On Tuesday, numerous users are noting an AT&T outage, with many reporting their devices have been displaying SOS mode for several hours, making it impossible to receive service.

According to Downdetector, reports about the possible AT&T service issues began rising shortly after 4 p.m. ET, peaking at 5,800 reports by 6:46 p.m. ET, with additional reports continuing to appear throughout the evening.

“We are addressing a software glitch impacting some customers’ ability to connect to our network as quickly as we can,” stated a spokesperson from AT&T to YSL News. “Our top priority is to maintain customer connectivity, and we thank them for their patience during this time as we work on a solution.”

This problem seems to primarily affect wireless users in the Midwest and Eastern regions, according to the spokesperson.

What does it mean when your phone shows SOS mode?

If you’re an AT&T customer facing issues on Tuesday, your iPhone’s display may show an SOS symbol where you typically see cellular signal bars.

YSL News has previously explained that the SOS symbol on iPhones and iPads indicates that the device is not connected to a cellular network. It also implies that there’s a network available specifically for emergency calls, according to Apple’s support site.

The SOS feature is accessible on iPhones and iPads in the United States, Canada, and Australia.

“When utilizing SOS, your iPhone will automatically call the local emergency services and transmit your location details to them,” Apple states. “In certain countries and regions, you may need to select the specific service you require.”

Once the emergency call is made, your iPhone will notify any emergency contacts saved in your device.

For iPhone models 14 and newer, users can also utilize Emergency SOS via satellite to text emergency services in areas without cellular or Wi-Fi coverage.