“The Verizon outage SOS mode triggered chaos as customers complained of hours without service and a slow response from the carrier.”
Verizon customers in the United States faced major service disruption on Saturday, with several reporting that their phones were stuck in SOS mode for hours. The issue started after 12:00 pm ET, and till 3:30 pm ET, about 23,000 outage reports were logged on the demon.
From California to Florida, disappointed users took to social media to complain about cuts from calls, messages, and mobile data.
2. Verizon's official statement
Hours in the outage, Verizon confirmed that the outage was due to a software issue.
“We know about a software issue affecting wireless service for some customers. Our engineers are engaged, and we are working quickly to recognize and resolve the issue. Please go to our check network status page for updates. We apologize for the discomfort and appreciate your patience.”
At 6 pm PDT, Verizon said that it had started restoring service in affected areas. Till 7:30 pm. Most of the customers from PDT, the Bay Area, and other major cities reported that their connections were restored.
3. Verizon outage SOS mode
Phones across the country displayed “SOS” mode instead of regular network signals.
What this means: SOS mode allows users to make emergency calls, such as 911, by connecting to other carriers, but normal calls, texts, and data remain blocked.
Why it matters: For many people, this was their first experience with SOS mode, promoting confusion and despair. Parents could not contact children, passengers were struggling with navigation, and commercial calls were unlikely.
4. Outage in major cities
According to the DownDetector data, the most affected from Verizon outage SOS mode cities are included:
Chicago
Atlanta
Los Angeles
Orlando
Tampa
Minneapolis
Miami
Omaha
Indianapolis
In Los Angeles alone, more than 1,300 outage reports were filed at peak.
5. Users get out on social media
As disappointment increased, social media became a go-to outlet for angry customers.
Many shared screenshots of their phone getting stuck in SOS mode.
Others joked about living in the “Stone Age” without service.
Some, however, expressed real concern when traveling to family members or being unable to use maps while traveling.
A customer told CBS News:
“Verizon looks as if only a few customers are affected. This is not true. My whole family in LA is below, and all my friends have not served with Verizon here.”
6. Verizon's first blackout
This outage was not a separate event. In October 2024, Verizon suffered a large-scale service disintegration, which triggered more than 100,000 outage reports on the Downdetector.
Saturday’s outage was not quite serious, but it still influenced thousands of people and expressed concern about Verizon’s credibility.
7. Verizon's reputation at stake
As the largest wireless carrier in the US, Verizon has long marked itself as the most reliable network. But repeated outages threatened that reputation.
Customers criticized the company for its slow pace of response.
Many accused Verizon of reducing the scale of the issue.
Providers such as AT&T and T-Mobile attracted online attention, as frustrated Verizon users joked about switching providers.
8. What happens next?
While Verizon has restored most of the services, the company is still:
Confirm how many customers were affected.
Provide a detailed technical explanation for software failure.
Prepare the steps to prevent future outages.
The company has advised users to check their network status page, although critics argue that Verizon should send proactive alerts instead of leaving customers to search online for updates.
9. Big picture
There is a big issue in Saturday’s outage: our heavy dependence on mobile networks. Can do a single dissolution:
Cut people from family and work.
Disrupt businesses dependent on mobile data.
Create safety concerns when users cannot contact loved ones.
As a Twitter user said, “You don’t realize how much you rely on your phone until Verizon takes it away.”
10. Last word
By Saturday night, most Verizon customers’ service returned, but they were disappointed. For users spending hours stuck in SOS mode, the outage was more than a discomfort—it reminded us how weak our daily lives are for a single network mess.
Whether Verizon can gain trust depends on how quickly and transparently it addresses the issue. By then, many customers would remember this blackout because of the day their phones were dark—and Verizon waited for him.