On January 14, 2026, Verizon Wireless experienced a major service outage that left approximately 1.5 million customers across the United States without voice and data services for over 10 hours, prompting widespread frustration and concern.
The disruption, attributed to a software issue, affected many users who faced "SOS" signals on their devices and were unable to make calls or access mobile data, creating significant inconvenience.
In response to the backlash, Verizon announced a $20 credit for affected customers as compensation, but the gesture was met with criticism for being insufficient given the severity of the outage.
Public officials, including New York Assemblywoman Linda B. Rosenthal, called for automatic refunds, highlighting the need for better accountability from the telecommunications giant.
The incident sparked a competitive jab from rival T-Mobile, which promoted its own network reliability while questioning Verizon's response to the crisis.
As investigations into the outage continue, Verizon faces scrutiny over its service reliability and customer trust, underscoring the potential long-term impact on its reputation in the competitive telecom landscape.