A widespread Verizon outage left an estimated 2 million customers without service for much of this week, and the exact cause remains unclear. While Verizon has confirmed the issue stemmed from a “software problem,” details are scarce, leaving both customers and industry experts to speculate. The company is offering a $20 credit to affected users, delivered through text messages and the myVerizon app.
The Scope of the Disruption
Unlike typical cellular outages tied to localized disasters or hardware failures, this disruption impacted users nationwide. Reports of service interruptions came from across the US, including New York, New Jersey, Florida, Hawaii, and California. This broad reach suggests a systemic failure rather than a regional incident.
What Went Wrong?
Industry analysts propose several possibilities. Roger Entner of Recon Analytics suggests a failed feature update to Verizon’s 5G Standalone (SA) core may be to blame. 5G SA relies exclusively on 5G technology and is only deployed in certain markets, which explains why not all Verizon customers experienced the outage. Entner points to the unusual timing—a midday crash instead of a typical overnight upgrade window—as evidence of human error during a minor system change.
The Role of Virtualization
Lee W. McKnight, a professor at Syracuse University, proposes that a failed update to a Virtual Network Function (VNF) triggered cascading failures. VNFs are software-based network services running on cloud platforms, and McKnight believes a flawed update led to “data overflows” that impacted other critical functions. This theory aligns with reports of intermittent service restoration followed by repeated outages, like a misfiring engine.
Layoffs and Expertise
Online discussions, including claims from alleged former Verizon employees, have raised concerns about the impact of recent layoffs. The company cut roughly 13,000 jobs, including many experienced engineers, which some speculate may have contributed to the incident. The incident underscores the increasing dependence on cloud-based infrastructure and the need for highly specialized technical expertise in maintaining modern networks.
The incident highlights a growing vulnerability in telecom infrastructure: reliance on complex software systems that, when failing, can leave millions without service. Until Verizon provides further details, speculation will continue, but one thing is clear: the outage was a stark reminder of how quickly modern communication networks can collapse.
