Verizon is issuing a $20 account credit to millions of wireless customers who were left without service during a massive, near 10-hour outage on Wednesday, 14 January 2026. The disruption, which the company attributes to a software update failure, affected over 1.5 million users across the United States, with major cities including New York, Philadelphia, Houston, and Miami experiencing the most severe impact.
What Caused the Major Network Failure?
The nationwide outage began around midday on Wednesday and lasted until approximately 10:30 p.m. EST. Verizon confirmed that the problem was caused by a server failure in New Jersey linked to a software issue, explicitly ruling out any cyberattack. The federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency deferred all inquiries to the telecoms giant.
During the disruption, customers reported seeing "SOS" or "No Signal" messages on their devices, rendering them unable to make calls or use mobile data, though Wi-Fi connections remained functional. The outage tracker Downdetector logged a peak of 1.5 million reports before 5 p.m. ET.
How Verizon is Compensating Affected Users
In a statement issued on Thursday, 15 January, Verizon apologised, stating: "Yesterday, we did not meet the standard of excellence our customers expect and that we expect ourselves." The company emphasised that the $20 credit is not meant to fully compensate for the inconvenience but is a gesture to acknowledge the disruption to customers' time.
Most individual customers can claim the credit through the myVerizon app and will receive a text notification when the credit is available. Business account holders will be contacted directly by the company. Verizon also advised any customers still experiencing issues on Thursday to restart their devices to reconnect to the network.
Wider Consequences and Public Safety Concerns
The outage had significant knock-on effects, particularly on emergency services. New York Emergency Management officials confirmed that some users were unable to reach 911 emergency services. Officials urged residents to use a landline, a different carrier, or to physically visit emergency services if they could not get through.
While other carriers like T-Mobile and AT&T confirmed their networks were operational, they noted a minor spike in outage reports, likely from users trying to contact people on the Verizon network. During such cellular failures, companies generally recommend using Wi-Fi calling, internet-based messaging apps, or satellite messaging on supported newer iPhones.
Verizon's move to issue credits follows a growing standard in the telecoms industry for addressing significant service failures, placing the focus on customer retention after a major loss of trust and connectivity.
