BLAIR, NEBRASKA (2024 September 30, Monday)
Don Harrold, Writer / Editor
blairtoday@mail.com – Facebook
In Blair, Zackery James Surls took to social media with a simple question: “Anyone in Blair with Verizon service randomly without service now?” Little did he know, his local question would echo a sentiment shared by tens of thousands across the nation.
As responses flooded in from Blair and surrounding areas, a pattern emerged. Jessica Bechtold reported both her phones had been in “SOS mode” all morning, unable to make calls. Jenny Anne mentioned that even their shop phones were affected. The issue wasn’t confined to Blair; reports came in from Omaha, Oakland, and as far as Missouri Valley.
Some users, like Mark Alan, found temporary relief by rebooting their phones, only to lose signal again shortly after. Others, like Angie Digilio, initially worried about unpaid bills before realizing the scope of the problem.
As the morning progressed, it became clear that this wasn’t just a local issue: By 8:30 a.m. EDT, over 104,000 Verizon customers nationwide had reported problems to Downdetector, a website that tracks service outages. The issues ranged from complete loss of signal to inability to make or receive calls.
Verizon, which boasts more than 114 million subscribers in the United States, acknowledged the problem. “We are aware of an issue impacting service for some customers,” a Verizon spokesperson told USA TODAY. “Our engineers are engaged and we are working quickly to solve the issue.”
The outage appears to be concentrated in several states, including New York, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, and North Carolina, according to Downdetector’s heat map. However, reports have come in from across the country, indicating a truly nationwide problem.
Many users found phones stuck in “SOS mode,” a feature typically reserved for emergency situations. This mode, part of Apple’s “Emergency SOS via Satellite” feature, allows users to connect to satellites to reach emergency services in areas with poor coverage. The widespread activation of this mode underscores the severity of the outage.
Verizon’s customer support teams have been working overtime, responding to thousands of complaints on social media platforms. On X (formerly Twitter), the company stated, “Right now we are experiencing a nationwide outage that is affecting several cities. Our technicians are working on getting the situation fixed and service will start to be restored gradually.”
As of Monday afternoon, Verizon had not specified the cause of the outage. However, they assured customers that they are “diligently working on getting your service back up and running in a timely manner.”
While the outage continues, customers are advised to stay tuned to Verizon’s official communication channels for updates. Those needing to make emergency calls should seek alternative means of communication if possible, such as landlines or Wi-Fi calling on other networks.
Here’s a list of Verizon’s official communication channels:
- Official Website: www.verizon.com
- Customer Support:
- Phone: 1-800-922-0204
- Online Chat: Available on the Verizon website
- Social Media:
- Twitter: @Verizon (main account)
- Twitter: @VerizonSupport (customer support)
- Facebook: @verizon
- Instagram: @verizon
- YouTube: Verizon
- Verizon App:
- My Verizon app (available for iOS and Android)
- Email:
- Verizon doesn’t typically use email for general customer communications, but customers can sign up for email notifications through their account settings.
- Text Messages:
- Verizon sends service updates and alerts via text to customers who have opted in.
- Press Releases:
- Available on the Verizon website under “About” and “News”
Remember that during widespread outages, some of these channels (especially those requiring cellular data) may be affected. In such cases, Verizon often uses their website and social media platforms to provide updates.
