Verizon-owned Visible continues to offer one of the best wireless service deals in 2023, but it’s not for everyone.
I joined Visible in October 2019 and have been a paying customer ever since.
If you’re thinking about switching to Visible from Verizon or another premium service, you need to understand how Visible works to decide if it’s worth the monthly savings.
What Is Visible and Is the Phone Service Worth It? Fast Facts
- What is Visible?: A Verizon-owned prepaid phone service that offers affordable unlimited plans for single-line users
- What network does Visible use?: Verizon’s nationwide network, including 5G access
- How much does Visible cost?: Regular price is $30 a month or $45 a month depending on the plan that you choose; March 2023 deal drops the starting price to $25
- What do you get with Visible?: Unlimited data, talk, text and mobile hotspot usage
- How fast are data speeds with Visible?: 5G speeds up to 200 Mbps with the base plan; access to 5G Ultra Wideband with premium plan
- Does Visible offer mobile hotspot?: Unlimited mobile hotspot data capped at 5 Mbps
- Can I get a deal on a new phone with Visible?: Frequent discounts on the newest Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy devices; iPhone 14 is available (Learn more here)
- Does Visible offer customer service? No stores or 800 number; customer service handled through the app
- What happened to Party Pay? Visible discontinued its Party Pay program for new users after launching updated plans
New customer offers include a 15-day free trial and phone discounts, while a generous referral program is available to all users.
In this real customer review, I’ll share the pros and cons that you need to know before you sign up for Visible!
Table of Contents
- Plans and Pricing
- Network Coverage
- Call and Text Performance
- Data Speeds
- Mobile Hotspot
- Video Streaming
- Phone Options
- Customer Service
- Deals and Discounts
1. Plans and Pricing
Visible now features two unlimited wireless data plans after an August 2022 update.
The Visible base plan offers unlimited data, talk, text and mobile hotspot for $30 a month. Taxes and fees are included.
Visible’s premium plan, called Visible+, costs $45 a month with taxes and fees included.
DEAL ALERT: Now through March 31, Visible has lowered the starting price of its base plan to $25 per month for new members. The Visible+ plan is $35 per month. This is a savings of up to $10 per month. Details here.
The biggest difference between the two plans? Data speeds.
- Visible’s base plan includes 5G Nationwide and 4G LTE data, with 5G speeds capped at 200 Mbps
- Visible’s premium plan unlocks access to Verizon’s fastest speeds with 5G Ultra Wideband and 50GB of premium data when connected to 5G Nationwide and 4G LTE (5G Ultra Wideband is always premium data)
Learn more about premium data and whether you really need it.
Both plans include talk and text from the U.S. to Canada and Mexico. But the premium plan features additional international talk, text and data roaming access compared to the base plan.
Visible and Visible+ Unlimited Plans
| Visible | Visible+ |
| $30/month, taxes and fees included DEAL: $25/month if you join by March 31, 2023 | $45/month, taxes and fees included DEAL: $35/month if you join by March 31, 2023 |
| Unlimited talk, text and data | Unlimited talk, text and data (includes 50GB of premium data on 5G Nationwide & 4G LTE) |
| 5G Nationwide & 4G LTE | 5G Ultra Wideband, 5G Nationwide & 4G LTE |
| Unlimited mobile hotspot data | Unlimited mobile hotspot data |
| Spam Protection | Spam Protection |
| Unlimited talk and text to Canada and Mexico | Unlimited talk and text to Mexico and Canada Unlimited talk, text and roaming in Mexico and Canada International calling from the U.S. to 30+ countries International texting from the U.S. to 200+ countries |
| Save $5/month on Verizon Home Internet (Full review) | Save $10/month on Verizon Home Internet (Full review) |
Visible’s plans are designed for single-line users, not families. There is no multi-line discount.
With Visible’s rollout of the new plans, the service has discontinued its Party Pay discount program that allowed users to pay as low as $25 a month.
Billing is handled through the Visible app. As a prepaid service, no credit check is required unless you finance your phone. There are no activation or early termination fees.
In January 2022, Visible added a 15-day free trial of the $30 per month plan for select iPhone and Android users.
The free trial is a great way to test out Visible’s service in your area, particularly if you’re not sure about the network coverage or data speeds where you live. Learn more here.
After the free trial, new users can still take advantage of the phone deals I’ll cover later on.
2. Network Coverage
Visible is owned by Verizon and uses its 5G and 4G LTE networks.
If you live in an area where Verizon offers strong coverage, Visible is likely a solid option to consider.
The company told MichaelSaves.com the new Visible plans offer a better network experience, including domestic roaming and improved latency with many new access points from Verizon’s network.
Visible’s coverage map is updated as 5G access expands. You can now see the different coverage for the base Visible plan and the premium Visible+ plan.
Enter your address here to confirm network coverage.
3. Call and Text Performance
Visible’s call and text performance will vary depending on your location.
During my several years as a Visible customer, I’ve had very few issues with dropped calls or missing text messages. It has been extremely reliable.
During the early days of my Visible service, I did receive a few spam text messages. However, that is no longer an issue.
Visible has added free Scam Protection to reduce robocalls. Activate this feature from the Visible app by clicking Account, Privacy and Security, and then toggle on Scam Protection.
If you’re in an area with little or no cell coverage, Visible supports Wi-Fi Calling at no additional charge. Just make sure to go into your phone’s settings to activate this feature.
4. Data Speeds
Like most low-cost cell phone service providers, Verizon-owned Visible slows your data when the network is congested.
This is more likely to happen if you have the base plan.
As mentioned earlier in this review, the new Visible+ plan includes 50GB of premium data on the 5G Nationwide and 4G LTE networks — which Visible calls Premium Network Experience. When connected to 5G Ultra Wideband, Visible+ users will always get premium data.
These premium Visible+ users will receive high-priority access during times of network congestion — just like Verizon postpaid customers.
Although I pay for a Visible plan without priority data, deprioritization only happens on occasion for me. I’ve always been able to stream video, use my apps and surf the web with Visible.
However, some users have told me that deprioritization has made using the service difficult at times.
I’ve tested Visible’s data speeds extensively over the past few years using the Speedtest app.
The screenshots below show my last speed test with Visible’s old unlimited plan compared to my first speed test with Visible’s new base plan.
The download speeds were similar at around 150 Mbps, but the new plan has a much lower ping.
| Old Visible Plan | New Visible Base Plan | |
| Download speed | 164 Mbps | 149 Mbps |
| Upload speed | 1.42 Mbps | 3.98 Mbps |
| Ping (latency) | 129 ms | 20 ms |
From my experience, anything over 25 Mbps is fast enough to stream video without buffering. Download speeds greater than 100 Mbps are impressive for a $30 per month plan.
The lower ping is also very encouraging. Visible told me that latency would improve with the new plans.
Both speed tests were conducted from the same location with an Apple iPhone 12.
Bottom line: For me, Visible’s data speeds on the entry-level plan have been fast enough to do everything I need. But if you want the absolute fastest data speeds and priority data, you may want to pay more for the Visible+ premium plan. You can upgrade or downgrade plans from the Visible app.
5. Mobile Hotspot
Unlimited mobile hotspot usage sets Visible apart from many of its competitors, but there is a 5 Mbps speed cap.
I tested the mobile hotspot feature while putting together this review. Instead of connecting to Wi-Fi, I used Visible’s mobile hotspot capability to connect my laptop to the internet and type away.
According to Speedtest.net, the download speed was 10 Mbps. That’s double the 5 Mbps speed cap.
That mobile hotspot speed test result aligns with my experience over the past few years. The 5 Mbps speed cap isn’t strictly enforced.
I find the unlimited mobile hotspot data extremely useful for when I’m working on my laptop at coffee shops or other public places. It has also come in handy when power outages have knocked my home Wi-Fi offline.
6. Video Streaming
Visible has long said that video typically streams at 480p, which is standard definition. However, I’ve been able to stream YouTube videos in 720p (high definition) with the base plan.
Some users on the Visible+ plan have been able to stream video in 4K when connected to 5G Ultra Wideband.
From my experience, 480p isn’t a big deal on a 6-inch phone screen. But if you insist on 720p or 1080p resolution at all times, Visible may not be for you.
Keep in mind that you can stream in HD when connected to Wi-Fi instead of cellular data.
Not sure what to make of this? Open up YouTube on your phone and watch a few videos in different resolutions to see if you can really tell the difference on your phone.
If your experience with 480p isn’t bad, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed using Visible.
7. Phone Options
Customers can purchase a new phone or bring a compatible Apple or Android device to Visible. The service has made a lot of progress when it comes to phone options since it launched in 2018.
You can use the compatibility checker on Visible’s website to see if your phone will work.
I switched to Visible at a time when I needed a new phone, so I ended up purchasing a device from the carrier.
At last check, about 30 phone models were available for sale. They include:
- Apple iPhone 14
- Apple iPhone 14 Pro
- Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
- Apple iPhone 13
- Apple iPhone 13 Pro
- Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
- Apple iPhone 13 Mini
- Apple iPhone SE
- Samsung Galaxy S23
- Samsung Galaxy S23+
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4
- Samsung Galaxy S22
- Samsung Galaxy S22+
- Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
- Google Pixel 7
- Google Pixel 7 Pro
- Motorola Edge
I always pay for my devices in full, but financing is offered through Affirm at as low as 0% APR. Financing does require a credit check and you may need to make a down payment.
Visible also has programs to upgrade, trade-in and swap your device. See Visible’s website for the latest offers.
In addition to phones, Visible supports smartwatches. You can purchase an Apple Watch from Visible (or bring your own) and pay $5/month for unlimited data.
8. Customer Service
Visible has no physical stores or even an 800 number to call for help. Everything is done through the app.
If you’re switching from Verizon or another major carrier to Visible, perhaps the biggest change will be adjusting to the way customer service is handled.
This is also the area where I believe Visible has the most room for improvement.
Customer service options:
- Live chat
- Facebook Messenger
Visible Chief Commercial Officer Jeremy Bolton told me the service increased its customer care team by 25% in the fall of 2022, which has reduced wait times for live chat.
The company also implemented a procedure so that users with complex issues can get real-time escalated support.
My switch to Visible was trouble-free, but I’ll admit the absence of traditional phone support made me nervous. The company does provide frequent updates about your order via email.
I signed up on a Friday and began the process of transferring my number with Visible.
My old cell phone service provider released my number to Visible before my new phone arrived, but my service continued without interruption.
After FedEx delivered my phone on Monday, I turned it on and was using Visible moments later.
I read on Visible’s website that the average length of time to complete porting is 4.9 days, so don’t wait until the very end of your billing cycle to make the switch. Give yourself some time.
Also, have the account number and PIN from your current provider. Visible needs that for the transfer.
If you’re bringing your own phone to Visible, eSIM is now available for select devices. This allows you to switch your service in as little as 15 minutes without a physical SIM card.
If your device isn’t compatible with eSIM, Visible will overnight you a physical SIM card instead.
9. Phone Deals and Discounts
Aside from the 15-day free trial that I mentioned earlier, Visible frequently promotes deals for new customers.
I made the switch to Visible because of a limited-time offer that gave me a $200 prepaid Mastercard for purchasing a new phone and transferring my number to the service.
At the time that I signed up, there was a $100 offer if you brought your own device.
Deals and discounts change frequently, so it’s best to visit Visible’s website for the latest information. Just know that they’ve been pretty aggressive with gift card promos and even free gifts.
See the latest deals from Visible here.
For the virtual gift card offers, you must transfer your number to Visible and make three months of service payments to qualify.
Visible updated its referral program in May 2022. When someone refers Visible to a friend, both the referrer and the referee get $20 off a month of service.
Final Thoughts
After reading my Visible review, I hope that you have more information to help you decide whether to switch to Visible or consider another wireless provider. Get started here.
If it’s not for you, consider Xfinity Mobile or US Mobile. Both have affordable plans on Verizon’s network.
Visible Phone Service Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Low price starting at $30/month | Customer care: No physical stores or 800 number |
| Verizon’s network | Data speeds slower at times (base plan) |
| Unlimited mobile hotspot | No discount for families |
| Frequent phone deals and discounts |
BOTTOM LINE: If your cell phone bill is too high, there are ways to lower it. You just have to weigh the pros and cons. But don’t expect all the perks that a premium cell phone plan offers when you’re paying half the price.
Have you switched to Visible or another low-cost carrier? Add your review in the comments below.
I have the iPhone 12pro Max on Tmobiile using eSIM Apple you can have 2 lines on the eSIM but only one line can be in use at a time to use both at same time one must a eSIM the over a regular sim when both eSIM and the regular sim are in use at the same time the iPhone 12 only works on 4G LTE if use just one regular sim or eSIM then you can use the in 5G
I tried Visible’s bring your own phone according to the website’s IMEI checker from phones listed on their website as being compatible. These two phones were fully, carrier and factory unlocked and didn’t pass the test nor did they pass when I chatted with two different service reps.
Additionally as of today’s comment, Visible is selling cell phone models on their site that are not in the compatibility list.
I still want to switch my carrier to Visible solely for the Hotspot. Trying to get around their “Lock you in” tactics got me the promise that someone of “higher authority” would contact me by phone and/or email. I’m still waiting
I have visible and if you live in a larger city it’s probably fine. I had great service with Verizon and switched to visible. It’s quite possibly the worst service I have every seen. 0 download and 21 mbps upload speeds during the day. The customer service is the worst possible and resolved nothing, they are just terrible.
0 download is absolutely not acceptable and you should switch ASAP if customer service has no resolution. I’m sorry you had that experience. What a headache!
Due to my frequent visits to wilderness areas where other carriers have no signal, I decided to switch to Visible. And I must say, I am extremely pleased with my decision.
Are taxes and fees added to the $25/mo?
No they’re included — so $25 flat
Talked my wife in to going to Visible. Set up her Auto Pay. 2 months later THEY have not processed the payment and shut her phone off with NO warning. No email, nothing. After figuring out what happened AND Visible admitting it was their mistake. They said 24 to 48 Hrs to fix. 72 hours later they said the clock started only 19 hrs ago! Again, their mistake. We have spoken to 5 supervisors (and about a dozen chats). They all tell us something different. They only agree on 24 to 48 hrs to fix. BUT they can’t agree on when that starts or ends. Goodbye Visible. They admit they messed up but have NO info on how, why, when etc.
This sounds awful. I’m sorry you experienced this. If you’re looking for another Verizon alternative, I recently tested US Mobile. They have 24/7 customer service, including by phone.
What if you have an Apple Watch? Can that get transferred over as well?
I don’t believe they do data plans for those.
Visible just launched a program to add apple watches to your plan for $5 a month.
https://www.visible.com/help/apple-watch?CMP=MarketingTactic-AFC
They do now @ $5 per month
Michael, thanks for your informative articles about visible. My husband I are seniors, currently with Verizon. We like Verizon’s coverage but feel we can find something cheaper. My husband uses his phone ONLY for calling. I’m going to switch him to a simple senior cell plan, but I’d like to stay with Verizon. I have a iPhone 11 which I use for talk, text, maps, and some internet surfing. It’s also a hotspot for my iPad where I do my streaming. I’ve never had trouble with connecting where we live, but I’ve noticed other carriers are often problematic. Is visible a good plan for me?
Most likely, yes. Visible has unlimited mobile hotspot data, though speeds aren’t super fast. It’s fast enough to stream video from my extensive testing (2 years as a customer.) Check the coverage map, but since you have Verizon, you should be good. The people who usually have issues with Visible are in rural areas and rely on 3G towers. Visible only uses Verizon’s 4G and 5G networks, not the old 3G one.
Your video was most helpful. The information was succinct and answered all my concerns with switching to a new service. Thank you!
I have a Verizon sim, a Visible e-sim, and a Ting sim, all using Verizon network. At my home in Fort Mohave, AZ, which is a very small rural community where I only get two bars of service, the Verizon sim speed test is always between 20-30, while both the Visible and Ting sims are around 2-3. This is on a iPhone 12. It appears obvious in my case Verizon is throttling the data back to it’s MVNO’s in my area, regardless of congestion status (the same results any time of day or night, any day).
Michael, thank you so much for the informative article. I just recently switched to Visible, myself. I’ve had a very large AT&T bill for the past 15 years and have realized that big companies don’t care about loyalty anymore, so why should I? I’ve been researching Visible for over a month now, and have recently just found out that they now have a data plan for a watch. So far, (mind you it’s only been a week) i’ve had the same service that i’ve had with AT&T and i’m only paying $25 a month with party pay. No dropped calls, or missed texts. I’m an avid wifi user, so haven’t really tested how fast it could be while on the 5G network. It’s seems about the same speed as the 5Ge on AT&T’s network, which is fine with me. I bought an iPhone 13 and financed it through Affirm. Visible overnighted the phone and the set-up was quick and painless. I’m travelling out of the country (to Mexico) here shortly and I’m trying to find out if Visible has international roaming, or will I not have any service?
Very limited international https://www.visible.com/help/does-visible-have-international-service. Can you pick up a cheap SIM card at the airport in Mexico and use that during your trip? That’s what I do when traveling.
We travel to a mountain resort where only Verizon works. My family has T-mobile otherwise and very happy so not looking to switch. Currently we use a hot spot device from Verizon which we have used to make WiFi calls and checking emails in the mountains. However, our recent trip Verizon messed up when I upgraded the data plan and cannot find a resolution. So… I’m looking for a phone that uses Verizon’s network but want prepaid where I can pay for 30 days, then not used for a couple months and prepay again for the next trip. I can’t tell if Visible will work this way like my current hotspot set up. Thoughts? Thanks!
Visible is prepaid. Have you looked into Verizon Prepaid too?
Thanks Michael. I currently have Verizon prepaid Orbic Speed. It worked great until I upgraded from a 6 GB plan to 100 GB plan on our last trip making it unusable. Verizon says the device is the issue and won’t offer a refund of my upgrade.. 3 hours later and the last rep disconnecting me after all that effort was too much. I will forgo the refund and just move on.
I had previous issues with them which is why our phones are all through T-mobile.. I’d prefer a phone over a hotspot anyhow and only need it when we travel to our RV resort where Verizon is the only option. Visible seems to be a great answer, provided I can just pay for a month here or there and not every month.
I stream from my phone to our Vizio Smart TV. From what I read it sounded like it would stream to a TV but did I understand you to say the picture will not be good?
Visible’s hotspot is limited to 5 Mbps, so it’s a very slow connection. That may result in buffering or freezing at times. A home internet connection would be more reliable.
How is the “prepaid” plan billing handled? What if you have a debit card but no credit card?
Prepaid just means you pay for the service in advance. So if you start today (August 18), you’ll pay for August 18 through approximately September 17. They have lots of payment methods. You can use debit or even PayPal. Autopay is optional.
Michael,
I am so tired of Verizon and their increasing fees, plan changes, and data charges. We will be downsizing from 4 to 3 phones. At that time it’ll be two smart and 1 dumb phone. We rarely use outside the US, and don’t require more than maybe 5GB between all 3 phones. I’m concerned about the customer service assistance if I switch and wondering where I would get help. We aren’t tech savy and am even wondering about this sim card you speak of, LOLS.
Hi Diane. Your smartphone have SIM cards in them, but Verizon probably put them in for you. It’s very simple to swap them out. Your new carrier will send you the SIM cards and you can use a paperclip to open the SIM card slot on your phone and insert it. There are many videos, including on my YouTube channel that show this process. But I understand your situation and your hesitancy to go to a carrier with limited customer support. If you want Verizon’s network, I’m wondering if you have Xfinity internet because Xfinity Mobile would be a good match. (I have a review of them because I tested the service for 2 years.) There are also carriers like Total Wireless. With this one, you could go to your local Target or Walmart and get a SIM card in the store just to try it out for 30 days on one phone before switching the others. Also, all of these companies will provide setup instructions and video tutorials when you sign up if you’re more of a visual learner. Best of luck.
I have been using visible for almost a year now and am very satisfied [mostly calls and texting]. No issues, no problems, much lower cost. I do not watch a lot of videos on my phone so not sure how well that works. Price is lowest I can find.
Is FaceTime available with Visible
if you have an iphone yes
Michael !
Thank you so much for the Party Pay and Visible reviews. I have had Visible myself for 3 months, I am in a rural area, and had to change my receiving band to band 5, to be able to have a signal good enough for data. Had to use a 3rd party app to do it after reading on the net about cellular towers-signals and bands. As an ex-IT (retired) guy I have an addition and question to add to the mix. First, have you been able to find out personally, IF Verizon treats their Visible product as any other MVNO ? Ie. the hierarchy usually from a major carrier (AT&T, Verizon and T-Moblie) in order of prioritization goes like this: Post Paid, Pre Paid then the MVNO’s. So do you think that Visible is nested between the prepaid Verizon, and the “other” MVNO’s ? Secondly, there is a work around for using the phone hotspot (if you are in a situation that calls for it) to run your home network(or more than one device) You can tether it to a wifi extender or repeater, or to a computer, either way you can broadcast the phones internet to more than 1 device.
Great articles,
Steve
Hi Steve. I am not sure what level of priority — I have an educated guess — but I will try to find out for sure.
Steve,
I’m using a Visible phone at my weekend home and I’m using a TP-Link device to share the hotspot with other devices (wifi heaters, garage door opener, Wyze cams, Fire TV stick, etc). So far, so good.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TQEX8BO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Ironic !!
I just received my TP Link750 today, and the setup was easy, I used to work in IT before I retired.
I used the ethernet and web interface. In minutes I was up and going, powering my home with internet. I found an interesting note: my desktops and laptops, all get speed >5mbps, whereas my wifes iPhone, iPad and our Fire TV all are maxed at 5-5.6mbps. I have tried my VPN with the Fire TV and that suffices as a workaround for the speed cap. Another note: I also had to use the VPN with my pc’s/laptops BEFORE I bought the wifi extender, to workaround the cap. Again, with the AC750 it takes care of that on its own. I fully understand why Visible does not advertise these things. If everybody did this, the prices would go up. Where I live, the only choice for internet is cellular. No Elon, no fixed wireless. Luckily both AT&T and Verizon cellular signals are good in my location. I have been spending $55 a month to AT&T for 100gb per month (hotspot), and augmenting that with my Visible. I think it would be wise to replace that AT&T with a 2nd Visible line, and dedicate that for my home internet.
Visible (at least for now), Rocks !!
Steve
very interesting. send me an update after further usage!
It’s been solid, and I live in a rural area surrounded by Water Oaks and Live Oaks.. Lucky to get signal, but we do.
As I initially reported, the speed cap is a crap shoot using the extender, which has remained the same, some days it’s exceeded some not, its never less than the high 5.xmbps, this pertains to any devices other than the Fire TV.
Concerning my Fire TV. I installed some apps to prevent Amazon from sending updates to the TV, because I wanted to use my own, non Amazon launcher (another story in itself but not needed here). One of the apps is called AdGuard. It has a built in VPN , that when I was done, made it possible for the TV to bypass the 5 MBPS cap. It has worked every day since the install. I have had a min of 16mbps download now through the TV, and a crazy 60+ upload.
I can also confirm there has not been any trouble with high usage, as I accidentally left one of my fire sticks running for several days, unbeknownst to me. It racked 70gb up, in addition to about 100 I had used on my 3 other devices [Fire TV and 2 pc’s (which I had done an unusual amount of downloading)], so with 4 days to go in my 30 day cycle, I have amassed about 180gb. My normal usage will never be this high again, but I just wanted those who ask, to know, I have had zero problem.
In addition, I needed to make a change in my profile. They had an old address which I couldn’t change. I had several problems on chats. BUT I had an agent CALL ME, and it was handled. So the horror stories that you hear about, are not in the majority. That is not to say it won’t happen. If you are hooked on phone support for your cell phone, Visible is not for you. Nothing created by man, in this world is perfect. .
Only Jesus is.
Great reviews on US Mobile and Visible….but Which one do you recommend? US Mobile or Visible?
Thanks!
Visible is my primary line for 2+ years, but US Mobile is great too. They’re both favorites.
Michael,
I’m a Verizon client due to the fact it is the Only service provider that works in our rural area. I verified our address and it appears we are in a service tower area for Visible 4g to 5g. I just purchases an Apple 13 and depending on where is am in our community my bars range form 2 to 4 bars. That being said Visible plans say unlimited data, minutes and messages. So getting my emails on my phone what will I be using?
Emails on phone would be your data! And it’s unlimited. If you’re worried about the service, please try the free trial with your new iPhone before you switch!
Your website was extremely helpful in making a decision to switch from another carrier. Thank you for your extensive research and knowledge. !
BEWARE OF VISIBLE MOBILE
I have had to file a complaint against Visible with the Better Business Bureau. They have not resolved the case. They have not even responded to attempt to resolve it. I have received no refund. And they caused my life to be a nightmare for a week. If I could post here the numerous chat screenshots of my multiple attempts at resolution, I would do so. But that would get my message flagged as spam and I fear it will be long enough as it is, given that I’m trying to describe a situation that has developed over a week’s length of time with multiple chats, emails and the strangest most horribly unprofessional call with customer service that I’ve ever had in my life.
Okay, so when you place your order, it will say in your cart that it’s being sent via FedEx Overnight delivery. That’s the first lie–I finally got the phone delivered five days later (four times longer than it should have taken). I can’t activate it because Visible cancelled the SIM before I even received it. This is after they told me to wait for the repeatedly delayed delivery and they couldn’t cancel the SIM.
I was finally told someone would call me (this is after me begging for 7 days) but the call never came, instead I received an email from “Jesse M.” the next morning at 7:00 a.m. Why the strange time and many hours of delay? Because nobody at Visible is located anywhere in the US, despite the Colorado mailing address shown on their website…but they don’t want you to know that. The lack of fluent English leads to circular conversations in which no resolution ever occurs, just them saying they will help but instead merely repeatedly insisting I give my full name, address, phone number, email address, SIM number, IMEI, and order number. This is a stalling technique. I have never been able to get a simple question answered. Not one. And they will never offer a refund or return.
Tonight, after spending hours every single day for a week chatting with Visible and attempting in vain to BEG for someone in charge to call me, I finally got a call (hours after it was promised) from “Stephanie”, who claimed to be in charge of customer service. Her demeanor leads me to suspect that’s another lie, because that call ended with no resolution, no refund offered or issued, no reason given for the total lack of help from anyone at Visible, just “Stephanie” yelling over me and hanging up on me. I called the number back and it was not a professional set up. I got a voice mail box that did not have anyone’s name in the outgoing message–not the Visible company name or any person’s name. I have a hard time believing this company is owned by Verizon. Verizon has their share of crappy customer service but here I heard a drunk-sounding woman laughing and saying “Are you surprised I even have voice mail?” The outgoing message sounded like a teenager’s voice mail. But most telling is that after the beep, there is no option to even leave a voice mail; it simply disconnects, which is certainly not the way a legitimate business operates. I surmise the drunk-sounding woman (maybe it was “Stephanie”) was laughing because she knows that on the receiving end of is a person looking for assistance who is about to find out they’re nothing more than a fish on the hook. This company is a fraud, and she knows it. Think about it, a customer service manager who screams and hangs up on a customer who has been begging every day for a week to get help. Just going by her accent, I’d guess that “Stephanie” is in the Philippines or somewhere in Southeast Asia. I’ve had relatives and friends from all over Asia; I recognize the accent. And not being an American is not my complaint here — it’s that I don’t appreciate having my money (and considerable time!) stolen and being lied to repeatedly, even being laughed at and screamed at by the supposed person in charge of their customer service. All of my considerable time trying to communicate with and receive a resolution from this company proves to me that Visible isn’t legitimate.
The chat, emails, and calls are all from outside the US. That is why you have a better chance at getting a call from the Queen of England than to get anyone there to call you and be able to understand the issue, much less be bothered to care about resolving it. No one from Visible will tell you where they’re located. They will tell you they’re not allowed to say. Why? The lack of understanding and communication from them proves that they don’t grasp English well enough to understand the problem, much less remedy it.
And don’t be fooled by their deals. Do they seem too good to be true? That’s because they are; you’re not likely to ever receive them. I didn’t. When I purchased a new phone from them, the promotions I received were a $150 gift card of my choosing, plus a Bang & Olufsen portable speaker. Yeah, I feared that speaker was too good to be true because it retails for about $275. (Should’ve listened to my gut!) Since Visible cancelled the SIM before I ever received the phone due to their overnight delivery taking four times that, I can’t activate the phone and complete porting of my number from my previous carrier, and since buying a new phone from Visible and porting from my previous carrier are both required to receive the “gifts”, they use that as a loophole to refuse me those items offered to me in the promo I received with my order. The good ol’ bait and switch tactic. Obviously, any reputable company caring about KEEPING loyal customers doesn’t use this tactic. But companies who only want to grab your money for a one-time purchase (such as a one-time purchase of an expensive device) are happy to pull this on their customers because once they’ve paid, the onus is on the customer, to try to recoup your money. And Visible will make your life a nightmare while you spend hours and days attempting to do just that. And they know it, so please don’t fall for it like I did.
I’ve found that there is not a single person at Visible (wherever they are located; it’s certainly NOT Colorado) knows how to provide a simple answer to a simple question. When they do, it ends up being a lie. They will keep you going in circles and go out of their way to not answer your questions. I asked for the chat transcript to be emailed to me, and multiple times the chat agents agreed, but no transcript for those chats ever came. Then today, “Stephanie” informs me that she has the transcripts but for legal reasons they are not allowed to send that to me. Well, obviously. They don’t want to be caught in lies. Because they’re committing fraud, and they know it. Other mobile/wireless providers may have crap customer service as well, but they usually offer the option of receiving a chat transcript. (And if they don’t, well, that doesn’t bode well, I’ve now learned.) I recommend taking screenshots of the chats, but of course, they’ve made sure to make the chat window tiny so that you must do so repeatedly, and the conversation will be so chopped up into tiny segments that it’s practically a full-time job trying to piece the screenshots together to make sense.
Visible has stolen from me. The only thing they gave me was a hard-learned lesson in what a mobile service provider should NOT do. Like a bad relationship with a narcissist, I now know the red flags to look out for!
Update to my previously lengthy comment:
After filing the complaint with BBB, I logged into my Visible account and my order has completely disappeared. It does not show that it was cancelled by Visible; it does not show that the delivery was delayed for four days. It does not appear anywhere in my account. Yet another indication of fraud. But I have the order confirmation email and the PayPal transaction ID to prove that the payment to Visible was indeed made and not refunded.
Have a look at Visible’s score on the BBB website. There’s a reason they’re not accredited. And of course, only a fraction of people will take the step to report them to the BBB.
I had the exact same experience with AT&T, so it is not just Visible. I have talked to plenty of non-American people through Verizon as well. The overseas call centers companies use is simply a money-grab for them and I do not think they really care about their customers. Just keep paying that bill.
BBB is useless. They are a business of their own making profits from big companies for good ratings. Visible is probably not accredited because they don’t pay to be on that site. Trust me I had issues with Ebay and Sprint. I thought just like you and report to BBB just to resolve nothing.
Visible has worked great for me for 9 of the past 11 months. In the past two months, several dropped calls and unusable data every day at lunch time. Hours or trouble shooting with Visible and they say nothing is wrong. Apple says my iPhone is good. Have you noticed service issues in the past couple of months? I do not want to leave, but if the service continues to act up I may have to.
Personally, I have not had any issues recently. If your problems continue, maybe try US Mobile or Twigby to stay on Verizon’ network.
The internet test is 1.75. Like it was 25 years ago. I was excited because Visible is part of Verizon, but is probably the worst coverage I have seen.
I have had Visible for several months now. At times I would have to put airplane mode on and off to receive service. Sometimes text messages dont come in for hours and consistently I have 2-3 bars of service where It should have very good coverage. They refuse my 50 dollar virtual gift. The reason at first was i needed to have 3 months of service. Later on they claimed that promo was only for people who bought phones from them. These people are liars and thieves. Mint Mobile had better service then this.
Nice writeup!
What’s missing for me is a mention of iPads. I have T Mobile, and I added my iPad for $10 extra / month. I don’t see Visible mentioning that anywhere. Any idea why?
I realize that if you have your iPhone with you one could make it a hotspot, but I sometimes may not have access to it and want my iPad to have service also.
I don’t think they have iPad plans. They have smartwatch plans. I don’t really encourage people to pay for either (use Wi-Fi or the hotspot feature), but I’m very price-sensitive. You’re not the first person to ask this — so I want to explore it more and add information to my content. Thanks.
Hi, Michael,
Absolutely impossible to reach customer support right now….so perhaps you can answer a couple of questions:
1. Does Visible work with Wifi calling on an iPhone 14?
2. I know Visible doesn’t offer service abroad for travelers to Europe, but what happens if I am using wifi calling over there…..and someone calls me from the US. Will I get the call? And can I place the call to the US over Wifi?
2. While in the US, what happens if I try to send an SMS to Europe or receive one from Europe? Does it matter if I am using wifi calling?
Thanks your your advice,
When I travel, I use Whatsapp. But your questions are good. I have found a couple of resources for you here. Relating to Wi-Fi calling: https://www.visible.com/help/wifi-calling and overseas questions: https://community.visible.com/t5/Need-help/WI-FI-calling-while-overseas/td-p/16709
Thank you kindly, Michael, for suggesting these resources. It does appear that when calling via wifi calling from abroad, you can connect with a US number. As far as sending and receiving texts from abroad via Wifi, that’s still uncertain. I wish Visible was as responsive as you are! I’ve given up trying to reach their customer care…I’ve tried both through Facebook and Chat….no response and impossible to reach an agent. I’m considering switching to Visible, but I’m loath to do so until they get their act together…..so many horror stories of folks trying to get Visible to straighten out a mess resulting from opening a new account and porting a number. They will be losing a lot of new business until they fix their customer support issues.
Have you thought about US Mobile?
Visible does not solve issues with the phones they sell you. Still texting issues after a month. They don’t call and it takes hours to get someone on chat. No other way to contact. It has been a month with 8 chats and no resolution.
i read the instructions to use visible, it implies you have to install the visible app on the phone. Is this required? If so does the phone actually go thru the app to perform calls, text, and data? or is the phone constantly checking to see if the app is installed? If so that seems like a security issue. Please explain
You do NOT need to go through the app to place calls. I rarely use the app. The app is for account management like bill payment (I’m on autopay), including all customer service interactions. You can also log in to Visible’s website to start a customer service request.
Hi, I was hoping Visible would be a good option for me because I had Tello before and experienced many dead spots around the suburban Denver area. I saw your article and decided to go with Visible. I joined yesterday 12/7/22 and received my SIM this morning around 11am. I activated the SIM and thought it would be a few minutes. 10+ hours later, I still have no mobile service and have been on and off chat with them all day. They’ve been nice enough, but looks like they’re have huge issues with activations and I can’t even go back to my last SIM card as it’s been deactivated. Needless to say, I’m porting out of Visible after less than one day and have not experienced even one second of their mobile service because of all of these issues.
Have you thought about US Mobile? You can port to them quickly (in most cases) and also Verizon’s network.
Visible seems like a great deal. My phone is old and not compatible so I decided to sign up and buy a new phone from them. I filled out the online form requesting the transfer of my current phone number to it. I am already on the Verizon network so I thought that would be quick and easy. I received an email confirming my order, but nothing more after that. After a few days I opened a chat with Visible to check on the status of my order and was informed that there were “port in issues” and the order had been cancelled. I understand there can be problems but it was very irritating that I was not notified in any way that my order was cancelled! No email and nothing on the Visible website. We are looking at Xfinity Mobile now.
Very strange and poor service you received! Xfinity Mobile is good if you have Xfinity for internet. US Mobile may also be a good pick for you — also on Verizon’s network.
I decided to switch to Visible from AT&T I am glad that my AT&T account is still active. My phone would not work on their system, they did send me one over night. At that point my attempts to activate my Visible account went from frustrating to irritation to angry to strait down the crapper. After two days and a number of on-line chats they could not activate my Visible account, but they wanted to access my bank account to pay for the first months service. The I was told that a TEC would e-mail me in 2-4 days to try and fix the glitch that would not let my account activate. My time with Visible is over. What I may save in cost is not worth the BS I went through.
I’ve been happy with the Visible service itself but customer support is the worst around. I ordered a new cell phone which was stolen in transit (thanks FedEx!). I signed for an empty box before they would hand it to me knowing full well it was empty. It’s been 3 months and still waiting for a refund from Visible. They There is no follow through and no one who can do anything, only refer the matter to some unknown team we mere customers cannot reach.