Visible by Verizon

Last updated
Visible Service LLC
Visible by Verizon
Company type Subsidiary
Industry Wireless telecommunications
FoundedMay 10, 2018;6 years ago (May 10, 2018)
Headquarters
Denver, Colorado
,
United States
Area served
 United States
Key people
Products
Services Mobile communications
Parent Verizon Consumer
Website visible.com

Visible Service LLC, doing business as Visible by Verizon, and known simply as Visible, is an American all-digital prepaid mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) and brand wholly-owned by Verizon. Launched in 2018, the carrier offers services on the Verizon network, with all services delivered via e-commerce and mobile apps using generative artificial intelligence, and no brick and mortar retail presence. Visible competes against T-Mobile's Metro by T-Mobile, AT&T's Cricket Wireless, and EchoStar's Boost Mobile in the major carrier prepaid segment.

Contents

History

Visible was launched by Verizon on May 10, 2018 without any prior announcement, promoting an unlimited plan for $40 per-month. At launch, the service was only available by invitation, and at the time, required users to register via the Visible app or its website. Once registered, Visible would send users a SIM card the next day and once installed, can access the network. In addition, only unlocked phones were available to be used at launch. [1] [2]

In 2020, Verizon launched Yahoo! Mobile, an MVNO co-branded with the then-Verizon owned Yahoo! web portal; the service was identical to that of Visible, but with the addition of Yahoo! Mail Pro. [3] The service was discontinued on August 31, 2021, with customers being directed to Visible. [4]

In May 2021, long-time Verizon executive Angie Klein became CEO of Visible. [5] In November 2022, following its acquisition of TracFone Wireless, Verizon's prepaid and value brands were brought under a new Verizon Value division led by Klein. [6] In June 2022, Visible was rebranded as Visible by Verizon. [7]

Services

Visible is positioned as an all-digital MVNO on the Verizon network, with most business conducted online and via the Visible mobile app, and no physical retail presence or call centers. [1] [2] [8]

Customers can pay upfront per-month or for a year of service. Visible offers "basic" and "premium" unlimited plans, with the "premium" plan differentiated by 50 GB of "prioritized" data access on the Verizon 5G ultra-wideband network, expanded roaming (including 2 GB per-day of data in Canada and Mexico), an extra line for a smartwatch, and the ability to purchase a per-day "Global Pass" for unlimited roaming and 2 GB of data in 140 countries. The service also allows customers to refer friends to receive a $20 credit. [8] Until August 2022, Visible allowed customers to add additional lines of basic service for $25 per-month ("Party Pay"); the cost of a basic plan was later lowered to $25 per-month in 2023. [8]

Marketing

A Boston storefront decorated with a Visible advertisement. 404 Store Not Found.jpg
A Boston storefront decorated with a Visible advertisement.

Early promotion for Visible included storefronts in several cities decorated with solid blue "404 Store Not Found" signage, alluding to the carrier's lack of brick and mortar presence. [9] In 2019, Visible ran a stunt offering free massages at Denver Union Station, after having run a mobile billboard that contained the typo "unlimited massages". [10] In 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Visible ran the campaign "#VisibleActsofKindness", and launched a wider television and digital media campaign to promote its services. [11]

Customer complaints

The company has faced numerous complaints since its inception related to its lackluster or non-existent customer support, which is only available via chat through their Android or iOS app, and social media platforms Facebook and Twitter. [12] [13] [14] The company has no phone number, and thus no customer support via telephone. [14] Customer complaints range from weeks long waits for porting in/out to complete, SIM/eSIM provisioning issues, loss of service for multiple days, failing to honor promotional deals, and charges to credit cards without services provided. [12] [13] [15]

On April 28, 2021, the Better Business Bureau issued an alert posted for the company, citing a pattern of consumer complaints that the company was unresponsive to their request for assistance regarding cellular service and billing and advising consumers to file complaints with the Federal Trade Commission Bureau of Consumer Protection. [12] [16]

In a September 20, 2022 article in Fierce Wireless, the company admitted problems with its customer service model. [17]

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. 1 2 Shieber, Jonathan; Ha, Anthony (May 10, 2018). "Verizon stealthily launched a startup offering $40-per-month unlimited data, messaging and minutes". TechCrunch. Archived from the original on October 19, 2022. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  2. 1 2 Dano, Mike (May 11, 2018). "Verizon funds new 'Visible' app-based provider offering $40/month unlimited". Fierce Wireless. Archived from the original on October 19, 2022. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  3. ↑ Kastrenakes, Jacob (2020-03-11). "Verizon launches Yahoo Mobile phone service". The Verge. Archived from the original on 2020-11-22. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
  4. ↑ Rahman, Mishaal (2021-06-18). "Yahoo Mobile is shutting down and telling people to switch to Visible". XDA. Retrieved 2024-07-01.
  5. ↑ "Verizon's Visible names Angie Klein as CEO". Fierce Wireless. 26 May 2021. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
  6. ↑ Furnas, Dawn (2022-11-16). "Verizon launches new organization to encompass value brands". NJBIZ. Archived from the original on 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  7. ↑ "Verizon gives Visible and Total Wireless a new name". Wirefly. Archived from the original on 18 November 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 Edwards, Luke; updated, Alex Whitelock last (2022-03-01). "Visible wireless plans guide: coverage, price, and everything you need to know". TechRadar. Archived from the original on 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  9. ↑ Marek, Sue (2019-03-21). "Verizon's Visible is trying to build a brand in a crowded prepaid market | Fierce Network". www.fierce-network.com. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
  10. ↑ "Verizon's Visible scores with free massage stunt". Marketing Dive. Archived from the original on 2024-08-29. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
  11. ↑ May 18, Lindsay Stein; Information, 2020 The. "Verizon-owned company Visible wants to help consumers 'trim the bad' in first TV spot". www.campaignlive.com. Archived from the original on 2024-12-12. Retrieved 2024-07-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. 1 2 3 "Visible Service, LLC Profile". Better Business Bureau. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
  13. 1 2 "Visible Service, LLC | Reviews | Better Business Bureau® Profile". www.bbb.org. Archived from the original on 2022-04-12. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
  14. 1 2 "Visible | It's Phone Service. In An App". www.visible.com. Archived from the original on 2022-11-13. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
  15. ↑ "Visible is rated "Bad" with 1.4 / 5 on Trustpilot". Trustpilot. Archived from the original on 2022-11-13. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
  16. ↑ "Visible Service, LLC-Information and Alerts". Better Business Bureau. 2021-04-28. Retrieved 2025-01-16.
  17. ↑ Hardesty, Linda (2022-09-20). "Visible acknowledges customer service problems". Fierce Wireless. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
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