Recently launched by Verizon, Visible is a new, standalone cell phone carrier and service option for mobile phones that offers unlimited talk, text, and data with no contracts for only $40 a month. While the deal might sound too good to be true when compared with the higher-priced unlimited plans on the market, the reason why the price is as low as it is becomes clear when paying attention to the fine print of the offer. The following is a breakdown of the benefits and limitations of the latest low-cost plan in the industry.
The speed that Visible allows for downloads maxes out at 5 Mbps. Taking into account that the average speed offered by the major carriers is 23 Mbps, people who signup for Visible will notice a significant increase in the amount of time that it takes to download all types of data. However, the slow speeds would hardly affect any consumers who have regular access to Wi-Fi, and so these consumers could decide to use Visible's service just to pay less for the unlimited ability to call and text.
Related: Compare all cell plans using Wirefly's tool
| Carrier | Plan Name | Features | Monthly Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Visible $40 Unlimited |
| $ 0 /mo Link not provided |
| Carrier | Plan Name | Features | Monthly Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | TextNow Wireless Unlimited LTE |
| $ 0 /mo |
In addition to restricted speeds for downloading data, Visible also limits the resolution of video content that is streamed. Most of the videos that are streamed by a user will be displayed at just 480p.
As of right now, the only phones that can be used with the Visible service are iPhones that are no older than an iPhone 6. However, Visible employees are working to develop an app that will allow Android users to take advantage of the service.
Because Visible is funded by Verizon, it is able to take advantage of the major carrier's wide-reaching network. That means coverage is 4G LTE across most of the country.
Visible is a prepaid-only service that accepts several forms of payment. After the app is downloaded on a pre-existing phone, the user will be required to signup for the service through the app. After signing up for the service, a SIM card will be mailed to the consumer. There is no way to establish service by visiting a carrier store. In fact, there are no carrier stores for Visible. Also, there are no other plans other than the $40 plan. All customer service issues and billing are handled within the app. Payments can be made with PayPal, Venmo, a credit card, or a debit card.
While Verizon is generally regarded as the most expensive of the major mobile carriers, the company seems to be following in the footsteps of its competitors by offering the Visible service to the public. But due to the fact that the plan has only been available for a couple of months, it is still too early to have a full grasp of the satisfaction level from consumers who have already tried it. Ultimately, though, when taking into account the limitations of the service's downloading speeds, determining whether it is worth trying depends on the individual needs of each consumer.
