rig that can transform into a briefcase, or smart glasses that can capture video. Her journalism career kicked off about a decade ago at MadameNoire where she covered tech and business before landing as a tech editor at Laptop Mag in 2020.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
