Verizon customers across the United States faced a major outage on Friday, August 30, leaving thousands of devices stuck in “SOS mode.” The disruption began around 1:43 p.m. EDT, affecting calls, texts, and mobile data, according to Downdetector.
By 2:30 p.m. EDT, more than 10,000 outage reports were logged, with hotspots in New York, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Chicago, per outage.report. Many users said they were unable to access critical services like business calls and two-factor authentication.
Verizon Acknowledges the Issue
Verizon’s official support team confirmed the problem, stating: “Our engineers are working to identify and resolve the problem.”
The company did not share the cause of the outage or an estimated time for service restoration. Meanwhile, customers were advised to restart their devices and use Wi-Fi calling where possible.
What Does SOS Mode Mean?
According to Apple Support, SOS mode on iPhones indicates the device cannot connect to its carrier network but can still call emergency services.
Android users reported similar problems, with messages like “No Service” or SOS appearing on their screens.
How to Fix SOS-Only Mode on iPhone or Android
Apple recommends these steps if you see SOS or “SOS only” in the status bar:
- Turn on Airplane Mode for at least 15 seconds, then turn it off.
- Restart your device and try reconnecting to your carrier network.
- Update your device software to the latest version.
- Check for carrier settings update:
- Connect to Wi-Fi.
- Go to Settings > General > About. If an update is available, install it.
If the problem persists, contact your carrier for further support.
Third Major Verizon Outage in 2025
This is Verizon’s third major outage in 2025, following earlier disruptions in March and September. In 2024, more than 100,000 users were impacted during a similar event, with Verizon citing only “technical problems.”
The FCC has confirmed it is monitoring the situation amid growing concerns over telecom reliability in the U.S.
As of 3:00 p.m. EDT, outage reports were starting to decline, though many users said service was not fully restored. Verizon urged customers to enable Wi-Fi calling and provided its support helpline for assistance.
The exact cause of the outage is still under investigation.
Quick Summary of Fixes:
- Toggle Airplane Mode
- Restart your device
- Update software & carrier settings
- Use Wi-Fi calling
- Contact Verizon support if issues persist
