Verizon Wireless is experiencing a widespread service outage affecting thousands of customers across several states, with reports flooding in throughout Thursday.
Why it matters: This outage highlights growing concerns about Verizon's network reliability, which has faced multiple disruptions this year, raising questions among users about the carrier's infrastructure.
As of 12:41 p.m. PT, over 2,000 users reported issues to Downdetector, which tracks service outages.
By 1:31 p.m., the number of reports surged past 10,000, with more than 16,000 users affected by 1:57 p.m.
The outage has particularly impacted parts of Arkansas, North Mississippi, Oklahoma, and West Tennessee.
Driving the news: Reports of service disruptions began around 3:40 p.m. EDT, with users in areas like Tulsa and Little Rock indicating problems with both mobile and internet services.
Many users reported their devices switching to SOS mode, indicating a loss of cellular connectivity.
Social media platforms saw a spike in discussions about the outage, making it one of the most searched topics online.
Downdetector noted that the issues included mobile phone, mobile internet, and 5G home internet services.
State of play: The outage began trending on Google and was widely discussed on social media as frustrated customers shared their experiences.
Users described problems such as dropped calls and a complete lack of signal, with some devices showing no bars.
Verizon acknowledged the issue, stating that engineers were working to resolve the interruption and apologizing for the inconvenience.
A user from Northwest Arkansas expressed frustration, asking, "Why does Verizon have so many outages all the time?"
The big picture: This incident adds to a challenging year for Verizon, which has seen multiple outages, including a nationwide disruption in January that affected emergency services.
In January, a nationwide outage led to over 130,000 reports on Downdetector, prompting an FCC inquiry due to its impact on public safety.
Recent outages have been attributed to various causes, including fiber cuts and regional network issues rather than a single nationwide failure.
In August, a separate incident tied to fiber problems in Southern California generated over 12,000 reports at its peak.
What they're saying: Customers are expressing their frustrations online, with many sharing tips on how to cope during outages.
Some suggested restarting phones or switching to Wi-Fi calling as potential solutions for maintaining connectivity.
One user lamented, "Being left without answers kinda bums me out," highlighting the lack of communication from the company.
Verizon has typically responded to outages within hours, but details on the current situation remain sparse.
By the numbers: The scale of the current outage is notable, with thousands of reports accumulating quickly.
At its peak, more than 16,000 users had reported issues to Downdetector.
Reports of disruptions began climbing around noon Eastern time, indicating a rapid escalation.
In addition to mobile phone issues, customers also reported problems with mobile internet and 5G home services.
What's next: As of now, it remains unclear when full service will be restored or what caused the outage.
Verizon has not specified how many customers are affected or provided a timeline for resolution.
Updates are expected as engineering teams continue to investigate the cause of the disruption.
Customers may be eligible for bill credits if the outage lasts a certain duration and is officially confirmed.