Verizon’s Secret Unlimited Plan Requires an Invite
Earlier in the year, Verizon launched a new unlimited plan under a new startup called Visible. The plan offers unlimited minutes, data and text messaging for just $40. If you’re wondering why you haven’t heard of this new, low-cost plan, it’s because it’s an invitation-only service – for the time-being,
Verizon already offers an unlimited plan, but the plan comes at a high cost of $85 per month for the first line. Due to increased competition from other major carriers, the company appears to be testing the waters with a lower-cost option.
Right now, Visible is only available on iOS devices, and subscriptions are by invitation only. If you want to hop on the bandwagon, you’ll need to get an invite from a current Visible member or put your name on the waitlist.
Subscribing is easy. Just download the app, register, and wait for your SIM card to arrive. Once installed, users can access Verizon’s 4G LTE network to send bulk SMS messages, stream videos and make phone calls.
The company says there’s no throttling at the end of the month. They also offer flexible payment options, like through PayPal or Venmo.
Verizon is the leader in wireless services, with 150 million subscribers. By comparison, AT&T has about 140 million subscribers and T-Mobile and Sprint have a combined subscriber base of just over 126 million.
It’s speculated that Verizon’s move is more about holding of attrition. Last quarter, the company lost 24,000 postpaid phone connections, which has put a little pressure on its consumer base.
While there’s no cap on the data you use, Visible’s unlimited plan does have a caveat: you’re stuck at speeds of up to 5Mbps.
The Big Four carriers have average network speeds of 23 Mbps, which makes Visible’s plan quite slow by comparison. Videos will typically stream at 480p on the network. Music, on the other hand, will stream at 0.5 Mbps, which is sufficient for Spotify and Pandora.
Android support is expected to come in the near future. The service is contract-free, so you’re free to cancel at any time.
Visible isn’t the only company offering low-cost unlimited plans. AT&T’s Cricket Wireless has an unlimited plan for $40 a month, although there is a 5GB limit for high-speed data. Cricket also caps your downloads at 8Mbps. T-Mobile has MetroPCs and Sprint offers its Boost service.
Visible’s $40 unlimited plan may give Verizon an edge on the competition when it comes to budget plans.
Author: Jacob Maslow