Verizon is down, with many users seeing 'SOS' – here's everything we know about this outage

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Verizon is down, with many users seeing 'SOS' – here's everything we know about this outage

Seemingly 'SOS' is replacing network bars

News By Jacob Krol last updated 15 January 2026

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(Image: © Getty Images / Future)

While Verizon had a good few months, with the last major outage occurring in October 2024, it seems that the popular United States wireless carrier is having some issues. So, if you're on Verizon and seeing 'SOS' in place of network bars, you're not alone.

In fact, since about 12:30PM ET, hundreds of thousands of Verizon cellular customers have reported issues with the network. Taking to social platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Threads, as well as the comments below, to shout out issues. Many users reported no network bars, and on phones like the iPhone, those were replaced with SOS, with no ability to make or receive calls or texts beyond using data.

At its height, Down Detector reported over 180,000 issues. As of 8 PM, it's currently around 37,000, but when you tally all the reports today, it's well over hundreds of thousands of impacted customers. Verizon eventually confirmed to TechRaar that its network was experiencing a disruption shortly after 1 PM ET, but it's been relatively quiet since then, with only a few updates since then, and we're at over 4 hours now since its last update at 4:12 PM ET.

The carrier did not share a timeline for resolution or the cause of the outage, but it did note that engineers are on the ground working to resolve it and acknowledged the impact of the outage. It's a serious one at nearly 8 hours; it's the largest outage of 2026 to date.

We invite you to vote in our poll below to let us know if you're on Verizon and are still being impacted by the outage, and to comment down below. We're still continuing our live coverage of this major Verizon outage ahead and have reached out to the carrier for more information.

Refresh Get notified of updates 2026-01-15T01:31:24.722Z

We're now in hour 8 of this Verizon outage

We're now in hour 8 of this outage and are now past four hours since Verizon's last update on the network disruption, though we have asked the network for another update.

Judging by the comments down below, it appears that many across the United States – Georgia, Massachusetts, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, to name a few – are still in the midst of this Verizon outage, while others have seen bars reappear and then disappear soon thereafter.

One of my friends in New York City who has an iPhone 17 Pro Max just told me that after hours without service, 5G appeared and then went away after about a minute – certainly frustrating. Similarly, my colleague Lance Ulanoff is seeing Verizon service come in and out on his iPhone 17 Pro Max – at times, a bar or two appearing, and then quickly disappearing.

It does appear that a few of you are seeing better luck with service reappearing and lasting a bit longer, so let's hope Verizon is making progress, and we'll see that across all impacted areas soon.

2026-01-15T00:51:45.448Z

Some things to try on your phone

If you're starting to see a bar or two return, or want to try and make that happen while we wait for further updates from Verizon, here are a few ideas on what to do.

Given that the network outage is still active and Verizon is working to resolve it, there's no guarantee these will work. You might find that even if you're seeing a bar or 5G appear, you can't connect either, and as Lance wrote earlier, that can be par for the course as parts of the network come back online, but not fully online, or they get pulled back down again as Verizon attempts to ensure 100% recovery.

Unfortunately, the recovery will likely be slow.

• Sounds simple, but try restarting your phone.
• Try a soft reset if you're on an iPhone – press and hold the volume up button, press and hold the volume down button, then press and hold the power button until you see the Apple logo.
• Turn on Airplane mode and then turn it off.

2026-01-15T00:41:13.069Z

We're now in hour 7 of this Verizon outage

(Image credit: Future)

We're now into 7 hours of what is still a very active and ongoing Verizon outage, so let's take a look at the outage map on Down Detector that's based on the most recent reports. It shows fewer outages, but it's still quite high for a typical day at Verizon, with over 37,000.

It seems that the Northeast, specifically New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, is a bit of a hotspot for Verizon's network issues. Still, Boston, Washington DC, Florida, LA, and Phoenix are all on here as well.

From the comments below, I see that TechRadar readers on Verizon are still experiencing issues in Massachusetts, Alaska, Mississippi, Maryland, Virginia, and New Hampshire, among others, and remain affected by this outage.

I'm on Visible – Verizon's MVNO – and haven't been impacted, but I spoke with my colleague, Lance, who still has no service. His wife, though, has 1 bar showing and 5G with the ability to browse the internet and make calls, though not to Lance, and his son has LTE.

One of my friends in NYC has an iPhone 16 and is still seeing "SOS" instead of network bars or 5G on his device. He tried a restart, a soft reset, and turning Airplane mode on and off – all to no avail so far. He hasn't attempted to try Messages via Satellite, though that is a bit hard to pull off in metro areas with tall buildings like NYC.

And our poll is still open, so please vote on what you're currently experiencing with Verizon, and thank you to the 20,000+ who have already voted.

2026-01-15T00:04:59.494Z

Verizon's outage is now stretching on for 6+ hours

We're now stretching into 6 hours of this Verizon outage that's knocked out phone, text, and data for a huge swath of customers across the United States. The issues began shortly before 12:30PM ET, and Verizon confirmed a network disruption after 1 PM ET.

While at its peak, Down Detector reported over 180,000 incidents; it has since fallen to around 40,000, but hundreds of thousands of customers have reported issues. You can see many of those on social platforms, like X (formerly Twitter) or Threads, and even see more of them by scrolling below to the comments.

Now, my colleagues and I at TechRadar want to know whether you've been affected by today's Verizon outage, so please take the poll below and feel free to comment.

We're still awaiting an update from Verizon on the resolution timeline or the cause of today's issues. The carrier last posted an update at 4:12 PM ET, noting that teams were on the ground working to resolve the outage. And if you're on an iPhone and seeing SOS, here's a guide to trying to send messages via satellite.

2026-01-14T23:31:01.833Z

The impacts of the Verizon outage

Beyond not being able to access the internet, make calls, or receive texts, the implications of Verizon's major 6+ hour outage today are far-reaching. Take this, for example: live sporting events are affected, especially when you need connectivity to pull up tickets on your phone to enter the venue.

In New Jersey this evening, the NJ Devils take on the Seattle Kraken, and the team recommends fans save their tickets to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet before leaving for the venue.

And here's an update on the current number of reported outages at Down Detector – it's fallen to about 43,000, which is still an abnormally high number pointing towards an outage by down from the over 180,000 reports from earlier today. Meanwhile, we're awaiting further updates from Verizon on the timeline for resolution.

Due to ongoing network outages, we’re encouraging all fans to add their tickets to tonight’s game to their Apple/Google wallets prior to arriving at the arena to avoid any delays.January 14, 2026

2026-01-14T22:55:55.525Z

Patience is a virtue, right?

Lance Ulanoff here.We're nearing hour 6 of this Verizon outage, and while some are reporting restored service, many of us are struggling to maintain even LTE support on what's supposed to be a 5G network. Plus, coverage is wildly inconsistent. Some people have a few bars of 5G, others have just LTE, and some have nothing.

On the ride home, I notice some people on their phones happily scrolling through their feeds. It was hard to tell, though, what network they're on. In my own house, my wife has 5G while I'm suffering with SOS.

This will be a slow road back.

2026-01-14T22:33:43.923Z

Krispy Kreme donuts are secured

(Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

Lance and I headed to a Krispy Kreme in NYC and can confirm that donut deal is real. You're entitled to one free Original Glazed donut and the offer is valid from 5PM to 7PM, it certainly helps for a tasty treat after a stressful day – that's contuining to the evening – for Verizon customers.

2026-01-14T21:57:37.201Z

Verizon provides an update, but still no time for a resolution

Well, Verizon's finally shared another update on the ongoing network disruption as of 4:12PM ET. It doesn't state the cause of the issue or how long it'll take for it be resolved, but it does read, "Verizon's team is on the ground actively working to fix today’s service issue that is impacting some customers."

Verizon's clearly working fast to resolve the issue, but as of now many, many customers are still without connectivity. We'll keep you updated!

(Image credit: Future) 2026-01-14T21:10:57.580Z

Krispy Kreme to the rescue, sort of

(Image credit: Krispy Kreme)

While it's not a service recovery, Krispy Kreme is at least making those impacted by Verizon's major outage today feel a little bit better. The iconic doughnut chain has confirmed to TechRadar that it'll be serving up free original glazed doughnuts from 5 PM to 7 PM across the United States at its locations as a 'sweet backup plan.'

That's pretty great, and I can confirm a Krispy Kreme original glazed can really hit the spot. If only Verizon would provide another update!

2026-01-14T21:06:20.521Z

Here's where we stand 4 hours in

This is officially the biggest and longest outage of 2026, but I'll level with you, it's also the first outage of 2026. Even so, this will stand as a major outage for Verizon, disrupting cell service for countless customers, and it's still ongoing.

Verizon's latest update on the outage came at 2:14 PM ET, close to two hours ago, and it didn't provide much of a real needle pusher. It noted that the engineering team is focusing on addressing the interruption and is fully committed to resolving it. No mention of what's causing it or the estimated time for resolution.

We've reached out to Verizon to ask for more information and are waiting to hear back; that'll likely be the case until another wide statement is issued. For now, though, if you have Verizon, your ability to make calls, send texts, and use data – aka browse the web on 5G or even 4G – is likely affected. If you're on an iPhone, you're likely seeing network bars replaced with SOS. You can see our guide to sending messages via satellite here.

Keep posting in the comments below to let us know if your service is still out, if it's showing signs of coming back to life, or if it's being a bit of a tease like my colleagues have been seeing. For what it's worth, I still have two bars and 5G on Visible, but Lance is seeing Verizon with no bars and no mention of 5G with no connectivity.

2026-01-14T20:43:11.493Z

We reached out to Carolina Milanesi, President and Principal Analyst at Creative Strategies, Inc., for her thoughts and expertise on the current outage impacting Verizon:

"Sadly, we are getting accustomed to outages, whether they are network Verizon today, ATT in 2024, AWS at the end of 2025, and I fear this is the new reality as cyber attacks increase and reliance on major cloud and AI providers increases," wrote Milanesi.

While there is no evidence that today's issues are a cyberattack, such outages are certainly on the rise. One thing that I'd hope we see improved is communication from the impacted services, but that's not the case yet ... with Verizon today, Verizon in 2024, or the outages in between.

And here's the latest look at the reported outage map from Down Detector – Verizon's outage is very widespread, hitting the East Coast – Northeast and Southeast – Midwest, and even select metropolitan cities on the West Coast.

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol) 2026-01-14T20:33:19.161Z

Quick update – Lance's phone quickly went back to SOS and then back to a few bars, so it's likely that Verizon is working on restorations and that there is a flood of iPhones and other phones like Pixel and Galaxy devices trying to get back online.

We're keen to hear Verizon provide another update on what exactly is going on, as the last one was at 2:14 PM ET – over an hour ago.

2026-01-14T20:30:45.615Z

Verizon is finally showing some proof of life in NYC

We won't call this a full recovery just yet, but my colleague Lance Ulanoff is now seeing three bars and 5G UW. His first call to me failed, and it showed 'Call Failed' on the iPhone, but on the second attempt, after a brief delay, I was able to hear him, and he was able to hear me.

I also had him run a quick speed test, and on Verizon 5G UW from a 17 Pro Max, he got 19.8 Mbps download and 5.97 Mbps upload. So this is progress, but we're not sure how widespread the recovery is. Let us know if service is starting to come back in the comments below.

Of course, we'll update you if this disappears again or if we get another comment from Verizon.

(Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff) 2026-01-14T20:18:46.578Z

Just like T-Mobile, AT&T is also confirming that its network is operating just fine ... albeit with a bit more sass.

The carrier writes, "Our network? Solid." and then notes that if you're having issues, it's due to another network but doesn't mention Verizon by name. AT&T then shouts out some switching offers as well.

Our network? Solid. If you’re experiencing issues, it’s not us.....it’s the other guys. Some things are just out of our hands! - BUT if you're interested in giving us a try - https://t.co/xftQXpUcjwJanuary 14, 2026

2026-01-14T20:08:35.915Z

As we noted earlier, other carriers are operating normally, with T-Mobile posting on X (formerly Twitter) that its network is performing well. It does note that if you're attempting to reach someone on Verizon, you may not be able to establish the connection.

We're still waiting for an update from Verizon as well on the current network issues.

T-Mobile’s network is keeping our customers connected, and we’ve confirmed that our network is operating normally and as expected. However due to Verizon’s reported outage, our customers may not be able to reach someone with Verizon service at this time.January 14, 2026

2026-01-14T19:56:35.510Z

We have a slight update, at least from folks on Verizon, but it's not a fix, more like a glimmer of recovery.

Here in NYC, my colleague Lance Ulanoff is now seeing two bars of service and 5G after a restart on his iPhone 17 Pro Max, which is connected to Verizon. Though it's super spotty and has quickly gone back to SOS, meanwhile, other colleagues are still seeing SOS and not even seeing the network bars after a restart.

So, fair to say that Verizon's network is still impacted, and we're waiting on further updates from the carrier on what's causing the outage and when recovery might be. Judging from the comments below, though, it appears many are seeing it come back, then disappear back to SOS or no bars.

Image 1 of 2(Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)(Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff) 2026-01-14T19:27:21.537Z

New York City's official emergency notification system has commented on the situation, noting that if you're on Verizon and are impacted by this outage, it may affect your ability to dial 911 in an emergency. It advises you to try calling from a landline or another device, or to visit a precinct, if you have an emergency.

You can also try using 'Emergency SOS via Satellite' if you're an iPhone 14 or newer.

Nationwide @Verizon Wireless Outage: Outage may affect some users trying to call 911. Call using a device from another carrier, a landline, or go to a police/fire station to report emergencies. To find your precinct: https://t.co/QtknvNamrXJanuary 14, 2026

2026-01-14T19:20:55.733Z

Let's talk about those network bars

If you see bars but are unable to make a call or receive data, remember that those bars simply indicate a connection to a cell tower. In that case, you're in range, and it's still casting, but it's similar to a home Wi-Fi network that is casting without a direct pipeline to the World Wide Web.

In this case, as Verizon works to restore its network and resolve the issue, you may be able to reach a cell tower and have a strong signal, but it's not sending any data or voice traffic back to you. Meaning that you won't be able to use the internet, or at least use it at close to normal speeds, make calls, or send a message.

It's also likely that when Verizon is unaware that recovery is underway, a full restoration will take longer and can vary by location. Of course, there's a chance you don't even see those network bars as of right now, as many are seeing those swapped for SOS.

2026-01-14T19:18:27.195Z

Verizon's provided an update, but there's still no estimate for a fix

Verizon just shared another update via @VerizonNews on X. As expected, its engineering team is still investigating the issue and working to resolve it, but there is no estimate yet for when recovery will occur.

And further, Verizon's not sharing any information on what's causing the issue – we've reached back out to Verizon to ask for more information, though we might not hear back until this is resolved.

Verizon engineering teams are continuing to address today's service interruptions. Our teams remain fully deployed and are focused on the issue. We understand the impact this has on your day and remain committed to resolving this as quickly as possible.January 14, 2026

2026-01-14T19:01:35.007Z

Verizon's outage is impacting voice, text, and data for cellular customers

Here's a quick update – reported outages for Verizon began spiking a bit before 12:30 PM ET on January 24, 2026, and Verizon confirmed the issue shortly after 1 PM ET. The outage is affecting nearly all parts of Verizon's cellular service in the areas covered, including New York, New Jersey, the Carolinas, Texas, and Florida, among others. Just look at the comments below.

Additionally, it affects voice, text, and data, with many affected phones displaying an SOS icon instead of the usual network bars and 5G/5G UW/4G in the top corner. For iPhone users with a 14 or newer model, you'll be directed to satellite services, including 'Messages via Satellite'.

2026-01-14T18:50:51.411Z

Lance headed onto the streets of NYC to give 'Messages via Satellite' a go, as his iPhone 17 Pro Max in Cosmic Orange that's connected to Verizon is still showing SOS. He connected via satellite, following the prompts, but the four messages he sent me still haven't been received on my end.

(Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff) 2026-01-14T18:40:54.222Z

Down Detector reports are dropping, but many are still reporting issues

Let's take a quick status check on Down Detector – while reported issues with Verizon were at nearly 180,000, it is starting to drop to around 120,000. A significant drop, which might point to some recovery, but also still way above the number we expect Verizon or any cellular carrier to be at on a normal day.

2026-01-14T18:36:28.673Z

A look at 'Messages via Satellite' on iPhone

While I'm still seeing service on Visible – Verizon's own MVNO – with 5G UW, my colleague, Lance Ulanoff, on Verizon proper, is still seeing SOS and is attempting to use 'Messages via Satellite' on his iPhone 17 Pro Max. Here's what that looks like: it's a pretty nice visual interface that takes over the Dynamic Island.

(Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff) 2026-01-14T18:26:06.507Z

Other carriers are spiking on Down Detector, but it's likely not another outage

As we see with almost all service outages, competing services tend to spike when one carrier is experiencing one. With mobile carriers, it's generally the case that one person has Verizon and is in the midst of the outage, and they're reaching out to someone at AT&T, T-Mobile, or another carrier; if they don't, they fail to do so.

Generally, it's that Verizon can't connect to that network, not that AT&T or T-Mobile is simultaneously experiencing another outage, though it's possible.

2026-01-14T18:18:22.061Z

Verizon's responding back to frustrated users on social media

While we still haven't seen a formal Tweet from the @Verizon account, the @VerizonSupport account is responding to individual customers who are tweeting about network connectivity issues. And it appears to be the same message to most folks, likely automated and asking for a DM to help troubleshoot the issue.

(Image credit: Future) 2026-01-14T18:12:05.525Z

It's a good time to try Messages via Satellite on your iPhone

If you see "SOS" on your iPhone 14 or newer, now is a good time to try "Messages via Satellite." Apple originally designed this for when you're out in the wilderness or a place that's intended to have no cellular reception, but it's a good way to stay in contact with family and friends during a network outage.

You can see our guide to using Messages via Satellite here.

@techradar

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2026-01-14T18:02:40.571Z

Verizon just confirmed the issue with TechRadar and is working on a fix

We've heard back from a Verizon spokesperson, and the carrier has confirmed that an issue is impacting its network.

"We are aware of an issue impacting wireless voice and data services for some customers. 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."

Verizon states that it's aware of the issue hitting both voice and data for some customers, but doesn't show how far-reaching the impact is. It's clear it's quite wide; scroll down and read the comments below.

There is no timeline for a resolution, but Verizon's engineers are working on it. So that's a positive.

2026-01-14T17:59:56.232Z

I use Visible, one of Verizon MVNO's, and still have service

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

I swapped from Verizon to Visible this past November during the carrier's Black Friday - Cyber Monday sale and am still seeing service on my iPhone 17 Pro Max, actually 5GUW with two bars of service.

Now, Visible is Verizon's MVNO, which means it's a 'mobile virtual network operator' that actually offers its service via Verizon's network, so it's peculiar that it's not impacted by the outage ... at least as of yet.

2026-01-14T17:54:40.949Z

I am keeping an eye on Verizon's own social channels – mainly @Verizon, @VerizonSupport, and @VerizonNews on X – to see if any comment or acknowledgment is being issued, but there's nothing as of yet.

Meanwhile, here's a sampling of impacted users taking to social platforms to report issues with Verizon.

Who else has a Verizon outage? I have no service, full SOS in North Carolina.January 14, 2026

Looks like Verizon is having a major outage again. My iPhone is down to no service but my galaxy on unlimited welcome is fine. pic.twitter.com/KwRHsVIgpGJanuary 14, 2026

2026-01-14T17:51:22.500Z

Verizon's own Network Status isn't showing any issues

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

Interestingly, Verizon's Network Status checker doesn't appear to show any issues, and I've tried plugging in a few different locations to get it to update. Please let us know in the comments if you're on Verizon and experiencing this outage.

Based on social media posts and Down Detector comments, it's clear that the New York Metro Region, Texas, Florida, Las Vegas, Nevada, and South Carolina are experiencing issues.

I am also encountering a 'please try again' pop-up when using the tool, so it might be experiencing an outage.

2026-01-14T17:43:26.901Z

For those counting, Down Detector is now at over 90,000 reported issues, with many in the comments noting that on their phones, 'SOS' is appearing instead of network bars. This likely indicates that the device can't reach the cellular network and instead defaults to satellite connectivity, a feature offered by the iPhone and other smartphones.

Here's a look at what that looks like, courtesy of TechRadar's Editor-at-Large, Lance Ulanoff's iPhone 17 Pro Max, which is connected to Verizon's network here in New York City.

(Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff) 2026-01-14T17:34:40.503Z

The spike is real on Down Detector – as of 12:16PM ET there are over 46,000 reported outages and a few of my colleagues who use Veirzon are seeing 'SOS' in place of network bars on there iPhones.

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