Verizon Outage 2026: Is It Fixed? How to Claim Your $20 Credit & What Caused the "SOS" Mode

If your phone was stuck in “SOS mode” earlier this week, you weren’t alone. On Wednesday, January 14, 2026, Verizon suffered one of its most significant nationwide outages in recent history, leaving millions of users without service for nearly 10 hours.

While the network is now back online, the aftermath continues. From understanding why it happened to claiming your apology credit, here is everything you need to know about the Great Verizon Outage of 2026.

Is Verizon Back Up? (Current Status)

YES. As of today, January 17, Verizon’s network is fully operational.

If you still have no signal: You likely need to refresh your connection to the cell towers.
The Fix: Simply restart your phone (power off completely and turn it back on). Toggling Airplane Mode on and off for 10 seconds may also work.

The “Sorry” Money: How to Claim Your $20 Credit

The biggest trending question right now is about compensation. Verizon has confirmed they are offering a $20 account credit to affected users. However, it is not automatic for everyone—you may need to take action.

Steps to Claim Your Credit:

Check Your Texts: Verizon is sending out SMS notifications to eligible lines.
Open the MyVerizon App: Log in and look for a “Redeem Credit” banner or notification in the billing section.
Business Customers: Verizon stated that business accounts will be contacted directly regarding their specific compensation.

Note: Verizon states this $20 covers “multiple days of service” on average, though many users on social media are arguing it doesn’t compensate for the business lost during the 10-hour blackout.

Why Did Verizon Go Down? (The Cause)

Unlike the AT&T outage of 2024 (which was a coding error) or fears of a cyberattack, Verizon has officially attributed the January 14 blackout to a “Software Issue.”

What we know:

Core Failure: Industry analysts suspect a failed update to the 5G Standalone (SA) Core. This is the “brain” of the network that routes data. When an update glitched, phones couldn’t authenticate, causing them to drop to “SOS Mode” (which uses other carriers for 911 calls only).
MMS Bug: Some reports from Reddit and tech forums suggest the crash might have been triggered by a patch meant to fix a lingering MMS/texting bug from the week prior.
Not a Cyberattack: Verizon has firmly stated there is no indication of malicious external activity.

Timeline of the Outage (Jan 14, 2026)

12:00 PM ET: Reports spike on Downdetector. Users across NYC, Atlanta, and Los Angeles report “SOS Mode.”
2:00 PM ET: Verizon acknowledges “an issue impacting voice and data.”
5:00 PM ET: Outage peaks with over 1.7 million estimated affected users. T-Mobile and AT&T confirm their networks are fine.
10:15 PM ET: Verizon announces the issue is resolved and service is restoring.
Jan 15: Verizon announces the $20 make-good credit.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Will the $20 credit apply to every line? A: Typically, credits are applied per account, not per line, but check the specific terms in your MyVerizon app offer.

Q: Why did my phone say “SOS”? A: “SOS” appears on iPhones (and some Androids) when your carrier is down but the phone can still “see” other networks (like T-Mobile or AT&T) to make emergency 911 calls.

Q: Should I switch carriers? A: While frustrating, outages happen to every carrier (AT&T in 2024, T-Mobile in 2023). However, if you need 100% uptime, consider keeping a backup SIM from a different network (e.g., a cheap Mint Mobile or Visible eSIM) on your phone for emergencies.