What Carriers Use Verizon’s Network?
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, there are 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.
Here’s a list of all the no-contract, prepaid carriers that run on Verizon’s network.
List of Verizon alternatives:
MVNOs that use multiple networks:
- Red Pocket
- Twigby
- Ting
- Pix Wireless
- Tracfone
- Net10
- Straight Talk
- US Mobile
- CREDO
We will review the Verizon network and all of these carriers that use it in a moment. But first, here’s a quick highlight of our favorite ones for the TL;DR crowd.
Our picks for the best Verizon MVNOs
Best value: Visible Wireless is changing the prepaid wireless industry for the better. If you’re looking for a stripped down plan with tons of data on the nation’s best network, Visible’s $40 unlimited plan is unbeatable.
Best for couples: Total Wireless offers a two-line unlimited data plan for $60 that will keep you and your boo connected to each other, and everything else.
Best for seniors: Greatcall is more than just a cell phone company. It also offers on-call emergency health services and plenty of other elder-friendly features.
Best for do-gooders: Reach Mobile helps you help others by investing a portion of your bill in its Gigs that Give program, which gives phones and cell service to folks across the world.
How good is Verizon’s network?
Verizon’s network is, to put it simply, the best. It has the most extensive 4G map, covering 70% of the country.1
Let’s take a closer look.
Verizon coverage
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.
Verizon coverage map
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.
Verizon data speeds
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.
Customers aren’t likely to see data speeds get much faster than this with any carrier until the rollout of 5G arrives.
Enough about Verizon’s network performance. Let’s talk about all the prepaid providers that use the network.
Visible Wireless
Visible Wireless is redefining the prepaid wireless industry.
Pros
- Truly unlimited data
- Great deals on additional lines
Cons
- Limited phone selection
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 HBO (like some AT&T plans do), but its single plan offering is robust: you get truly unlimited data on the nation’s most powerful network for just $40 a month. That’s a steal compared to almost any other plan on the market.
Visible Wireless unlimited plan
You probably won’t be surprised to hear that we’ve rated Visible’s Unlimited Plan as the best prepaid unlimited plan on any network. And the plan just gets better (as in cheaper) when you add more lines using Party Pay.
So, what’s the catch? There are two small strikes against Visible: the company has relatively limited phone compatibility (but it has gotten much better recently), and it doesn’t allow you to stream video in HD.
Xfinity Mobile
Xfinity Mobile offers a great deal, if you qualify.
Pros
- Cheap talk, text, and data plans
- Unlimited data option
Cons
- Only available to current Xfinity/Comcast customers
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.
Xfinity Mobile plans by popularity
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.
Reach Mobile
Get yourself, and someone else, connected with Reach Mobile.
Pros
- Charitable cause
- Limited and unlimited data plans
Cons
- Not the cheapest MVNO
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.
Reach Mobile plans
The Basic Plan offers 3 GB of data, which is plenty for many casual users who don’t stream Tiger King on their iPhone while they’re falling asleep.
Reach’s All-In Unlimited Plan is 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.
Greatcall
Greatcall is a great call (sorry, we couldn’t help it) for seniors and others who want to put health and safety first.
Pros
- Senior-specific features
- Lots of plans to choose from
Cons
- Pricier than other MVNOs
A lot of these prepaid Verizon alternatives market their services to younger crowds. But Greatcall caters its devices, plans, and customer service to an older demographic.
Greatcall’s plans include 24/7 access to urgent care, a personal operator to help you navigate your phone, apps to keep you connected with your family, and easy-to-use devices. Given all of that, Greatcall’s plans aren’t too pricey.
Greatcall plans by popularity
Of course, if you don’t need Greatcall’s health and safety perks then you’ll probably want to go with one of the other Verizon MVNOs on this list.
Total Wireless
Total Wireless will hook you and your boo up with a cheap unlimited data plan.
Pros
- Great deals for multiple lines
- Tons of cheap plans
Cons
- Limited perks
Total Wireless offers cheap, stripped down plans that can get you tons of data on Verizon’s powerful network. Its Shared 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’s plan options.
Total Wireless plans by popularity
Let’s talk about that Shared Plan a little bit more: $60 for unlimited talk and text on two lines, unlimited data (30 GB at full speeds), and 10 GB of hotspot data. That’s a lot of wireless bandwidth for not a lot of money.
Just be sure that your boo doesn’t waste all that high speed data playing PUBG Mobile or streaming the new season of Westworld on HBO Max.
Page Plus
Page Plus has tons of plans of varying quality and cost.
Pros
- Plenty of cheap plans
- Pay as you go options
Cons
- Few perks
- Pricier unlimited data plan
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.
Total Wireless plans by popularity
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.
Other carriers that use the Verizon network
Evaluating the carriers that use multiple networks, including Verizon’s
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:
- Red Pocket
- Twigby
- Ting
- Pix Wireless
- Tracfone
- Net10
- Straight Talk
- US Mobile
- CREDO
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. Pix Wireless has pay as you go plans that will work well for folks who don’t know exactly how much data they’ll want each month. Straight Talk has good unlimited data plans, while 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.
Multiple-network MVNO most popular plan comparison
Recap: Which Verizon MVNO is best for you?
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.
Best value: Visible Wireless offers one of the sleekest, cheapest, and most powerful unlimited plans in the industry. If you’re just looking for lots of data for not lots of money, the $40 unlimited plan is for you.
Best for couples: Total Wireless’s Shared Plan will get you and your partner unlimited talk, text, and data for just $60 a month.
Best for seniors: Greatcall will help keep your elderly loved ones connected and healthy, with 24/7 access to urgent care, live operators to help with phone navigation, and easy-to-use apps.
Best for do-gooders: Reach Mobile offers a variety of cell phone plans that are good for you and good for others as well. Reach will donate part of your bill to its Gigs that Give program to get phones and cell service into the hands of folks who need it.
We hope that this Verizon MVNO roundup has made your choice a bit easier. If you’re still on the fence, you might want to check out the carriers that use AT&T’s network.
Sources:
- WhistleOut, “Guide to Finding the Best Cell Phone Coverage”