Cheap Phone Service with Internet (Visible Wireless Review)
One of the Most Affordable Options
Imagine a phone plan that cost $25 per month and an add-on for unlimited data would cost an extra $25. This plan would actually seem pretty reasonable. Now I imagine I told you that you could have $25 per month for the same service. Do I have your attention now? That would seem too good to be true right? Well, for the past few years and as of this writing, it is true. Visible wireless has literally saved me hundreds of dollars over the years and I couldn’t be happier with it. Despite its flaws, which I will discuss later, I fully endorse it.
Pros:
- Visible only costs $25/month. Seriously, that’s it! No strings attached. Cancel whenever you want.
- Unlimited calls/texts in the US, Canada and Mexico.
- Unlimited data in the US, Canada and Mexico.
- Uses the Verizon network.
- 720p Youtube videos play fine on the device that has the SIM card installed.
Cons:
- Hotspot speeds can’t exceed 5 Mb/s and it can be a little annoying.
- I found 360p YouTube videos are the maximum video resolution for the hotspot device; with exceptions.
- You can only hotspot to one device.
- There are brief periods during the day (for me ~10 minutes) where the data speeds are extremely slow.
- Only works on select devices check compatibility here: Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Overview by Visible
How Much Money Has Visible Wireless Saved me.
Visible wireless only charges me $25 dollars per month as you can see below. I have everything setup on autopay so I don’t need to worry about missing a payment.
I have been using visible wireless since September 2021. When I got visible I had a different phone number than my primary phone number, because I wasn’t prepared to switch yet. I wanted to put the service through its paces. The most intensive internet task I do is watching YouTube videos, so one of the first things I tested out was watching YouTube videos on my Mac for a few weeks to see what it and I could handle. When I saw that it could handle 360p videos just fine, I decided to make the switch.
Before I was paying approximately $60 per month for phone and internet. It was $55 per month for 100 Mb/s internet and an additional $5 per month through a budget cell phone company called H20 wireless. Me switching to visible is saving me approximately $35 per month or $420 per year. That’s no small change. I can’t believe my luck. I’m blown away.
An Honest Look at the Downsides of Visible Wireless
Occasional Data Cut Outs
Something that I have found a little frustrating, but I have learned to adapt to is the extreme slowness that sometimes occurs out of nowhere. Visible wireless uses the Verizon network, but it is categorized as low priority data. This means if there is heavy traffic, the speeds experienced by a visible user will be slower. During this time I really can’t do anything on the internet. Strangely enough this only lasts for about 10 minutes and usually happens at around 5 p.m. my time. However, instead of thinking about this as a negative, I take this opportunity to stretch my legs and take a break from looking at the computer screen. It’s worth noting that I haven’t experienced problems with the phone/text service during this time.
Customer support
I know there are criticisms of visible’s customer support, or lack thereof. Unlike other cell phone providers, Visible has decided not to go with any physical locations. All of their customer support is through their online chat feature. Moves like this allow Visible to dramatically reduce operational costs and pass these savings on to the consumers.
On the extreme end, I have read horror stories with visible wireless and I think it’s important to be honest that such cases do exist and happen occasionally. But what it comes down to in my mind is this. If you want to pay a boatload of money to pay for a little better service, go with another provider. However, if you are looking for an extremely low cost solution for unlimited calls/text and internet service, going with Visible Wireless is a very good option.
Device compatibility
A word of warning on devices that can be used. Don’t miss this step please check your devices compatibility before getting visible. If your device is not compatible I would suggest purchasing a phone on the visible website here: Buy Smartphones & Cell Phones | Visible. If you are looking to save money, some of the options are ridiculously cheap, under $100 last time I checked.
