A major service outage impacted Verizon wireless customers on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, leaving millions unable to make calls, send texts, or access mobile data. The issue, which began midday Eastern time, forced many phones into “SOS” mode, indicating a complete loss of network connection.
Root Cause Confirmed: Software Issue
Verizon later confirmed that the outage stemmed from a software problem, not a cyberattack. “This was a software issue, and we are conducting a full review of what happened,” the company stated. While the exact cause remains undisclosed, this isn’t an isolated incident; Verizon customers experienced similar disruptions in August and October 2025, also attributed to software glitches.
The Impact & Response
The outage triggered over 1.7 million user reports on Downdetector, with complaints ranging from total signal loss to complete mobile phone failure. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) took notice of the widespread disruption.
Verizon’s initial responses were slow, but the company eventually acknowledged the problem and promised account credits to affected customers. T-Mobile issued a statement confirming its network remained operational, while AT&T also saw a spike in user reports, though it was unclear if the issues were related.
SOS Mode Explained
For those seeing “SOS” on their screens, this means their device is not connected to a cellular network but can still make emergency 911 calls through other available carriers. This feature is designed to ensure critical communication even during widespread outages.
Service Restored, Credits Promised
By late Wednesday, Verizon announced the outage had been resolved, urging customers to restart their devices if they still faced problems. The company reiterated its commitment to providing account credits as compensation for the inconvenience.
Recurring Issue
This event highlights the fragility of modern mobile networks. Recurring software-related outages raise questions about Verizon’s infrastructure maintenance and testing protocols. While the company has pledged to investigate, customers remain vulnerable to future disruptions until systemic issues are addressed.
The outage was fully resolved as of January 14, 2026, but the incident underscores the importance of network resilience and transparent communication from mobile carriers during service interruptions.
