Verizon Outage: Software Glitch Hits Millions

No Hack, Just A Glitch: Verizon’s Blackout Ends With $20 Credits

J Galt | Jan 15, 2026

A software problem linked to servers in New Jersey triggered a widespread Verizon Wireless outage that disrupted service for more than 12 hours on Wednesday, company officials said, after ruling out a cyberattack.

The issue, which affected the nation’s largest wireless provider, began around 9 a.m. ET, peaking at over 175,000 reports on Downdetector. By noon, social media buzzed with complaints as users’ phones displayed “SOS” or “SOS only,” limiting them to emergency calls. Alerts went out in New York City and Washington, D.C., warning of potential 911 access problems.

Multiple law enforcement agencies investigated possible foul play but determined it stemmed from an internal network glitch.

Verizon restored service by late evening.

The company posted on its @VerizonNews X account:

The outage has been resolved. If customers are still having an issue, we encourage them to restart their devices to reconnect to the network. For those affected, we will provide account credits. Details will be shared directly with customers. We sincerely apologize for the…

— Verizon News (@VerizonNews) January 15, 2026

An hour earlier, Verizon issued another statement on X: “Today, we let many of our customers down and for that, we are truly sorry. They expect more from us. We are working non-stop and making progress. Our teams will continue to work through the night until service is restored for all impacted customers. We will make this right – for any customer affected, we will provide account credits and share updates soon.”

Affected customers will receive a $20 credit, redeemable through the myVerizon app. Business accounts will be contacted separately. The company pledged a thorough review of the incident but offered few details beyond attributing it to a “software issue.”

“This credit isn’t meant to make up for what happened,” Verizon said in a statement. “No credit really can. But it’s a way of acknowledging our customers’ time and showing that this matters to us.”

The disruption spilled over to other carriers, with T-Mobile and AT&T receiving complaints from users unable to reach Verizon numbers. T-Mobile attributed the issues to cross-network failures.

Verizon closed with a pledge: “We are sorry for what our customers experienced and will continue to work hard day and night to provide the outstanding network and service that people expect from Verizon.”

No Hack, Just A Glitch: Verizon’s Blackout Ends With $20 Credits

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