Verizon hit by 'nationwide outage' Monday, impacting thousands of users

(NEXSTAR) — While multiple cellphone and internet providers are working to restore services Monday morning after Hurricane Helene struck the Southeast, users of one main company saying their phones aren't working and their internet is down amid a "nationwide outage."

User reports for problems with Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile initially spiked on Downdetector.com, a site that tracks outages across platforms and services. None saw a higher outage spike than Verizon, which surpassed 100,000 outage reports around 11 a.m. ET. Those reports have since decreased to around 63,000 as of 1 p.m. ET.

Verizon users say they're having problems with their mobile phones, including reports of "no signal" and "total blackout." Verizon internet customers have also reported slow speeds.

Some Verizon customers on social media — including those who say they aren't "in a storm zone" — say their phones are in "SOS mode," a problem AT&T users reported in August during a widespread outage. This means a phone is unable to connect to the cellular provider's network but can still make emergency calls through other networks. Users should, in most cases, also be able to connect to Wi-Fi to make calls, if needed.

A spokesperson for Verizon told Nexstar via email that the company is "aware of an issue impacting service for some customers."

"Our engineers are engaged and we are working quickly to identify and solve the issue," the statement continued. The spokesperson did not provide any additional details.

In a post on X, a Verizon Support member said the company is "diligently working" on restoring services "in a timely manner." In another post, a representative said Verizon is "experiencing a nationwide outage that is affecting several cities."

Verizon's network status page, meanwhile, is either not loading or loading slowly for customers. When it does load, users say they have problems identifying the service they want to check and inputting their address.

Phone stuck on SOS mode? Here's what to do

If you're among those Verizon customers whose phone is stuck on SOS mode, you aren't entirely out of luck.

For iPhone users, Apple recommends turning on Airplane Mode or restarting your device to see if that allows you to reconnect with the cellular network. In the case of the nationwide Verizon outage, however, those steps likely won't work.

Most iPhones and Android devices do have built-in Wi-Fi calling, or it can be turned on in your settings menu. Your phone should also still be able to make emergency calls by using other carrier networks.

Companies work to restore services after storm damage

Heat maps provided by Downdetector show many of the user outage reports for Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile are focused across parts of Florida, northern Georgia, and into Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Virginia — all areas that were in the path of Hurricane Helene's deadly march last week.

For AT&T users, the top complaints are regarding mobile phones, landline internet, and mobile internet. T-Mobile users report problems with mobile phones, 5G home internet, and "no signal."

AT&T warned on Sunday that while its crews are working to restore service in "some of the hardest-hit areas," customers "may still experience home phone and internet service interruptions due to storm damage and commercial power outages." Customers can check if there is an outage near them on AT&T's website.

T-Mobile said Sunday that it had "completely or nearly restored" services in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and in "most of Florida." Work was continuing throughout Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia. It was also offering locations in North Carolina and South Carolina for customers to charge their devices and connect to Wi-Fi.

Verizon is also continuing to work to restore its services, the company said in a Sunday update. According to the update, some customers in central north Florida "may experience scattered service degradation." Restoration work continues in western North Carolina, upstate South Carolina, and in eastern Georgia.