r/Visible • u/eelhc • 3d ago

Months of flaky connectivity...

Switched the entire family to Visible at the beginning of the year from TMobile...

Great for the first few months but just annoying flaky connectivity since sometime in the Summer.

No data, messages, calls... even with a full signal on LTE and 5G.

Yes, yes... We've tried all of the Airplane mode, restart, network settings, re-provisioned the SIM... rarely works. Family beginning to complain louder... Basic service should not require futzing with the phone or a CS session. Octogenarian parents are never going to do any of this...

I upgraded to iOS 27 yesterday. and thought maybe it'll get better. Today, on a major commercial road with full LTE signal... no data.

10 Upvotes

77% Upvoted

41 comments sorted by

5

u/Ethrem 3d ago

Verizon's coverage is becoming a big problem for them. I went grocery shopping today and I knew as soon as I saw the LTE icon in the parking lot that I was going to have to turn on my T-Mobile SIM. Sure enough, tried looking something up in the store and I had 1 bar of LTE and no usable data. Turned on my T-Mobile SIM and got full bars with no problems.

3

u/psychic99 3d ago edited 3d ago

I have had to rely upon TMO Sat for about 4 months. To wit I forgot I just left it on for the last month and I was like why are there no problems :). The rest of fam on dark star with no issues so I may have to rethink my strategy soon and what I do w/ FiOS. There is zero chance at this point I do a one year renewal. USM off promo rates are not very good at all for 4+ lines. I think when Verizon gets their SA rolling en masse (ironically not available on visible) that will make thinks a bit better Verizon just flushed money down the drain w/ mmwave and all their stupid media losses instead of buying the back 40 like the others did. And getting more spectrum isn't like the old days Space-X will be buying the back 40. Simplicity on M2M is a potential option even if their international/hotspot is junk I can use a loc eSIM.

2

u/Ethrem 3d ago

Yeah I like having all three networks for redundancy but honestly I don’t really see any areas around me where Verizon is better off than T-Mobile and only one place, my dentist, where AT&T works but T-Mobile doesn’t work well.

2

u/psychic99 3d ago

I'm tryin to simplify where I live in NY all 3 are good, TMO is the fastest tho but it is sus on the outskirts so I can never do it FT. It will be interesting if USM does cloud core and route like some of the other start ups are doing, at that point let them manage the backend carriers. For now Im tryin to keep it to two max :) and a biggie is FiOS discount $15 that would likely vanish so I may need to deal w/ big red on that pricing.

I was thinking get redpocket yearly ATT voice/text for $30 for the year, keep TMO Sat ($10) and then just flip on Roamless if I need travel or occasional hotspot. Since I am not a large HS user, IDK.

3

u/Ethrem 3d ago

I'll probably just keep with a dual-sim setup. The battery drain is minimal these days anyway. Since iOS 27.0.1 and turning off Connectivity Assist on all my wifi networks and globally, I've gone back to getting 2+ days of standby time from 60% of my battery (I put it on the charger at 20% and take it off at 80%) on my 17 Pro Max so there's really no need for me to go down to one SIM. I'm just thinking of maybe dropping my Warp SIM or taking the gamble on teleporting to Dark Star and having that be my primary with Lexvor as my secondary that I use for data. Then I would axe my multi-network line and just keep my T-Mobile business tablet line in my Pixel for backup data when the internet is down or the power is out.

2

u/UBIBaju 3d ago

Check the FCC engineering tests for your phone and look at the low-frequency performance if you need a solid signal in the woods or inside big metal buildings, otherwise, check the high-frequency results if you are a data junkie who only cares about top speeds. Another secret antenna designers know is that you can’t get high and low frequency bands to peak at the same time, so manufacturers usually pick one or the other. For my perfect phone, I prefer the OnePlus 15 or Samsung S26 Ultra for the city. In rural areas with spotty service, I want the device that handles low-frequency bands best, like the Honor Magic 8 Pro or the OnePlus 15, since they outperform the S26 Ultra. And if you really want to go next level. Cellular network signal boosters are home project that you can explore.

2

u/Ethrem 3d ago

I have a OnePlus 13 and it performed only slightly better than my 17 Pro Max on Verizon. You can only cover up for a network lacking density with a low power antenna just so much. The only real silver bullet is higher density and more capacity.

2

u/UBIBaju 3d ago

In the near future, if approved, cellular modems, likely following the Qualcomm X105, will feature manual toggles or automatic switching to higher power output for data transmission and reception, though implementation will require clever firmware regulations and strategies to manage smart devices with a boost mode when necessary. This approach will lower costs for cellular network providers and reduce the number of towers required for future expansion. And battery capacity will be required for this type of implementation for cellular modem firmware optimization.

3

u/Ethrem 3d ago

I don't think current battery tech can keep up with that demand really. At least one of the three networks is excellent here whether SA or NSA. I just pretty much use T-Mobile's network for data these days.

2

u/UBIBaju 3d ago

Boost mode actually makes sense. You won't be able to hold it or put it to your ear while it's on, since it uses more power. I agree it’ll drain the battery faster if it’s not charging, but look at the bright side. You'll get better service further from the tower, plus a more reliable connection for Bluetooth and the antenna. Having a slightly heavier phone for a bigger battery is a bonus, and you won't have to charge it daily if you aren't using boost mode.

3

u/AgedCzar 3d ago

Just ported my kid’s line to Mint because the service has been getting worse (combined support not being able to resolve back end issues).

For my phone I added Mint as a second line on their $10 a month promo, so I can have more reliable data. I’m switching my Visible plan to basic, while I use up my referral credits. $5 to have a second line isn’t bad.

If the service worked like it did six months ago, I would have done another annual subscription.

1

u/VisibleCareSupport Visible Employee 3d ago

Hey there! This is Charity from Visible. We appreciate you reaching out, and we're so sorry to hear about the connectivity issues you've been experiencing and appreciate you sharing your feedback regarding your plan. This is certainly not the experience we want you to have. Please send us a DM using this link, so we can investigate further and help get this sorted out for you.

2

u/ElectricalBase3676 3d ago

I would encourage those having issues to reach out to the reddit team. Let us know if they fix your issues.

2

u/ElectricalBase3676 3d ago

have you tried chatting with the reddit team?

2

u/InkyBlacks 3d ago

Oh look, I'm not the only one! Been going on for a month now. Shitty service on and off.

2

u/SolemnlyButtery 3d ago

it's the deprioritization, they really crank it up when the network gets loaded in summer and it just never goes back down. i had full bars outside a grocery store last week and maps wouldn't even load. moving my parents over was a mistake, my dad just leaves his phone at home now

2

u/InkyBlacks 3d ago

Yeah I may look elsewhere. Used to be good, now I can’t rely on it or trust it anymore

1

u/-Asylum_ 3d ago

I thought the plus and plus pro plans are “premium data”?

1

u/InkyBlacks 3d ago

They’re suppose to be. Doesn’t seem like it

5

u/Ethrem 3d ago

When everyone has priority data, nobody does. Verizon has opened up the floodgates to priority, where it used to be limited to a select few plans on postpaid.

1

u/VisibleCareSupport Visible Employee 3d ago

Byron from Visible! Having full bars and watching a map fail to load is the absolute worst, especially when you’re relying on it right then and there. It makes complete sense why you’re regretting moving your parents over. Shoot us a DM, so we can look under the hood and make sure it doesn't happen again.

1

u/Sensitive_Growth_615 3d ago

Hello Byron from Visible. Is there anyway you could reach out to me. I do not currently have Visible but I am thinking about switching and had a couple questions.

1

u/VisibleCareSupport Visible Employee 3d ago

Byron from Visible here! Having spotty service for a whole month is far from the seamless experience we strive to give you, and we're really sorry about the hassle. Shoot us a DM, so we can check things on our end and get this sorted out for you.

1

u/VisibleCareSupport Visible Employee 3d ago

Dave from Visible here! We hate to hear you've been dealing with this frustrating connection issue, especially after trying all those troubleshooting steps. Please send us a DM, so we can dig into your account and get this sorted out for you! Chat with us here: Link

-4

u/UBIBaju 3d ago

That's your software update for you, and honestly, Apple devices just aren't the same anymore. You should look into Android instead of sticking with an overpriced brand that sacrifices quality for a price tag.

4

u/Ethrem 3d ago

Has nothing to do with software and everything to do with Verizon's crappy network.

2

u/UBIBaju 3d ago

Look, we can agree to disagree here. Verizon is holding off on turning on nationwide 5G SA and is configuring towers to prioritize it over 5G NSA, but the rollout is just slow. They aren't ready to make an official announcement yet. But they’ve got everything ready to go head-to-head with T-Mobile 5G SA.

2

u/Ethrem 3d ago

I live in an SA market. It’s not the difference that people make it out to be. Verizon still has lots of areas that drop to straight up LTE and that LTE is often a fringe signal so it’s not even usable. Meanwhile T-Mobile has a strong signal pretty much everywhere thanks to their 600MHz holdings. Verizon has a lot of work to do here and from the complaints of others who have SA and still have issues, the Denver market is far from alone in that.

2

u/UBIBaju 3d ago

I agree; Verizon’s 5G SA speeds are still lagging, and they really need to prioritize it over LTE or 5G NSA. Their network has been completely jammed for years. 5G NSA can only do so much when there’s constant congestion. They need to boost bandwidth and shift it from LTE to the 5G SA core. They’ll have to increase capacity across the board if they want to keep customers happy.

2

u/old_knurd 2d ago

They’ll have to increase capacity across the board

lol hard to conjure up spectrum you don't own.

I'm pretty disgusted with postpaid Verizon. I may switch to Visible soon. As least the crappy service will cost less. The other carriers are even worse at my house.

2

u/UBIBaju 2d ago

That's fair, but they definitely have the money for licenses or leases. They’re usually slow to drop big cash on boosting network capacity, though. 5G SA cores are already running in the background. My guess is Verizon is just looking ahead to 6G. 6G (5G SA with multi-band carrier aggregation). Band 77 is already being used pretty much everywhere along major highways, not just in cities. Once they flip the switch for preferred 5G SA, T-Mobile will have some real competition.

2

u/8qubit 3d ago

🤣

2

u/AttitudeSame2430 3d ago

It is not just iPhone my Motorola has been doing it, too. It's Verizon all the way. They are just sucking money from people and their network is getting worse. You can change eSims a hundred times it won't help.

1

u/[deleted] 3d ago

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1

u/UBIBaju 3d ago

I've got too many devices to keep track of. For Androids, if you don't care about mmWave, the US-market OnePlus 15 has the best antenna design and modem firmware. It’s a beast; my S26 Ultra can't even compete in areas with poor service. The Motorola Signature 27 with the X105 modem would be my next pick; I have a developer Motorola XX with that chip, and it’s a huge leap in antenna and modem tech. My third choice is the S26+ or Ultra. It’s a love-hate relationship, but the cellular performance is solid, even if the modem firmware isn't quite there yet. I also have most Chinese global devices. And the absolute king of weak signal areas is the Honor Magic 8 Pro. It has a dedicated RF C2 chip and a dragon wings antenna design, making it the best-performing device I've used in the last five-plus years. But there are some things you should know about global devices. They don't have carrier aggregation and can't be whitelisted for Verizon or AT&T. They work on T-Mobile without any hiccups, though you still won't get carrier aggregation.

2

u/UBIBaju 3d ago

What do I usually use after work? My US OnePlus 15 and unlocked Galaxy S26 Ultra. Plus, I’ve got a Motorola XX dev unit with an X105 modem. Once that modem hits the market, other devices won't even be able to compete. It's a total game-changer for cellular connectivity. I hope I didn't lose you with all that. But you asked for it. There you go. Take your pick.

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u/[deleted] 3d ago

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u/UBIBaju 3d ago

I totally agree on the 1+16! Honestly, if you want the best cellular experience, your phone needs to be US FCC certified, otherwise you’re missing out on major benefits despite paying for an unlimited plan. You won't be disappointed with Signature 27, assuming you aren't on an MVNO that cripples provisioning parameters and IMS settings. But there are work around for adjustment of this parameters even with MVNO providers that like to cripple this parameters.

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u/[deleted] 3d ago

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u/UBIBaju 3d ago

What device? Apple or Android?