Behind Verizon's Outage: The Embarrassing Software Mishap
An unexpected 5G update seems to be the source of Verizon's significant outage that occurred on Wednesday, impacting thousands of customers. While the telecommunications giant offered limited information regarding the cause, insights from experts suggest a classic case of a software error spiraling out of control amidst unfortunate timing.
The Risk of Poor Timing
The outage persisted for nearly ten hours, disrupting voice calls, text messaging, and data services. The widespread nature of the service failures indicated that an infrastructure failure was unlikely. Verizon confirmed that a cyberattack was not to blame, yet they withheld specifics about the software issue that caused the disruption. According to Roger Entner, founder of the market intelligence firm Recon Analytics, the chaos may have emerged from a poorly timed and flawed update that went live on a busy afternoon rather than during the usual off-peak hours.
Entner speculates that during a minor feature update, a mistake in the deployment led to extensive service disruptions starting around 11:00 a.m. ET, affecting eligible devices in areas where Verizon's 5G Standalone (5G SA) has been activated. "It looks like their 5G SA core went down during a minor feature change," Entner explained, adding that the timing of the rollout suggests an avoidable error.
Concerns About Technical Competence
Users have reported that the 5G SA might have been temporarily disabled in various locations following the outage. Lee W. McKnight, an Associate Professor at Syracuse University, attributed the problem to a failed update of a Virtual Network Function (VNF), which had cascading effects on related VNFs, leading to intermittent service disruptions. McKnight urged that more training in cloud services for Verizon's technical staff is necessary to avert similar mishaps in the future.
“If all Verizon VNFs are not in sync or well orchestrated, the network is off-key,” McKnight commented, emphasizing the need for a more robust operational framework.
Challenges and Consequences
Verizon's recent troubles could not have come at a worse time. After laying off 13,000 employees and seeking more operational efficiency, the company faces an uphill battle to regain consumer trust. The timing of the update suggests a seemingly insignificant change went dramatically awry due to human oversight, potentially leading to a reputational hit for the telecommunications giant. In damage control mode, Verizon extended a $20 credit to affected customers while grappling with the implications of this failure.
Given the competitive market, rivals AT&T and T-Mobile seized the opportunity to highlight their own services' reliability amid Verizon's struggles.
The Impact on Customer Perception
Verizon has been actively working to alter its trajectory following a series of customer losses, attempting to reposition itself as the superior choice in a crowded market. While T-Mobile and AT&T also tout their services, recent insights suggest T-Mobile has edged ahead in performance metrics, leaving Verizon at a risk of further customer attrition due to this latest outage.
As the company navigates the fallout, the importance of transparent communication and a commitment to service reliability will be crucial in shaping customer perceptions moving forward.
