Editor's Note: Verizon around 10:15 a.m. Monday, Verizon issued a statement regarding the outages. Our latest story can be found here. Our original story continues below.
Verizon phones across Illinois and Chicago were reported stuck in SOS mode following thousands of reports of a Verizon outage nationwide.
As of around 7 a.m. Monday morning, hundreds of Chicago reports of Verizon outages poured into the website Downdetector. By around 9:30 a.m., more than 4,000 outages were reported in the area, the site showed. By 10:15 a.m., reports had fallen to around 1,100.
An outage map from Downdetector Monday showed Verizon outages across multiple other cities, including Indianapolis, New York City, Atlanta, Cincinnati and Omaha.
Dozens of comments on the site from Verizon users said their phones were displaying "SOS" mode on-and-off, leaving some unable to send or respond to texts, or make phone calls.
Dozens of comments on Verizon's social media pages also called out that Verizon phones were reported to be in SOS mode.
Local
The carrier responded to some comments, at times asking for more specific information from those who reported their phone in SOS.
"I know I would share your concern if my phone was in SOS as well," one of Verizon's replies said. "I am here to help take a look into this, and help find a solution. When did this issue first start happening? Can you share the nearest cross streets and city where this is happening? Please send a DM."
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
Around 10:15 a.m., Verizon said in a statement to NBC News that the company was aware of an issue impacting service for "some customers."
"Our engineers are engaged and we are working quickly to identify and solve the issue," the statement continued.
According to Apple, the SOS message appears when "your device isn't connected to your cellular network," but it also means you can make emergency calls through other carrier networks.
The feature is only available in the U.S., Australia and Canada.
"When SOS appears in your iPhone status bar, it means a cellular network is available for emergency calls," the company says.
Those who make a call with SOS will automatically go to a local emergency number and their location will be shared with emergency services.
Users can also set up their phones so that after they make an emergency SOS call, their phone alerts emergency contacts with a text message that includes their current location -- and will update those contacts if that location changes.
"On iPhone 14 or later (all models), you can even use Emergency SOS via satellite to text emergency services when no cellular and Wi-Fi coverage is available," Apple states.
This is a developing news story that will be updated.
