How you can declare Verizon’s $20 credit score for Wednesday’s service outage

Verizon is providing a really small mea culpa after Wednesday’s massive outage, which drew greater than 1.5 million reviews on Downdetector and lasted hours. Initially, the service posted on X that it’s going to supply a $20 credit score, however prospects should redeem it within the myVerizon app. The corporate then mentioned the credit score might be claimed although customer support (by way of cellphone or chat), however our editors’ makes an attempt to take action by way of chat have been met with a message to attend for a textual content with additional directions.

Engadget editors started receiving the texts this morning (Jan 16) with a hyperlink to redeem. From there, you want to log into your account and go to the Account Overview part. Up prime, there ought to be a Take Motion or Cellular Actions button with a pink notification circle. Click on that and also you’ll see a pop-up in regards to the credit score and a Redeem Now button. After you click on that, you’re finished, and Verizon says you need to see the credit score in a single or two billing cycles. After all, you’ll need to preserve a watch out that it truly occurs and make contact with the corporate if it doesn’t present up.

“This credit score isn’t meant to make up for what occurred. No credit score actually can,” the corporate wrote. “Nevertheless it’s a method of acknowledging your time and exhibiting that this issues to us.” Incensed prospects have largely replied with incredulity, each on the miniscule quantity, and that it is not being utilized robotically. The complete redemption course of takes a couple of clicks and a couple of minute to finish, which makes it much more irritating that it might’t be robotically utilized to each buyer’s invoice.

Replace, January 15 2026, 11:57 PM ET: Verizon says the credit score may be claimed by way of customer support by way of cellphone, chat and on-line along with the myVerizon app.

Replace, January 16 2026, 10:29 AM ET: This story has been up to date with detailed information in regards to the redemption course of which Verizon now says is accomplished with a hyperlink that can be texted to prospects.