FCC Probes Verizon's 10-Hour Cell Outage

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has launched a formal investigation into a significant Verizon cellular outage that occurred earlier this month, lasting for at least ten hours and impacting millions of customers. The disruption rendered many unable to make phone calls, send texts, or use mobile data, prompting the FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau to open a public docket.

The Bureau is actively seeking input from the public regarding their experiences during the outage, with a particular focus on its impact on 911 calling and other public safety services. Verizon has stated the outage stemmed from a software issue and has apologized to its customers. As a resolution, the company has offered credits, with some customers receiving up to $200 for significant disruptions or business losses.

This investigation also seeks to assess Verizon's communication strategy during the event. Questions have been raised about the appropriateness and timeliness of public information provided by the carrier. The FCC is examining the outage's effect on businesses, critical service providers like hospitals, and individuals' ability to contact emergency services and loved ones. Notably, some iPhones entered Apple's satellite SOS mode, providing a potential lifeline for emergency calls, but the FCC is still determining if 911 access was compromised for any users.