Verizon Wireless is one of the most popular and well-known cell phone providers, and rightly so. This mobile phone carrier features plans, phones, coverage and customer service that consistently meet its customers' needs, which is why the company is our TopTenREVIEWS Gold Award winner. Verizon Wireless' success comes from its variety of plans and features. It offers excellent plans for individuals, families and businesses, and even those who travel internationally. Additionally, this service provides excellent coverage for its customers, along with an extensive selection of phones and mobile devices.
Verizon Wireless offers both contact-based and prepaid plans. The contract-based plans, also known as Share Everything Plans, provide unlimited talk and text, along with a designated amount of shared data. These plans allow up to 10 devices per account.
The Share Everything Plans are very simple. First, you choose the number and type of devices you want on your account. You can choose from a smartphone or a basic phone, but be aware that a smartphone line will cost much more than a basic phone line. Additionally, you can add a tablet to your plan for a small additional fee each month.
After you have chosen the type of device you wish to use, you can select the amount of data you desire on your account. The amount of data you choose ranges from 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10GB of data. If you wish to add more than 10GB, additional options are available. However, we are disappointed that this cell phone carrier does not provide any unlimited data options.
This cell phone carrier has several prepaid options, including pay-as-you-go and prepaid tablets. These plans require no annual contract and do not have many of the fees associated with the Share Everything Plans.
Verizon Wireless provides nationwide coverage. Its network extends to all 50 states, which lessens the chance of you experiencing dead zones with no service. This cell phone provider also has one of the largest 4G coverage areas. Its 4G LTE coverage extends all over the nation, whereas many other carriers focus their 4G LTE coverage solely on the East Coast or the Midwest.
This cell phone company offers international coverage. If you travel extensively outside of the United States, this is an added benefit. Verizon Wireless' Global Services allow you to call and text from more than 220 countries. This also includes internet and email access.
Verizon Wireless has an extensive selection of phones, from leading-edge smartphones to the simplest, most budget-conscious devices.
In addition to smartphones, Verizon Wireless has a complete array of multimedia and feature phones to meet anyone's needs. Like other major cell phone providers, the price of phones is subsidized in return for a contract commitment, so you can get even top-of-the-line phones for a nominal cost when you sign up for a plan.
If you plan to transfer from another cell phone carrier, you can still use your existing number. This makes the transfer process much easier for you and all your contacts. Verizon also features free night and weekend minutes. The free night minutes begin at 9:01 p.m.
There are several fees attached to Verizon Wireless, which is why it did not receive a perfect score in this category. There is an activation fee for starting a two-year contract with this cell phone company. Prepaid plans and pay-as-you-go plans do not include this fee. Additionally, you may be required to pay an upgrade fee when you upgrade to a new device.
If you wish to cancel your contract with this cell phone provider early, there is a large early termination fee. Additional fees you may see with this service include data overage fees and roaming charges.
Verizon Wireless has a well-established reputation for high quality customer service. Customers can get direct help by toll-free telephone and by email. You can also access numerous automated services and live help without additional charges from your cell phone. The company's website offers an excellent live chat feature; however, if a salesperson is not available to chat, the chat feature does not appear anywhere on the site. Fortunately, the website is well organized, so it is easy to find the information you need from additional online resources.
Competition among major mobile service providers is intense, with each company constantly trying to outperform the others for extremely profitable market share. Verizon Wireless has become one of the largest cell phone providers in America by excelling in network quality and reliability, customer service and by providing an extensive selection of the most-desired phones. If you are looking for either a pre-paid plan or a contract service, Verizon Wireless is worth your consideration.
Pros
Verizon Wireless has a large selection of both contract-based and pre-paid cell phone plans. The company also offers outstanding nationwide and international coverage.
Cons
This cell phone carrier's two-year contract comes with several possible additional charges, including activation, early termination and data overage fees.
Verizon Wireless has the plans, coverage, phones and customer service to keep you satisfied. With its outstanding customer service and many plan options and features, this cell phone service is hard to beat.