Verizon vs. Verizon Pre-Paid: Which Carrier is Better?

Verizon is a major wireless carrier with incredible cell phone plans, a high-speed network, and many add-ons to make every plan unique to you. They also offer a pre-paid set of cell phone plans that have less data, are a bit less expensive, and have no contract. When looking into Verizon, as a major wireless carrier, caters to high-data users and those who want high-priority data to ensure maximum data speeds whenever possible. 

In this article, we plan to discuss the ins and outs of these two sides of Verizon and what they offer. We’ll also cover:

• What Verizon coverage looks like
• How do the prices of their plans compare to how much data you get
• The features Verizon offers for their plans 

Coverage & Reception

Verizon is a major wireless carrier that owns and operates its own network across the United States. At present, all major wireless networks in the country boast impressive 5G coverage, supported by extensive 4G LTE networks that reach further into less densely populated areas. Verizon's network provides nationwide coverage, similar to AT&T and T-Mobile. When you are looking for a new carrier, we recommend checking out local coverage maps to see which network is strongest in your area. 

Verizon's Active Networks

Verizon operates multiple networks to ensure robust and reliable coverage across the country. Their active networks include:

1. 5G Ultra Wideband (UWB): Verizon's high-band millimeter-wave 5G network offers extremely fast speeds and low latency. Where active, this delivers lightning-fast speeds. 
2. 5G Nationwide: A combination of low and mid-band spectrum providing extensive 5G coverage nationwide. While not as fast as 5G UWB, it provides fantastic reception across a wider area than Verizon’s UWB. 
3. 4G LTE: Verizon's 4G LTE network is extensive and serves as the backbone of its nationwide coverage, ensuring connectivity in areas where 5G has yet to roll out.

Data Priority and Congestion

Verizon, like other major carriers, manages network traffic through data prioritization to ensure optimal performance for its users. When network traffic exceeds capacity, data speeds are managed based on priority tiers to prevent widespread slowdowns.

Priority Tiers

1. Tier 1 (Premium Data): This tier includes customers on higher-tiered plans, such as those with unlimited premium data plans. Users in this tier experience the least amount of throttling and maintain the highest possible speeds under normal conditions. However, in extremely congested scenarios, such as large public events, even Tier 1 users may experience slowdowns.
2. Tier 2 (Standard Data): Customers on mid-range plans fall into this tier. Their data speeds are prioritized below Tier 1, meaning they may experience slower speeds during peak times or in congested areas, but not as severely as Tier 3 users.
3. Tier 3 (MVNO Data): This tier includes users on Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) that lease network access from Verizon. These users experience the lowest priority, and their data speeds are the first to be throttled during congestion. 

Nationwide Congestion

Data prioritization and congestion levels can vary significantly based on location. In densely populated urban areas such as New York City or Chicago, network congestion is more common due to the high number of users and limited bandwidth. As a result, users in these areas, especially those on lower-tier plans, may notice more frequent and severe slowdowns. In contrast, suburban and rural areas typically experience less congestion, leading to more consistent data speeds regardless of the priority tier.

Verizon offers a range of plans that cater to different data needs and priorities, allowing users to choose a plan that best suits their usage patterns and location. For those in major metropolitan areas, opting for a higher-tier plan can help mitigate the impact of data deprioritization and ensure a more reliable connection.

Verizon's nationwide coverage is extensive. Understanding how congestion and data priority fit into your current location is critical when deciding whether to go with Verizon or Verizon pre-paid. The prepaid plans are a good way to try out Verizon before committing to a longer-term stay, giving you an easier out than if you went with their flagship plans. 

Plan Options

Verizon offers cell phone plans with limited and unlimited data. In addition to high-speed data, Verizon includes various features and add-ons. 

Verizon Cell Phone Plans

Verizon offers three cell phone plans, keeping their offerings simple and efficient. The price of these cell phone plans varies tremendously based on how many lines are on your account. We recommend at least three lines on this major provider, as it saves $30 on each line each month. These are Verizon’s cell phone plans: 

• Welcome Unlimited, priced at $65/55/40/30 a month per line
• Unlimited Plus, priced at $80/70/55/45 a month per line
• Unlimited Ultimate, priced at $90/80/65/55 a month per line

The Unlimited Plus plan is a little more expensive and comes with the following perks: 

• 30 GB mobile hotspot
• Device savings
• Price guarantee
• Premium data

Regardless of the number of lines, the Unlimited Plus plan is $15 more per line on your account. This is a lot, but the premium data is handy in spaces with high data usage. It is hard to gauge how important premium data is. There are many areas around the country where Verizon’s network is strong enough to keep everyone using full-speed data.

Unlimited Ultimate doubles the hotspot data and opens up some new customer deals. This is an excellent choice for people who are willing to pay a premium for their cell phone service in order to get all the bells and whistles on their cell phone plan. 60 GBs of high-speed hotspot data is excellent for those who need to use data on laptops or tablets on the go. 

Premium data is most valuable for those in big cities. There is a lot of congestion in big cities, and Data is frequently slowed down in other areas, especially in big cities. We recommend starting on the less expensive plan and checking your data speeds for a month or two. If you notice slow data, we recommend switching to a more expensive plan if you have the budget for it. 

Alongside the base plans, Verizon offers a package of optional add-ons that each add $10 to your cell phone bill. The best part is that you can skip them entirely and stick to the base plan price, but if you find any Verizon add-ons you like, adding them to your plan always saves a few dollars on the service. 

Verizon Pre-Paid Cell Phone Plans

Verizon offers four pre-paid cell phone plans, which vary in data allocation. The price of these cell phone plans varies tremendously based on how many lines are on your account. We recommend at least three lines on this major provider, as it saves $30 on each line each month. These are Verizon’s pre-paid cell phone plans: 

• $35 — Talk and text only
• $45 — 15 GB of high-speed data 
• $60 — Unlimited high-speed data 
• $70 — Unlimited high-speed data with 20 GB hotspot data

For starters, don’t get Verizon’s talk and text-only cell phone plan. It is far too expensive and doesn’t give you the main benefit of using a major wireless network, which is, well, the network. If you truly don’t need high-speed mobile data, then an MVNO cell phone plan is perfect for you. Carriers like Tello Mobile, Ting, and Mint Mobile all have super-affordable low-data cell phone plans that let you save big on your mobile bill. 

Verizon’s other three prepaid cell phone plans all have benefits, including fantastic multi-line savings, which we will get into later! Their 15 GB data plan is good for low-data users, which gets you some high-speed data to use in emergencies while saving you money compared to their unlimited data plans. Their premium unlimited plan, on top of the 20 GB hotspot data, also has 50 GB of premium wireless data, which means you will almost never receive data slowdowns. If you find yourself regularly using hotspot data, then the extra $10 is very worthwhile! 

These cell phone plans are similarly priced to Verizon’s postpaid cell phone plans. All things being equal, we recommend Verizon’s postpaid plans because they offer greater benefits for the price. Major wireless networks offer lots of add-ons, features, and more, with the caveat that they are very expensive. Verizon pre-paid toes the line between a postpaid major wireless network and an MVNO, which offers much more affordable cell phone plans without the bells, whistles, and data priority you receive from major networks. 

We recommend Verizon pre-paid for people who are interested in trying out a major wireless network without committing to a contract on their service. It is hard to find concrete differences between the three major wireless networks. They all have impressive nationwide coverage, offer great high-speed data, and a robust cell phone store. Trying out a major wireless provider's pre-paid plan is a great way to see how their reported coverage map holds up in your area. You may find holes in their network that make it very frustrating to use their service or find that their coverage is exceptional in your area. 

Multi-Line Savings

Verizon’s multi-line savings are the same for every plan, which decreases the cost of each line as you add more to the account. This is the biggest way to save money on Verizon Wireless. Let’s break down how much you save with Verizon's pre-paid multi-line savings. 

In brief, the prices of single-line Verizon pre-paid plans are $35, $50, and $60 per line, respectively. The prices of the same lines with a five-line account are $35, $30, and $44, respectively. There are no multi-line savings on Verizon’s 15 GB plan, but you receive significant savings from both of their unlimited plans. Verizon’s Unlimited plan multiple-line savings rack up to 40% off each month! 

Major Wireless Network and  MVNO

Verizon is a major wireless network. While Verizon pre-paid offers less expensive cell phone plans, they are still priced far higher than what’s available in the MVNO scene. In this section, we will break down these two kinds of carriers and why MVNOs are able to offer much less expensive prices.

Major Wireless Networks

Major wireless networks, such as Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, own and operate their own network infrastructure, which includes towers, antennas, and the necessary technology to provide nationwide coverage. These networks invest heavily in expanding and upgrading their infrastructure to offer the latest technologies like 5G and ensure robust and reliable service. They offer a wide range of plans, from basic to premium, often including perks such as international roaming, streaming subscriptions, and higher data priority.

Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs)

MVNOs, such as Mint Mobile, Cricket Wireless, and Metro by T-Mobile, do not own their network infrastructure. Instead, they lease access to the networks of major carriers, providing services at often lower prices. MVNOs typically offer simpler plans without many additional perks from major carriers. Because they lease network access, MVNO customers usually experience lower data priority, meaning their speeds can be slowed more frequently during network congestion than customers of the major networks.

Key Differences

The primary difference between major wireless networks and MVNOs lies in network ownership and data priority. Major carriers own and control their infrastructure, which allows them to offer more comprehensive coverage, advanced features, and higher data priority. MVNOs, by leasing network access, can offer more affordable plans but at the cost of lower data priority and potentially fewer features. While major networks provide extensive and often premium services, MVNOs appeal to cost-conscious consumers looking for basic connectivity at a lower price

Customer Service 

Verizon has physical locations and robust online customer service offerings. You can call Verizon’s customer service line at 844-931-0552. You can also reach Verizon’s help pages following this link, which has answers to frequently asked questions, the option to chat, and more. 

Major Wireless Prepaid vs Postpaid

In terms of value, postpaid plans offer more. Prepaid plans, however, are great in a pinch. They require no credit check or binding contract, meaning you have more flexibility when you sign up. If you want to try out a major wireless network service, then a prepaid plan can be a great way to do that. 

Be warned, however, about cell phone contracts when using a prepaid plan. A cell phone contract will lock you into their service just like a carrier contract will. Many carriers sell their phones on two or three-year contracts, effectively locking you into their service for that whole time unless you can pay off your phone in full and get it unlocked. Well, you can leave, but your phone won’t work on any other provider’s network unless it is unlocked. If you do want to buy a new cell phone when you switch to a new provider, we recommend double-checking the cell phone contract to ensure you do not get stuck with a carrier you don’t want. A lot of new carrier deals look great on the surface but hide contracts within. 

The Verdict

Verizon’s cell phone plans offer more robust data allocations and add-ons but are a bit more expensive. Overall, we recommend Verizon’s postpaid cell phone plans over their pre-paid options. If you are interested in prepaid offerings, there are lots of amazing MVNOs with much more affordable plans than Verizon Pre-Paid. 

Verizon's Pre-Paid offerings are too expensive to compete with other plans, especially with postpaid cell phone plans and MVNO pre-paid plans available. They are just about the same cost as Verizon’s regular cell phone plans, and Verizon’s limited-data plan, with 15 GB, is much more expensive than MVNOs in the United States. 

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What are the main differences between Verizon and Verizon Pre-Paid?

Verizon operates its own network and offers a wide range of plans with various features, including high data priority, international roaming, and additional perks like streaming service subscriptions. Verizon Pre-Paid, on the other hand, offers more flexible payment options with no contracts, typically at a lower cost. Pre-paid plans may have fewer features and lower data priority, meaning data speeds can be slowed more frequently during times of network congestion.

How does data priority affect the user experience on Verizon Pre-Paid compared to Verizon?

Data priority determines how network traffic is managed, especially during congestion. Verizon customers generally receive higher data priority, ensuring faster and more reliable speeds. Verizon Pre-Paid customers are assigned lower data priority, which means their data speeds can be throttled during peak usage times. This difference is particularly noticeable in densely populated areas where network congestion is common.

Are there any benefits to choosing Verizon Pre-Paid over Verizon's standard plans?

Yes, Verizon Pre-Paid offers several benefits, including the flexibility of no long-term contracts, lower monthly costs, and the ability to pay only for what you need. These plans are ideal for budget-conscious consumers or those who prefer not to commit to a long-term contract. Additionally, pre-paid plans can be a good choice for users who don't require the premium features and high data priority offered by Verizon's standard plans.