Verizon Restores Network After Outage Impacts Thousands of Users - FCC Investigating
Verizon has successfully resolved a network disruption that affected numerous customers in the United States. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced its investigation into the widespread network outage earlier on Monday, following reports of outages from thousands of users.
In a statement released later in the day, Verizon confirmed that service has returned to normal levels. Cities such as Chicago and Seattle were hit particularly hard, with some iPhone users experiencing issues with their devices stuck in "SOS" mode.
The outage, which began around 9:30 a.m. ET, resulted in 28,842 reports by 5:02 p.m. ET, with areas like Minneapolis, Phoenix, Omaha, and Denver being among the most affected regions, according to Downdetector.com.
Verizon Communications (NYSE:) disclosed that its engineers were working on resolving the network problem earlier in the day, and service restoration efforts were underway. The company apologized for any inconvenience caused to its customers but did not provide specific details on the cause of the outage.
At the peak of the outage, there were approximately 105,000 reports around 11:19 a.m. ET, as per Downdetector.com. The FCC stated that it is investigating the root cause and extent of the service disruptions.
Although some Verizon users reported being stuck in "SOS" mode, AT&T (NYSE:) users also faced challenges, with 448 incident reports on the outage tracking website by 5:15 p.m. ET. However, AT&T clarified that it was not experiencing a nationwide outage and that its network was functioning normally.
Notably, AT&T encountered nationwide wireless outages in February, lasting over 12 hours and affecting over 70,000 customers. The FCC is currently investigating the AT&T outage, which resulted in blocking more than 92 million voice calls and over 25,000 attempts to reach 911.
The news of Verizon's outage emerged shortly after the company's announcement of a $3.3 billion deal with infrastructure firm Vertical Bridge, granting rights to lease, operate, and manage 6,339 mobile towers across the U.S.
In conclusion, network outages can have a significant impact on users' daily lives, communication capabilities, and emergency services access. It is crucial for telecommunication companies like Verizon and AT&T to address and resolve such disruptions promptly to ensure uninterrupted service for their customers.
