Tracfone Latest Phones 2017 - List of New Tracfone Smartphones

New Tracfone Smartphones - List of New Phones from Tracfone in 2017

Welcome to TracfoneReviewer, a blog about prepaid cell phones from Tracfone!

List of New Tracfones in 2017

Tracfone releases a lot of new phones every year, and it can be hard to keep track of what is new, and what has already been around for a while.

When shopping for a new phone, we all want to know which phones were recently released, as these usually have the best features.

This list will share the latest phones released by Tracfone and we will continue to update as new phones are released each month throughout 2017.

We will include brief descriptions of each new phone, and links to additional information. You can also visit our Cell Phone Reviews page for our latest reviews of new phones..

Starting in April 2017, Tracfone is no longer including Triple Minutes for Life with new phones. Learn more about this, and how it might affect you, in our recent post about the Changes to Triple Minutes for Life.

New Phones Coming in 2017

Here are some new phones from Tracfone that have not been released yet.

• iPhone SE -  (limited quantities on Tracfone website)
• iPhone 7
• iPhone 7 Plus
• Huawei Nexus 6P
• Variety of Alcatel, Samusng, LG and ZTE budget smartphones also coming soon.

We don't know when some of these phones will be released, but will share as soon as they are. Now let's look at the phones Tracfone has recently released.

Tracfone Latest Phones for 2017

Below are the latest phones released by Tracfone to use on their prepaid network. This list has the newest phones first, followed by older devices.

LG Rebel 2
Featuring Android 6.0.1 and a 5" screen, the Rebel 2 has several nice upgrades over the original version, the LG Rebel, but also misses the mark in a few key areas. The Rebel 2 only has 8 GB memory (about 4 GB usable), 1 GB RAM and does not appear to include Triple Minutes for Life. It runs on CDMA networks (Verizon) and is available from several online retailers.

It is retailing through HSN.com for just $59 including 1200 minutes, which is a great deal. (last check it was sold out)

Also available on Amazon for $79 with $40 airtime card.

ZTE ZMAX Champ
The ZTE ZMAX Champ comes with a large, 5.5" HD touchscreen, Android 6.0.1 and an 8 MP camera. It only has 8 GB memory, which may be too little for many users. The phone users CDMA networks and includes Triple MInutes for Life.

Find the ZTE ZMAX Champ on HSN.com with airtime bundle for $99

ZTE ZFive
Another ZTE phone, the ZFive has a 5" screen, Android 6.0 and 5 MP camera. It also is limited to just 8 GB memory, although there is a micro SD card slot. The ZFive uses CDMA networks and comes with Triple Minutes for Life.

Get the ZTE ZFive on HSN with minutes bundle for $79

LG Fiesta
The LG Fiesta comes with a lot of great features including a 5.5" touchscreen, Android 7.0, 16 GB Memory, and 13 MP camera. It is a popular choice for the well rounded list of features it includes, except for a lack of Triple Minutes for Life. There are two versions available, one uses CDMA networks and the other GSM.

Read our review of the LG Fiesta to learn more and find where to buy it.

Samsung Galaxy J7 Sky Pro
Another good option, the Sky Pro comes with a 5.5" screen, Android 7.0, 16 GB memory and 2 GB RAM. It is a popular choice despite not including triple minutes. The Sky Pro uses CDMA networks and there are two other versions with smaller screens and different specs also available; the Galaxy J3 Sky and Galaxy Luna.

Learn more about the Samsung Galaxy Sky Pro including where to buy.

Alcatel OneTouch Pixi Bond LTE
Released at the end of 2016 or early 2017, the Pixi Bond has a 4.5" screen, Android 5.1, 8 GB Internal Memory, 1.1Ghz Quad-core processor and 5 MP rear camera. The Bond is only capable of 3G LTE speeds.

It is a very basic smartphone, but comes at an inexpensive price of $30 on the Tracfone website.

Alcatel OneTouch Pixi Avion LTE
Released at the end of 2016 or early 2017, the Avion has almost identical specs compared to the Pixi Bond (listed above), but comes with 4G LTE coverage. It has a 4.5" screen, Android 5.1, Quad-core processor, 8 GB Memory and only 2 MP camera.

Most Alcatel phones are somewhat cheap and may not be the most durable. The Pixi Avion retails for $40 on the Tracfone website.

Alcatel Pixi Unite
The Pixi Unite was released at the end of 2016 or early 2017 and comes with a small, 4" touchscreen, Android 6.0, 8 GB Internal Memory, 1.3Ghz Quad core processor and 2 MP camera. The Unite is capable of 4G LTE speeds and has a Micro SD card slot.

With the newer Android OS and Micro SD slot, the Pixi Unite is a good value at just $30 on the Tracfone website.

That's it for the latest phones, we will continue to add new phones as they are released. Let us know if you see a new phone that isn't on our list!

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If you're new to Tracfone, Start Here with our beginners guide. Also take a look at our Guide to Activating or Transferring a Tracfone Smartphone for tips and a step by step list.

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And see where Tracfone is going in 2017 with our article, What to Expect from Tracfone in 2017.

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(Last Updated - August  2017)

Tracfone Ends Triple Minutes for Life- What you Need to Know

Facts about Tracfone's Triple Minutes for Life Changes

Tracfone Triple Minutes for Life

Tracfone has decided to end the Triple Minutes for Life (TMFL) program that gave all smartphones (both Tracfone branded and unlocked) as well as many feature phones triple the minutes when adding the regular airtime cards. (When adding the 60 minute card, for example, you would get 180 minutes, plus any bonus airtime).

There has been a lot of speculation and questions about whether phones will keep Triple Minutes for Life, if new phones will have it, and if Tracfone is really removing a very popular feature from their phones.

We've gathered information about the changes and contacted Tracfone directly, and now want to try and clear things up and provide the facts for everyone concerned about this.

First off, none of the Smartphone only cards would triple anyway, so these cards are completely unaffected, and if these are the cards you usually get, you are unaffected. In general, the smartphone cards are a better deal (especially for texts and data)l, and you can take a look at our Tracfone Airtime Comparison to learn more about which cards are the best deal for different situations.

But many Tracfone customers still use the regular airtime cards, especially the 60 minute card and 1 Year/400 Minute card. Plus, most bonus codes are for the regular airtime cards.

So what exactly is changing, and how will it affect you? Let's have a look.

Tracfone Triple Minutes for Life Changes - The Facts

Here are the facts about Tracfone's changes to TMFL program.

• All phones that already have Triple Minutes for Life will continue to have it.
• New Smartphone releases will not include Triple Minutes for Life (Phones released after April 2017 and with Android 6.0 or newer will not come with TMFL, although some Android 6.0 smartphones do come with Triple Minutes)
• SIM cards for BYOP phones will no longer include TMFL
• All your airtime will transfer if you switch from a phone with TMFL to one without.
• Regular airtime cards can still be added to non-TMFL smartphones, but only the face value will be given. (a 60 minute card will give 60 talk, 60 texts, and 60 MB data.)

The important information here is that no phone that already has triple minutes will lose that feature. But newer phones released by Tracfone will likely not include triple minutes.

This is a significant shift that Tracfone is making, and may drive away some long time customers. Why would they do this? Here is their response from the FAQ section on their website:

Why Tracfone is Making the Change to Triple Minutes for Life:

"As technology continues to improve, we found that more people were using smartphones and smartphone plans. People are especially using more data. So, we wanted to accommodate you by providing higher data plans with greater value." - Tracfone FAQ

That doesn't make a whole lot of sense as to why they need to get rid of TMFL, but it is true that the regular airtime cards are not a very good deal for data or texts.

Tracfone also cited 'technical compatibility' as another reason for the end of triple minutes, but that isn't very likely either.

Whatever the reason, Triple Minutes for Life will no longer come with new phones, but all existing triple minute phones will continue to keep it.

Share your thoughts or questions about these changes below, and if you have additional information or corrections please also let us know.

Continue the discussion on our Facebook page where we post the latest news and info with our growing community.

Catch up on some of our recent posts including 10 Tips for Improving your Cell Signal and How WiFi calling Works.

We also updated our list of the Best Android Apps which includes a variety of the most popular and most helpful apps to have on your smartphone.

Don't forget to visit our Cell Phone Reviews page if you're shopping for a new phone, or the BYOP page to learn about bringing an unlocked phone to Tracfone.

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Tracfone Promo Codes for August 2017

Tracfone Promo Codes - August 2017

The latest promotional codes collected and shared by TracfoneReviewer

Tracfone Promo Code List - August 2017

It's a new month, and summer is almost over, but we've got fresh Tracfone promo codes to make things a little better! Each month we gather these promo codes, test them, and then share them here for our readers!

There's nothing to click or do, the promo codes are free to use! Simple add the promo code when entering the Tracfone airtime PIN number in the spot marked for it. You can add airtime on your phone, over the phone or online.

Promo codes are meant for non-smartphones, but will usually work for both Tracfone smartphones and BYOP devices. If you're looking for a new phone, check out our Cell Phone Reviews or the BYOP page for recent reviews and information.

Some of the recent phones form Tracfone, like the LG Fiesta, don't come with Triple Minutes for Life, but promo codes should still work with them.

This page includes only the latest codes from Tracfone that a re for August 20177 but we also have a larger, Tracfone promo code page with more options, so if you don't see a code here that works, be sure to also visit there.

Let's get to the codes!

Tracfone Promo Codes List - August 2017

Some codes may be one time use, and others may be limited to certain airtime cards. But for most codes, they can be used with a specific airtime card or any card of greater value. Adding airtime over the phone may be the easiest way to ensure you receive bonus minutes.

60 Minute Card use promo code 22703 for 60 minutes (may be one time use) or try 12745 for 60 minutes

120 Minute Card add code 38007 for 30 extra minutes

200 Minute Card enter code 41993 and get 40 bonus minutes (valid until August 16th) or use 59905 for 40 minutes

450 Minute Card use code 85337 to receive 50 additional minutes

1 Year/400 Minute Card use 89823 for 250 free minutes (valid until August 16th) or try 82024 to get 300 minutes!

$15 off the 1 Year/400 Minute card with code 91875 (from Tracfone website only)

We hope these codes get you the extra bonus minutes, let us know in the comments below which one you used, and how it worked.

Take a look at our 10 Tips for Improving your Cell Signal if you've ever wondered about how to boost your signal, or why you lose it in certain locations.

Also check out the latest post of Tracfone Deals, Discounts and Sales which includes both Tracfone smartphones and BYOP devices.

Join us on Facebook, where our community of over 2600 offers helpful information and advice. And send us a message if you have a specific question, its the best place for us to respond.

And if you are curious about what WiFi Calling is and how it works or if you can unlock your Tracfone then follow the links to our recent articles!

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10 Tips for Improving Your Tracfone Cell Signal

How to Check and Boost your Tracfone Cell Signal

Welcome to TracfoneReviewer, a blog about Tracfone. If you're new, be sure to have a look around and some of the other news and information we share!

10 Tips to Boost your Cell Signal

Don't you hate it when you lose signal while on the phone, or when you can't send a text because you are in a dead zone?

In this post we look at how cell signal strength is measured, how to check your signal, and tips for improving it. We often get questions relating to signal strength, and hopefully this will help clear some of those up.

Tracfone users several other cell phone networks, including Verizon and AT&T, and the coverage is usually pretty good in most cities and towns. However, there are plenty of places where the signal can be partially blocked, or has much further to travel.

The information provided here is to help you get the most from your cell phone, so let's get started.

How Cell Signal Works (And How to Check yours)

Cell signal is measured in dBm (Decibel milliwatts) where about -60 dBm is a very excellent signal, and -110 very poor. Ranging between -70 and -98 dBm will usually result in a very adequate signal. As we will see further on in our tips for boosting signal strength, little things like holding the phone in certain ways, can significantly affect the signal.

The signal strength bars at the top of your device don't have any standardized correlation to your actual signal strength, but are a general representation. Different phones may report a different number of signal strength bars even with a similar dBm number. So, for example, if two phones both have -93 dBm signal strength, one might show three bars and the other four.

But how can you know what the actual signal strength is on your phone if you can only see the service bars? Well fortunately there is an easy way to check, for both iPhones and Android devices.

How to Check your Cell Signal Strength

Knowing your cell signal strength is very handy for avoiding dropped calls, and checking if there are ways to improve it. Here is how to check your signal (measured in dBm) on an Android device and an iPhone:

Android:
On an Android device go to Settings > About Phone > Status (or Network Status) > Signal Strength (On some devices you may need to tap SIM Status)

iPhone:
Dial *3001#12345#* on your iPhone then press Call. The signal strength will be displayed in the top right corner.

Once you see the number, try moving around or covering your phone with your hand, you should see the signal strength change. In our testing with a Moto G4, placing a hand over the top of the phone resulted in a loss of about 5 dBm signal strength.

Below is the steps for checking your signal strength on an Android, but be aware it might be slightly different for you. Start by going to settings, and then scroll to the bottom, following the steps below.

How to Check your Cell Signal Strength on Android

Now that you know how to check your signal strength, here are ten tips for improving it.

10 Tips for Improving your Cell Signal

There are a number of different ways you can improve your cell signal and some of these may help more than others, depending on your situation.

1. Remove Obstructions
Anything that can block the radio waves reaching your phone could be reducing your signal strength. Things like a thick phone case, or leaving your phone in a purse or bag, could result in a worse signal, or even no signal. Test your phone case by checking your signal strength with it on, then off, and see if that makes a difference. Remember, closer to -60 is better, with anything between -70 to -100 still good, and beyond -110 very poor. If you notice your phone receives a lot of texts when you pull it out of your bag or purse, it could be getting blocked while in there.

2. Put your Phone in a Cup
This may sound a little odd, but it can actually helps amplify the reception in certain cases. If you get a poor signal, and are located in the lower levels of a building or the basement, try placing your phone in a cup to boost the reception. It might be hard to make any calls, but you will at least be able to check texts and voicemail. This also works well for improving the sound of your phone. You can also test with other objects that can catch and funnel the waves to your phone.

3. Check How you Hold your Phone
Cell phone manufactures put the antenna in a variety of different places, and sometimes the way you hold your phone could be reducing your signal. Check your signal strength with different ways you hold your phone and see if you might inadvertently be blocking the internal antenna.

4. Check your House for the Best Location
It can be helpful to walk around your house and check the signal strength in various parts. If you find a much stronger signal in certain areas, you can try and go there for making phone calls to help improve the signal.

5. Go Outside
Going outside, and away from buildings that might be blocking your cell signal, can make a huge difference in improving the connection. If you need to make an important call and find yourself with a low signal inside, make a quick trip outside and it will likely improve.

Using the Open Signal App to find the closest Cell Tower

6. Locate and get Closer to the Cell Tower
There are a number of free (and paid) apps that will show you where the nearest cell towers are, and which one you are currently using. This is very helpful if you need to get a better signal for an important call, or if you're just curious about where the cell towers are located.

Open Signal is available for free from the Google Play store and displays the nearby towers, and which one you are currently connected to.

Take a look at the screenshots from the app: on the left, it shows the dashboard which indicates which direction the cell tower you are currently connected to is located, and the map on the right side shows all nearby cell towers.

7. If in a car, open the window
Cars are basically large metal boxes and they do a pretty good job of reducing your signal strength. If it is not too noisy, try opening your window to improve your service. Obviously, you shouldn't be driving and talking on the phone, so maybe consider pulling over.

8. Create your own DIY Signal Booster
Using some everyday items you may be able to boost your signal with this DIY hack. There are lots of online guides and tips for creating and attaching signal boosters to your phone, but one we found was very simple, and made an improvement.

Simply attach the charging cord to your phone, and then wrap the other end around a metal object, such as a pen, and hold it up in the air. Try it for yourself and see what kind of an improvement it makes for you.

9. Keep your Battery Charged
Constantly sending and receiving signals does use a lot of battery power, especially when your phone has a weak signal, it has to send and resend several times. Keeping the battery charged will help your phone have plenty of juice to keep sending information even at low signal strength.

10. Use WiFi Calling
WiFi Calling works by using your home WiFi (or any WiFI) to transmit texts and calls for your device. You still have to pay for calls/texts, but at least you will be able to stay connected in locations with poor or no service.

We've just created a full Guide to WiFi Calling with Tracfone which includes more details about how it works, and how to check if your phone is compatible.

Bonus Tip! - Cell Phone Signal Booster
Cell phone signal boosters usually work by collecting the signal from outside your house, and sending it to another device that broadcasts it inside your house for a much stronger signal. They can be fairly expensive, sometimes several hundreds of dollars, but if you can't find another way to improve your poor signal inside, it may be an option worth looking into.

WeBoost (available form Amazon) is one such option that offers several different solutions. If you live in an area with a weak signal, this could dramatically improve your signal.

If you find that you still can't get a signal in places you commonly visit like your home or work, check with others to see if they have a better signal using a different network, and then consider switching. Tracfone uses several different networks, including Verizon and AT&T, so if you are using one service, you could consider switching to the other if you know that it has better service.

We hope this information about improving your cell signal helps boost yours! And let us know in the comments below if you have any thoughts or questions (and share your best signal boosting tips too!).

Keep up with the latest news and updates by joining us on Facebook with over 2500 followers.

Take a look at our Cell Phone Reviews list if you are considering a new phone, we've got lots of specs, details and where to buy the phones.

See the latest list of Tracfone Deals, Discounts and Sales for the lowest prices on both Tracfone smartphones and unlocked devices.

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Tracfone WiFi Calling - How it Works and More

How WiFi Calling Works with Tracfone and How to Make Free Calls

Tracfone WiFi Calling

Is WiFi Calling Free? How does it work? We are here to help answer questions about WiFi Calling, and share an option for free calling using WiFi. If you're not sure how WiFi Calling works, if you have it or if you want it, this is the article to read.

Information about WiFi Calling with Tracfone is not completely clear, but we've tried to collect and share the most accurate details below. If you have anything to add, or if we made a mistake, let us know in the comments.

If you're new to TracfoneReviewer, take a look around. We offer lots of Tracfone related tips, news, info and reviews. A great place to start is our Beginners Guide to Tracfone.

Now, let's take a look at WiFi Calling with Tracfone.

What is WiFi Calling?

WiFi Calling is a feature that allows you to send and receive both calls and texts over a WiFi network instead of the cell network. The main benefit is that you can stay connected with calls/texts when cell service is not available but WiFi is, such as in the basement of a large building, or in a rural area.

WiFi Calling doesn't give you the ability to make free calls and texts. (Read further along to learn how to do this with Google Voice.) You are still charged the normal rate for calls and texts by Tracfone.

WiFi Calling works on both Android and iOS devices, although not all phones support it, and not all cell phone service providers support it.

Tracfone does support WiFi Calling, but only on some smartphones, and certain BYOP devices. It appears to depend on the phone and your location, as not all the networks Tracfone users support WiFi Calling.

To see if your phone is capable, take a look at the requirements for WiFi Calling:

Basic Requirements for WiFi Calling

There are a few basic requirements for WiFi Calling

• SIM Card/Network that Supports it
• Cell Phone with WiFi Calling Capability
• e911 Registration

The first two requirements can be a little tricky to figure out. The easiest way is to just try and enable WiFi Calling to see if it will work. Tracfone uses several other cell phone networks, and a variety of different smartphones, so not all are capable or compatible.

You can visit https://e911-reg.tracfone.com/wps/portal/home/ and enter your phone number and last four digits of your SIM card number (located on your SIM card for BYOP devices).

Testing with an unlocked Moto G4 Plus with GSM SIM was unsuccessful.

How to Setup WiFi Calling

If you're phone is eligible, then follow these steps for WiFi Calling:

1. Register an E911 address, which requires you to submit your home address, by visiting http://e911-reg.tracfone.com 
2. Enable WiFi Calling on your device (if it isn't already enabled) by going to Settings > More > WiFi Calling. Here is a Tracfone tutorial for enabling WiFi Calling.
3. If you run into problems, try double checking each step and if that doesn't work, contact Tracfone directly or leave a comment below.

If you're phone is capable of WiFi Calling, it should be a fairly quick and easy process to enable it.

But what if you can't enable WiFi Calling, or you want to make free calls using WiFi? Well we've got the answer!

How to Make Free Calls using WiFi

If you were expecting WiFi Calling to make it possible to make free calls and texts, you are probably disappointed. But don't worry, there are other options for free calling and texting, and we will share one of the more popular methods here.

Using Google Hangouts/Hangouts Dialer and a free phone number from Google Voice, you can make free calls from WiFi. Anyone you call will see your Google Voice number, not your Tracfone number, but you can port your Tracfone number to Google Voice if you prefer that.

Steps to Make Free Calls with Google Hangouts Dialer:

1. Visit Google Voice and sign up for a free phone number. You are able to choose a phone number from a large variety available from many different area codes.
2. Download Google Hangouts Dialer app on your smartphone
3. Connect your Account and Verify your Phone Number
4. Make a Test Call using the Google Hangouts Dialer app to check that everything is working.

Now you should be able to send and receive phone calls to your Tracfone smartphone using your Google Voice phone number and the Dialer app.

Here is a helpful YouTube video that also explains more about Google Hangouts Dialer and how it works.

If you are looking for free texting, there are a number of texting apps such as Whatsapp, Line App, and more, that allow free texting with anyone else who also has the app.

Using a Google Voice number and the Hangouts Dialer app is a great way for anyone to make calls using WiFi without using any Tracfone airtime.

We hope this information is helpful and leave a comment with any thoughts or questions.

Check out the latest Tracfone Deals, Discounts and Sales if you are shopping for a new phone, or just want to see what is available.

Also take a look at our List of the Best Apps for Android, which includes several free texting apps.

And learn which Tracfone Airtime Card is the Best Deal with our comparison guide.

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