Category: Mobile Phone Service

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Visible Promo Brings Back $25/Month Rate

Christian Leave a comment

From today through March 31st, Visible is running a promotion that brings is the Visible Base Plan down to $25 per month (the same rate that was previously available with Visible’s retired Party Pay program). During the promo, Visible+, the carrier’s premium plan, is also being discounted from $45 per month to $35 per month.

As I understand it, customers that take advantage of the program will continue to pay the reduced rate indefinitely.1 More about the promo can be found on Visible’s homepage. Here are the terms mentioned there:

Offer disclosure: Offer Ends 03.31.23; subject to change.

New members or existing members upgrading from the Visible Unlimited Plan qualify to receive $10/mo off the Visible+ Plan or $5/mo off the Visible Plan. Promotion will automatically apply to qualifying members, reflected as either a $10 discount off the normal rate of the Visible+ Plan or a $5 discount off the normal rate of the Visible Plan.

Promo is not transferable, not redeemable for cash and has no cash value. Member must maintain service on the Visible+ Plan or Visible Plan to maintain promotion; no value will be provided to the member if an account is terminated or migrates to an ineligible plan.

Promo applies to service charges and the member is responsible for all applicable taxes and fees. Promo may not be combined with any other service promotion, such as VIP/VBPP discounts and Connection Protection Program. Promo is stackable with the Choose Your Own Gift Card program and the Bring a Friend Program.

Void where prohibited, taxed, or otherwise restricted. Visible reserves the right to change or terminate this offer at any time, with or without notice, including for any violation of Visible’s terms of service. If Visible, in its sole discretion, determines that a member has engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with this offer, or that the member intends to do so, Visible reserves the right to disqualify the member from this promotion.

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Visible Updates

Christian 1 Comment

Last week, Verizon’s flanker brand, Visible, launched a major update. Previously, Visible offered only one plan. The plan included unlimited minutes, texts, and data. It had a base price of $40 per month, but the price dropped as low as $25 with Visible’s Party Pay program.

With Visible’s latest update, the carrier is retiring Party Pay and offering two plans:

  • Visible’s standard plan: $30 per month
  • Visible+ plan: $45 per month

Standard Plan

Visible’s standard plan includes unlimited minutes, texts, and data. As was the case with Visible’s old plan, data is low priority. Subscribers may experience slower speeds than other users on the network during periods of congestion.

With Visible’s standard plan, subscribers can access Verizon’s LTE and 5G Nationwide services. (5G Nationwide is Verizon’s term for it’s low-frequency 5G service. 5G Nationwide has extensive coverage, but the speeds may fall short of the hype around 5G.)

Visible+

The Visible+ plan has a $15 per month premium and comes with a few extra perks. The first 50GB of data each month is high priority. Additionally, subscribers can access Verizon’s Ultra Wideband service, which offers better performance in some places. Visible+ also includes international texting and calling to some destinations.

Network Improvements?

A common complaint about Visible is that latency with the service can be substantially worse than latency on a Verizon-branded plan. I don’t understand all the details, but Visible has historically had some underlying infrastructure that differs from Verizon’s typical infrastructure. A press release covering the recent changes suggests some improvements are on the way:

Existing members can move to these new plans at any time through their Visible account. A new SIM will be required, as Visible is also expanding coverage and upgrading the core network routing experience in conjunction with these plans, which should provide customers with improved speeds and latency.

Existing Customers

For the moment, existing customers can continue with the old plan and Party Pay rates as low as $25 per month. Here’s another bit from the press release:

Existing Visible members have the option to maintain their Party Pay discount while on their current plan and will have their Party Pay rates locked in based on their Party status as of October 18, 2022.

It looks like Visible will force all subscribers to transition to the new plans (and abandon Party Pay) around the start of 2023.

My Take

While service will increase from $25 to $30 for many users, I think most of these changes are great. Party Pay has always been a bit weird, and part of me is glad to see it going away. Perhaps its retirement will pave the way for Visible offering better options for family plans or combined billing.

While low-priority data is fine for many users, it can be a pain in some regions or for subscribers that want peak performance. I’m glad Visible is giving customers the option of paying up for a better experience.

While I’m unsure what the changes to Visible’s routing system entail, I’m hopefully that between (a) those upgrades, (b) high priority data, and (c) Ultra Wideband access, Visible+ will offer service on par with Verizon’s premium plans.

I’m somewhat surprised that the standard Visible plan doesn’t include access to Verizon’s Ultra Wideband. I expect that will change eventually. Dropping restrictions on who can access Ultra Wideband will lead to more efficient use of Verizon’s network capacity and spectrum. If Verizon wants different tiers of service quality, it can throttle or deprioritize Ultra Wideband service on low-cost plans.

For incoming subscribers wondering whether to choose Visible’s standard plan or Visible+, my advice at the moment is to start with the standard plan. You can always consider upgrading if you regularly find yourself with decent signal strength but lousy speeds.

Hands shaking

Dish Amends Its Agreement With T-Mobile

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While convincing regulators to approve a merger between Sprint and T-Mobile, T-Mobile committed to allowing Dish to offload traffic to T-Mobile’s network for several years. Then, roughly a year ago, Dish announced that it formed a similar agreement allowing the company to piggyback on AT&T’s network.

On Tuesday, Dish announced that it renegotiated the arrangement with T-Mobile. Among other things, the amended agreement involves better pricing for Dish:

DISH Network (NASDAQ:DISH) and T-Mobile (NASDAQ:TMUS) signed an amendment to the 2020 Master Network Services Agreement…The amendment…incorporates financial and operational changes, including improved pricing and enhanced roaming solutions.

The new agreement will need to be approved by regulators. It’s expected to get a green light by the end of the summer.

Mike Dano at Light Reading wrote a more detailed article covering Dish’s announcement. While I don’t entirely trust the numbers, I found this excerpt especially interesting:

New Street analysts wrote in a note to investors Tuesday that Dish paid T-Mobile a little less than $2 billion in 2021 for access to its network, which equates to $17 per subscriber per month, or about $2 per GB. The analysts estimate that Dish’s deal with AT&T is closer to $1.50/GB, with a path to $1/GB over time. They said they believed Dish’s new agreement with T-Mobile is likely in line with its $1.50/GB deal with AT&T.
Paint roller being used to repaint

Visible’s “By Verizon” Rebrand

Christian 1 Comment

Visible, Verizon’s low-cost flanker brand, has been making its connection with Verizon more explicit. Here’s how the Visible logo used to appear on the header of its website:

Recently, the words “by Verizon” have been tacked on:

Visible logo showing the words "by Verizon"

The new branding suggests a change in strategy. Previously, Visible was coy about its relationship with Verizon. That was almost certainly by design. A major carrier doesn’t want its low-cost brands to cannibalize the higher-profit subscribers of the mainstream brand.

While it was never difficult to figure out that Verizon owned Visible, I expect a fair share of the carrier’s subscribers were unaware. With Visible’s relationship to Verizon now in the front and center, Visible may be more appealing to consumers. On the other hand, the rebranding may lead to pressures to create further discrepancies between the service quality received by Visible’s subscribers and Verizon’s direct subscribers.

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Mint Mobile Promo Pokes Fun At Price Increases

Christian Leave a comment

Mint Mobile’s latest promotion pokes fun at carriers raising prices in response to inflation. New Mint Mobile subscribers that take advantage of the promotion can get the first three months of service on any of Mint’s plans for $15 per month.

The promo is set to run through July 5th. Here’s Ryan Reynolds explaining the deal:

Terms for the promo:

Limited time, online only, new customer offer, avail. from 8:00 AM EST on June 15, 2022 through 11:59 PM EST on July 5, 2022, while supplies last & subject to change w/out notice. New subs. may purchase any 3-month data plan from mintmobile.com for equivalent to $15/mo. ($45 upfront payment req’d). Taxes & fees extra. Promotional rate for first 3 months only; discount has no cash value, is non-transferrable & may not be applied to any other purchase or plan length. Unlimited customers using >35GB/mo. will experience lower speeds. Videos stream at ~480p. Addt’l restriction apply.
USA Map Abstract Showing Concept Of Network Connections

Dish’s Project Genesis Expands To 128 Cities

Christian 2 Comments

Today, Project Genesis, Dish’s 5G service powered by the company’s new network, allegedly went live in over 120 cities. Previously, the service was only officially available in Las Vegas.

Here’s the tweet from Stephen Stokols, CEO of Boost Mobile (Boost is owned by Dish):

With service going live in the new cities, Dish is poised to meet a commitment it made with the FCC to cover 20% of the US population by mid-June.

The Project Genesis website has a list of cities where service is available. I don’t know how comprehensively Dish covers the included cities. As of today, service is available in 128 cities by Dish’s counting:

  • Albuquerque, NM
  • Altoona, IA
  • Ann Arbor, MI
  • Asheville, NC
  • Bay City, MI
  • Bellevue, NE
  • Bentonville, AR
  • Binghamton, NY
  • Boise, ID
  • Bowling Green, KY
  • Brooksville, FL
  • Brownsville, TX
  • Carson City, NV
  • Cary, NC
  • Casper, WY
  • Champaign, IL
  • Charlotte, NC
  • Chattanooga, TN
  • Chester, VA
  • Cheyenne, WY
  • Chicopee, MA
  • Clarksville, TN
  • Cleveland, OH
  • Cocoa Beach, FL
  • Columbus, OH
  • Concord, NC
  • Corpus Christi, TX
  • Dallas, TX
  • Davenport, IA
  • Daytona Beach, FL
  • Denton, TX
  • Des Moines, IA
  • Duluth, MN
  • Eagle, ID
  • Elmira, NY
  • El Paso, TX
  • Evansville, IN
  • Fayetteville, AR
  • Flagstaff, AZ
  • Flint, MI
  • Fond du Lac, WI
  • Fort Smith, AR
  • Fresno, CA
  • Ft Worth, TX
  • Gadsden, AL
  • Grand Junction, CO
  • Greensboro, NC
  • Gulfport, MS
  • Harrisonburg, VA
  • Hartford, CT
  • Hattiesburg, MS
  • Henderson, NV
  • Hendersonville, TN
  • High Point, NC
  • Hot Springs, AR
  • Houston, TX
  • Huntsville, AL
  • Indianapolis, IN
  • Ithaca, NY
  • Jackson, MI
  • Jackson, MS
  • Kansas City, KS
  • Johnson City, TN
  • Johnstown, PA
  • Kingsport, TN
  • Knoxville, TN
  • Lansing, MI
  • Las Vegas, NV
  • Lawton, OK
  • Lexington, KY
  • Lincoln, NE
  • Little Rock, AR
  • Louisville, KY
  • McAllen,TX
  • Mechanicsville, VA
  • Merced, CA
  • Meridian, ID
  • Middletown, CT
  • Midland, MI
  • Midlothian, VA
  • Modesto, CA
  • Murfreesboro, TN
  • Nashville, TN
  • New Braunfels, TX
  • Norfolk, VA
  • Ocala, FL
  • Ogden, UT
  • Oklahoma City, OK
  • Omaha, NE
  • Orlando, FL
  • Palm Bay, FL
  • Petersburg, VA
  • Pine Bluff, AR
  • Prescott, AZ
  • Provo, UT
  • Pueblo, CO
  • Raleigh-Durham, NC
  • Rapid City, SD
  • Reno, NV
  • Richmond, VA
  • Rochester, MN
  • Rochester, NY
  • Saginaw, MI
  • Salt Lake City, UT
  • Sioux Falls, SD
  • Sparks, NV
  • Spokane, WA
  • Springfield, IL
  • Springfield, MA
  • Springfield, MO
  • St Joseph, MO
  • St. Louis, MO
  • Stockton, CA
  • Suffolk, VA
  • Superior, WI
  • Syracuse, NY
  • Texas City, TX
  • Tulsa, OK
  • Tuscaloosa, AL
  • Urbandale, IA
  • Utica, NY
  • Valdosta, GA
  • Victoria, TX
  • Virginia Beach, VA
  • Wildwood, FL
  • Williamsburg, VA
  • Winter Garden, FL
  • Yuma, AZ

US Mobile Adds Wi-Fi Calling

Christian 2 Comments

Last week, US Mobile added Wi-Fi calling to its Super LTE (i.e., Verizon) service. I thought the lack of Wi-Fi calling on Verizon’s network was one of US Mobile’s biggest limitations, so I’m glad to see the new feature coming online.

Subscribers on the Super LTE network with US Mobile’s Pooled Plans and Unlimited All Plans can access Wi-Fi calling immediately. Wi-Fi calling hasn’t been launched yet for US Mobile’s Bundled Plans or Custom Plans on the Super LTE network.

Here’s an excerpt from US Mobile’s announcement on Reddit:

WiFi Calling will be rolling out to all Unlimited All and Pooled Plan customers beginning today.

WiFi Calling has been the most requested feature by our customers bar none…Every US Mobile customer can now make & take calls and send & receive texts using WiFi, even if your phone has no cellular reception or bars. That dramatically changes how our customers should think about coverage.

WiFi Calling also transforms your traveling experience — you can now use WiFi Calling to call and text while abroad using your number with no extra charges, international roaming for free! And if you’re on a flight and need to log-in with 2FA to your bank (or to your US Mobile app), you can just use your in-flight WiFi to connect on the go…

As for our Bundled and Custom plan customers on our Warp 5G network, expect to see WiFi Calling come online soon.

Photo representing the concept of wireless coverage

C-Band Coverage Maps

Christian 1 Comment

Last week, Verizon and AT&T started rolling out service using their recently acquired C-Band spectrum. Up until now, most of Verizon and AT&T’s 5G service hasn’t been particularly fast. With the help of C-Band spectrum, the networks may finally deliver 5G service that lives up to the hype.1

C-Band Spectrum

Last year, the FCC auctioned off a bunch of C-Band spectrum. In the FCC’s auction, the US was divided into 416 regions called Partial Economic Areas (PEAs). These areas weren’t consistent in size or population. I’ve borrowed an FCC Map that shows these areas and added colors to indicate the availability of C-Band spectrum for cellular networks:2

FCC map of PEAs shaded to show where C-Band is available

  • Blue: Some C-Band spectrum now available
  • White: C-Band spectrum to become available by late 2023
  • Red: No C-Band spectrum available

Let’s focus on the blue areas. Those are 46 of the largest PEAs. While these regions make up a minority of the US by land area, about 190 million people live within them (58% of the US population).3 Both Verizon and AT&T hold licenses that allow them to use C-Band spectrum immediately in each of the blue-shaded regions, and these are the only areas where C-Band cell service is permitted right now.4

Verizon’s C-Band Coverage

Verizon claims its Ultra Wideband coverage (which includes both millimeter wave and C-Band 5G) already covers over 90 million people. Since Verizon’s millimeter wave coverage is terrible, it’s safe to assume Verizon estimates roughly 90 million people have C-Band coverage.

I’m not sure, but I think Verizon has rolled out at least a little bit of C-Band in each of the 46 eligible PEAs. Right now, Verizon’s C-Band coverage is probably concentrated within big cities. However, with time, Verizon’s C-Band 5G will cover larger and larger portions of the eligible regions.

C-Band Coverage Maps

Verizon shows Ultra Wideband coverage in dark red on its interactive coverage map. While Verizon’s map doesn’t show whether Ultra Wideband coverage comes from C-Band 5G or millimeter wave 5G, you can usually make the distinction for yourself.

When only roads or outdoor areas show up in dark red, we’re dealing with millimeter wave 5G:

Snapshot showing a part of Denver on Verizon's coverage map. Roads show up in dark red, while a lighter red shades the rest of the area.

In contrast, areas completely shaded in dark red probably have C-Band coverage:5

Snapshot of Verizon's coverage map showing an area of Little Rock that's mostly shaded in dark red.

Based on reports I’ve seen so far, I don’t think Verizon’s C-Band mapping is particularly reliable.6 It should get better over time, though.

Other Carriers Using Verizon’s Network

I expect cell phone carriers that piggyback on Verizon’s network will gradually gain access to Verizon’s C-Band 5G. At the moment, the two other services that I know have access are US Mobile’s Super LTE and Verizon’s low-cost brand, Visible.

AT&T’s C-Band Coverage

While AT&T holds licenses in all 46 PEAs where C-Band spectrum can be deployed immediately, AT&T is starting small. Right now, eight cities have C-Band service from AT&T:

  • Chicago
  • Houston
  • Miami
  • Orlando
  • Detroit
  • Dallas
  • Austin
  • Jacksonville

I expect we’ll see AT&T bring more cities onboard soon.

Decorative, abstract spiral

Moto G Pure Added To Visible’s Swap Program

Christian Leave a comment

I’ve been a big fan of Visible’s Swap Program since it launched. Under the program, new Visible subscribers can trade in almost any working phone in exchange for a new phone free of charge. Since the program started, Visible has gradually improved the quality of the phones it offers.

Sometime in the last few months, Visible added the Motorola moto g pure to the Swap Program. The g pure typically costs about $150. While I haven’t tested it myself, I’m a long-time fan of the Motorola g line.