10 Reasons Why Verizon Is Not Working

Verizon might not be working because of network outages, which could be equipment failure on Verizon’s end. It could be caused by damage to your SIM card or the SIM losing contact. Other issues, such as account flags or an inactive account status, could suddenly cause your phone to stop working.

Continue reading to learn why this problem could be happening and if you can fix it.

1. Network Outage

If Verizon isn’t working, it could be due to a network outage, which affects Verizon often because of equipment or hardware failure.

However, if you’re part of an outage, you should get a notification on your device, but sometimes those notifications don’t go through.

Still, you can check the Verizon website to see if there’s an outage by signing in to My Verizon and going to “Outages.”

You can also use websites like Downdetector to see Verizon’s outage map.

2. Damage To Your SIM Card

If your SIM card is damaged, it can cause Verizon to not work on your device. So, it’s a good idea to carefully remove your SIM card and check if there’s anything wrong with it.

Furthermore, any bends, cracks, scratches, contact issues, and other problems could cause service issues. If you don’t see anything, reinstall the SIM card to see if it solves the problem.

3. Try Rebooting Your Device

If Verizon isn’t working, one easy way to fix the issue is to reboot your device, especially if it’s been a while since you last restarted.

With that, it’s best that you do this regularly for optimal performance.

So, while it might not seem like that could cause Verizon to stop working, sometimes the random access memory and processes can cause a hang-up and lead to no service.

4. Refresh The Connection By Toggling Airplane Mode

Sometimes Verizon isn’t working because of a connection bug, and an easy way to see if this is an issue is to turn on Airplane mode and turn it off again after a few seconds.

With that, turning Airplane mode on and off is a common solution if your device isn’t working and will refresh the network connection.

5. Your Account Is Inactive

If your Verizon service isn’t working, one possible issue is that your account is inactive, which could happen if you forget to pay your bill, especially if you manually pay it.

Furthermore, you can contact Verizon customer service to verify that your account is active or log in to the Verizon website to see if your account has an issue.

6. Verizon Flags Your Account

Sometimes, your account could be flagged, which can happen if you recently made changes to your account, leading to Verizon not working on your device.

On top of that, accounts can be flagged if fraud or other shady activity is suspected, even if you haven’t done anything wrong.

If you cannot get service on your Verizon device, call customer service to ensure that your account hasn’t been flagged for some reason.

7. Device Case May Be Causing Interference

Every once in a while, a device case might hinder the device’s service, which could be why Verizon isn’t working.

Additionally, cases with a magnetic component, such as a front cover to close the case, could cause service malfunction out of the blue.

Therefore, remove your device’s front and back cases and check if it fixes the problem. 

8. Device Software Is Outdated

8. Device Software Is Outdated Verizon

If you don’t usually install software updates on your device, it could cause your device to stop working correctly.

Therefore, checking your device software to ensure you’ve updated to the latest version is best. Install the recommended updates immediately if they are not the latest version.

9. You’re Not In A Coverage Area

If you’re traveling or just purchased a Verizon phone, you may not be in a coverage area, which could lead to the Verizon network not working.

On top of that, if you’re in a rural area, you might not have coverage, even if you’re going down the road or visiting a neighbor, as coverage can be more spotty in rural communities.

Also, Verizon has a network coverage map you can look at to see if your location is part of the Verizon network and ensure you’re getting adequate coverage.

10. An Issue With Network Operator Settings

Sometimes, your device may be unable to find your network, which means there’s an issue with the network operator settings.

Further, you can manually select your network operator by going into “Settings” and then “Mobile Networks” and looking for “Network Operator.”

Moreover, this will be available for those on Android and Samsung devices, and you’ll see the list of network providers so you can click the appropriate network and connect.

However, you may need to restart your device after manually choosing a network operator to see if that is the problem.

You can also see our posts on how Verizon hotspots work, if Verizon is CDMA or GSM, and if Verizon can change phone numbers.

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Florence Howard

Florence Howard has been freelance writing for over a decade, and has a vocational background in retail, tech, and marketing. Outside of work, she enjoys listening to rock and metal, and playing with her dog and cat.

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