Verizon says service is restored after outage left thousands of ...

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Verizon down? Users reporting issues nationwide

Verizon says they are working to fix an "issue" as users across the country report phones stuck in SOS mode, unable to make calls or send text messages amid an apparent outage.

Fox - 10 Phoenix

Verizon has restored its cellular service after more than 100,000 people filed online reports of issues with the company's cell network that started Monday morning. Service was out most of the work day before it started coming back online in the afternoon and evening.

Is Verizon service down?

The company first confirmed an issue for some customers last Monday morning. aware of an issue impacting service for some customers.

"Our engineers are engaged and we are working quickly to identify and solve the issue," said Ilya Hemlin with Verizon's communications team

Verizon representatives did not answer questions about the cause of the issue as of 3:15 p.m. Monday.

The company announced shortly after 4 p.m. that engineers were "making progress" and service had started to be restored. Around 6:30 it posted another message stating that all services had been restored.

What do I do if my Verizon service still doesn't work?

The company said on social media that some users would need to restart their phones to access the cellular network again.

Verizon outage map showed issues across Iowa

The Verizon outage map worked inconsistently thought-out the day on Monday. But, over the course of the day it confirmed outages in most parts of Iowa, including Des Moines, Ames and Iowa City.

Places with the most reported issues in the Midwest include Chicago, Minneapolis and Columbus, according to DownDetector.

Why is my phone in SOS?

Users with Apple iPhones saw "SOS" next to their battery icon.

While in SOS mode, users do not have a cell connection but will be able to make emergency calls using other networks, according to Apple.

To quickly call emergency services, simultaneously press and hold the side button and either volume button until the sliders appear and the countdown on Emergency SOS ends, then release the buttons. In certain regions, users can also text 911 from their iPhone.

Verizon users can try Wi-Fi calling instead

When you're in a place with weak or no cellular network coverage, you may be able to make and receive calls and texts over a Wi-Fi network instead, Verizon said. Wi-Fi calling lets you make and receive voice calls over a Wi-Fi network instead of using Verizon's cellular network.

Calls and texts made over Wi-Fi to numbers in the United States don't use the cellular network and don't count against your mobile plan's data allowance, either. Calls would count toward your data allowance with your Wi-Fi provider.

Users do have to be connected to the Verizon network to setup Wi-Fi calling for the first time, so if you haven't set it up previously, it may not work during the outage.

How do I use Wi-Fi calling on my iPhone?

To turn on Wi-Fi calling, go to Settings, Phone, then Wi-Fi Calling. You might need to enter or confirm your address for emergency services, according to Apple.

If Wi-Fi Calling is available, you’ll see "Wi-Fi" in the status bar while viewing Control Center. Your calls will then be using Wi-Fi Calling.

How do I use Wi-Fi calling on my Android phone?

On Android phones, you can go to Settings, Network and Internet, tap Calls and SMS, choose a network under Wi-Fi Calling and toggle Wi-Fi Calling to on.

Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at vreynarodriguez@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter @VictoriaReynaR.