Verizon’s nationwide network crashed for roughly 10 hours on Wednesday, Jan. 14, stranding thousands of phones in “SOS” mode and prompting rivals to mock the carrier while it rushed to restore service and calm furious customers.
At a Glance
- A Verizon network failure began around noon EST on Jan. 14 and lasted until about 11 p.m.
- The company is giving affected users a $20 account credit “to help provide some relief.”
- T-Mobile and AT&T seized the moment, publicly touting their own networks’ stability.
- Why it matters: The prolonged outage cut off emergency-ready voice and data access for Verizon subscribers across the country.
The first widespread complaints surfaced around 12 p.m. EST, according to Downdetector. Users reported voice calls failing and data sessions dropping, with devices automatically switching to the limited “SOS” signal reserved for emergency calls on partner networks.
The Outage Timeline
- 12 p.m. EST – Downdetector shows spike in outage reports.
- 1:08 p.m. EST – Verizon posts initial statement on social media: “We are aware of an issue impacting wireless voice and data services for some customers. Our engineers are engaged and are working to identify and solve the issue quickly.”
- Evening – Carrier apologizes again: “Today, we let many of our customers down and for that, we are truly sorry. They expect more from us.”
- ~11 p.m. EST – Verizon declares the network restored and advises anyone still affected to restart their device.
Verizon has not disclosed the technical root cause. News Of Los Angeles contacted the company on Thursday but did not receive an immediate reply.
Compensation Offer
In a customer update issued Thursday, Verizon said:
> “We did not meet the standard of excellence our customers expect and that we expect of ourselves.”
The carrier is issuing a $20 credit to “anybody who was impacted.”
> “This credit isn’t meant to make up for what happened. No credit really can. But it’s a way of acknowledging our customers’ time and showing that this matters to us.”
Verizon has not specified how customers can verify eligibility, nor has it stated when the credit will appear on bills.
Competitors Pounce
While engineers worked to restore service, rival carriers took to social media:
- T-Mobile: “T-Mobile’s network is keeping our customers connected, and we’ve confirmed that our network is operating normally and as expected. However due to Verizon’s reported outage, our customers may not be able to reach someone with Verizon service at this time.”
- AT&T: “Our network? Solid. If you’re experiencing issues, it’s not us…it’s the other guys. Some things are just out of our hands!”
Neither competitor reported similar widespread failures during the same window.
Customer Reactions
Social-media feeds filled with complaints from business travelers, parents, and remote workers who lost connectivity during the outage window. Several users noted they could not complete two-factor authentication requests or contact rideshare drivers.
What Happens Next
Verizon says only that its engineering teams “are reviewing the incident to prevent recurrence.” The company has provided no timetable for publishing a post-mortem or technical report.
Customers who still experience dropped calls or data failure are advised to restart their devices and, if problems persist, contact customer service.
Key Takeaways
- Wednesday’s Verizon network blackout lasted roughly 10 hours, peaking around midday and ending near 11 p.m. EST.
- The carrier is giving affected subscribers a $20 bill credit.
- Rival networks used the outage to highlight their own reliability.
- Verizon has not revealed what caused the failure or outlined steps to avoid a repeat.
