If you picked up your phone recently only to see "SOS" ...
If you picked up your phone recently only to see "SOS" or "No Service" where your signal bars used to be, you are not alone. A massive Verizon outage has swept across the United States, leaving millions of customers unable to make calls, send texts, or access the internet.
Search trends are spiking with users asking, "Is Verizon down?" and "Why is my phone on SOS?" While Verizon services are largely being restored, confusion remains. Here is everything we know about the outage, why it happened, and how to get your phone back online.
Is Verizon Down Right Now?
For most users, the worst is over. However, reports on Downdetector indicate that some customers are still experiencing lingering connection issues.
- Current Status: Recovering/Resolved for most.
- Peak Outage Time: Started mid-day Jan 14, 2026.
- Affected Areas: The outage was nationwide, with major reports coming from NYC, Atlanta, Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Tampa, and Philadelphia.
If you are asking, "Is Verizon down in my area?" or "When will Verizon be back up?" the answer is likely that the network is live, but your phone hasn't reconnected yet.
Why Does My Phone Say "SOS"?
The most alarming symptom of this outage for iPhone users was the "SOS" or "SOS Only" icon appearing in the status bar.
What does SOS mean on iPhone? When your device is stuck in SOS mode, it means it cannot connect to the Verizon network, but it is still functional enough to make emergency 911 calls using other carriers' towers (like AT&T or T-Mobile).
- Android Users: You likely saw a "No Network" or "Emergency Calls Only" notification.
- The Cause: This was not a problem with your specific device. It was a failure of Verizon towers to communicate with your SIM card.
How to Fix Your Signal (Get Out of SOS Mode)
If the Verizon network is back up but your phone is still stuck, your device might be "holding on" to the failed connection. You need to force it to search for a fresh signal.
Try these steps to fix Verizon service issues:
- Restart Your Device (Most Effective): A full restart clears the network cache.
- Toggle Airplane Mode: Turn Airplane mode ON for 30 seconds, then turn it OFF. This forces the modem to ping the nearest tower.
- Reset Network Settings: Note: This will delete saved WiFi passwords. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings.
What Caused the Verizon Outage Today?
Verizon has acknowledged the disruption but has ruled out a cyber attack. Major cellular outages are typically caused by:
- Software updates to network infrastructure that contain bugs.
- "Peering" issues where data fails to hand off between networks.
- Physical damage to fiber lines.
Compensation Update: Verizon has announced they will be issuing account credits to affected customers. Keep an eye on your My Verizon app or email for news on this refund.
Verizon vs. AT&T and T-Mobile
During the chaos, many users searched for "AT&T outage" or "T-Mobile outage" as well. While there were small spikes in reports for these carriers, it was largely due to people unable to call their Verizon friends and assuming their own service was broken. The core issue was isolated to Verizon Wireless.
Summary: What To Do Next
If you are still asking "Is Verizon fixed?", the official answer is yes. If you still have no service, the issue may now be local to your device or a specific tower near you.
- Restart your phone immediately.
- Check the Verizon outage map for local repairs.
- Enable WiFi Calling in your settings to make calls over your home internet until full signal bars return.
Are you still stuck in SOS mode? Let us know in the comments below which city you are in so we can track lingering hotspots.
