60 million dollar fine while they hauled in multiples of that while lying to 'unlimited' customers about data throttling: https://www.extremetech.com/mobile/301540-att-rewarded-with-60m-fine-after-lying-to-customers-about-mobile-data-throttling

I think they deliberately throttled my DSL line while trying to force us to their new WIFI service. I moved to Visible instead.

According to CBS news tonight you will likely get reimbursed  from AT&T, about $2 for throttling your  service.

This wasn't about DSL, only mobile data.  I've never heard any allegations of throttling DSL.

What wifi service do they offer?

  On 11/9/2019 at 2:25 AM, Carlos said:

This wasn't about DSL, only mobile data. 

And I believe that it only applies to customers who were paying for unlimited data services. 

No but I've seen several other articles talking about AT&T's misdeeds. We have had plenty of problems with them 'slamming' our account. Adding services that we never wanted or authorized. And I just saw one saying that they just added $10/mo to peoples 'unlimited' account bills while adding some extra capacity. Users cannot refuse this 'bonus'. My wife called to ask them if we could put our DSL on 'vacation hold' for a month. They said no and if we stopped it that would be the end of it they would not restart it. I wanted to keep it available while we tried out Visible, just in case. Visible has been great so far, I'm over 50GB right now and no signs of any slow down.

I'm not sure what their WIFI service is, I never really looked at their literature that they send us every few days. My daughter got it tho and has been happy with it so far as I know. AT&T installs a WIFI antenna and router I believe but again I don't know for sure.

The usual gotcha with cheaper 'unlimited' internet is coverage. How does Visible stack up there?

Uses the Verizon network so far as I know

Yes, Visible is a Verizon prepaid brand that offers unlimited talk, text, and data with clearly spelled out limitations for a low all in monthly fee.

Many people mean different things by "coverage."  In the literal sense of how much signal is available over an area, Visible is exactly the same as Verizon.  Calls and texts will be identical.  Data signal coverage is identical, but the actual data transport is de-prioritized and almost everyone else on the network gets higher priority.  This means slow/jittery data during congestion on the particular cell site you're using.  We use Verizon's own brand of prepaid, which has higher priority than Visible users, but lower than postpaid customers.  We pay $85/mo for two devices with 15GB each.

  On 11/11/2019 at 11:32 PM, Carlos said:

Many people mean different things by "coverage."  In the literal sense of how much signal is available over an area, Visible is exactly the same as Verizon.  Calls and texts will be identical.  Data signal coverage is identical, but the actual data transport is de-prioritized and almost everyone else on the network gets higher priority. 

Thanks.  What I meant was, will I receive a signal the 'same' in all locations that I do with Verizon?  And yes, something has to give, because it doesn't make any sense that another provider (or plan) who's using the Verizon towers would provide the exact same service for less.  Otherwise, Verizon would be doing it.

I pay a premium for my 26gig no-throttling  Hotspot and excellent coverage.  Of course I'm always on the lookout for cheaper, but not at the expense of my service.

Edited November 12 by hemsteadc

Visible is fully owned by Verizon themselves, but legally run as an MVNO.  Same with Cricket and AT&T.  You will absolutely receive the same radio signal coverage with Visible as with Verizon.  Part of what "gives" is that Visible and direct prepaid customers get a different support group, which may not be as great, and they get de-prioritized data.  I've never had issues with customer service using direct prepaid Verizon.  And while it's already cheap, I pick up top-off cards on eBay for around another 30% off retail.

  On 11/11/2019 at 11:32 PM, Carlos said:

Many people mean different things by "coverage."  In the literal sense of how much signal is available over an area, Visible is exactly the same as Verizon.  Calls and texts will be identical. 

You will absolutely receive the same radio signal coverage with Visible as with Verizon.

Not really.  Yes, Visible radio signal coverage is the same as regular Verizon coverage in areas served by Verizon owned towers, which is the majority of the country.  But there are large areas where Verizon relies on third party towers for coverage.  Verizon calls these areas Extended Network and they aren't available to Visible customers.

Extended Network areas show up as Pink vs. Red on the Verizon Coverage Map.  Scroll down to the zoomable Interactive Map, not the sales photo.  Notice there's large areas of Pink (Extended Network 4G) and smaller areas of Grey (Extended Network 3G) in several states including Alaska, Utah, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kentucky, etc.  They are shown as No Coverage white areas on the Visible Coverage Map.  Verizon phones will work in these areas, Visible phones won't. 

Visible coverage also stops at the US borders unlike Verizon which has Extended Coverage using third party towers in Canada and Mexico.

Edited November 12 by Lou Schneider

IIRC this whole Viable situation came about as the result of a settlement with the anti-trust people over a merger Verizon was doing.

This is somewhat off-topic, but a Verizon rep told me that contract Verizon customers are first in line on cell towers, if the capacity becomes full, prepaid Verizon, no-contract customers are bumped off the tower. Non-Verizon cell-phone companies are first to be bumped off though.

I'm not sure how you're defining "bumped off the tower", but I've never been dropped by a Verizon tower while using either direct prepaid or currently Visible prepaid service. Slowed down, yes, but dropped? No...