Verizon Network Outage Prompts Emergency Alerts

A widespread Verizon wireless outage prompted emergency alerts in multiple major U.S. cities, raising concerns about public safety and the ability of customers to reach emergency services.

Officials in Washington, D.C., and New York City issued advisories acknowledging service disruptions as Verizon customers reported difficulty making calls. While Verizon has not publicly detailed the cause of the outage, other major wireless carriers confirmed their networks were operating normally.

T-Mobile said its own systems were functioning as expected but warned that communication issues could arise when attempting to contact Verizon subscribers.

“T-Mobile’s network is keeping our customers connected, and we’ve confirmed that our network is operating normally and as expected,” a spokesperson told NBC News. “However, due to Verizon’s reported outage, our customers may not be able to reach someone with Verizon service at this time.”

AT&T similarly said it was not experiencing technical problems. “Our network is operating normally at this time,” a spokeswoman for the provider said.

Emergency Alerts Issued in Major Cities

As reports of the outage spread, local governments moved to address potential risks, particularly related to emergency communications.

In Washington, D.C., the District’s official emergency notification system, AlertDC, sent a message to residents describing the Verizon outage as “nationwide.” The alert advised residents who were unable to connect using Verizon devices to seek alternative ways to report emergencies.

“If you have an emergency and can not connect using your Verizon Wireless device, please connect using a device from another carrier, a landline, or go to a police district or fire station to report the emergency,” the AlertDC message said.

New York City’s Office of Emergency Management also acknowledged the disruption, though it did not explicitly name Verizon. The agency said it was “working closely with our partners” to review the outage and “assess any potential effects on city agencies & essential services.”

Neither city reported confirmed failures of emergency response systems, but officials emphasized caution while the outage persisted.

Impact on Customers

The outage appeared to affect customers’ ability to place calls, particularly when attempting to reach Verizon users from other networks. While data and messaging services were not universally reported as down, the inability to reliably connect by phone raised alarms for residents and officials alike.

Wireless outages can present significant public safety challenges, especially when they interfere with access to 911 services. Federal guidelines require carriers to maintain continuity of emergency communications, but large-scale network disruptions can still create temporary gaps in access.

At the time of the alerts, officials had not confirmed whether 911 calls placed from Verizon devices were universally failing or only intermittently affected.

Verizon Has Not Detailed the Cause

As of publication, Verizon had not publicly disclosed the cause of the outage or provided a timeline for full restoration of service. The company also had not confirmed whether the disruption affected specific regions more heavily than others.

The lack of immediate clarity prompted cities to take a precautionary approach, urging residents to rely on alternative carriers, landlines, or in-person reporting at police stations and firehouses if needed.

Telecommunications experts note that outages labeled as “nationwide” can sometimes reflect widespread routing or switching issues rather than a complete shutdown of service in every location.

Monitoring Continues

City agencies said they were continuing to monitor the situation as carriers worked to resolve the issue. New York City officials emphasized coordination with partners to ensure essential services remained operational, while Washington, D.C., officials focused on ensuring residents had access to emergency resources.

Verizon customers experiencing service issues were advised to follow updates from local authorities and to prepare backup communication options until normal service resumes.

The outage serves as a reminder of the critical role wireless networks play in daily life and emergency response, particularly in densely populated urban areas.

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