TL;DR
Verizon customers across the United States experienced widespread interruptions to wireless voice and data beginning around noon ET on Jan. 14, 2026. Verizon says its engineers are investigating; there is no publicly announced timeline for a fix.
What happened
Starting near midday Eastern time on Jan. 14, 2026, many Verizon subscribers reported difficulty making calls or using mobile data. Users posted that their devices switched to SOS Mode and could not complete normal connections. Verizon acknowledged the disruption, saying it was aware of an issue affecting wireless voice and data for some customers and that engineers were working to identify and resolve it, and apologized for the inconvenience. Crowdsourced outage tracker DownDetector showed a surge in reports that peaked at roughly twice the later count before declining to about 130,000 reports around early afternoon; however, independent testing and social media posts indicated some phones remained offline or only connected intermittently. The company was contacted for details and the situation was still unfolding at the time of reporting. The outage follows a separate, multi-hour service interruption tied to a software problem in August 2025.
Why it matters
- Large numbers of customers lost or saw degraded access to wireless voice and data, affecting everyday communications.
- Devices entering SOS Mode indicate that some users could not place or receive standard calls and data sessions.
- Widespread outages can disrupt businesses and services that rely on mobile connectivity for operations and communications.
- The event echoes a prior August software-related outage, raising concerns about network resilience and repeat failures.
Key facts
- Reports of service issues began around noon Eastern on Jan. 14, 2026.
- Many affected devices were reported to switch to SOS Mode and fail to connect normally.
- Verizon said engineers were engaged and working to identify and solve the issue and issued an apology.
- DownDetector report counts peaked at about twice the number recorded later and dropped to roughly 130,000 by early afternoon.
- Independent checks and social posts showed some customers still experiencing intermittent or no service after the initial surge in reports.
- The Verge reported the outage and reached out to Verizon for additional information.
- The incident comes after a separate August outage tied to a software issue that also disrupted service for hours.
- No official timeline for a repair or an explanation of the underlying cause was provided in the source.
What to watch next
- Official updates and status notices from Verizon about remediation progress and estimated time to restore full service.
- Whether the company links this outage to the August software incident or identifies a different root cause — not confirmed in the source.
- Changes in DownDetector and other outage trackers for rising or falling report volumes and geographic patterns.
- Whether regulatory inquiries or further reporting will follow once Verizon provides more details — not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- SOS Mode: A device state indicating it can make emergency calls but is not registered to a mobile network for normal voice or data services.
- DownDetector: A crowdsourced service that aggregates user reports to track outages and problems with web and telecom services.
- Wireless voice and data services: Mobile network functions that carry phone calls (voice) and internet access (data) over cellular infrastructure.
- Software issue: A fault in the programs or configurations that run network equipment or services, which can disrupt operations if it affects key systems.
Reader FAQ
Is Verizon’s network down?
Many Verizon customers reported widespread voice and data interruptions beginning around noon ET on Jan. 14, 2026.
When will service be restored?
Not confirmed in the source.
Do we know what caused the outage?
Not confirmed in the source; Verizon said engineers were investigating but provided no root-cause explanation.
Is this the same problem as the August outage?
The source notes a prior August software-related outage but does not confirm whether the current interruption is related.
NEWS TECH MOBILE Verizon’s wireless network is down for many people nationwide Verizon phones across the US have had trouble connecting since about noon Eastern, Verizon says it’s aware of…
Sources
- Verizon’s wireless network is down for many people nationwide
- Verizon outage takes down cell service across large parts …
- Verizon hit by massive outage disrupting wireless service …
- Verizon users report service issues amid possible outage
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