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Verizon network outage

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University of Washington published a UW Alert Blog update on or about 2022-04-20. Full text is preserved from the official emergency blog.

Alerts
1
Response
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Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
University of Washington
Public R1 · WA
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~50,000 studentsUW Alert
Official alert policy
Read when and how UW says it will use UW Alert: summarized, quoted, and analyzed.
Documented Timeline

Alert Sequence

1 message in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

Confirmed wording is transcribed character-for-character from a primary source. Use Verify this quote under each message to open that source in a new tab and compare the text yourself.

INITIAL ALERTMulti-channel
Verified verbatim1343 chars
UPDATE at 4:45 p.m.: Verizon service has been restored for Washington state customers, including emergency calls to 9-1-1. Users are advised to restart their phones. Officials with @Verizon tell us their network should be operational again in Washington state. Users impacted should power cycle their phones (turn off and on again). If you are still having issues, contact @VerizonSupport. #verizonoutage #verizondown - WA Emergency Management (@waEMD) April 20, 2022 ORIGINAL POST at 3:12 p.m.: Verizon is experiencing a nationwide outage across the country and in the Seattle area. Some calls by Verizon customers, including to 9-1-1, may not go through. Verizon customers experiencing an emergency can try Text-to-9-1-1, or call from a landline or a phone on another carrier. Please do not call or text 9-1-1 to test the system. Verizon users can test their voice outage by calling #832. There is no estimated time for when this issue will be resolved. We're aware of issues affecting Verizon customers nationwide and in the Seattle area. If you're a Verizon customer with a 9-1-1 emergency, try Text-to-9-1-1, or calling from a landline or a phone on another carrier. Text-to-9-1-1 service is functioning for Verizon customers. - King County, Washington (@KingCountyWA) April 20, 2022 Updates will be provided here as available.
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UW Alert Blogemergency.uw.edufind archived copies
Transcribed from official emergency.uw.edu Alert Blog entry body.
Confirmed-verbatim recovery from live institutional source.
2026-09-21 second deep audit P2 chrome R1: HTML entities in verbatim decoded against live emergency.uw.edu entry-content. Paired demote+correct. Cap-exempt.
Message elements

How the first alert is built

To check this alert, Claude Opus 5.5 (an AI) read it in full 25 separate times, independently. Each read decided whether the message answers each of the six questions and gave a short reason. A final reviewer then weighed all 25 and wrote the plain-English verdict you see when you open a row. The score (for example 22/25) is how many reads agreed; the 25 individual reads are tucked underneath if you want to check them.

UPDATE at 4:45 p.m.: Verizon service has been restored for Washington state customers, including emergency calls to 9-1-1. Users are advised to restart their phones. Officials with @Verizon tell us their network should be operational again in Washington state. Users impacted should power cycle their phones (turn off and on again). If you are still having issues, contact @VerizonSupport. #verizonoutage #verizondown - WA Emergency Management (@waEMD) April 20, 2022 ORIGINAL POST at 3:12 p.m.: Verizon is experiencing a nationwide outage across the country and in the Seattle area. Some calls by Verizon customers, including to 9-1-1, may not go through. Verizon customers experiencing an emergency can try Text-to-9-1-1, or call from a landline or a phone on another carrier. Please do not call or text 9-1-1 to test the system. Verizon users can test their voice outage by calling #832. There is no estimated time for when this issue will be resolved. We're aware of issues affecting Verizon customers nationwide and in the Seattle area. If you're a Verizon customer with a 9-1-1 emergency, try Text-to-9-1-1, or calling from a landline or a phone on another carrier. Text-to-9-1-1 service is functioning for Verizon customers. - King County, Washington (@KingCountyWA) April 20, 2022 Updates will be provided here as available.

  • Sourcepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads agree the source is present: the advisory cites Verizon officials, WA Emergency Management and King County, Washington.

    Who is sending the alert and who is responding. People act faster on a message from a clearly identifiable, credible sender, such as a named department, the police, or a branded alert system, than on an anonymous notice. A branded signature counts.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: WA Emergency Management and King County quoted as sources.
    2. present: It quotes WA Emergency Management and King County.
    3. present: It quotes WA Emergency Management and King County as authorities.
    4. present: Quotes WA Emergency Management and King County as issuing authorities.
    5. present: It quotes WA Emergency Management and King County as named authorities.
    6. present: WA Emergency Management and King County are named.
    7. present: Quotes WA Emergency Management and King County as sources.
    8. present: Quotes WA Emergency Management and King County.
    9. present: It quotes WA Emergency Management and King County.
    10. present: It cites WA Emergency Management and King County as sources.
    11. present: It cites WA Emergency Management and King County.
    12. present: It quotes WA Emergency Management and King County.
    13. present: It quotes WA Emergency Management and King County as sources.
    14. present: WA Emergency Management and King County are named.
    15. present: Cites WA Emergency Management and King County.
    16. present: It quotes WA Emergency Management and King County, named agencies, as sources.
    17. present: It quotes WA Emergency Management and King County as named agencies behind the updates.
    18. present: It quotes 'WA Emergency Management (@waEMD)' and King County, named agencies providing the information.
    19. present: It quotes WA Emergency Management and King County, Washington, as named authorities.
    20. present: It quotes 'WA Emergency Management (@waEMD)' and 'King County, Washington', naming issuing agencies.
    21. present: It quotes WA Emergency Management and King County, Washington, as named agencies.
    22. present: It quotes 'WA Emergency Management (@waEMD)' and King County, identifying responding agencies.
    23. present: It quotes WA Emergency Management (@waEMD) and King County as named authorities.
    24. present: It quotes WA Emergency Management and King County, which are named government agencies providing the information.
    25. present: It quotes 'WA Emergency Management (@waEMD)' and 'King County, Washington', named authorities.
  • Hazardpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous that a specific hazard is named: a nationwide Verizon network outage affecting calls, including to 9-1-1.

    What the threat actually is. A complete warning names the specific danger, such as a shooter, a fire, a tornado, or a gas leak, rather than a vague emergency, because people decide what to do based on what they are facing.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Verizon network outage affecting 911.
    2. present: A Verizon network outage affecting 9-1-1 calls.
    3. present: It names a Verizon network outage affecting 9-1-1 calls.
    4. present: Names a Verizon 'nationwide outage' affecting 9-1-1 calls.
    5. present: It names a Verizon network outage affecting 9-1-1 calls.
    6. present: It names a Verizon network outage affecting 9-1-1.
    7. present: Names a Verizon network outage affecting 9-1-1 calls.
    8. present: Names a Verizon network outage affecting 9-1-1.
    9. present: It names a Verizon network outage affecting 9-1-1.
    10. present: It names a Verizon network outage affecting 9-1-1 calls.
    11. present: It names a Verizon network outage.
    12. present: It names a Verizon network outage affecting 9-1-1.
    13. present: It names a Verizon network outage affecting 9-1-1.
    14. present: It names a Verizon network outage.
    15. present: A Verizon network outage affecting 9-1-1.
    16. present: The post names a 'nationwide outage' of Verizon service that may block calls to 9-1-1.
    17. present: It names a Verizon network outage that is affecting calls, including emergency calls to 9-1-1.
    18. present: The post names a 'nationwide outage' of Verizon service that may block calls to 9-1-1.
    19. present: It names a 'nationwide outage' of Verizon affecting calls to 9-1-1.
    20. present: It reports that 'Verizon is experiencing a nationwide outage', affecting 911 calls.
    21. present: It names a 'nationwide outage' of Verizon affecting calls 'including to 9-1-1'.
    22. present: It names a Verizon 'nationwide outage' that affects calls including to 911, a specific communications hazard.
    23. present: It names a Verizon 'nationwide outage' that prevents some calls, including to 9-1-1, from going through.
    24. present: It names a Verizon 'nationwide outage' affecting phone calls, including calls to 9-1-1.
    25. present: It names a Verizon 'nationwide outage' that can block calls, including emergency calls to 9-1-1.
  • Locationpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All reads agree location is present: the outage is described across the country and in the Seattle area and Washington state.

    Where the threat is. Saying whether danger is in a specific building, a part of campus, or area-wide lets people judge their own proximity and choose a safe direction. Without a where, a warning is hard to act on precisely.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Seattle area and Washington state.
    2. present: 'Seattle area' and Washington state.
    3. present: It says Washington state and the Seattle area.
    4. present: Refers to 'the Seattle area' and Washington state.
    5. present: It says "the Seattle area" and "Washington state".
    6. present: It says Washington state and the Seattle area.
    7. present: Refers to 'the Seattle area' and Washington state.
    8. present: Says 'the Seattle area' and Washington state.
    9. present: It gives 'the Seattle area' and Washington state.
    10. present: It says 'the Seattle area' and Washington state.
    11. present: It says Washington state and the Seattle area.
    12. present: It says 'the Seattle area' and Washington state.
    13. present: It gives the Seattle area and Washington state.
    14. present: It names the Seattle area and Washington state.
    15. present: Seattle area and Washington state.
    16. present: The post names 'the Seattle area' and Washington state as places affected by the Verizon outage.
    17. present: It names the Seattle area and Washington state as places affected by the Verizon outage.
    18. present: The post names 'the Seattle area' and Washington state as places affected by the Verizon outage.
    19. present: It names 'the Seattle area' and Washington state.
    20. present: It names 'the Seattle area' and Washington state as the places affected by the Verizon outage.
    21. present: It names 'the Seattle area' and 'Washington state'.
    22. present: It names 'the Seattle area' and 'Washington state' as places affected by the Verizon outage.
    23. present: It names 'the Seattle area' and Washington state as the areas affected by the outage.
    24. present: It names 'the Seattle area' and Washington state as the places affected by the outage.
    25. present: It cites 'Washington state' and 'the Seattle area' as the places where Verizon service was affected.
  • Guidancepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous that guidance is given: Verizon customers in an emergency should try Text-to-9-1-1 or a landline, not test 9-1-1, and restart their phones.

    The protective action to take. A clear, specific instruction, such as shelter in place, evacuate, avoid the area, or run-hide-fight, drives faster and more correct protective behavior than describing the threat alone.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Try Text-to-9-1-1 or a landline; restart phones.
    2. present: It advises trying Text-to-9-1-1 and restarting phones.
    3. present: It tells users to restart phones and try Text-to-9-1-1.
    4. present: Advises trying 'Text-to-9-1-1' and to restart phones.
    5. present: It tells users to restart phones and "try Text-to-9-1-1".
    6. present: It says try Text-to-9-1-1 and restart phones.
    7. present: Advises trying Text-to-9-1-1 and restarting phones.
    8. present: Advises trying Text-to-9-1-1 and restarting phones.
    9. present: It advises trying Text-to-9-1-1 and restarting phones.
    10. present: It tells users to restart phones and try Text-to-9-1-1.
    11. present: It says to restart phones and use Text-to-9-1-1.
    12. present: It tells users to try Text-to-9-1-1 and restart phones.
    13. present: It advises Text-to-9-1-1 and restarting phones.
    14. present: It advises using Text-to-9-1-1 or restarting phones.
    15. present: Try Text-to-9-1-1 and restart phones.
    16. present: It advises 'try Text-to-9-1-1, or call from a landline' and to restart phones.
    17. present: It says to 'try Text-to-9-1-1' and to restart phones, which are protective actions for recipients.
    18. present: It tells users to 'try Text-to-9-1-1' and to 'restart their phones'.
    19. present: It says to 'try Text-to-9-1-1' and to 'restart their phones'.
    20. present: It advises Verizon customers to 'try Text-to-9-1-1' in an emergency and to 'restart their phones'.
    21. present: It says to 'try Text-to-9-1-1, or call from a landline' and to restart phones.
    22. present: It says to 'try Text-to-9-1-1' and that users 'should power cycle their phones'.
    23. present: It tells Verizon users in an emergency to 'try Text-to-9-1-1' and to restart phones.
    24. present: It tells users to 'try Text-to-9-1-1' or a landline and to restart their phones.
    25. present: It advises users to 'restart their phones' and to 'try Text-to-9-1-1' in emergencies.
  • Timepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads find timing present: the original post is stamped 3:12 p.m. and the update 4:45 p.m. on April 20, 2022.

    When the message applies. A timestamp, the word now or immediately, or a phrase like until further notice tells the reader whether the danger is current and how quickly to act.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: 3:12 p.m. and 4:45 p.m.
    2. present: '4:45 p.m.' and '3:12 p.m.'
    3. present: It gives "4:45 p.m." and "3:12 p.m.".
    4. present: Timestamps 'at 3:12 p.m.' and 'at 4:45 p.m.'
    5. present: It gives "4:45 p.m." and "3:12 p.m.".
    6. present: It gives 3:12 p.m. and 4:45 p.m.
    7. present: Gives '4:45 p.m.' and '3:12 p.m.'.
    8. present: Gives '4:45 p.m.' and '3:12 p.m.'.
    9. present: It gives 'UPDATE at 4:45 p.m.' and 3:12 p.m.
    10. present: It gives 'UPDATE at 4:45 p.m.' and 3:12 p.m.
    11. present: It gives 4:45 p.m. and 3:12 p.m.
    12. present: It gives 4:45 p.m. and 3:12 p.m.
    13. present: It gives 3:12 p.m. and 4:45 p.m.
    14. present: It gives 3:12 p.m. and 4:45 p.m.
    15. present: '4:45 p.m.' and '3:12 p.m.'
    16. present: It gives times '3:12 p.m.' and '4:45 p.m.' and 'April 20, 2022'.
    17. present: It gives the original post at 3:12 p.m. and the restoration update at 4:45 p.m.
    18. present: It gives 'UPDATE at 4:45 p.m.' and 'ORIGINAL POST at 3:12 p.m.'.
    19. present: It gives 'UPDATE at 4:45 p.m.' and 'ORIGINAL POST at 3:12 p.m.' on April 20, 2022.
    20. present: It gives the original post time 'at 3:12 p.m.' and the update time 'at 4:45 p.m.'
    21. present: It gives 'UPDATE at 4:45 p.m.' and 'ORIGINAL POST at 3:12 p.m.'.
    22. present: It gives 'UPDATE at 4:45 p.m.' and 'ORIGINAL POST at 3:12 p.m.'
    23. present: It gives 'UPDATE at 4:45 p.m.' and 'ORIGINAL POST at 3:12 p.m.'.
    24. present: It gives timestamps such as '4:45 p.m.' and '3:12 p.m.' for the update and original post.
    25. present: It gives 'UPDATE at 4:45 p.m.' and 'ORIGINAL POST at 3:12 p.m.'
  • Impactpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous that impact is stated: the advisory warns that some calls by Verizon customers, including to 9-1-1, may not go through.

    What the hazard could do to the people in its path. Beyond naming the threat, a complete warning conveys its potential consequences or severity, such as that a tornado can level buildings or that a leak could be explosive, so recipients grasp how much danger they are in. Research on warning message content finds that a concrete impact statement helps people personalize their risk and act sooner.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Calls to 9-1-1 'may not go through'.
    2. present: Calls 'including to 9-1-1, may not go through', a stated consequence.
    3. present: It says calls "including to 9-1-1, may not go through", a clear consequence.
    4. present: States 'calls ... including to 9-1-1, may not go through'.
    5. present: It warns "Some calls by Verizon customers, including to 9-1-1, may not go through".
    6. present: It says calls to 9-1-1 may not go through.
    7. present: States calls 'including to 9-1-1, may not go through', a clear consequence.
    8. present: States calls 'including to 9-1-1, may not go through'.
    9. present: It warns that some calls 'including to 9-1-1, may not go through'.
    10. present: It says calls 'including to 9-1-1, may not go through'.
    11. present: Calls to 9-1-1 may not go through.
    12. present: It says calls 'including to 9-1-1, may not go through'.
    13. present: Calls including to 9-1-1 may not go through, a stated consequence.
    14. present: It warns calls to 9-1-1 may not go through.
    15. present: 'calls ... to 9-1-1, may not go through', a stated consequence.
    16. present: It states 'Some calls by Verizon customers, including to 9-1-1, may not go through', a clear consequence.
    17. present: It warns 'Some calls by Verizon customers, including to 9-1-1, may not go through', a stated consequence.
    18. present: It warns that 'calls by Verizon customers, including to 9-1-1, may not go through', a serious consequence.
    19. present: It warns 'Some calls by Verizon customers, including to 9-1-1, may not go through', a stated consequence.
    20. present: It warns 'Some calls by Verizon customers, including to 9-1-1, may not go through', stating a serious consequence.
    21. present: It warns 'Some calls by Verizon customers, including to 9-1-1, may not go through', a consequence.
    22. present: It warns that 'Some calls by Verizon customers, including to 9-1-1, may not go through', a serious consequence.
    23. present: It warns 'Some calls by Verizon customers, including to 9-1-1, may not go through', a stated consequence.
    24. present: It says 'Some calls by Verizon customers, including to 9-1-1, may not go through', stating a consequence.
    25. present: It warns 'Some calls by Verizon customers, including to 9-1-1, may not go through', a clear consequence.

Coded by Claude Opus 5.5

Systematic AI judgments with visible reasoning, not human-validated codings.

About this analysis
Context

Background

University of Washington UW Alert Blog multi-update emergency archive.
Analysis

Key Findings

Official Alert Blog page preserves complete multi-update alert text.
Outcome
See official update page for status.
Provenance

Sources

Every claim on this page is meant to be checkable. Open the links below (and the Verify this quote control under each confirmed alert) to read the original university, news, or archive page yourself. Hostnames are shown so you can see where you are going; archived copies survive when live pages move or disappear. See also our methodology.

  1. Official
    UW Advisory Seattle: Verizon network outage
    emergency.uw.edu
    archived copy
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "University of Washington: Verizon network outage." Incident of April 20, 2022. Added July 2026; last updated September 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/university-of-washington-uw-advisory-seattle-verizon-network-outage-2022-04-20/

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Alert text quoted on this page remains the work of the issuing institution; the archive is a secondary source.

Tags
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Added July 2026Updated September 2026Via ingestion