Verizon acknowledged its nationwide wireless outage after countless customers reported an outage on January 14, 2026. With rising complaints, the company insisted that its engineers were working through the problem. But the demand for cellular service surmounted the company’s promise as more and more users expressed their frustration online and wondered when service would be fixed and fully restored.
Below, find out how long it could take Verizon to restore its service for customers across the United States.
Why Does My Phone Say SOS? What to Do
When a phone is in “SOS” mode, the cellular network is available for emergency calls but not for other types of calls. If a device has the “SOS” signal, it typically means they cannot send text messages or make any outgoing calls.
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. We understand how important reliable connectivity is and apologize for the inconvenience.
— Verizon News (@VerizonNews) January 14, 2026
When Will the Verizon Outage Be Fixed?
This wasn’t the first Verizon outage, and in the past, it took the company less than a day to restore service for most or all of its customers. If the issue is similar to past outages, then customers should see their service restored sometime on January 14.
However, the company has yet to confirm how long customers must wait until their service is restored.
Why Is Verizon Having an Issue?
Verizon acknowledged its problem in an X statement on January 14, noting that the team is “aware of an issue impacting wireless voice and data services for some customers.” The company added, “Our engineers are engaged and are working to identify and solve the issue quickly. We understand how important reliable connectivity is and apologize for the inconvenience.”
In a follow-up statement, Verizon tweeted that its engineering teams were “continuing to address today’s service interruptions.”
“Our teams remain fully deployed and are focused on the issue,” the company continued in its statement. “We understand the impact this has on your day and remain committed to resolving this as quickly as possible.”
