Major cellular carriers like AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile are reporting significant outages Thursday morning, which created some confusion for iPhone users whose phones were in SOS mode.
What does it mean when your iPhone says SOS?
Apple Support says if you see “No Service” or “Searching” in the status bar on your iPhone or iPad, your device isn’t connected to a cellular network. If you see “SOS” or “SOS only” in the status bar, your device can still make emergency calls. The feature is available in the United States, Canada and Australia.
What does SOS mean?
We use it in our texts and everyday slang. So, what does “SOS” actually mean? Here’s everything you need to know about the term and its military origins, plus the feature on your iPhone that utilizes it for your safety.
Many think “SOS” stands for “save our souls” or “save our ship,” but it actually doesn’t stand for anything. SOS is a Morse Code distress signal.
Morse Code is a system that uses dots, dashes and spaces to communicate letters and numbers. It was first created during the 1830s by Samuel F.B. Morse but was later improved in 1851 to create the simpler, more precise International Morse Code system.
The U.S. officially adopted the signal after Titanic sank. Today, U.S. marine operations use the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System for signaling.
Apple’s Emergency SOS notification calls local emergency numbers and emergency contacts to send your real-time location and alert for help. The function works even without cell service or WiFi.
Is AT&T down? Is Verizon down? Is T-Mobile down? Is Cricket Wireless down?
According to Downdetector, AT&T outages were at 74,014 reports nationally as of 8 a.m. Eastern Time Thursday morning. Verizon outages peaked at 4,336 reports at 8:07 a.m., T-Mobile users reported 1,922 outages at its peak around 8:09 a.m. and Cricket Wireless outages peaked at 13,866 reports at 8:07 a.m.
Downdetector provides outage statuses
Downdetector is powered by user reports and problem indicators from around the web, according to its “about us” page. The site helps understand disruptions to the internet, social media, web hosting platforms, banks, games, entertainment, and more.
When will AT&T service be restored?
There have been no reports yet as to when service will return.
Social media reacts
X/Twitter users vented their frustration and questioned the issue on Thursday morning.
Alex Mitchell is your go-to expert for all things mobile. With a passion for the latest smartphones, apps, and mobile innovations, Alex provides in-depth reviews, insightful analyses, and breaking news about the ever-evolving world of mobile technology. Stay connected with Alex to navigate the fast-paced realm of mobile devices.
