Verizon has the nation’s largest 4G LTE network covering 70% of the United States. While they’re renowned for their reliable service, no network is perfect and outages can happen.
If you find yourself in a Verizon outage, possible solutions include enabling Wi-Fi calling and using messaging apps. Read on to learn how to identify a Verizon outage and additional measures you can take to stay connected.
Is Verizon down?
Detecting a Verizon outage
The best way to determine if there is a Verizon service outage is to log into your My Verizon account. Here, Verizon lists all active outages, what services are impacted, and will sometimes give an estimate of when your service will return. You can also sign up for service alerts that send notifications to all impacted customers when an outage hits.
You can also check sites like DownDetector and Outage.Report. These sites monitor social media looking for reports about outages, and allow users to submit their own outage reports when having problems. Whenever someone types "Verizon down" into X or Facebook, these websites get a report. For this reason, they aren’t as exact as information directly from Verizon, but they can still indicate when large numbers of people are experiencing service problems.
If it appears an outage is impacting your area but there is no alert on your account, you can also contact Verizon Support to inform them and ask for information.
Verizon outage map
Verizon doesn't offer an official outage map. That said, it does off a map feature that allows you to check the Verizon network status anywhere in the United States. Simply select which Verizon service you're experiencing trouble with and type in a location. Verizon will analyze your report and tell you if it is aware of service issues in that location.
Websites like DownDetector do technically offer maps of Verizon outages. However, these maps only show the locations where reports are coming from, so they may not show the true extent of an outage. You'll see entire cities lit up with outage reports, but it may look like the surrounding areas still have service. In reality, the map is biased towards cities because that's where most people live. Rural areas may not have enough customers submitting reports for the outage to actually appear.
Bottom line: Get the same reliability for half the price
The truth is Verizon is an extremely reliable carrier and you're not likley to experience outages often. Many people don't realize that you can get the exact same reliable service as you would from a Verizon plan by going with a much cheaper MVNO like US Mobile. Other Verizon network carriers include Visible, which offers unlimited everything with Big Red's 4G and 5G coverage for just $25/month. We especially love that you can opt for unlimited premium data at 5G speeds and global calling benefits, for just a few bucks more.
Staying connected in a Verizon outage
While waiting for the Verizon engineers to solve the outage, many features on your phone like calling and messaging can be done through Wi-Fi instead. You can also use messaging apps to connect with friends and family until the outage is over.
Using public Wi-Fi safely
It is important that you use a safe source of Wi-Fi for all these methods. Public Wi-Fi networks, while convenient, can expose your personal information when using them. If you must use a public network, we recommend using a virtual private network (VPN) on your phone to protect your information.
Enable Wi-Fi calling
Most modern smartphones offer Wi-Fi calling, Even when you’re having connection problems due to a Verizon outage, you can still make and receive calls if you’re connected to Wi-Fi.
Verizon customers arfe not charged to use this service, but it is a feature that must be specifically turned on.
To enable Wi-Fi calling on iPhones:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap Cellular.
- Tap Wi-Fi Calling.
- Enable Wi-Fi Calling on This iPhone.
To enable Wi-Fi calling on Androids:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap Networks and Internet.
- Tap Mobile Network.
- Tap Advanced.
- Enabled Wi-Fi Calling.
Note that every Android manufacturer labels these steps slightly differently. If you are struggling to find these settings, search for “Wi-Fi calling” in the search bar of your Settings app.
Use Wi-Fi texting
After you’ve enabled Wi-Fi calling in your settings, most devices will let you also let you send texts via Wi-Fi as well. If you have an iPhone, another easy option is using iMessage, Apple’s proprietary instant messaging system. iMessage automatically defaults to Wi-Fi to send messages. The downside: iMessage is only available between iPhones—Androids don’t have access to the system.
Use messaging apps
You can still use most of your messaging apps when connected to Wi-Fi. Apps like Snapchat, WhatsApp, and Messenger use the internet for their messaging capability and won’t be impacted by a Verizon outage. For voice calling, you can try apps like Skype or Discord.
What if there’s no Verizon outage?
If there’s no Verizon outage but your phone service still isn’t working correctly, your device itself may be causing the problems, in which case, there are a couple of troubleshooting methods to try.
Troubleshooting your phone
Your phone itself could be the culprit causing your service issues. Cell phones can suffer from glitches that disconnect them from their network, or you may simply need a network update.
First, restart your device. Sometimes this will reconnect you to the network and solve your problem.
If restarting your phone doesn’t help, check if your carrier settings need an update. Just like phone companies, carriers like Verizon periodically release software updates to improve their performance. Most of the time, these updates automatically pop up on your phone. But if you’ve missed one, your phone can develop service trouble.
To update the carrier settings on your iPhone:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap General.
- Tap About.
- If an update is available, it will automatically open. Press Update.
To update the carrier settings on your Android:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap More.
- Tap Mobile Networks.
- Tap Carrier Settings.
- If there is an update available, select Update Profile.
No signal and service interruptions
If troubleshooting your phone didn’t fix your network issues, you should also make sure that you haven’t done something to interrupt your service. Two common issues are not paying your bill and leaving Verizon’s coverage area.
If you accidentally miss a payment on your bill, Verizon can shut off your service. While they typically alert you before they do that, it can still come as a surprise if you think your payments are up to date. To view your current and past billing statements, log into your My Verizon account online or use the app.
Another potential issue is entering an area where there's no Verizon signal. While Verizon has the most extensive 4G LTE coverage of the Big Three Carriers (Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile), there are some places with service gaps.
Luckily, Verizon has roaming agreements with both AT&T and T-Mobile. That means when you enter a place Verizon doesn’t cover, your device briefly jumps to one of their networks instead. However, data roaming must be enabled on your device for this to work. Data roaming is typically automatically enabled, but if you’ve turned it off, you’ll completely lose service when you leave Verizon’s network.
To enable data roaming on an iPhone:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap Cellular.
- Tap Cellular Data Options.
- Turn on Data Roaming.
To enable data roaming on an Android:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap Network & Internet.
- Tap Mobile Network.
- Turn on Roaming.
Check out Verizon's coverage map below for a comprehensive look at where Big Red's network is present.
Finding a new carrier
While Verizon’s network is extremely reliable, an outage can leave you wanting a change. AT&T offers similar pricing to Verizon, though not nearly the same amount of features and benefits for the cost, and has better 5G coverage. T-Mobile has the best 5G coverage of any network and great perks like Netflix included on some plans, but its service is lacking in many rural areas of the country. That said, if you are in a region with stronger AT&T and T-Mobile service than Verizon’s, it might be worth shopping around for a carrier that better fits your needs.
Want to save some cash while you’re at it? Mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) offer huge savings on phone plans that operate on the big carriers’ networks. A great example is Mint Mobile, which offers a cheap unlimited plan on T-Mobile's network. You can snag an unlimited plan with 50GB of priority data and a 20GB mobile hotspot for just $30/month ($15/month for new customers).
Mint Mobile Unlimited Data Plan
| Carrier | Mint Mobile |
|---|---|
| Data | Unlimited Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Current Deal | Get this plan for just $25/mo. when you switch to Mint Mobile using promo code 15OFF at checkout. Upfront payment required |
| Total Price |
$25 per month
$75.00 upfront payment for 3 months (equals to $25.00/month). Intro pricing for new customers only.
|
| View Plan |
Check out some of the other most popular unlimited MVNO plans below:
|
#1
|
Visible
$25 Visible Plan
$25.00/mo
Taxes & Fees included
|
|
#2
|
Mint Mobile
Unlimited Data Plan
$25.00/mo
$75.00 upfront payment for 3 months (equals to $25.00/month). Intro pricing for new customers only.
|
|
#3
|
US Mobile
Unlimited Starter Plan
$25.00/mo
$20/mo. for 6 months; $25/mo. thereafter
|
|
#4
|
Cricket
Supreme Unlimited Plan
$55.00/mo
with AutoPay; $60 for the first month.
+ $9.99 Upfront
|
|
#5
|
Spectrum Mobile
Unlimited Data
$30.00/mo
+ $20 Upfront
|
Still like Verizon’s network?
You can still find a cheaper option while enjoying Verizon’s ample network coverage. Switching to one of the many MVNOs on Big Red’s network will keep you with the coverage you like but give you a new price that you’ll love.
We think Visible Wireless is one of the best MVNOs on Verizon’s network. Their unlimited data plans offer the strength of Verizon’s network at a fraction of the cost. Plus, it also offers 5G connectivity and an unlimited mobile hotspot for both plans.
|
#1
|
Visible
$25 Visible Plan
$25.00/mo
Taxes & Fees included
|
|
#2
|
Visible
$35 Visible+ Plan
$35.00/mo
Taxes & Fees included
|
|
#3
|
Visible
$45 Visible+ Pro Plan
$45.00/mo
Taxes & Fees included
|
|
#4
|
Visible
$275 Visible Annual Plan
$275.00
Regular rate at $300/year<br>Taxes & Fees included
|
|
#5
|
Visible
$375 Visible+ Annual Plan
$375.00
Regular rate at $420/year<br>Taxes & Fees included
|
Verizon outage: FAQs
How do I find out if Verizon has an outage in my area?
You can find out if Verizon has an outage in your area by logging into your My Verizon account and checking for service alerts. You can also check websites like DownDetector and Outage.Report.
Why is my Verizon service not working?
Your Verizon service may not be working because of an outage, because of an issue with your phone, failure to pay your bill, or because you left Verizon’s service area.
Why does my Verizon phone say “no service”?
Your Verizon phone may say you have no service because of a service outage, a software glitch on your phone, or because you are not in an area covered by Verizon’s network.
How do I refresh my Verizon cell signal?
You can refresh your Verizon cell signal by restarting your cell phone or updating your carrier settings.
Why is Verizon so slow?
Your Verizon signal could be slow because of a network outage in your area or because you are in a location with a weak signal.
What are the signs of a Verizon outage?
Some of the signs of a Verizon outage are suddenly losing your cell signal, being unable place calls, and text messages failing. You should check with Verizon Support to make sure it’s a service outage and not an issue with your phone.
Will Verizon give me a bill credit due to a network outage?
No, Verizon will not give you a bill credit due to a network outage.
Max McCaskill
Sr. Staff Writer
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