A nationwide Verizon outage on Monday disrupted phone services for over 100,000 users across the country, peaking between 8 and 9 a.m., according to Downdetector, which tracks service outages. Despite the widespread issues, emergency services and businesses in the Bay Area largely maintained normal operations.
Verizon reported that services were gradually being restored later in the day, although the company did not specify how many of its more than 110 million U.S. customers were affected. Rob Enderle, a technology analyst, highlighted the vital role of phones, noting that the outage could be a significant inconvenience.
Emergency services in the Bay Area reported no disruptions. The San Jose Police Department confirmed that 911 services were unaffected, and both the Oakland and San Francisco police also reported no communication issues. The San Jose Fire Department operated on FirstNet, an AT&T-supported communication system, which experienced minimal impact.
Even customers with no active service can still call emergency services. The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management explained that Verizon customers might see notifications like “Emergency calls only” but should still be able to dial 911 if the phone connects to another carrier. If calling 911 isn’t possible, residents are encouraged to use Wi-Fi calling, landlines, or reach out to someone with a different service provider.
Enderle noted that outages pose risks, particularly during severe weather conditions. He expressed concern that such disruptions could harm government operations, including emergency responses.
Tim Bajarin, a technology consultant, remarked that while the main impact might be commercial, organizations can typically find workarounds thanks to widespread internet access. He pointed out that businesses relying solely on local transactions may face more significant challenges during outages.