Here’s How You Can Get Unlimited Data on Your Cell Phone for Just $40/Month
Choosing a cellphone provider is a series of tradeoffs. Your typical conundrum: Between good, cheap, and fast, you can pick two (if you’re lucky).
But Visible, a new digital wireless carrier, is offering plans for $40 a month for unlimited data, messaging, and minutes — oh, and it’s on Verizon’s 4G LTE network.
For a limited time, it’s offering customers the chance to use the service without the typical download speed caps.
Yep. Good, cheap — and fast.
Get Verizon Service (for a Fraction of the Price)
First, let’s talk about Visible’s parent company, Verizon.
Verizon is the Big Cheese of the wireless world. It is generally viewed as the most expensive of the Big Four carriers (Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile). But Verizon can charge more because its network is often independently rated the best, in terms of coverage and reliability.
With Visible, you can jump onto Verizon’s 4G LTE wireless network — for a fraction of the price.
Verizon’s entry-level unlimited-data plan costs $75 a month. It includes unlimited 4G LTE, video streaming at 480p resolution (which wireless providers call “DVD quality”), unlimited text, talk, and data, and an unlimited mobile hotspot.
Visible offers two plans with unlimited talk, text, data, and hotspot usage on Verizon’s award-winning networks — starting at just $25 a month— using the same Verizon network.
What You Get With Visible
Here’s the nitty-gritty on what you get with Visible’s phone service:
- Unlimited talk and text on Verizon’s 4G LTE Network.
- No annual contract. No hidden fees.
- You can keep your phone number or get a new one.
- Unlimited mobile hotspot, speed capped at 5 Mbps.
- Visible only offers single-line plans, but if you’re shopping for the family, you still might find it cheaper to get a separate account for each family member.
Pay $15 a Month if You Switch Now
For a limited time, get the Visible plan for just $15/mo or check out some of the Visible+ plans’ new benefits for just $35/mo for your first 3 months with code MOOLAH. Switch now to get more out of your wireless for less! Good. Cheap. And fast.
Phones — Bring Your Own or Buy One
If you’ve got a late-model iPhone (iPhone 6 or later), or an Android phone, such as the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ and the Google Pixel 3 and 3a, you’re all set. Visible will ship you a SIM card overnight at no charge, and you’re ready to go.
When you switch to Visible and buy a phone, you can get a prepaid Mastercard for up to $200. If you bring a compatible phone, you can get a $100 prepaid card.
If you have an Android phone that isn’t compatible with Visible, you can trade it in for a free no-frills Visible Android phone.
Everything Is Online
There aren’t any Visible stores anywhere. No brick-and-mortar locations of any kind.
Instead, you do everything through Visible’s app. That’s where you pay your bill and manage your account.
That’s also where you’ll find customer service. The app offers live chat with customer support from 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on weekdays, and from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
The Bottom Line: Comparison-Shopping
How cheap is Visible? How does it compare to its competitors?
The all-inclusive unlimited-data plans for AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon cost $80, $70, $85, and $85 per month, respectively.
The Big Four carriers also have cheaper unlimited-data plans, although those come with restrictions. For a single line, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon will charge $70, $60, $60, and $75 per month, respectively. Only Verizon (and Visible) has Verizon’s network.
Among discount carriers, Cricket Wireless offers an unlimited data plan that costs $55 per month for a single phone line.
MetroPCS offers an unlimited data plan for $50 per month or $60 for a hotspot.
Notice anything about those prices? They’re all higher than $40.
Visible starts at just $25.
Mike Brassfield ([email protected]) is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder. He’s currently paying too much for cell phone service.
