It's Thursday morning. Your alarm pierces through the morning calm, prompting you to groggily reach for your phone to silence the offending noise. As you prepare to seize the day, a habitual scroll through Facebook is interrupted by an unexpected sight: an unfamiliar icon showing on your screen - SOS. Suddenly, you're gripped by a moment of confusion and concern. What does it mean?

That's what AT&T users across the nation are asking themselves after waking up this morning to a widespread outage affecting the United States. As the SOS icon apperas ominously on screens, users are left grappling with the unsettling realization of being cut off from their digital lifelines.

The nationwide outage left many AT&T customers grappling with the loss of essential communication services, including cell service, texting capabilities and cellular internet access. As of now, there is no clear indication of when full service will be restored.

According to Downdetector.com, a website which monitors online outage reports submitted by users, more than 68,000 customers had reported issues as of 9 a.m. Central Standard Time (CST). According to reports, the majority of affected customers are concentrated in the southern and southeastern regions of the country.

Additionally, Gulf Coast Media attempted to track outages through the AT&T website, receiving a message stating, "Some customers in your area are having trouble making or receiving calls. As a result, we are experiencing long hold times."

The outage commenced around 2:30 a.m. CST, affecting AT&T's vast network, which boasts over 240 million subscribers, reportedly the largest in the nation.

In a statement addressing the situation, AT&T acknowledged the disruption.

“Some of our customers are experiencing wireless service interruptions this morning. We are working urgently to restore service to them. We encourage the use of Wi-Fi calling until service is restored.”

Among those affected, reports emerged of phones displaying "SOS mode," including from a family member of Gulf Coast Media staff.

Local authorities, such as the Baldwin County Emergency Management Agency (Baldwin County EMA), also alerted residents via social media. A Facebook post from Baldwin County EMA advised residents of potential delays in 9-1-1 responses due to the network outage and requested patience from affected individuals.

Concerns and frustrations surfaced among affected users, with some reporting extended periods of service interruption.

One commentor posted "Mine has been out since about 2 a.m. over here in Semmes,Al."

Another replied, saying "My phone went out around 3am and didn’t get service until 6:30am when I was half way across the bayway headed towards the eastern shore!"

Additionally, there were comments on Baldwin County EMA's post highlighting discrepancies in outage experiences among users on the same network.

"So weird mine keeps switching between 1-2 bars but my parents have none and can only use theirs on Wifi!" one comment said.

Another commentor said "Woke up and mine is in sos mode and my wife’s isn’t and we’re on the same plan I don’t understand that?"

While other major cellular providers also showed reports of disruptions on Downdetector.com, they clarified that these were not widespread outages akin to AT&T's situation. Cricket Wireless reported over 13,000 outages, while Verizon and T-Mobile had over 4,000 and 1,900 outages, respectively. Boost Mobile recorded approximately 700 outages.

Both Verizon and T-Mobile issued statements affirming that their networks remained operational. Verizon attributed reported issues to difficulties connecting with users on other networks, while T-Mobile suggested that Downdetector's data may reflect challenges in cross-network connections.

Authorities advised against calling 9-1-1 to test cellular service and urged individuals to keep emergency lines clear for genuine emergencies.

At this time, the cause of the outage is unknown. Some people reported a solar flare to be the acuse of the disruption while others are wondering if a cyberattack is responsible. It's important to know that certain events such as snowstorms, strong winds, torrential rain, fires and tornadoes may impact a limited number of individuals. However, major earthquakes, solar flares, cyberattacks and hurricanes possess the capability to disrupt communications for millions over an extended duration.

In such a digital age, being prepared for emergencies is crucial. It's advisable to have essential documents, emergency cash, a battery-powered radio and other necessities readily available to ensure readiness in case of unforeseen disruptions in communication or infrastructure. Additionally, one should consider the potential disruption of cellular service, which could impact crucial functions like two-factor identification for email or bank accounts, as well as wireless apps used for purchasing goods and services such as PayPal or Venmo.

Understanding SOS Mode:

In the midst of cellular service disruptions, such as the widespread AT&T outage, many smartphone users may find themselves puzzled by the appearance of an unfamiliar symbol on their screens: SOS mode. But what exactly does this feature signify, and how does it impact your device's functionality?

Definition and functionality: According to the website GadgetMates.com, SOS mode, primarily observed on iPhones, serves as a notification indicating the absence of a stable cellular connection. When activated, users are restricted to initiating emergency calls or texts solely through the cellular network. Notably, newer iPhone models, such as the iPhone 14 and beyond, extend this capability to include satellite-based emergency services, enabling users to contact 9-1-1 even in regions lacking cellular coverage, unless faced with complete signal obstructions.

Compatibility with Android: While not explicitly labeled as SOS mode, Android smartphones offer a similar emergency calling feature, allowing users to dial 9-1-1 even in the absence of cellular service.

Identification: Identifying SOS mode on an iPhone is straightforward. The SOS icon appears prominently in the top right corner of the screen when traditional cellular service is unavailable, typically occupying the space where cellular signal bars are displayed. For users of iPhone 13 or earlier models, the icon transitions to "No service" when moving beyond the range of any cellular network, reverting to standard display once service is reestablished.

Duration and disappearance: SOS mode automatically activates in response to a lack of cellular coverage from the user's carrier. As a result, its duration coincides with the restoration of cellular service in the affected area. If activated due to geographical constraints outside the carrier's coverage area, users must relocate within the coverage zone to regain standard cellular functionality.

Functionality despite SOS Mode: Contrary to its implication of service unavailability, SOS mode does not render the phone entirely nonfunctional. Most modern smartphones support calling, texting and internet browsing over Wi-Fi connections. Therefore, users with access to Wi-Fi networks can continue using their devices for communication and internet purposes, although they are limited to contacting others within the Wi-Fi network's reach.