If you’re receiving an SOS message on iPhone, don’t panic! You’re not alone. In fact, many iPhone users are struggling with the same issue — and Android users are in the same boat.
The ongoing issue currently seems localized to the AT&T network, which includes Cricket Wireless and FirstNet, though we’ll keep a close eye on other networks and update this page if the issue becomes more widespread.
If you are affected you may be wondering why it’s happening and what you can do about it, so let’s try to answer those questions for you as best as possible.
AT&T service outage: Why is my iPhone in SOS mode?
According to the service status tracking website DownDetector, AT&T customers are reporting issues with the carrier’s service in droves — including those on Cricket Wireless and first responders making use of FirstNet which are services owned by or operating on the same network as AT&T.
To those affected, you may notice a message on your iPhone that states “SOS only” or “SOS” next to the service and battery icons in the top right corner of your phone. Android users will likely be seeing an empty signal bar with a small cross next to it.
This means you’ll be limited to making calls or texts to emergency service numbers only as your connection to a cellular network has been interrupted.
AT&T service outage: Is the AT&T network down?
While the AT&T network might not be completely down in the areas where issues are being reported, there is definitely some form of network disruption taking place. The graph below shows user reports of issues on the AT&T network over the last 24 hours with an uptick in reports occurring within the last two hours.
User reports are also appearing on social media, with X users on the AT&T network waking up to be greeted by the infamous SOS on iPhone message.
AT&T service outage: What is causing these issues?
Sudden spikes in reported service issues like this are likely the result of a service or network outage, These occur within your carrier’s network and are oftentimes the result of planned maintenance, or temporary faults.
Sustained service loss can be the result of a wider network outage. While these are less frequent, they do occur. In fact, we tracked a wider AT&T network outage in February this year.
Service outages can last anywhere from under an hour to sometimes entire days. Here’s to hoping the issue is resolved as quickly as possible for AT&T and Cricket Wireless customers.
We can’t say for sure what’s causing this uptick in network issues at present, but we’ll update this page if and as more information becomes available. In the meantime, it may be worth checking to see if AT&T is aware of any issues in your area by making use of the AT&T service outage tracker.
AT&T service outage: What can I do to solve this issue?
If the AT&T network is suffering a fault, there’s little that you can do on your end to solve matters. This issue will be picked up by AT&T engineers and worked on as soon as possible, meaning there’s little to do in the meantime but wait.
According to user reports, the following areas have the highest volume of service issue reports for AT&T and Cricket Wireless:
- Houston
- Virginia Beach
- Norfolk
- Dallas
- Chicago
- Newport News
- Atlanta
- Hampton
- Los Angeles
If you’re outside of these areas, or not an AT&T or Cricket Wireless customer, then you may be having a completely separate issue. In this instance, we would recommend reaching out to AT&T directly. Without cellular service, your best option may be to reach out to the company by way of its X account, @ATT.
However, the following guide may also prove useful in explaining the iPhone SOS message better with some solutions you can try to resolve the issue yourself: SOS on iPhone: What it means and how to fix it.
In the meantime, we’ll try to keep this page updated with information regarding the fault as it becomes available.
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