Which Carriers Use Verizon's Network? A List of Verizon MVNOs

The United States is dominated by three major cell phone networks: AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. 

However, it’s not just AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon customers that use these networks. The major carriers figured out early on that they could generate extra revenue by subleasing space on their coverage systems to smaller carriers, sometimes known as MVNOs. 

Verizon, in particular, is home to a number of different providers, including Visible, Xfinity Mobile, and Straight Talk Wireless. In this article, we’ll run down the list of carriers that operate on the Verizon network, explain how the coverage their customers get differs from regular Verizon customers, and provide a general overview of Verizon’s 4G and 5G coverage performance in America. 

MVNOs That Use the Verizon Network

Verizon hosts a variety of smaller prepaid cell phone carriers on its networks. That includes the company’s own Visible by Verizon, as well as other big name prepaid providers like Straight Talk Wireless, Total Wireless, and US Mobile. 

What’s more, two of the biggest ISP-backed mobile providers call the Verizon network home, namely Xfinity Mobile and Spectrum Mobile. 

So, if you’re looking to tap into Verizon’s excellent coverage at a lower price than Verizon itself, you have options (granted, not quite as many as you have with T-Mobile network, which is used by dozens more MVNOs). 

What Kind of Coverage Do You Get on a Verizon MVNO?

Some sites will tell you signing up for a Verizon MVNO network will get you exactly the same coverage that signing up with Verizon itself will get you—but this is only half true. 

Verizon, as with all major carriers, will always prioritize its own customers ahead of subcarrier customers in times of network congestion. So, while you may get full strength Verizon 5G coverage during the day time, weekends, or in uncrowded areas, during busier times or in crowded places (like an airport or a sporting event). For many, this is a worthwhile tradeoff given the money saved over the pricier plans of Verizon itself; for others, particularly those coming from a major carrier, the drop in coverage consistency is a bigger issue. 

What Kind of Coverage Does the Verizon Network Offer?

Verizon’s powerful 4G and 5G networks effectively blanket the United States. America’s largest carrier lays claim to the broadest 4G LTE in the country, besting the likes of AT&T and T-Mobile. 

The carrier’s 5G network, meanwhile, is slightly less built out—but that’s quickly changing. 

Verizon continues to aggressively expand its 5G footprint throughout the country, with a focus on laying down infrastructure for the company’s super-fast Ultra Wideband spectrum. 

What is Ultra Wideband 5G?

Verizon's Ultra Wideband 5G is its highest-performance version of 5G, designed to offer significantly faster speeds and lower latency than its Nationwide 5G. It uses millimeter-wave (mmWave) technology as well as C-band spectrum, which allows it to deliver fast download and upload speeds. 

Best Verizon MVNO Plans

Thinking about making the jump to a Verizon MVNO? What follows are some of our favorite Verizon MVNO plans on the market right now. 

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