

Verizon has fared well when we've tested customer service for phone carriers, and it continues to offer an extensive selection of phones, including Ultra Wideband versions of some phones designed specifically for Verizon's network. The carrier has moved to 36-month agreements, increasing how long you need to tie yourself to Verizon if you buy your phone in installments or get some of the best Verizon phone deals. Verizon also makes it easier to experience 5G by accepting any phone - even broken ones - to reduce the cost of upgrading to a 5G phone. Bring your own phone to Verizon, and you can lower your monthly rate by a little bit under a limited-time promotion. In addition to high-speed 5G coverage (where available), you get a bundle of Disney streaming services (Disney Plus, ad-supported Hulu and ESPN Plus) as well as a subscription to a streaming gaming service - either Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass. If you don't want those streaming services, Verizon offers other 5G-focused unlimited data plans as well, ranging in price from $70 to $90 per month.

We're particularly impressed with the 5G Play More plan, which costs $80 a month for one line of unlimited data. Still, if you can swing the higher cost, Verizon's regular unlimited plans offer a great deal of value. Prepaid plans with unlimited data start at $50. Verizon's prepaid offerings are pretty affordable as well, with autopay enrollment dropping the cost of the carrier's 15GB plan to $35 a month. A Welcome Unlimited plan offers a low price in exchange for dropping most perks - four lines of data cost just $30 per line each month. Traditionally, Verizon's cell phone plans are among the pricier options, and while that hasn't changed, the carrier has made strides in making some lower-cost plans available. When we've tested LTE speeds, Verizon has come out on top, though the most recent Rootmetrics report (opens in new tab) covering the second half of last year puts AT&T ahead of Verizon for speed. That number should reach 200 soon enough, improving Verizon's overall network performance. After launching C-Band 5G early last year, Verizon has brought the faster 5G coverage to 175 million people by December 2022. Verizon jumps up in our best phone carrier rankings on the strength of a wide variety of plans and its upgraded 5G network. Fastest 5G speeds limited to select areas
