Verizon customers across the country experienced widespread service disruptions Wednesday afternoon, leaving many unable to make calls and seeing their phones stuck in SOS mode. The outage sparked frustration online as users turned to social media to report dropped service and limited connectivity.

According to DownDetector, reports of issues surged shortly after 12 p.m. EST, signaling a significant disruption for one of the nation’s largest wireless providers. Customers reported problems with both voice and data services, impacting everyday communication and access to mobile apps.

Verizon acknowledged the outage in a statement, confirming that its wireless voice and data networks were affected. The company said engineering teams were actively working to identify the cause of the issue and restore service as quickly as possible.

“We are aware of an issue impacting some customers’ wireless service and are working to resolve it,” the company said, adding an apology for the inconvenience caused by the outage.

As complaints continued to roll in, Verizon responded directly to customers on social media, offering updates and reassurance that the problem was being addressed. Sinclair also reached out to Verizon for clarification and received the same company statement regarding ongoing repair efforts.

The outage highlights how critical reliable connectivity has become for work, safety, and daily life, especially as many customers rely on mobile service for emergency communication. Verizon said it remains focused on restoring full service and will provide updates as more information becomes available.