Verizon Wireless had a reported 154 million subscribers in the third quarter of 2018, which makes it the largest wireless telecommunications provider in the United States. The company was founded in 2000, and has since become the leader in wireless communications.

Its 4G LTE network currently covers 98 percent of the U.S. population, and has won or tied in top honors from RootMetrics RootScore reports. Verizon Wireless is currently working on a 5G (fifth generation network).

Features

RootMetrics is an independent agency that runs thousands of network performance exams each year in order to gauge performance. For the past nine years Verizon has scored the highest overall in speed, reliability, data, call clarity as well as text performance among the “Big Four” networks (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon).

It is no shock that Verizon is both popular as well as successful in terms of performance metrics. Consumers are usually willing to fork over the extra cash for the best option, and Verizon is certainly no exception.

Verizon Wireless offers three different unlimited plans and one semi-budget option. International calling is available to Mexico and Canada for an additional $5 p/ month. You can also expand International calling to over 70 other countries for $15.

Verizon features a number of the hottest phones on the market including the iPhone XR, Samsung Galaxy Note9 and Google Pixel3 XL. If you need the phone as soon as possible, Verizon has the option to order online and pickup in-store the same day. Or, you can skip the store and receive it via mail in two days.

The wireless provider also offers a trade-in service if you want to upgrade to one of latest new releases. Their online platform helps assess the trade-in value of your phone depending on make and model.

Storage is supported with two different options. The Verizon Cloud service ranges from 500GB to 1TB. If you are a family you can also utilize Verizon Smart Family which includes parental controls such as content filters, pausing the internet as well as monitoring the location of your kids.

Rates

Verizon Wireless offers customers two tiers of unlimited data plans that range from $85 to $95 p/ month. Consumers can save approximately $5 p/ month by enrolling autopay and of course you also must factor in taxes and fees.

The primary difference between the Go Unlimited plan ($85) and Beyond Unlimited plan ($95) is the speed of the data. The Beyond Unlimited plan will provide premium 4G LTE data along with 15GB of high-speed mobile hotspot and HD video streaming with an upgrade. Meanwhile, the Go Unlimited plan features slightly slower hotspot speeds (600kbps) and DVD quality video.

You can save more by pairing your service with additional lines, and Verizon supports up to 10 on one plan. However, that is where the savings tend to end as Verizon is not known for being extremely budget friendly.

Their only real “budget option” for a single user is priced at $60. The plan is reasonable with 5GB of data provided, and unlimited talk and text. However, there are several cheaper options through other providers. Families can receive similar “budget” plans from $35 to $70, yet the cheaper ones in particular offer very limited data.

Pros

You are getting the best with Verizon Wireless. The provider consistently ranks as the best (or tied for the best) in every vital category of wireless performance, and has done so for years. Verizon has built a phenomenal reputation as being the most reliable network around.

Verizon regularly offers the most sought after phones on the market so if you are willing to fork over extra for a high priced phone such as the iPhone or Samsung Galaxy, you can expect to pair it with high call clarity, fast speeds and incredible reliability.

Cons

The only major knock on Verizon is the price of its plans. The network knows that they are highly sought after and have inflated their prices accordingly. You are going to pay more for the best network around.

If you are on a tight budget or do not use a lot of data, there is likely better options out there for both single and family plans. It is a good idea to price and compare with companies such as Tracfone and MetroPCS.

Conclusion

Verizon is a well oiled machine. It consistently is ranked the best by RootMetrics which is considered the poster child for rating the best wireless providers. You will pay more, but you will not be disappointed with the performance of Verizon.