Verizon outage disrupts calling and data services for wireless customers across U.S.

NEW YORK — Many Verizon customers encountered a widespread outage on Wednesday, disrupting calling and other cellular services across the U.S.

The carrier acknowledged that there was an “issue impacting wireless voice and data services." Verizon didn't specify what was causing the disruptions, but said in an update shared on social media that it had deployed its engineering teams.

“We understand the impact this has on your day and remain committed to resolving this as quickly as possible,” the New York-based company wrote.

Outage tracker Downdetector showed that Verizon customers began to report issues with their service around 11 a.m. Iowa time. Reports appeared to peak at more than 175,000 by 11:30 a.m. — but still remained elevated later into the afternoon, sitting at nearly 57,000 as of 2:30 p.m. Iowa time.

Affected users said their phones were in “SOS” mode or had other no signal messages. In cities like New York, alerts were sent out warning that the outage may disrupt 911 calls — urging residents to try landlines and devices from other carriers, if available, or visit a local police or fire station in person in case of an emergency.

Per Downdetector, other major hubs affected by Verizon's outage included Washington D.C., Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and Portland, Ore. But consumers across the country said they were experiencing disruptions.

A handful of outage reports for other carriers also bubbled up Wednesday — but companies like T-Mobile and AT&T quickly confirmed online that their services were operating normally. Both suggested that their customers may be encountering issues contacting people with Verizon's service, however.

When cellular outages happen, some phone companies also urge consumers to try to connect to Wi-Fi and use internet calling. If Wi-Fi still is unavailable, there can be a limited number of other options — including sending messages via satellite on newer iPhones.