SAEDNEWS: Verizon users nationwide reported major cellphone disruptions on Saturday, with many phones limited to SOS mode for hours; the carrier said a software issue was to blame and that engineers were working to restore service, with partial recovery reported after 9 p.m. ET.
According to SaedNews, Verizon customers from California to Florida experienced widespread service interruptions Saturday after midday, with many devices displaying only “SOS” or emergency-only connectivity for several hours. Complaints surged on social media and outage-tracking sites, peaking at roughly 23,000 reports around 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
Verizon acknowledged the problem in a company statement, calling it a “software issue impacting wireless service for some customers” and saying engineers were actively engaged to identify and resolve it. The carrier advised users to check its network-status page for localized updates, and by about 9 p.m. ET said it was “starting to see service restoration in impacted areas.”
For users, SOS mode typically means a device cannot register on its usual network but can still place emergency calls by momentarily accessing other carriers. That limited connectivity left many households, businesses and travelers temporarily cut off from voice, SMS and mobile-data services — highlighting how dependent daily life and commerce have become on uninterrupted cellular access.
Verizon experienced a similar incident in October 2024 that generated more than 100,000 outage reports, underscoring recurring resilience questions for the nation’s largest carriers. As engineers continue repairs and investigate root causes, customers were urged to rely on Wi-Fi calling where available, restart devices, and check for carrier alerts before assuming long-term service loss. The carrier apologized for the disruption and thanked customers for their patience.
Item | Detail |
|---|---|
First reports | Shortly after 12:00 p.m. ET on Saturday |
Peak reports | ~23,000 reports around 3:30 p.m. ET |
Scope | Reports from California to Florida (nationwide) |
Carrier statement | “Software issue impacting wireless service for some customers”; engineers engaged |
Partial restoration | Verizon reported initial restorations starting ~9:00 p.m. ET |
Prior similar incident | Oct 2024 — >100,000 DownDetector reports |
Check Verizon’s official Check Network Status page for live updates.
Toggle airplane mode on/off or restart your phone to force a network re-registration.
Use Wi-Fi calling or Wi-based messaging apps (WhatsApp, iMessage) when cellular data is unavailable.
For emergencies, SOS mode should still allow 911 calls; if you cannot reach emergency services, seek nearby help in person.
If service remains out long-term, document outages (timestamps/screenshots) — you may be able to request credits or refunds from your carrier.
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