Why are phones across US stuck on SOS? Users reported major Verizon outage

A major Verizon network outage is reported by U.S. citizens on Wednesday morning, January 14.

Over 176,000 reports were received on Downdetector.com. Following the outage, users from Seattle to New York City reported their phones displaying “SOS,” “No Service,” or “Emergency Calls Only.”

Major areas, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, and Washington, D.C., were most affected.

The officials have acknowledged the issue. However, the underlying reason was not disclosed. The website stated, “Our engineers are investigating.”

Until the issue is resolved, the users are advised to use Wi-Wi data for messaging where possible.

If you want to make calls, you can enable Wi-Fi calling in iPhone settings (under Phone > WiFi Calling). It is a temporary solution if you have a stable internet connection.

There’s no authorised information related to full-service restoration.