Is AT&T down? Network outage reported; iPhones show SOS mode

Some AT&T customers lost service Wednesday following an outage due to equipment failure, according to a company spokesperson.

Is there an AT&T cellphone outage?

DownDetector, which tracks internet outages based on user submissions, showed 1,281 reports of a network outage at its peak at 7:08 a.m. Wednesday, with 56% of those reporting mobile phone issues.

On X, formerly Twitter, people were reaching out to AT&T Help, complaining that their phones are in SOS mode this morning and seeking solutions.

In an email Wednesday evening, an AT&T spokesperson said the outage affected some customers in the coastal areas of Virginia and North Carolina, and was attributed to equipment failure.

What does SOS mean on an iPhone?

As previously reported, 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.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Is AT&T down? Network, service outage reported