[Update from HCSO] Can You Hear Us Now? Verizon Customers Struggle with Widespread Service Outage

Customers across the United States faced significant disruptions to their Verizon wireless service on Monday morning, with many reporting their phones were stuck in SOS mode and unable to connect to the network. DownDetector, an online outage monitoring website, logged over 104,000 outage reports from users in locations from New York to Los Angeles.

The issues began around 6 a.m., prompting users to vent their frustrations on social media and demand compensation. One distressed customer from Lawrence, Kansas, wrote, “This is absolutely ridiculous. I lost service at 9 a.m., and over four hours later, it is still completely down. I have a parent in ICU right now, and this is so unacceptable. Ain’t no one going to tell me to ‘calm down.'”

Screenshot of the DownDetector reported Verizon outages 

In a post on one of its official X account, Verizon News acknowledged the situation, stating, “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.”

Numerous customers reported that their phones displayed SOS mode, indicating that while the device is unable to connect to the Verizon network, it can still make emergency calls. Phones typically switch to SOS mode when no cellular signal is available, leaving users unable to make regular calls.

It’s worth noting that not all Verizon customers are experiencing the same outage. Many users on DownDetector expressed confusion over why individuals on the same account might be affected differently. One commenter on Verizon’s X statement remarked, “This is all the largest carrier in the nation has to say about 115 million of their subscribers not being able to make or receive calls. It’s scary to think one company can damage our way of life so much. I hope people sue @verizon over this,” adding the hashtag #DumpVerizon to their comment.

As customer frustration continues to grow, Verizon has become the top trending technology topic on X, with users questioning the company’s inadequate response and the seemingly random nature of the outage.

Update:

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement about the outage on their Facebook page, referencing the concerns with reach emergency services. The post stated, “Verizon customers across the U.S. are currently experiencing a widespread cell service outage. It has been reported that ????????? ?????? ????? ?? ???? ?? ??????? ???? ??? ??????????? (however, automatic location and phone number population may not come through).”

The public is encouraged to call or text 911 in the event of an emergency. Due to the outage, dispatchers will need callers’ cooperation obtaining information that may normally populate.