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Verizon’s prepaid services add a 365-day wait to unlock phones

2026-01-21T13:25:39-05:00

It's been just one week since Verizon got permission to lift its 60-day phone unlocking period, and the carrier is already making changes to its policy. Now, Verizon says customers who activate a phone on one of its subbrands, including Visible, TracFone, Straight Talk, and Total Wireless, will have to pay for service for 365 days before switching their phone to a different network, as spotted earlier by Droidlife.

In addition to the longer lock period, Verizon will also require customers to request that their phone be unlocked, instead of doing it automatically. Visible's policy states that "if you stop paying for service, your progress to …

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Verizon-owned Visible is offering outage credits, too

2026-01-16T13:41:51-05:00

Customers of Visible Wireless, which is owned by Verizon, may be getting a $5 credit toward their next bill in response to a Verizon cell service outage earlier this week. Verizon customers were offered a $20 credit after the outage.

As spotted by 9to5Google, a message sent to Visible customers explains: "Yesterday we let you down and for that we are sorry. We are giving you a $5 credit towards your next month of service that can be redeemed after Jan 16 when paying with a credit card online."

The same message was shared by a user on the Visible subreddit on Thursday, although the user mentioned that they didn't have issues related to the …

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Verizon will pay you $20 following its nationwide outage — here’s how to get it

2026-01-17T11:50:58-05:00

Verizon is offering customers a $20 account credit following a massive outage that brought down service across the US on Wednesday. In an update on X, Verizon says you'll receive a text message when the credit is available, which you can redeem by logging into the myVerizon app and accepting it.

"Yesterday, we did not meet the standard of excellence you expect and that we expect of ourselves," Verizon writes. "This credit isn't meant to make up for what happened. No credit really can." Verizon adds that the $20 credit should cover "multiple days of service."

Here's what one text message we received on Friday said:

Valued Verizon Customer …

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Verizon’s wireless network is back online after outage

2026-01-15T04:40:33-05:00

The first big outage of 2026 has been resolved, with Verizon's wireless network now back online after experiencing issues yesterday. This follows Verizon customers across the US, including several Verge writers, finding that service was spotty or nonexistent starting at around noon ET on January 14th, with phones switching to SOS Mode and being unable to connect.

In a statement to The Verge, Verizon spokesperson Christina Moon said:

The outage has been resolved. If customers are still having an issue, we encourage them to restart their devices to reconnect to the network. For those affected, we will provide account credits. Details will b …

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Verizon gets FCC permission to end 60-day phone unlocking rule

2026-01-13T14:09:24-05:00

Verizon can keep phones locked to its network for longer after the Federal Communications Commission agreed to waive the carrier's 60-day unlocking requirement, as reported by Ars Technica.

Following this decision, Verizon must follow a looser set of guidelines set by the CTIA wireless trade group, which says carriers should only unlock a customer's postpaid phone after their contract is up, when they finish paying off the device, or following the payment of an early termination fee. Meanwhile, the CTIA's code says carriers should unlock prepaid phones "no later than one year after initial activation."

The change comes after Verizon asked …

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Verizon is laying off over 13,000 workers

2025-11-20T09:00:40-05:00

Verizon is preparing to lay off more than 13,000 employees, or about 13 percent of its workforce. In a message to employees, Verizon CEO Dan Schulman says that the reductions come as part of plans to cut costs and "reorient" the company "around delivering for and delighting our customers," as first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

The company reported having around 100,000 full-time employees in September. Schulman writes in the memo that Verizon plans to "significantly reduce our outsourced and other outside labor expenses." Verizon appointed Schulman - who previously headed up PayPal - as CEO last month as the company begins its "next …

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Verizon launches Lite home internet for people in limited coverage areas

2025-10-24T09:38:54-04:00

Verizon is launching a new "Lite" home internet plan for people in areas previously not covered by its fiber and 5G internet. The new plan offers download speeds of up to 25Mbps, but it costs as much as $60 per month without any discounts.

Verizon says its Lite plan is best for "light" internet usage in homes limited to "older, less reliable options like DSL or satellite." Customers who already use Verizon for their postpaid mobile phone service will benefit the most from the heavy discounts. You'll save $15 / month when the service is combined with a mobile plan.

It's also offering a $10 monthly discount for paperless billing and autopay, …

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Verizon buys the not-quite-5G wireless ISP Starry to expand wireless broadband

2025-10-08T13:29:13-04:00

Verizon is acquiring Starry, the ISP that delivers home internet using antennas and millimeter wave technology. The acquisition "advances" Verizon's ability to offer high-speed internet in apartments, condominiums, and other multi-dwelling units, the company said on Wednesday.

Starry made its debut in Boston in 2016, offering gigabit speeds via its unconventional approach to internet connectivity. Instead of carrying connectivity across a web of wires - which are expensive and time-consuming to deploy - Starry beams its internet service from a larger antenna into homes via high-speed, short-range mmWave broadcasts. The challenge with those …

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Verizon appoints a new CEO for the ‘next phase’ after its 5G rollout

2025-10-06T11:39:41-04:00

PayPal appointed Dan Schulman as CEO in 2014, and he stepped down in 2023. | Photo by Nathan Laine/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Verizon has picked former PayPal head Dan Schulman to serve as its new CEO as the company enters its "next phase" of growth, Verizon board chair Mark Bertolini says in the Monday announcement. Starting today, Schulman will replace outgoing CEO Hans Vestberg, who will now serve as a special advisor through October 4th, 2026.

Vestberg became the CEO of Verizon in 2018, where he oversaw the carrier's 5G launch and its expansion. Last year, Vestberg admitted that people are now holding onto their phones for "way over 36 months," marking an end to the "exciting times" of yearly phone upgrades. He also led the company's $20 billion acquisition of …

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Verizon’s ‘software issue’ has disconnected many wireless customers across the US

2025-08-30T17:57:22-04:00

Verizon has confirmed to customers in stores and online that its network is having an issue on Saturday. Many people have been unable to connect and make or receive calls for hours, while DownDetector's tracker peaked in the afternoon at around 3:30PM ET with more than 20,000 reports. Some customers report their service has continued to function throughout the day, so it's unclear what the cause is exactly.

Downdetector's outage map showed hotspots in many cities, and Verizon didn't specifically list affected areas. On X, the @VerizonSupport account confirmed the issue in response to customers' questions, but didn't have additional details …

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