Visible forcing me to buy a new phone

**brad4cell** · 03-23-2023, 07:42 PM

I just got an email about a required phone upgrade.

My current phone is the moto e 2020 and works fine so it does not seem right that they are forcing me to buy a new phone so soon.

I have not been keeping up with what is going on at visible because my phone was working fine.

So my question is has anyone else got this email and know why they are doing this?

Also it says I can keep "the same rate you pay now" but it also says "Choose the new Visible plan" so that makes it sound like I can't keep my old plan. I have unlimited hotspot on my plan and I want to keep that.

Also it say if you complete the upgrade by 4/18/23 I will get a $100 amazon gift card but that is less than a month and does not give a lot of time. If I don't upgrade by 4/18/23 does my phone stop working?

Below is the email I got.

Dear XXX,

We’re upgrading our network to a faster, more reliable one. You’ll need a new phone to continue service. If you complete this phone and network upgrade by 4/18/23, you’ll get a $100 Amazon gift card. You’ll also enjoy improved service at the same rate you pay now.

It’s easy to do:

Log in to your account and choose a new phone.
Choose the new Visible plan.
Enter XXXXXXXXXXXXXX at checkout. Receive the gift card after your third monthly payment for the new service.
Activate right away with eSIM (or we’ll send you a new SIM card).

**zapjb** · 03-23-2023, 09:00 PM

Let me answer the questions I can.

I did not receive that email. But I upgraded to the new plan at the same $25 a month. Unlimited hotspot is still included. The new network seems a bit better.

"Why are they doing this?" Idk they could be right or wrong about your current phone. With one of 3 different reasons I can think of.

If true that your phone won't work on the new network I'd grab that Amazon GC. And if I didn't have specific requirements for my phone (stereo speakers). I'd forgo looking for a factory unlocked all network phone because I'm pretty convinced I'm going to stay with Visible the next few years.

Hope that helps.

**brad4cell** · 03-23-2023, 09:24 PM

Originally Posted by zapjb

Let me answer the questions I can.

I did not receive that email. But I upgraded to the new plan at the same $25 a month. Unlimited hotspot is still included. The new network seems a bit better.

"Why are they doing this?" Idk they could be right or wrong about your current phone. With one of 3 different reasons I can think of.

If true that your phone won't work on the new network I'd grab that Amazon GC. And if I didn't have specific requirements for my phone (stereo speakers). I'd forgo looking for a factory unlocked all network phone because I'm pretty convinced I'm going to stay with Visible the next few years.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for the info.

When you upgraded did you have to select from more than one plan?

Because the email makes it sound like you must choose from more than one plan. When I originally signed up they only had one plan and that was the $25 plan ($40 without party pay) I am on now. If they now have more than one plan which one am I supposed to pick to keep my current plan?

**zapjb** · 03-23-2023, 09:54 PM

The cheaper plan.

**brad4cell** · 03-24-2023, 08:30 AM

I found this on reddit about the upgrade that sounds similar to my email but the person here was not told to upgrade their phone.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Visible/com...raded_network/

I would like to know what it is about my phone that is not compatible because it is not that old of a phone. Also the moto e 2020 was ordered from the visible website so you would think it would be compatible for longer than a few years.

**kaZZoo** · 03-24-2023, 09:28 AM

I’m wondering, you purchased a visible phone, that worked with their system, now that their moving to a Verizon system, that phone is not compatible, if anything they should offer a free replacement.

**brad4cell** · 03-25-2023, 01:14 PM

I decided to get a 5G phone this time because my area has 5G now.

Unfortunately out of the 5G phones they have, I want the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G (Android 13) $199, but it is out of stock so I will wait to see if they get it back in stock. The reason I like this phone is the price and that it has android 13.

If they don't get it back in stock, not sure what I will do because I only have until 4/18/23 to get the $100 amazon gift card.

*** TCL 20 A 5G (Android 12) $150
*** Samsung Galaxy A14 5G (Android 13) $199
Blade X1 5G (Android 10) $240
Motorola one 5G UW ace (Android 11) $240
Google Pixel 6a (Android 13) $449

*** Out of stock

**brad4cell** · 03-25-2023, 05:06 PM

I just noticed that the basic plan is still $25 which is what I am paying now so my plan is not grandfathered. Someone told me that the price went up so I thought I was on a grandfathered plan now.

When I originally signed up the plan was $40 a month but reduced to $25 with party pay.

Now the basic plan is $30 reduced to $25 with welcome discount applied. Not sure what the welcome discount applied means but I assume everyone gets the discount.

So the only thing I lose out on is the $100 amazon gift card if I don't update my phone by 4/18/23 because I can always signup again and get the $25 basic plan.

**zapjb** · 03-25-2023, 08:14 PM

As long as they keep the basic plan $25 that is. They might/probably raise it to $30.

**minij** · 03-28-2023, 11:57 PM

I think the Welcome deal ends on March 31.

I upgraded from Legacy today and now i can’t hotspot my Flip 2. Super annoyed. Nothing i can do about it until tomorrow now.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**brad4cell** · 03-30-2023, 11:48 AM

Today I got a text about the upgrade and promo that included a website with more info in case anyone is interested.

The text said:

"To continue service, you must get a new phone and connect to our upgraded network. When you order a new phone from visible and upgrade by 4/18, you'll get a $100 amazon gift card Learn more here https://www.visible.com/network-upgrade-promo.

They still don't have the phone I wanted in stock so not sure what I will do.

**brad4cell** · 03-30-2023, 12:19 PM

I tried to ask the chat feature on the visible website when the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G will be back in stock.

It looks like a digital assistant comes on and I ask my question but nothing else happens and it times out.

Anyone know a way to get a human to answer questions?

**roadtrip** · 03-30-2023, 12:32 PM

Type in "Live agent" and you get transferred to a real person.

**PaulCrawhorne** · 03-30-2023, 01:55 PM

But they will not have a useful answer to that question.

**brad4cell** · 03-30-2023, 04:20 PM

Here is what they said about the phone.

XXXX , I am sorry about Samsung Galaxy A14 5G. We work hard to offer the phone you want, but sometimes we're caught in between shipments. Don't worry though, we hope to have your phone back in stock in about two weeks, hopefully sooner. Please check back in with us!

I also asked: Do I just need to buy the phone by 4/18 or finish the upgrade by 4/18?

They said, I just need to buy the phone by 4/18.

I also asked: Does my service get cutoff if I don't upgrade by 4/18?

They did not answer and I got cutoff again.

They said the phone will be back in about two weeks so that is not a definite time. Also two weeks is about the 14th so close to the deadline.

So I might wait and see if the phone comes in but not sure yet what is the best thing to do.