Why Is Verizon So Slow?

You’re on your Verizon-serviced phone, and things are getting laggy. 

No matter which app you use, no matter how good of a connection you think you have, the phone just lags. 

Is it your service? 

You might be asking yourself “Why is my Verizon so slow lately?”

Why Is Verizon So Slow?

Verizon is likely slow because of a surge in data demand in your area or your limited data being all used up. You may also be in an area without a strong LTE or WIFI connection. Keep in mind there is always a chance your phone could be experiencing problems, not Verizon.

What I can tell you right now is this: Over the past five years or so, there has been a massive surge in the demand for data. 

More data usage and more customers can slow down processing speeds, even for a big company like Verizon.

This problem isn’t unheard of, and virtually every cell phone service provider I can think of off the top of my head has reportedly experienced these issues. 

So, good news – you’re not alone.

But, of course, a slow data connection is super annoying.

You might need to go elsewhere to get a stronger connection (such as going outside of the building you are in), check for electrical outages that could be impacting your local service provider, that your data isn’t close to being used up, and that you have your phone’s cellular settings properly configured for optimal speed.

Sounds confusing, right? Well, don’t worry.

I’ve been there, and I’m here to help guide you through what could be causing your Verizon service to be slow and how you can troubleshoot this frustrating issue.

Why is my Verizon so slow lately?

Whenever there is a major surge in the demand for data – whether it is due to there being more customers or more data usage – the speed at which your service flows could slow down a little bit.

Should you experience a serious lag? No.

But it is possible, and it should be very temporary as Verizon works on upgrading its servers to meet these demands.

There are plenty of other reasons that could answer your question “Why is my Verizon unlimited data so slow?” You need to make sure that you are, in fact, on an unlimited plan and haven’t used up a bunch of limited data.

A lack of data will slow things down a lot.

If there is a power outage in your area, that can impact Verizon’s receiver. 

This will throw it into emergency mode, which means you will experience extremely slow speeds.

You might also be getting locational interference.

Some older buildings cause this issue, as might anything that is covered in a huge metal object. 

And, of course, Verizon might just be doing maintenance on their end, which will slow things down for users. 

There is even the possibility that you need to reconfigure your network settings.

How can I speed up my Verizon Internet?

There are a few ways you can speed up your Verizon connection, but their efficacy will depend on the root of the problem itself. 

You can give these solutions a try and see if they help speed things up. 

If not, you might need to contact Verizon directly and get answers from a customer service rep.

Restart Your Phone

To pull a quote from the British TV comedy show The IT Crowd, “Have you tried turning it off and on again?” Seriously, try turning off your phone. 

Next, reach into the SIM card pinhole using a small, pointed object (like the end of a paperclip). 

Pop the SIM card out.

Power your phone back on again, then insert the SIM card and close up its compartment. 

Enter your SIM PIN number when prompted. You will want to make sure your WIFI is turned off when you do this so that you can test the cellular data.

Check Your Data Usage

Skip past this if you have unlimited data. 

But if you don’t, check to ensure you still have enough data left.

Ensure that your cellular data is turned on and that WIFI is off. 

Open your Messages app and compose a message to #DATA (#3282) and send it. 

Verizon should respond with a message telling you how much data you have left. 

You can also dial #DATA and wait for the voice message.

Disable Cellular Switching

Cellular data switching is meant to enable the switching of cellular data between phone numbers used by your device, all depending on which one is in use. 

Having more than one SIM card in your phone could cause some trouble, so you’ll need to take one of them out and disable switching.

You can do that by going to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Switching, then turning it off. 

Then go back and turn off cellular and turn it on again to test it out.

If you have a shared WIFI mobile hot-spot and someone else is connected, that could be causing the lag. 

You can find Hot-spot Settings in Cellular Settings and check who is using it from there.

Dump Some Apps

Overloaded with apps? Too many data-heavy apps can slow a phone down and cause all sorts of crashes. 

You will need to go into your phone’s list of apps and think about offloading some of them. 

Remove the apps that you haven’t used in a while. 

My personal rule-of-thumb is that, if I haven’t used an app in three months or more, it has got to go. 

I need the room for the apps I do use, plus all my pictures and videos. 

Marie Kondo those apps off your phone and see if that speeds things up. 

If not, you want to check your Settings and see if your phone needs any operating system updates.

Remove Limitations

There is a possibility that you accidentally imposed some limitations that are causing your connection to be slow.

If you have Low Data Mode or Data Saving Mode enabled, try disabling them by going into (on iPhone) Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options and turning off Low Data Mode.

On Android, go to Settings > Network & Internet > Data Saver and turn it off.

Reset Your Network Settings

If all else fails, try resetting your network settings.

To do this on an iPhone, go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. 

If you are on an Android, go to Settings > System > Advanced, then hit Reset Options > Reset Network. 

This ideally should work if nothing else has helped, but it might not be effective for everyone.

When should I call Verizon for help?

Software and hardware problems can slow down a phone’s connection. 

The problem may or may not be coming from Verizon’s end. 

Either way, if your troubleshooting attempts fail to help, you should call Verizon or drop by your local Verizon store to get assistance from a customer service rep.

Closing Thoughts

A slow connection is always aggravating, especially since our lives are on our phones these days. 

If your Verizon connection seems slow, try some of the troubleshooting methods listed above.

There is a chance that this is just a temporary flaw in the system as Verizon might be subject to a power outage or doing some server upgrades. 

If you’re still left in the lag, call or visit Verizon to get more in-depth assistance.