Around midday on Wednesday, many Verizon users observed their devices switched to SOS mode. Verizon has now confirmed the persistent outage.

In a statement to Mashable, a spokesperson for Verizon said, “We recognize an issue affecting wireless voice and data services for some customers. Our engineering team is actively working to diagnose and rectify the issue promptly. We appreciate the significance of dependable connectivity and apologize for the disruption.”

The Verizon Support account on X also relayed the same message on Wednesday afternoon, as puzzled customers turned to social media for clarification.

Verizon has yet to reveal the reason for the disruption or the expected timeframe for a resolution.

Downdetector classified the outage as “Very High,” calling it a “significant service outage.” (Disclosure: Mashable and Downdetector are both under Ziff Davis.)

“The impact is rated as Very High, with the majority of users reporting Mobile Phone problems (63%) and a total loss of signal (31%),” states an update from Downdetector shared with Mashable. “User reports frequently mention devices entering ‘SOS mode,’ indicating a serious disruption in cellular service.”

When in SOS mode, users are unable to make or receive phone calls or texts, and data services are also inaccessible. Nonetheless, users should still be able to place emergency 911 calls via satellite, as per usual.

Although Downdetector did observe an increase in user error reports for T-Mobile and AT&T, Verizon currently appears to be the only major mobile provider experiencing an outage.

This story is still developing…