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When it comes to mobile performance, Verizon Wireless is the heavyweight champion, the king of the schoolyard, the big cheese. However you want to say it, Verizon offers the best coverage in the country, fast data speeds, and outstanding perks. If you can afford it.
Verizon knows it’s great, so it charges more than most other carriers for its service. Lucky for you, we're here to show you all the cheaper ways to get on the Verizon network.
Mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) are smaller prepaid carriers that piggyback off the networks of the Big Three—AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. They offer cheaper plans but often cut down on perks like free subscriptions and HD video streaming.
In this review, we’ll guide you through each MVNO on Verizon’s network and which ones have cell phone plans we like so you can enjoy prime coverage without paying premier prices.
Here’s a list of all the no-contract, prepaid carriers that run on Verizon’s network.
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Signing up for a prepaid plan used to feel like a compromise. Yes, you paid less. But you also got less. Visible Wireless is a prepaid provider that feels different.
Sure, Visible doesn’t give you a free subscription to Max (like some AT&T plans do), but its Basic Unlimited plan offering is robust: you get truly unlimited data on the nation’s most powerful network for just $30 a month. That’s a steal compared to almost any other plan on the market.
You probably won’t be surprised to hear that we’ve rated Visible’s Basic Unlimited plan as the best prepaid unlimited plan on any network. It's hard to beat an MVNO that operates on Verizon's network for such an affordable price.
So, what’s the catch? The unlimited plan from Visible is subject to deprioritization, which means your data speeds can slow down when the network gets congested. Technically, there's no hard data cap with Visible's unlimited plans, but you might notice your data speeds slowing down on your commute home from work.
If you want to avoid data throttling, you can go with the Visible+ unlimited plan that gives users 50 GB of guaranteed high-speed data every month. It'll cost you an extra $15/month for the premium data, but at least you won't have to worry about your phone becoming useless in a crowded grocery store.
Maybe you’ve heard of the Comcast-owned cable internet service called Xfinity. Well now the same company has launched a wireless service called Xfinity Mobile. This is a unique MVNO because it is only available to existing Xfinity and Comcast customers.
If you are eligible for Xfinity Mobile, it’s a pretty great deal. Just check out the company’s plan offerings.
Those who don’t use a ton of data can save some cash by getting a By the Gig plan. And all you data hogs can get everything you need with the $45 unlimited data plan.
With Xfinity Mobile’s unlimited plan you’ll get 20 GB of unthrottled data before you start experiencing slowdowns. You can use your data on Xfinity Mobile to create your own hotspot.
And if you're interested in upgrading your internet plan, Xfinity is offering a free Unlimited Intro line for two years when you switch to Xfinity's Fast Internet plan.
Everyone seems to have an unlimited data plan these days. But not everyone needs one. You might actually be surprised to learn how little data you use in your day-to-day activities. Use our handy data guide to help you find the perfect wireless data plan.
If you've decided unlimited data is a must, we've found that T-Mobile offers more full-speed unlimited data than most carriers. Compare T-Mobile and Xfinity Mobile in our review to learn more.
Just like Xfinity internet, Spectrum internet is one of the biggest internet providers in the country, and the company offers a cell phone plan that bundles with the internet service. Spectrum Mobile only makes sense if you already use Spectrum internet, otherwise you're getting a pretty terrible deal.
As long as you already have Spectrum internet, you can get an unlimited cell phone for $30 a month from Spectrum. If you're not a Spectrum customer, you'll have to pay an extra $10 every month for your cell service. Forget that. Non-Spectrum customers should absolutely avoid this option and opt for a different carrier on this list.
If you're trying to decide between the two Spectrum Mobile plans, know that the major difference comes down to HD-quality wireless streaming and free data roaming in Canada and Mexico.
Red Pocket Mobile is a special kind of MVNO because it doesn’t use a single network. Instead, it uses all the major networks: Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint. This is awesome for those who know what network works best where they live and travel.
Because Verizon has great coverage, we’re recommending Red Pocket as a great way to get on the Verizon 4G LTE network for cheap. Here are some Red Pocket plans specifically for the Verizon network.
Just remember that Red Pocket is best for your budget, so you should expect some limitations on your service. For example, Red Pocket uses Verizon’s 4G LTE network, not its 5G network.
Reach Mobile is like the TOMS Shoes of the wireless industry. Whenever you sign up for a Reach Mobile plan, you help someone else get connected. Reach calls its charitable program Gigs that Give.
But it’s not just the warm fuzzy feeling in your heart that makes Reach a good carrier. This Verizon MVNO also boasts a pretty decent plan selection.
The Best Fit Plans offer 2-15 GB of data, which is plenty for many casual users who don’t stream New Girl on their iPhone while they’re falling asleep.
Reach’s Unlimited Data Plans are a bit less of a steal, but, then again, most MVNOs aren’t donating a portion of their profits to help needy folks get cell phones.
Twigby is one of the cheapest carriers on the market, offering a bunch of plans under $20 a month. And it's a great choice for those who don't use a lot of data, or those who are trying to use less data. It’s very easy to customize your plan with Twigby. The company’s website has a handy tool to select the amount of minutes and data you’d like, but here’s what Twigby’s cell plan prices look like.
If building your own plan appeals to you, Twigby could be a good fit.
Total by Verizon offers cheap, stripped-down plans that can get you tons of data on Verizon’s powerful network. We think its $50 Plan is one of the best deals out there for couples who want to share unlimited data (and their phone bill).
Here’s a look at Total by Verizon's plan options.
Let’s talk about that $50 Plan a little bit more: $85 for unlimited talk and text on two lines, unlimited data (60 GB at full speeds), and 10 GB of hotspot data. That’s a lot of wireless bandwidth for not a lot of money. And to top it off, you'll also get six months free of Disney+.
Just be sure that your boo doesn’t waste all that high speed data playing PUBG Mobile or streaming Succession on Max.
Page Plus is one of those MVNOs with a seemingly random name and an odd smattering of plans (a strangely common combination in the industry). But there are some good deals to be had by the right customer.
If you’re just looking for a simple plan that offers the basics, you can get the “The $12” plan from Page Plus. You’ll get 500 minutes, 500 texts, and just a smidge of data for emergency Google Maps needs. If you need more than that, you’ll have plenty of options. Because of its smorgasbord of cheap plans and the option to pay as you go, Page Plus is a great option for intentional mobile users who don't want or need to pay for unlimited talk, text, or data.
When it comes to low-data plans, Page Plus is one of the cheapest no contract carriers on Verizon’s network. But if you’re looking for higher-data and unlimited data plans, you’ll find a better deal with Visible or another Verizon MVNO.
Yep, there are a lot of no contract carriers on Verizon’s network. But there are even more that operate on multiple networks. Here’s a quick rundown of the MVNOs that use the Verizon network along with other networks.
Carriers that use Verizon’s network along with other networks:
We’ll spare you an in-depth analysis of all nine carriers. We’ve got a TL;DR recap here instead.
Red Pocket is a great budget carrier for those who just want a bare bones talk and text plan. Tracfone excels with unconventional, low-data plans (like a yearly prepaid plan with 1,500 minutes).
Here’s a look at how the most popular plan on each of these carriers compares.
Verizon’s network covers more of the US than any other carrier’s. So you can count on getting a signal in most of the country, from the redwood forests of California to the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee.
Of course, there are some holes in this map. But no carrier is going to get you full bars in northern Idaho or western Alaska. If your travels take you that far, you might want to look into buying a satellite phone.
After sampling thousands of Verizon users, we found that Verizon averages download speeds of 32.2 Mbps, which puts it right behind T-Mobile for fastest wireless speeds.
An average data speed of 32.2 Mbps is still quite fast. It’s plenty for streaming videos and music. It’s more than enough for browsing and posting to social media. And games shouldn’t have any issues keeping up their PUBG Mobile streak.
We’re not going to lie, that was a lot of prepaid providers to review. All of that info can get a bit jumbled up in our brains. So let’s quickly highlight some of the carriers that we liked the most.
To find the best carrier's on Verizon's network, we focus on five main factors:
Price Evaluation:
Value Assessment:
Coverage Analysis:
Data Speeds:
Additional Perks:
If you still have questions about mobile virtual network operators and Verizon, we hope we have you covered with these frequently asked questions. If not, shoot us a question in the comments, and we’ll try to get you a better answer.
Most prepaid, MVNO plans are at risk of being deprioritized. This happens when the network owner (in this case, Verizon) decides to give more bandwidth to its own customers, at the expense of those on MVNO plans. Deprioritized customers will see a reduction in data speeds.
While Verizon has made agreements with other carriers in the past (like AT&T) to share select towers, it isn’t very common. What Verizon usually does is rent or lease its network towers to mobile virtual network operators, which are smaller carriers.
There are certain benefits (like cheap prices) and drawbacks (slower data speeds) to signing up with an MVNO. You can read our review of the best Verizon MVNOs in the article above.
Mint Mobile does not use Verizon’s network. It uses T-Mobile’s network. This is pretty good news for Mint customers. Even though T-Mobile’s network has worse rural coverage than Verizon’s, it has faster data speeds and a more powerful 5G network.
Unlike MVNO carriers, Verizon actually uses its own network. So, the short answer is: Verizon uses the Verizon network.
Now, things can get a bit sticky here. Sometimes, if you cross the border into Canada or Mexico, your Verizon phone may switch to another carrier’s network. This can cause roaming charges (or, if your Verizon plan has international perks, you may be fine).
Verizon also has several different networks: 3G, 4G, 4G LTE, 5G nationwide, and millimeter wave 5G. These are different generations of mobile technology, 3G being the slowest currently in use and millimeter wave 5G being the fastest. Your phone may switch between these networks, depending on where you are, what kind of phone you use, and what plan you have.
If you see a little “LTE” icon at the top of your phone screen, it means you’re connected to a 4G LTE network. It’s not just Verizon that has this kind of network. AT&T and T-Mobile also have 4G LTE networks.
LTE stands for “long-term evolution,” which is just a fancy way of saying that it’s a faster and stronger form of 4G network. So, LTE is a good thing. It’s the best kind of mobile network you can be connected to besides 5G, which is still quite rare across the united states.
There are several ways to figure out if your cell phone is compatible with Verizon Wireless’s network.
First of all: is your phone unlocked? Or is it still tied to another network? If you bought your phone with another carrier—like AT&T or T-Mobile—then you might have to unlock it (or get a new phone altogether) before it will work on Verizon’s network.
But even some unlocked phones will have issues if they don’t use the right phone technology. Many older phones only operate on GSM or CDMA networks. If you use an older phone (anything that wasn’t made in the last five or so years), then you’ll need to figure out which kind of technology it uses.
If your phone is not equipped with CDMA technology, then it will never work on Verizon’s network.
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