Verizon wireless customers across the country experienced major disruptions on Saturday, leaving thousands without reliable cell service for much of the day. Phones in affected areas showed “SOS mode,” which allows only emergency calls through other carriers, preventing normal calls, texts, and data use.
The problems began shortly after 12 p.m. “…shortly after 12 p.m. Eastern Time, according to DownDetector, a site that monitors and tracks real-time service outages across telecommunications providers, websites, and apps.” Reports quickly surged nationwide, peaking at nearly 23,000 around 3:30 p.m. ET. Customers reported being affected from coast to coast, including California, Texas, Florida, and New York.
Frustrated users turned to social media to voice concerns, with many suggesting the disruption was more widespread than Verizon initially indicated. “Verizon says only some customers were affected, but all my L.A. friends lost service,” one customer told CBS News.
In a statement, Verizon acknowledged a “software issue impacting wireless service for some customers” and said engineers were working urgently to resolve it. The company apologized for the inconvenience and directed users to its Network Status page for updates.
By late evening, Verizon reported that service was gradually returning in impacted areas.By midnight, Verizon confirmed services were fully restored, adding it would keep monitoring to prevent further issues.
The disruption underscored the reliance millions place on mobile connectivity and highlighted the frustration that widespread outages can cause, even when resolved within hours.
