Verizon suffers major outage as thousands of users say phones switched to SOS mode
More than 180,000 people have reported having connectivity problems with their Verizon devices, according to Downdetector
www.independent.co.ukHere’s the latest on Verizon outages based on multiple outlets reporting in January 2026.
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What happened: Verizon experienced a nationwide outage that affected voice, text, and data for hundreds of thousands of customers. Many users saw SOS mode or no signal, with service restoration occurring later in the day and into the evening. This outage was attributed to a software issue by Verizon.[1][2][4]
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Current status: Verizon stated that service was restored by late evening, but customers were advised to restart devices if they still observed issues. The company also announced account credits for affected customers and ongoing work to fully recover all impacted services.[9][1]
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Reactions and guidance: Media outlets noted a prolonged outage with varying recovery times across regions. Users were encouraged to reboot devices and monitor for credits or updates from Verizon.[2][3][4]
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What this means for you in Montréal, QC: If you rely on roaming or using Verizon services abroad, check with your carrier for any roaming impacts and potential credits or refunds. For customers in other regions, you may want to restart devices and monitor Verizon’s official updates for credits and service status.[1][9]
Illustration: A timeline map showing the outage starting around midday on January 14, with restoration reported by around 10:15–10:24 PM ET, and Verizon promising credits for affected customers.[3][2][1]
If you want, I can pull more precise local impact data or summarize the official Verizon update notes and credit details.