Since April 2021, my monthly wireless bill has remained constant at $35. Until January of this year, I was a customer of Cricket Wireless, a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) and subsidiary of AT&T. Always on the lookout for ways to trim expenses or find a comparable plan with better service, I became acquainted with Visible by Verizon, another MVNO and subsidiary of Verizon, in December of last year.
Upon further investigation, Visible's Visible+ plan caught my attention with its offering of unlimited 5G data and mobile hotspot, features that my Cricket plan, with its fixed 10 GB limit, lacked. While the Visible+ plan initially costs $45 per month, it includes a $10 monthly discount for the first year. In comparison, Cricket's unlimited plan is $55 per month with autopay enabled, and its mobile hotspot is capped at 15 GB. After weighing these factors, I made the decision to switch to Visible. Since January, I've been using their service, and below, I've summarized my experience thus far:
Pros
- Price: The price is unbeatable. I haven't come across another plan for $35 that offers as much. Even after the discount expires, $45 per month is hard to beat.
- No Volume Discounts: Many wireless providers entice customers with low prices, but only if they purchase multiple lines. Visible's plans are refreshingly transparent in this regard.
- Unlimited 5G Data: It's a relief not to worry about data usage, although I haven't noticed a significant increase in my usage. Despite the availability of services like Spotify and LiveOne, my data consumption remains below my previous plan's 10 GB limit. Car trips, where I anticipated using more data, are usually short, and I find it cumbersome to connect my phone to Android Auto.
- Mobile Hotspot: This feature comes in handy, although I've only needed it once since switching to Visible. However, even if it weren't an option, I could have managed without it.
- Roaming: Living in east-central New York, occasional trips to the north are likely. While my previous plan included roaming in Canada, most MVNO plans do not offer this, necessitating the purchase of a separate SIM.
Cons
- Service: Despite Verizon's reputation for superior wireless service, I have encountered instances where I have mobile service with AT&T while Verizon users do not. At home, I experience more dead spots in an area with ten times the statewide population density. Additionally, I frequently need to disable 5G or reboot my phone due to signal issues.
It's likely I'll keep Visible until the end of the year to see if there are any improvements in the quality of service. If there is improvement, it's unlikely I'll switch back. However, the loss of the $10 monthly discount could cause me to re-evaluate my wireless options.