What Problems Do People Have With Total By Verizon After Heavy Use - Complete Guide

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If you've been using Total by Verizon for a while, you may have started to notice some frustrating patterns — slower speeds, throttled hotspot, or unexpected service issues after heavy data use. Understanding what problems people have with Total by Verizon after heavy use is critical before you commit to a long-term plan, and it could save you from a lot of headaches down the road.

What Is Total by Verizon?

Total by Verizon (formerly Total Wireless) is a prepaid MVNO that runs on Verizon's network. It offers budget-friendly plans that appeal to people looking to cut their monthly phone bill without giving up Verizon's coverage footprint. Plans start around $25–$50 per month for single lines, and they offer multi-line discounts that can look attractive on paper.

The appeal is obvious: Verizon's network is consistently rated one of the best in the country for reliability and coverage. However, MVNOs like Total by Verizon operate as secondary customers on that network — which means when traffic gets heavy, they're the first to feel the squeeze. That's where most of the complaints begin.

The Biggest Problems People Have With Total by Verizon After Heavy Use

Deprioritization During Network Congestion

The most commonly reported problem with Total by Verizon after heavy use is network deprioritization. As an MVNO, Total by Verizon customers are placed at a lower priority than Verizon's own postpaid subscribers. In crowded areas — stadiums, city centers, airports — this means your speeds can tank dramatically even before you've hit any plan data cap.

Real-world users on Reddit and carrier review forums frequently describe speeds dropping to 1–5 Mbps during peak hours in urban areas, even when they haven't exhausted their high-speed data allotment. This isn't a bug — it's by design. Verizon's MVNOs are contractually deprioritized when the network is under load, and heavy users in dense areas tend to feel this the most.

Hotspot Data Is Severely Limited

If you rely on mobile hotspot — for working from a laptop, streaming to a tablet, or connecting other devices — Total by Verizon's hotspot caps are a major pain point. Depending on which plan you're on, hotspot data is either unavailable, capped at low speeds, or restricted to a small high-speed allotment before being throttled to 600 Kbps.

At 600 Kbps, you can barely load a webpage, let alone work remotely or stream video. For heavy users who rely on hotspot as a secondary internet source, this is a dealbreaker. By contrast, carriers like Tello (9.5/11) offer unlimited hotspot at full speeds on their top plans, and Visible (10/11) includes unlimited hotspot in its base $25/month plan.

Video Streaming Is Throttled

Total by Verizon throttles video streaming across most of its plans, typically capping video quality at 480p (standard definition). For casual viewers, this is tolerable. But for users who stream frequently on larger screens, 480p looks noticeably blurry and degrades the experience significantly.

Heavy streamers are disproportionately affected because they're the ones most likely to notice the difference between throttled and unthrottled video. If you're paying for a "unlimited" plan and still getting SD-quality video, that unlimited label starts to feel a bit hollow.

Customer Service Complaints After Account Issues

Another pattern that emerges after heavy use: billing and account problems. Total by Verizon has received numerous complaints about customer service responsiveness, particularly around billing disputes, plan changes, and SIM swaps. Users report long hold times, inconsistent information from agents, and difficulty resolving issues through the app or online portal.

When you're a light user, you may never need to contact customer service. But heavy users who push plan limits, switch devices frequently, or need account adjustments are far more likely to run into these friction points. The customer service experience becomes much more relevant the more you actually use the service.

Plan Data Caps Aren't as "Unlimited" as Advertised

Even Total by Verizon's "unlimited" plans aren't truly unlimited in practice. After a certain data threshold (typically 35GB on some plans), speeds are throttled for the rest of the billing cycle. This is separate from network deprioritization — this is a hard throttle that applies regardless of how congested the network is.

For heavy users who stream video, use navigation apps, and maintain a remote work setup, 35GB can disappear faster than expected. Once throttled, speeds drop to levels that make the phone nearly unusable for data-intensive tasks.

How Total by Verizon Compares to Better Alternatives

If you're hitting Total by Verizon's limits, the good news is that there are excellent alternatives that solve most or all of these problems — often at the same price or cheaper.

Feature	Total by Verizon	Visible	Tello
Price	~$35–$50/mo	$25/mo	$8–$25/mo
Network	Verizon	Verizon	T-Mobile
Hotspot	Limited/throttled	Unlimited	Unlimited
Video Streaming	480p throttled	Unthrottled	Unthrottled
Our Score	Not ranked	10/11	9.5/11
Data Breach History	Unknown	None	None
Taxes Included	No	Yes	No

Visible in particular is one of the strongest alternatives for heavy users who want to stay on Verizon's network. At just $25/month with taxes and fees included, Visible gives you unlimited data, unlimited hotspot, and no video throttling — all on the same Verizon infrastructure. It earns our top score of 10/11 for good reason.

Who Should Consider Switching Away From Total by Verizon

Remote Workers and Heavy Hotspot Users

If you rely on your phone's hotspot to work remotely — even occasionally — Total by Verizon's throttled hotspot speeds make it a poor fit. Remote workers need consistent, usable speeds on connected devices, and 600 Kbps simply doesn't cut it. Visible or Tello are significantly better options for this use case.

Frequent Streamers

People who stream video daily, whether on their phone or via hotspot to a TV, will consistently run into Total by Verizon's 480p video cap. Switching to Visible or US Mobile (9.5/11, available on all three major networks) gives you full HD streaming without restrictions.

Urban Users in High-Traffic Areas

If you live in a major metro area and frequently use your phone during peak hours, the deprioritization issue is real and persistent. Heavy users in cities are most vulnerable to speed drops. While no MVNO can fully escape deprioritization, carriers like Visible have been designed with this in mind and tend to perform better in congested environments based on user reports.

Budget-Conscious Heavy Data Users

Here's the irony: Total by Verizon often isn't even cheaper than better alternatives once you factor in taxes and fees. Visible's $25/month is all-in, with taxes included. Total by Verizon's advertised prices often don't include taxes, pushing the real cost higher. For anyone comparing monthly phone bills, it's worth doing the full math.

For a deeper look at how these carriers stack up on value, check out our comparison of the best Verizon network MVNOs and our guide to finding the best prepaid unlimited plan.

What Heavy Users Should Look for in a Plan

When evaluating any prepaid carrier — not just Total by Verizon — heavy users should ask a few specific questions before signing up.

First, what happens after the high-speed data cap? A plan that throttles to 600 Kbps is effectively unusable. Look for carriers that offer at least 3–5 Mbps after hitting the cap, or that don't throttle at all.

Second, how is hotspot handled? Some carriers give you a separate hotspot data pool; others share from your main allotment. Make sure the hotspot speed and quantity match your actual usage patterns.

Third, is video streaming throttled? Many budget carriers cap video at 480p. If streaming quality matters to you, look for carriers that explicitly offer unthrottled video.

Finally, what's the carrier's track record on customer service and data security? A breach or poor support experience can be far more costly than a few dollars in monthly savings. You can use our carrier comparison tool to filter by these criteria and find the best fit for your needs.

Best Phone to Pair With This Plan

If you need an unlocked phone that works perfectly with Visible (our top pick for heavy users), we recommend the Google Pixel 9a. It's our top budget phone pick for 2026:

• Works with all US carriers (Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T networks)
• Supports eSIM + physical SIM for easy switching
• 7 years of software updates
• Excellent camera and battery life
• Around $499 unlocked

View Pixel 9a on Amazon →

The Bottom Line

Total by Verizon works reasonably well for light-to-moderate users who primarily make calls and send texts with occasional data use. But for heavy users — people who stream video daily, rely on mobile hotspot, or live in congested urban areas — the problems add up fast. Deprioritization, throttled hotspot speeds, video quality caps, and customer service headaches are consistent complaints from users who push the plan to its limits.

The best alternative for heavy users who want to stay on Verizon's network is Visible, which scores 10/11 in our rankings. At $25/month all-in, it delivers a genuinely unlimited experience — unlimited hotspot, no video throttling, and taxes included in the price. If you're already frustrated with Total by Verizon, Visible is the most natural upgrade with zero network trade-offs.

If you're open to T-Mobile's network, Tello (9.5/11) is another outstanding option, especially if you want a customizable plan and unlimited hotspot at an even lower price point.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does Total by Verizon throttle data after heavy use?

Yes. Total by Verizon throttles data speeds after you exceed the plan's high-speed data allotment. Depending on the plan, this can happen after 35GB or less, and speeds can drop significantly — sometimes to levels that make data-intensive tasks unusable for the rest of the billing cycle.

Q: Why is my Total by Verizon so slow in busy areas?

Total by Verizon customers are deprioritized on Verizon's network compared to postpaid Verizon subscribers. In congested areas like city centers, stadiums, or airports, this deprioritization causes noticeable speed drops even if you haven't hit your data cap.

Q: Can you use hotspot on Total by Verizon?

Some Total by Verizon plans include mobile hotspot, but it is typically limited in speed or quantity. After exceeding the hotspot allotment, speeds are throttled to around 600 Kbps — far too slow for streaming or productive remote work.

Q: What's a better alternative to Total by Verizon for heavy users?

Visible is the top recommendation for heavy users on Verizon's network. It scores 10/11 in our rankings, costs $25/month with taxes included, and offers truly unlimited data with no video throttling and unlimited hotspot speeds.

Q: Is Total by Verizon worth it compared to Visible?

For most heavy users, no. Visible provides a superior experience — unlimited hotspot, no video caps, and all-inclusive pricing — for the same or lower monthly cost than Total by Verizon once taxes are factored in. The only trade-off is that Visible is a digital-only carrier with no physical stores.

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