https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/nation-world/verizon-outage-reported/507-ef3cb3d0-f595-432f-9f84-d1690a5085a7 x Skip Navigation * Share on Facebook * Share on SMS * Share on Email FCN Home Navigation * News + Back + Local + Near Me + Investigations + Politics + Crime + Traffic + Nation World + Entertainment + Features Latest News Stories + [f381d942-7] Remains found in Glynn County believed to be missing elderly woman + [e274d02e-0] Mayor Deegan honors playoff bet with Buffalo mayor, sends 20 pounds of Mayport shrimp * Weather + Back + Forecast + Radar + 10-Day + Hourly + Maps + Hurricane Central + Closings & Delays Latest Weather Stories + [ce780fac-5] Very cold air heading for the First Coast + [ee27930c-3] Why you should water your plants before it freezes * Sports + Back + High School Sports + Jacksonville Jaguars + Gators + Seminoles + Icemen + Jumbo Shrimp + Armada + Athlete of the Week + Bulldogs + Olympics + Locked On Podcast Network Latest Stories + [ab971bc2-f] You could have Skittles film its Super Bowl ad at your house. Here's how. + [e470537f-e] Jaguars reaffirm 'two-way vision' for Travis Hunter as second-year plans take shape * Watch Live * Search Search: [ ] Search Right Now Jacksonville, FL >> 55deg Mostly Cloudy Jacksonville, FL >> Weather Closings * Hurricane Central * Advertise With Us * Memorials * On Your Side * Meet The Team * Ask Anthony * First Coast Living * Contests * Buddy Check 12 * La Primera Costa * First Coast Foodies * Military * HeartThreads * TV Listings Breaking News * More () >> Nation/World Verizon outage continues across eastern US Verizon said it's working to resolve outages that have continued for more than five hours, saying, "We know this is a huge inconvenience." Many Verizon customers are experiencing a major outage on Wednesday, disrupting calling and cellular services across the U.S. x WTLV To stream FCN on your phone, you need the FCN app. [] Download the FCN app Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play More Videos [637bd171-9] Next up in 5 Example video title will go here for this video * [637bd171-9] Next up in 5 Example video title will go here for this video * [] * [] * [] * [] Author: Jennifer Campbell-Hicks Published: 12:54 PM EST January 14, 2026 Updated: 5:37 PM EST January 14, 2026 Facebook WASHINGTON -- A massive outage for Verizon's mobile service has stretched into Wednesday afternoon, as the company said its "top priority" is to restore service to customers. The outage affecting the eastern United States started about noon ET. Downdetector, which tracks outages, reported a spike nationwide in outages, with tens of thousands of reports from across the country. Locations with reported outages include New York City, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami, Charlotte and Dallas. Customers can check their network status here. In a statement Wednesday afternoon, Verizon said its "team is on the ground actively working to fix today's service issue that is impacting some customers. We know this is a huge inconvenience, and our top priority is to get you back online and connected as fast as possible. We appreciate your patience while we work to resolve this issue." Earlier in the afternoon, Verizon said on social media that "engineering teams are continuing to address today's service interruptions. Our teams remain fully deployed and are focused on the issue. We understand the impact this has on your day and remain committed to resolving this as quickly as possible." In Washington D.C. and New York City, emergency alerts noted that the outage might impact users' ability to call 911 and advised Verizon customers to use a device from another carrier or a landline, or to go to a police district or fire station to report an emergency. T-Mobile and AT&T confirmed their services are operating normally. Both suggested that their customers might encounter issues contacting people with Verizon's service. Why is my phone in SOS mode? What is SOS mode? If you have an iPhone, SOS mode is simply a way for your phone to tell you that you don't have a proper cellular connection, meaning you're only able to call or text emergency services through the cellular network. iPhone 14 or newer models also have satellite SOS capability, so you're able to call 911 even when outside of any cellular service range, unless you're some place where signal can't get out at all. Android phones will also let you call 911 without service, although it's not called SOS mode. The SOS icon will appear in the top right corner of an iPhone's screen when service is unavailable, where your cellular connection bars usually display On an iPhone 13 or earlier, if you go out of range for any cellular service, the icon will swap to "No service" until you're back within range. When will SOS mode go away? SOS mode automatically turns on when there isn't any cell service available from your phone carrier. If you're experiencing an outage, you simply have to wait until service is restored to your area. If you have SOS mode activate because you're out of your network's coverage area, you'll have to travel back inside the coverage area before you can make calls. Why can I still use my phone in SOS mode? Although SOS mode indicates you don't have cellular service, it doesn't mean the phone is useless. Most modern phones allow calling, texting and internet browsing over wi-fi. So if you have an internet connection through a wi-fi signal, you'll be able to use your phone like normal. You'll only be able to contact other phones that are on a wi-fi network while in SOS mode. What can I do when my phone has no service? Wi-Fi calling is a built-in feature on most Android devices and iPhones and can be turned on under the phone's settings. If Wi-Fi isn't available, there are few options for cell phone users. It's possible to switch services if a phone is unlocked, but that requires signing up online and porting your phone number. Some apps, including Google Maps, have limited service offline. Payment apps also do not use a phone's cell service to work and should also be useable. Close Ad Before You Leave, Check This Out FCN Home * * * * * * * * * WTLV-TV * Jobs * Terms of Service * Privacy Policy * Ad Choices * EEO Public File Report * FCC Online Public Inspection File * Closed Caption Procedures * Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information (c) 2026 WTLV-TV. 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