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Verizon voice services were down for some β€” here's everything we know

While it wasn't as widespread as the massive Verizon outage in January 2026, the big red carrier did experience an issue that primarily impacted voice services in the United States.

Starting at about 4 PM ET reports on services like DownDetector began spiking for Verizon, with comments on the site and on social media reporting that folks were having issues making calls. I'm even seeing this on my iPhone 17 Pro Max, which is connected to Visible β€” a Verizon MVNO β€” with many calls still failing.

At its height, DownDetector showed over 13,000 reports of issues with Verizon, while other carriers like T-Mobile and AT&T were also seeing spikes. Verizon's Support account on X (formerly Twitter) was first to respond to some customers, confirming an issue "impacting voice services for wireless customers in some parts of the U.S."

More than 3 hours later, Verizon confirmed that the issue was resolved, in a statement writing: "Our engineers have resolved the issue that affected voice services for some wireless customers this afternoon.Β  We know how much you rely on us, and we’re sorry for the inconvenience.Β  If you are still having any trouble with your service, please try restarting your device."

Ahead, you can read our live reporting on Verizon's issues that impacted voice services for many of its customers across the United States from about 4PM ET through 7:30PM ET on August 8, 2026.

Verizon confirms an issue on X

While Verizon hasn't listed an active issue on its site yet, the carrier is responding to individual accounts noting service issues. Responding to one user on X, the @VerizonSupport account writes, "We are aware of an issue impacting voice services for wireless customers in some parts of the U.S. Our engineers are engaged and we are working quickly to identify and resolve the issue."

We are aware of an issue impacting voice services for wireless customers in some parts of the U.S. Our engineers are engaged and we are working quickly to identify and resolve the issue. Please visit our Check Network Status page for updates on service in your area. We know how…August 8, 2026

I'm in New Jersey with an iPhone connected to Visible, and I'm experiencing voice issues, specifically when trying to make or receive calls. These ultimately result in a "Call Failed" response, but I still have four bars of service, and LTE or 5G remains functional.

Many Verizon customers experiencing issues, though, are taking to social platforms like X from Virginia and Western New York. It's not just the Northeast, either, as the outage appears to be impacting much of the East Coast.

@Verizon why can’t we call out in? Phones in Virginia are not workingAugust 8, 2026

This is about to be the last straw tbh @VerizonAugust 8, 2026

@Verizon you service is really bad in area code 716 todayAugust 8, 2026

Verizon's system issue is mainly impacting phone calls, not data or internet

As far as we can tell, the issue impacting Verizon today is mainly hindering phone calls. I've experienced it on Visible, as has my colleague Lance Ulanoff, who's on Verizon, as have many other impacted users who are taking to social media to post about issues with the carrier.

Internet works, but can’t make a phone call. Nightmare considering what Verizon chargesAugust 8, 2026

The post above hits the issue squarely on the head right now – this user is on Verizon, and internet likely over 5G or LTE is working, but is unable to make phone calls.

Seriously @Verizon. Another Outage in Michigan pic.twitter.com/2hbgeGdqoPAugust 8, 2026

Let us know if you're impacted by the Verizon voice outage

If you're on Verizon, Visible, or another carrier, vote in the poll below to let us know whether you're currently affected by this voice service issue. Feel free to comment down below as well and let us know what issue you're experiencing.

Verizon confirms an active 'Voice Issue'

Now, if you navigate to Verizon's site and check for outages, there is now some language confirming a voice issue if you're in an impacted area. That's good news, as it's always mission-critical for carriers to be responsive and communicative during an outage like this.

Verizon Voice Issue

(Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

And here's what it looks like on an iPhone that's connected to Verizon when the call fails, and this screenshot is from my colleague Lance, but I'm also experiencing the same error – albeit after it tries for a few seconds – in New Jersey on Visible.

Verizon call fail

(Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

While many reports of issues making or receiving phone calls with Verizon were originally in the Northeast and on the East Coast, it appears to be a more widespread issue as more users have begun posting on social media from places like Nashville, Michigan, and Chicago.

Let us know in the comments below if you're impacted by this Verizon issue.

Me too in NashvilleAugust 8, 2026

Are you experiencing the Verizon outage? What to know as more than 10,000 users reported issues with their wireless servicehttps://t.co/G5EMMOE616August 8, 2026

Verizon is down. My sister keeps calling me, talking for a few secs and the call drops. She has done this 10x ( so far). I told her Verizon is down. I texted her that Verizon is down and she (boomer) keeps asking me how to make her phone work. I finally told her to shut it off &…August 8, 2026

Reports on Down Detector are starting to drop

While at the height of this issue with Verizon, we saw many reports on social platforms like X and over 13,000 reports on Down Detector; reports on the latter are now sitting at under 10,000, at 9,367. That does show that Verizon's voice service might be starting to recover, and at the same time, my colleague Lance was just able to make two successful phone calls on his iPhone connected to Verizon.

That's good news and hopefully an effect that can trickle across those experiencing issues. We're still waiting for an update from Verizon on X or on its own site noting the issue is resolved, but the carrier has made it clear it is working on it. fix.

Verizon Down Detector Reports

(Image credit: Future)

Verizon's engineers are 'working quickly to identify and resolve the issue'

Verizon responded to our inquiry and has confirmed an active issue "impacting voice services" for its customers in the United States.

The full statement reads: β€œWe are aware of an issue impacting voice services for wireless customers in some parts of the U.S. Our engineers are engaged and we are working quickly to identify and resolve the issue. Please visit our Check Network Status page for updates on service in your area. We know how much people rely on Verizon and apologize for any inconvenience. We appreciate your patience.”

There's no exact word on what started this issue or an ETA for when service might return to normal, but the carrier has its engineers actively working on it, and for some, it seems the network is starting to rebound. Let us know if you're still being impacted in the comments below.

Verizon's making progress on the issue, and suggests 'restarting your phone' if you're still having issues

Verizon shared another update with this, and it mentions a classic recommendation during any outages – the old adage of restarting your device.

The full statement reads: "Verizon engineers are making progress on an issue impacting voice services for some wireless customers. If your service is still impacted, we recommend restarting your device. We know how much people rely on Verizon and apologize for any inconvenience some of our customers experienced today. Our team is continuing to work non-stop until this issue is fully resolved. Please visit our Check Network Status page for updates on service in your area."

Restarting the device might help get your device back online while Verizon's engineers work toward a full resolution of the carrier's voice services for impacted customers. It does seem that for some, though, the network is coming back.

I have Verizon as well and service was streaky today. It’s better now though.August 8, 2026

Verizon says the issue is resolved

Well, along with Down Detector reports dropping to well under 1,000 and with fewer posts about Verizon being down or experiencing an outage on X and Threads, Verizon has confirmed the issue that impacted voice service for its customers is now resolved.

The statement reads: "Our engineers have resolved the issue that affected voice services for some wireless customers this afternoon. We know how much you rely on us, and we’re sorry for the inconvenience. If you are still having any trouble with your service, please try restarting your device."

That's excellent news and arrives about three and a half hours after issues with making phone calls began spiking, and more than 13,000 reported issues later. Verizon isn't sharing what caused the issue today, though; if you're still experiencing an issue, the carrier does suggest restarting your device. Service for my iPhone on Visible – a Verizon MVNO – and for Lance's iPhone on Verizon has returned to normal, so I do hope it's working again for you if you were experiencing an issue.

Additionally, Verizon isn't saying anything about compensation or credit for today's outage, though it is clear that it was pretty widespread for phone call issues.

Elon Musk: 'At some point, Starlink will deliver a majority of the world's internet,' but that promise hinges on launching thousands more next-gen satellites and the massive Starship working as promised

  • Starlink Mobile could become a reality in 2027
  • It will likely rely on the very new Starlink V3 satellite
  • SpaceX's huge Starship will play a crucial role in the effort to compete with major carriers

SpaceX's first earnings call this week as a publicly traded company was full of promises and hyperbole, including the prediction from boaster-in-chief Elon Musk (also SpaceX CEO and Chief Engineer) that Starlink "will deliver a majority of the world's internet, at least in countries where we're allowed to operate, which is the vast majority of countries." As for a time scale, think not the distant future, but fewer than 10 years.

That's some bold talk, but SpaceX President, COO, and someone far less likely to wax bombastic, Gwen shotwell, backed up those claims. "As far as revenue, I'm just going to take a very high-level kind of top-down. The big three in the U.S., AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, roughly between them, $600 billion a year. I anticipate us to be able to acquire quite a few of their customers because I think our service will be better." Shotwell told investors.

These promises all hinge, in part, on the development and launch of Starlink's V3 satellites, which will, on a per-satellite basis, drastically improve throughput. Starlink's current V2 satellite has a downlink throughput of roughly 80GBps. V3 can, the company claims, deliver 1 Terabit of downlink connectivity. Uplink jumps from roughly 7 Gbps to between 160 and 200 Gbps.

It's not just the speed; Starlink V3 satellites promise exponentially more beams, which is basically support for more concurrent users. V2 offers just under 200 beams while V3 promises 2048 per satellite.

Still, with just a reported 10,918 Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO), they will need a way of quickly delivering tens of thousands of satellites into orbit to achieve this lofty goal.

And so the other part of this hyperbolic plan hinges on SpaceX's still-in-testing Starship rocket. Granted, the 408ft tall spacecraft is rapidly transitioning to the operational phase and may have a full launch as soon as this month. It's already lifted some V3 satellites into orbit during one of its earlier orbital test flights. Now, to realize Musk's plan, it must shift to rapid launch deployment and then relaunch and deploy again.

Musk told investors that "Starlink V3 satellite is about an order of magnitude more capable than the Starlink V2 satellite." Then he added some color on the scale of what SpaceX and Starlink are planning: "We expect to launch about an order of magnitude more Starlink V3 satellites. That would mean a roughly two-order-of-magnitude increase in the delivered bandwidth."

Musk believes we'll need all that bandwidth, not just for potential consumer mobile broadband users but for the vast amounts of data and connectivity required by AI and robotics (both here and possibly on a Moon base), two other sectors where Musk has a vested interest.

"With the advent of AI, and humanoid robotics and vehicle robotics and just a massive number of robots, the appetite for bandwidth will be much greater than it has been in the past," he explained during the earnings call.

Starlink Mobile reality check

Starlink, though, is quite a distance away from competing directly with Verizon, T-Mobile, or AT&T in the US. Across them, they have more than 300M connections (or customers). Starlink has a reported 12M global customers.

As for those V3 satellites that will help propel Starlink Mobile into the mobile broadband competitive space, they do not officially launch until next year. In the meantime, Starlink's V2 Satellites will fill the gaps and help provide partners like EchoStar with better, faster, and maybe more reliable satellite connectivity.

We do already have some proof of the efficacy of Starlink WiFi connectivity and throughput. Earlier this year, TechRadar US Managing Editor for News Jake Krol took a flight on a Starlink-equipped United Airlines aircraft where he enjoyed incredible connectivity and speed. Krol was a fan: "I could livestream a show or movie, or even select a 'live channel' via Disney+ on an iPad, watch any video on YouTube, and scroll through TikTok or Instagram Reels without the slowdowns or loading issues typical of non-Starlink-equipped United flights."

Of course, that connectivity goes from the Starlink satellites to a responder on the jet, which then feeds the signal to onboard Wi-Fi and connected devices. In the case of Starlink Mobile, there'll potentially be no middleman, just your phone, a satellite, and instant, fast connectivity.

The benefit of the low-Earth-orbit V3 satellites, when they do finally launch and fill the skies, is that they should allow consumers to connect with them just as they would with towers assigned to their favorite carrier.

There is also one major hurdle that SpaceX and Starlink already cleared when the FCC granted Starlink approval in January 2026 for the company's "Next-gen satellite constellation."

Even with all this in place, the stars must align with Starship being fully operational, all those new satellites launched, and customers lined up by the millions. The last bit is surely the biggest question mark. Even if most of their modern cellphones support these direct-to-satellite connections, how likely are consumers to leave their trusted carrier behind?

Shotwell, for one, is bullish: "I'm quite excited about Starlink Mobile going forward," she told investors, "We will start to fly the satellites next year, and we will start providing service end of next year."

Mint Mobile just brought back a classic deal β€” you can get a full year of unlimited data for just $180 right now

The prepaid carrier Mint Mobile was already one of the best value prepaid carriers on the market, but a new deal at the carrier has just made it an even stronger choice for thrifty customers this week.

For a limited time, you'll be able to get any of the carrier's plans for just $15/mo. That includes the popular unlimited data plan, which is half price with this excellent promotion this week.

Breaking this deal down, you'll be paying just $180 upfront for a full year of service, which is an astoundingly low price for a plan that includes unlimited talk, text, and 50GB of high-speed 5G data per month.

Frustratingly, this deal does appear to be for new customers, so existing Mint users will have to sit this one out for now. If you are looking to switch up your plan for something a little cheaper, however, then this could be your ticket to some serious savings this year versus the big names.

Get a full year of cheap unlimited data at Mint Mobile

Mint Mobile unlimited data plan: was $360, now $180
If you've been curious about trying Mint Mobile, then now's a great time to jump on board. The carrier has just brought back its best-ever deal on its already good-value unlimited plan. Right now, you can get a full year of service for just $180 upfront, which equates to half price and just $15/mo on average.View Deal

Note that today's excellent discount on the unlimited plan is not the only deal available at Mint Mobile this week. Right now, you can get a huge discount of up to $1,080 on the latest Galaxy S26 series with a new plan and trade-in. I've attached details on that deal below, but note that it's almost sold out already!

Also available at Mint Mobile this week

Samsung Galaxy S26 series: $500 off, plus up to $400 off with a trade-in at Mint Mobile
Mint Mobile's latest deal on the Galaxy S26 series is one of the best I've ever seen from the well-known prepaid carrier. Not only can you get a record-breaking $500 upfront discount on a brand new device, but you'll also get a full year of unlimited data for just $180 - half price. On top of that, you can also trade-in for an additional discount of up to $400 off, which is enough to cover the entire cost of the standard Galaxy S26. View Deal

Don’t overspend on your mobile plan β€” these 5 EOFY deals on SIM-only plans will give you more data for less

The end-of-financial-year sales have seen many smartphone deals across flagship, mid-range and budget handsets, including some rare discounts on the current iPhone 17 range.

If you splurged on a new phone during the sales, you may be interested in signing up for a new SIM-only plan if you bought one outright, especially if you’re not 100% happy with your current provider.

Even if you didn’t buy a new phone, it can still pay to shop around for a new SIM-only plan, as you may find one that fits your needs better than your current one. You could be paying for a ton of data with your current provider that goes unused, for example. Or maybe you’d benefit from having international calls included in your monthly price.

Given how competitive the telco market is currently, providers are jostling for your attention β€” whether it’s generous mobile data allowances, discounts on the monthly plan fees or inclusions like international calls and texts β€” and it would be a good idea to take full advantage.

The best part is, unless your current plan is tied up with a mobile phone, it’s so easy to switch providers. If the promotional plan discount of the SIM-only plan you signed up has just wrapped up, you can easily swap to a different provider that’s offering its own discounted plan with next to zero hassle.

I’ve put together a list below of the best SIM-only plans I’ve spotted this EOFY across a range of use cases and budgets, with all the inclusions and discounts:

Best value EOFY SIM-only plan

TPG Large Plan | 100GB | AU$22.50 per 28-day renewal (first six renewals, then AU$45 per renewal)

While we’ve usually spruiked the TPG plan that’s a step down from this one (50GB data for AU$17.50 per month) as the best value SIM-only deal, getting 100GB of mobile data for AU$22.50 is an outright steal, even if it’s just for the first 6 months. Unlike many of the SIM-only plans at this price range, you get access to the full Vodafone 5G network, bringing with it added benefits of extended coverage and faster download speeds. One perk also worth mentioning is the inclusion of unlimited international calls and texts to 31 destinations. Do note is that this is a 28-day plan, which means you’ll have 13 payments each year.

Total minimum cost: AU$22.50
Total cost for first year: AU$405
Ongoing yearly cost: AU$540View Deal

Best cheap EOFY SIM-only plan

Swoop Mobile | 30GB | AU$12.40 p/m (first 6 months, then AU$24.90 p/m)

There are cheaper plans than this, but this entry-level offering from Swoop Mobile not only provides 30GB of mobile data, but it also uses Vodafone’s 5G and 4G networks, which is rare at this price point. You also get unlimited national calls and texts at this price.

Total minimum cost: AU$12.40
Total cost for first year: AU$223.80
Ongoing yearly cost: AU$298.80View Deal

Best EOFY SIM-only plan on the Telstra network

Exetel PlusOne eSIM plan | 130GB | AU$40p/m

Exetel has only a single mobile plan offering, but the brand nails the brief perfectly with a great value option on the Telstra 5G network (with speeds capped at 150Mbps). You get a generous 130GB of data each month, unlimited international calls to 15 countries including the UK and US, and the ability to bank up to 1000GB of data. And all this for just AU$40 per recharge (30 days). Do note that this plan is only available with an eSIM, so you'll first need to check if your phone is compatible.

Total minimum cost: AU$40
Total yearly cost: AU$480View Deal

Best EOFY high-data SIM-only plan

Vodafone Large Plan | 400GB | AU$36.50 (first 6 months, then AU$73p/m)

Of the big 3 Aussie telcos, Vodafone has regularly provided the best value, and the mere fact that the brand made it to this list means that it can compete with MVNOs in certain price points. Vodafone is offering 50% off plan fees for the first 6 months, making the 400GB Large Plan, at less than AU$40 per month, the best high-data SIM-only plan this EOFY. To sweeten the pot further, you also get unlimited minutes to 'Zone 1' nations and 300 minutes to 'Zone 2' nations. To see which countries are available, you can learn more about international calls with Vodafone.

Total minimum cost: AU$36.50
Total cost for first year: AU$657
Ongoing yearly cost: AU$876View Deal

Best EOFY long expiry SIM-only plan

Lyca Mobile Large | 900GB | AU$220 (first 12 months, then AU$480)

Lyca Mobile's Large plan has long been TechRadar’s favourite long-term expiry plan, especially now the included data has increased from 600GB to 900GB (although the price did also increase from AU$175 to AU$220 for the first 12 months). Granted, the ongoing cost after the first year is quite pricey, but you at least have the option to shop around for a different promo on a long-expiry plan afterwards. The mobile data will be provisioned in 75GB instalments each month, which can be helpful in case you accidentally use too much data in a single month. You'll also receive international minutes to 35 destinations with this plan.

Total minimum cost: AU$220
First year cost: AU$220
Ongoing yearly cost: AU$480View Deal

More of the best SIM-only plans

Keen to shop around more? Check out the most popular SIM-only plans in the widget below:

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