screenrant.com You Can Now Test Verizon's Network On Unlocked iPhones For Free

Verizon's prepaid cellular service, Visible, is now changing the ways to shop for wireless carriers with its new 15-day free trial. As new network standards evolve, various factors will determine whether users can take advantage of new speeds. A customer's location, cellular plan, and phone can all affect the types of speeds they can expect to receive in daily use. It's part of the race to 5G networks across the U.S. between the major carriers, and many phones are incompatible with Verizon's network.

The leader in 5G coverage, T-Mobile, has a similar program that allows users to try its network before committing. The trial utilized Apple's eSIM technology, the latest widespread connection chip to cellular networks. The eSIM functions the same as a traditional SIM card but is soldered to the iPhone's logic board. Since Apple hasn't ditched the SIM card slot quite yet, this functionality allows users to have two different cellular plans — and phone numbers — on the same iPhone. The feature is especially popular for work, as people can have one phone for work and personal use. Apple's iOS even offers ways to compartmentalize the two numbers.

Related: What Phones Will Work Best On Verizon's New 5G Network?

The company announced that it will now offer a 15-day trial period of its network for new iPhone users. Over the trial period, potential customers can switch back and forth between Verizon and their current provider. The trial will use the same eSim technology that T-Mobile used in its service trial. The new trial from Verizon and Visible gives users a convenient way to compare carrier services. However, there are a few requirements to use the trial period.

Eligibility Requirements For Visible's Free Trial

After downloading the Visible app, a menu will guide the user through setting up the eSIM on their iPhone, if eligible. The free trial will work with an existing cellular service instead of replacing it. That way, even when demoing Verizon's data service, people will still be able to receive calls and texts as usual. Users can make the precise changes in the iPhone settings app under cellular. They can set their current plan or Visible service as their mainline, interchangeably seeing the differences between Verizon's service and their own.

Visible's free trial is limited, at least for now. Only iPhones with eSIM capabilities will work with the trial — that's the iPhone XS/XR series and newer — and Android users are out of luck. Visible is exploring its options to bring the trial offer to Android devices, though no timetable has been confirmed. The more constricting requirement is that the phones must be unlocked to demo the service. This means that most phones purchased directly from a carrier or as part of an installment plan are not eligible.

Starting with iOS 14, Apple has made it easy for iPhone users to check if they can unlock their phone by navigating to the carrier lock feature. If the iPhone is completely paid off from the original carrier, some users can unlock their phones without calling their wireless provider. Each of the major U.S. carriers — Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile — has different requirements to unlock phones sold locked to their networks. If a user's phone is eligible, they'll be able to see their network speeds and day-to-day usage over the 15-day period. Visible offers a $40 unlimited plan alongside prepaid options, with discounts for family plans available.

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Source: Visible

Brady Snyder is a journalism and computer science student at St. John's University. Brady is knowledgable in all things technology, hardware and software, with a concentration in Apple and MacOS.