Verizon says a software fault triggered the widespread wireless outage that left millions of phones showing SOS and no signal, and the carrier is issuing a $20 account credit to affected customers. The company insists the disruption was not the result of a cyberattack and reports that service has been restored, though some users may need to restart devices to reconnect.
What Verizon Says Caused the Nationwide Outage
In a statement shared with media, Verizon attributed the downtime to a software-related issue within its network and emphasized there was no security breach. The carrier said engineers isolated and resolved the problem, and an internal review is underway to determine how the error slipped into production. Verizon encouraged any customers still experiencing trouble to reboot phones, which forces a fresh registration with the network.
While specifics remain under investigation, outages of this type often stem from misconfigurations or bugs introduced during routine updates to the 4G/5G core—systems that manage authentication, session control, and data routing. A single bad parameter in signaling can cascade quickly, preventing devices from attaching to the network and producing the SOS indicator.
Where Service Failed and Who Was Hit the Hardest
User reports surged across major metro areas, including New York City, Atlanta, Charlotte, and Houston. Crowdsourced data from Downdetector logged well over two million problem reports during the height of the incident, with Verizon labeling the impact “Very High.” Most complaints involved loss of signal and mobile phone issues, which align with a core network registration failure.
Many iPhones displayed the SOS badge, which indicates the device cannot access its carrier’s network but may still connect to emergency services where available. Apple support guidance notes that seeing SOS does not mean an emergency call is being placed or billed; it simply reflects a lack of carrier connectivity.
How to Claim the $20 Account Credit from Verizon
Verizon confirmed it will issue a one-time $20 account credit for customers affected by the outage. The credit is applied per account, not per line, meaning multi-line plans should expect a single $20 adjustment. Business accounts will be contacted directly by Verizon with instructions.
- Log in to the MyVerizon app and look for a notification or banner about the credit.
- Follow the prompts to accept and watch for a confirmation text when the credit is posted.
- Verizon says details will be shared directly with eligible customers, and the adjustment will appear on an upcoming bill.
If you use Verizon through an enterprise administrator or a corporate-liable plan, your account owner typically manages credits. For consumer family plans, the account manager should complete the redemption in the app.
Still Seeing SOS? Try These Reliable Fixes Today
- First, power-cycle the phone.
- Toggle Airplane Mode on and off to force a new network attach.
- Check for a carrier settings update in your device’s settings, and ensure Voice over LTE and 5G are enabled as provisioned.
- If you use eSIM, briefly disable and re-enable the line to refresh registration.
- As a last resort, reset network settings—understanding this clears saved Wi-Fi and Bluetooth pairings.
If service remains inconsistent, consult Verizon’s network status page for localized updates and contact support to document the issue. Keep Wi‑Fi Calling enabled at home and work as a resilience measure during future network events.
Why A Software Glitch Can Cut Off Millions
Modern carrier networks rely on a cloud-native 5G core and virtualized functions orchestrated across data centers. These components—such as the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) and Session Management Function (SMF)—must stay perfectly synchronized. A faulty patch or misrouted signaling update can prevent devices from authenticating, which looks like an area-wide coverage loss even when cell sites are physically fine.
Industry groups like CTIA have long noted the rising complexity of 5G operations alongside skyrocketing data demand. Carriers mitigate risk with staged rollouts and rollback plans, but when a defect evades pre-production tests, the safest fix is often to halt the update, flush sessions, and reattach devices—hence Verizon’s advice to restart phones after resolution.
What To Watch Next As Verizon Completes Its Review
Expect Verizon to share more findings once its post-incident review concludes. Under federal rules, carriers also file outage information with regulators when events risk impacting emergency calling. For customers, the immediate next steps are simple: redeem the $20 credit in the MyVerizon app, restart your device if needed, and keep Wi‑Fi Calling and backups like offline tickets or maps on hand for future resilience.