NEW YORK CITY (dpa-AFX) - Verizon (VZ) is offering a $20 account credit to customers affected by a widespread network outage that disrupted wireless service across the U.S. and, in some cases, lasted up to 10 hours.
Around 1.5 million users are expected to receive the credit, which Verizon says is meant as a gesture of goodwill rather than full compensation.
The outage began around 12:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, January 14, and triggered a surge of complaints throughout the day. Data from Downdetector showed service problems concentrated in major cities including New York, Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Dallas, Brooklyn and Philadelphia. Most reports cited issues with mobile phone service, followed by loss of signal and mobile internet access.
Customers described being unable to make calls, send messages or use data for extended periods, with some saying service was down for nearly the entire day.
In a statement, Verizon acknowledged the disruption and said it fell short of customer expectations. A company spokesperson said no credit could fully make up for the outage but noted that $20 typically covers several days of service for most users.
Eligible customers will be able to apply the credit through the MyVerizon app and will receive a text message once it becomes available. Verizon said business customers will be contacted separately about outage-related credits.
Despite the apology and the credit, frustration remains high. Verizon has not disclosed the cause of the outage, prompting speculation online about whether the failure stemmed from a technical glitch or a broader systems issue. Social media reaction was swift, with some users threatening to cancel their service altogether. Rival carriers quickly joined the conversation, using the moment to promote switching incentives.
The incident comes on the heels of significant internal changes at Verizon. In November 2025, the company announced plans to cut roughly 15,000 jobs as part of a restructuring effort, with management citing the need to reduce complexity and improve customer experience.
Thursday, VZ closed at $39.36, down 1.18%, and is trading slightly higher after hours at $39.44, up 0.20%, on the NYSE.
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