Verizon network outages: Plague carrier issues on Monday that stuck some in SOS mode

If you had trouble using Verizon's network on Monday, you weren't the only one. The carrier confirmed to CNET that it is working to fix some of the issues that led to service outages for some of its users.

“We are aware of issues affecting service for some customers,” a Verizon spokesperson said in a statement Monday morning. “Our engineers are engaged, and we are working quickly to identify and resolve the issue.”

In an updated statement as of 4:53 pm ET, the carrier confirmed that the issue is still ongoing.

“Verizon engineers are making progress on our network issue and service has begun to be restored,” the company told CNET “We know how much people rely on Verizon and apologize for the inconvenience some of our customers are experiencing today. We are working around the clock to fully resolve this issue.”

It was not immediately known exactly what the problems are, how many people they are affecting or when they might be fixed. The carrier says the problems were not related to Hurricane Helen, which hit the United States over the weekend.

These issues have led some Verizon users to post on X how their phones are stuck in “SOS mode,” an emergency setting that allows first responders to contact and connect but not regular friends, family or contacts.

According to Downdetector, a site where users can self-report outages, problems with Verizon's service have started popping up in major cities including Chicago, Atlanta and New York. (Downdetector is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Jeff Davis.)

T-Mobile and AT&T confirmed to CNET that their respective networks are fine and that the problems their respective users are experiencing may be the result of trying to connect to a Verizon user who doesn't have working service.

“Based on increased reports of down detectors associated with other providers, we believe our customers may have issues connecting to other networks,” a T-Mobile spokesperson said. “Outside of some areas where recovery from Hurricane Helen continues, our network is operating normally.”