Changes and Updates Coming to Tracfone in 2024
A new year is here and 2024 is shaping up to be a year with big changes coming to Tracfone and other Tracfone brands now owned by Verizon. We will cover details on network changes, possible airtime card changes, and which brands Verizon may be shutting down.
Let's start with our top picks of best phones from Tracfone in 2023. These phones are still great picks in the new year, but we also expect Tracfone to offer newer options in the coming months.
Top Tracfone Smartphones of 2023:
Each of these top picks offer a good balance of performance, features and value. The Galaxy A14 5G is one of the cheapest options, and is often available for under $100 with an airtime bundle.
The Google Pixel 6a has the best processor and cameras, but comes at a higher price just over $200.
And finally the Moto G Power 5G 2023 brings a variety of great features at a surprisingly low price just over $100.
2023 saw quite a few good phones available from Tracfone, and we expect them to continue this trend in 2024 with more good options, and likely more phones available with airtime bundles which is the best deal on Tracfone.
What to Expect from Tracfone in 2024
Network Changes Coming in 2024 for AT&T/T-Mobile Customers
When Tracfone was acquired by Verizon in 2021, many users worried that Verizon would quickly stop using AT&T and T-Mobile networks, forcing customers to switch to Verizon's network. However, an agreement was made at the time to maintain the current offering for at least 3 years.
That agreement ends in November 2024, meaning it is possible that Verizon will require any Tracfone customers who currently use AT&T or T-Mobile networks to switch to Verizon's network. For many users, this has already started, with Tracfone contacting users directly to offer Verizon SIM cards, or in some cases, service slowly getting shut off.
If you use Tracfone on either AT&T or T-Mobile networks, be aware that you may have to switch to using Verizon cell towers at the end of the year, either switching to a new SIM card if your phone is compatible, or switching to a new phone. Tracfone may offer devices to users who do not have a compatible phone.
We will share more information about this when it is available.
Airtime Cards and Service Plan Changes in 2024
We may see changes to Tracfone's service plans in late 2024, as that is the end of a 3 year agreement to maintain existing plans made by Verizon.
It is hard to say what the changes would look like, as any drastic price increases would lead to a significant loss of customers. But looking at Verizon's rebranding of Total, we see they added more features, but increased the cost of all plans.
Tracfone has made small changes to some of their airtime cards - actually increasing the data for certain cards by a little in 2023, but otherwise has left them mostly alone.
Are Tracfone Promo Codes Going Away?
Tracfone Promo Codes are one of the most popular parts of Tracfone for many users as it is an easy way to get additional airtime for free with a simple promo code. However, since Verizon acquired Tracfone, few new promo codes have been available and they are mostly limited to basic airtime cards.
We don't know if Tracfone is completely phasing out promotional codes, or if they are just reducing the number of codes to help bring more focus to their rewards program.
It is disappointing that Tracfone has cut back so drastically on new promo codes, but we will continue to update the promo code list as long as there are available codes.
Verizon to Close or Rebrand Several Companies in the Tracfone Family of Brands in 2024
We expect some major changes to some of the brands under Tracfone Net10 is one example, which is no longer allowing new activations and is actively promoting customers switch to Simple Mobile from the homepage of their website. It seems likely Verizon will shut down Net10 sometime after November 2024.
Page Plus and GoSmart also appear to be on the chopping block and don't seem to be allowing new users.
We don't expect Verizon to close Tracfone, but it also doesn't seem like any steps are being taken to improve Tracfone. In 2023 we noticed a wide range of customer complaints, from issues with the website and app not working, to rewards points going missing, and even losing service unexpectedly.
There are a lot of things we don't know, but we will continue to share information on any changes to Tracfone as they become available.
Tracfone is still one of the cheapest options for cell service, but there are several alternatives that may be worth checking out, especially for those that use a lot of data.
That concludes our look at TracFone in 2024. Leave a comment or head over to our Facebook page to share your thoughts or questions.
Don't miss out on the latest Deals and Discounts on Tracfone smartphones.
Also check out our Beginners Guide to Tracfone if you're new or just want to understand some of the basics of how it all works.
Thanks for visiting and Happy New Year!
I'll be switching to US Mobile !
ReplyDeleteBeen a Tracfone user for over a decade. I knew as soon as Verizon bought Tracfone that it would end up turning to sh*t. Verizon is the worst - dealt with them in the past. I've found a much better choice now - Red Pocket mobile. Check out the eBay deals they have for airtime!
ReplyDeleteI am having an issue of not being able to connect to Tracfone.com. Their cloud provider is blocking access due to a security issue They tell me that I need to talk to the Tracfone internet security person about my issue so that the cloud provider can investigate the issue. Talking to several people at Tracfone it appears they do not have an internet security person to relay my issue to their cloud provider.
ReplyDelete