What is Tracfone?
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| What is Tracfone? Learn about them here! |
There are no annual or monthly chargers, and no extra charges beyond buying a phone and service/minutes. Tracfone is a true no contract, prepaid cell phone company giving the customer full control over what to spend on cell phones and service.
Note: Tracfone was recently Acquired by Verizon which will likely lead to some changes. Follow the link to learn more.
-You need a phone, which can be either a Tracfone branded device or your own unlocked smartphone. Tracfone offers a variety of devices that are locked to their network or users can bring an unlocked phone to use with the Tracfone BYOP program.
-You need airtime. Tracfone offers airtime cards in a variety of amounts including 60 minutes, 120, 200, 450 and more. They also offer a variety of airtime cards that can only be added to smartphones. All airtime cards also come with a certain number of service days and airtime. As long as you have both service days and airtime, you can make calls. But if you run out of either, you will need to purchase a new airtime card. For example, if you add the $25 smartphone only card to your smartphone, you get 60 service days, 500 minutes of talk time, 1000 texts and 500 mb data.
Tracfone also offers a variety of monthly no-contract plans for easy reloading of your airtime as well as a text only card and data only card.
How Tracfone Works:
Tracfone sells both cell phones and airtime/service days. Here's a more detailed look at each of those components for how Tracfone works:-You need a phone, which can be either a Tracfone branded device or your own unlocked smartphone. Tracfone offers a variety of devices that are locked to their network or users can bring an unlocked phone to use with the Tracfone BYOP program.
-You need airtime. Tracfone offers airtime cards in a variety of amounts including 60 minutes, 120, 200, 450 and more. They also offer a variety of airtime cards that can only be added to smartphones. All airtime cards also come with a certain number of service days and airtime. As long as you have both service days and airtime, you can make calls. But if you run out of either, you will need to purchase a new airtime card. For example, if you add the $25 smartphone only card to your smartphone, you get 60 service days, 500 minutes of talk time, 1000 texts and 500 mb data.
Tracfone also offers a variety of monthly no-contract plans for easy reloading of your airtime as well as a text only card and data only card.
Tracfone prepaid phones are sold in many different stores including large retailers such as Walmart and Target, and also many convenience stores. Cell phones and minutes can also be purchased on the Tracfone website, and at many other online retailers like Amazon and eBay. You can buy a Tracfone cell phone from any retail place, online or in store, and still activate it with Tracfone.
Why Tracfone?
Tracfone has become more and more popular over the last few years, and stands out because of it's super low prices and great flexibility.
Many consumers are getting tired of paying the exorbitant prices charged by contract cell phone providers like Sprint, Verizon or AT&T with 2 year contracts and monthly bills ranging from $60-120.
With Tracfone , there are no contracts, and monthly costs depend on how much you use. For consumers who are light to moderate phone users, monthly costs often range from $10-30.
Who Should Buy a Tracfone
Prepaid cell phones and service are not ideal for everyone. Consumers who text often, or make a lot of phone calls from their cell phone should probably not get a prepaid cell phone because they will spend too much money buying extra minutes and texts. These users are better off with unlimited plans (which you can still get without a contract through some companies).
But for those who make a few calls a week, or text a handful of friends or business contacts, Tracfone can be a good fit because you only pay for what you use.
The cell phones are simple to set up and use. One can buy a phone and be calling/texting within hours. The prepaid minutes cards are also easy to add and use and are available in many retail stores, and online. There are also constant promo codes available that add free bonus minutes.
Over the last few years Tracfone has also be introducing Android powered smartphones for use with their low cost prepaid service. These phones were initially a bit outdated, but have become much better.
To learn more about these smartphones, like the Moto G6, LG Rebel 4 and others, visit our Latest List of Tracfone Smartphones.
Visit our Tracfone BYOP page for more details on bringing an unlocked phone to Tracfone.
If you have questions about Tracfone, take some time to read through the posts on this blog, as there is quite a bit of information already available. And don't forget to check the comments where many visitors have left valuable information.
Continue to our Getting Started with Tracfone - The Beginners Guide.
This blog is not affiliated with Tracfone in any way, we just strive to provide useful information to consumers. Learn more on our About Us page.
Hi Peter,
ReplyDeleteSo happy I found your blog -- it's excellent.
You've mentioned amazon.com's $10 deal for the basic LG 440G phone, but there's no detail about what it comes with. As only the phone itself is shown, I wanted to know if you knew if this deal includes the battery and charger.
Thanks for your help and keep up the good work.
Yes, the deal should include at least the battery and charger, and it should probably come packaged as you would see it in store. It also should have basic start up instructions.
DeleteThanks for your comment and glad you find this useful! If you have more questions, just ask!
BUYER BEWARE!!!
DeleteSTAY AWAY FROM TRACPHONE!!!
HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE & PRODUCT!
THEY HAVE ZERO CUSTOMER APPRECIATION AND DO NOT CARE ABOUT CUSTOMER SATISFACTION!!!
USE ANY OTHER SERVICE YOU CAN!!!
I have had tracfone for years and I can say nothing but fantastic service I have the ZTE valet and it is great phone I have been all over the country and I never had any problems with service. Just keep an eye on your minutes and you will be good to go.
DeleteHAPPY BUYER!!! NOW ON MY 4TH TRACFONE!
DeleteCUSTOMER SERVICE HAS BEEN GOOD TO ME!
I've had Tracfone for almost 10 years and am now on my 4th phone. I have called customer service when transfering from one phone to another and have had excellent help. Yes, they are hard to understand, but be patient and they will usually get the problem solved. Love my Android LG39c2.
What planet are you living on? I have only gotten different answers & fortunately I had researched what people with specific phones had to say. I have talked for hours & days & months & they are "ignorant" of what phones they have, what they can do, how many minutes are used for each function. They have FIVE Customer Service locations... all offshore & again, some knew nothing, others only a wee bit & another... had I not already researched, sounded so right & told me to forget what the last 2 women had told me. They were wrong. He said he "guaranteed" that what he was telling me was right & if I had any problems to just call & they would take care of them. [Note: He was VERY WRONG!] And I told him that if I did that & had a problem that whoever I talked with would tell me the same thing as he had told me about the previous 2 women... that he was wrong & I was out of luck.
DeleteAnd 3 of 4 CORPORATE OFFICES ARE OFFSHORE & YOU CAN'T GET TO THE MIAMI CORPORATE OFFICE... BUT I SOMEHOW MANAGED TO GET THERE & THE WOMAN THERE WAS AS IGNORANT ABOUT THEIR PHONES, THEIR PLANS & MINUTES USED FOR DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS AS THE OTHERS. I ASKED TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE IN "TECH SUPPORT". She told me that TRACFONE HAD NO TECH SUPPORT! So, how does one find out IF & which phones will do what I need?? THE INFO ON THE PHONES DON'T SAY, THE Customer Relations DON'T KNOW... JAWBONE DOESN'T KNOW.
The phones, as the one mentioned above say, "VOICE DIALING", but IF IT IS VIA THE PHONE SPEAKER, THEN THAT DOES ME NO GOOD!
So, DO YOU KNOW IF ANY OF THE TRACFONES, SAY THE ALCATEL POP, WILL ALLOW FOR "COMPLETE FUNCTIONS" e.g. "VOICE DIALING", call waiting FROM THE EARPIECE, the older JAWBONE ERA WIRELESS EARPIECE, WITHOUT USING THE SPEAKER PHONE AS THE "VOICE DIALER", THEN ONLY BEING ABLE TO TALK USING THE EARPIECE?
I have researched & asked everyone & every company I can find & get NO answer!
I mostly use a cell phone when driving & the ONLY SAFE WAY, for those of us without the "built into their car BT devices" is to BE ABLE TO DO ALL FUNCTIONS FROM THE JAWBONE ERA EARPIECE. Mine is the older version, but it worked great with other phones.
I am on disability & no longer on a "plan with a friend", so I have to use something like a Tracfone. I bought the Tracfone LG 840 G deal over a year ago from HSN & used 9 minutes, because it simply was NOT what I needed. I have 1498 minutes left or did until March 31 & I guess they are gone in that I didn't buy another card.
Sorry, but I do have to agree with Doris re: customer service. It's worse than terrible. I don't bother trying to verbally communicate with them any more, not after ALL the times I've tried. I really got hot the last time I tried, and I'm on heavy meds for PTSD, so stress ain't good for me. I insisted that the young ladies I was speaking with identify what country they were in. The first, second and third were all in Central America, which I have no problem with. My problem was that I don't comprehend their their English, which is not their problem. If they're going to deal with the public on the phone, they should have good language training. This would alleviate a great deal of dissatisfaction with customer service. After the third one couldn't help me, I was finally transferred to Florida. I thought, FINALLY I'm going to speak with someone that I can understand! NOT!!!!! I can't remember the problem that I originally called about, but I finally thanked them and hung up. I now understand their method of service, since it has worked remarkedly well on me. I just go to Wal Mart and buy a new phone, transfer the minutes, and stomp the troublemaker flat. INFO--INFO--INFO-- After my wife got herself a new phone last year, she handed both old and new to me and "asked" me to transfer, etc. I don't know what numbers I punched in for the "transfer code" , but it rejected my input about a half dozen times, so being the genius that I am, I said to myself "Self" try another number close to that one, so I did. You may think I'm lying, but you're wrong. I'm neither a liar or a thief. She had about 400 minutes on her old phone to transfer and I didn't want to lose them. When I finally got the little cheapo flip fone to swallow a code, I couldn't believe that it transferred my 400 minutes, plus 8,000 more. Believe it. I didn't tell my wife right away, and she can't see the little numbers on the phone (retinitis) so I completed the transaction and handed her the new phone. I waited several months until I figured most of my aggravation with this phone and my phone fiasco with the Central Americans were compensated, and finally told the wife. She hadn't given it a thought that I had not added minutes for quite a while, until I told her what the goofballs had done. She said she wanted to check on a new phone anyway, since she actually wanted a flip fone again, so when I transferred to the new flip fone, everything went thru smooth--TOO smooth. So much for getting 8,000 again. FlipFone must have figured I had been compensated too!!!!!!!!! Haven't called them since, and I never will. I don't speak that dialect!!!
DeleteI Disagree With Doris Because Was Ask the WRONG Person She Should Have Contacted The Phones Manufacturer
DeleteI admit I didn't get halfway through Doris' ALLCAPS message but I agree she should probably ask the manufacturer about features particular to her phone. I have had Tracfone for 15 years. My husband, kids and inlaws have them too. I handle all the transactions for the family and have always had good service.
DeleteI have always spoken to people with what sounds like an Indian accent (I could be wrong) and while I have to listen well I have no problem understanding them. They have always been polite and friendly and helpful. Once I destroyed a phone by washing it and I couldn't prove how many minutes I had left on it. They took my word and gave me the minutes on my next phone.
Now I use a Moto E smartphone on Tracfone and I really like it. It's not the best of course but I'm not some super techy show-offy kind of person. It makes calls, texts, surfs the web, and handles all the apps that I want.
I pay $20 every 90 days.
Tracfone is really good,....but.... There can be trouble if you have to deal with customer service to transfer to another newer phone, etc. They do speak with a dialect and you have to listen close as they tend to have a higher pitched speaking range and it can sound garbled. Have always managed to be successful at it. If you have a problem, hang up and redial until you get someone you feel comfortable with.
DeleteThe real secret....never let your minutes or time run out.
I have had a few dealings with their Customer Service, best case was OK, they did remedy the incorrect minutes/text/data transfer to new phone, although it did take a couple of calls. The latest nightmare is still playing out, as I bought a LG K7 Treasure from HSN with 1 yr 1350 m/t/d. I transferred an existing number from my GSM/AT&T phone to this GSM phone. The 1 year was added but no m/t/d. Over 2 hours on the phone to customer service in Guyana, 4 calls at 30+ minutes each, 6 different reps, finally the senior CS manager told me I got my minutes and there was nothing they were going to do. They could not tell me my balance before minutes were added or after minutes were added, but she knew absolutely that I had got my minutes because the computer said so. But dialing *777*1# absolutely showed I had not, but they could not see that data. I have filed a complaint with the Florida BBB, as I have no idea what else could be done.
DeleteYou must be the Tracfone answer bot ! NO- TracFone uses bait and switch methods, Customer Support lies in CIRCLES. I only lost 394 minutes of unused airtime because they baited and switched me when I was informed I could extend service for $5.00 a month ( so I could use up the minutes and NEVER use TracFone or Cricket EVER again!) Double minutes? Refund them if you refuse to "rollover" my minutes, or add a 'service fee' AFTER I accepted the tracfone gift!
DeleteCan I transfer my existing cell phone number to a new tracfone?
ReplyDeleteCan I move over my SIM card so I don't have to re-input contact nos.?
What EXACTLY (in minutes deducted) is the text charge? Is it per text, per length, etc.?
Great questions!
Delete1. yes you can transfer an existing cell phone number to a new tracfone, can be done online, but may be easier to do over the phone.
2 No I don't think so. However a few people have said that Radio Shack can do it via bluetooth, so stop by one of their stores and ask about it.
3. sending and recieving texts cost .3 unites each. if you write or receive a long text, it may get broken into 2 or more texts, and each will cost .3 unites.
Hope that answers your questions1
Ok I don't know what is going on.I bought a Samsung Galaxy on 5 phone from Han special amount of talk text and data for a year like 1350 of each I think I was tired of all the used phones from Assist Wireless they were ok but thought this is new phone would be better so far good except phone keeps wanting me to down load apps that I don't think I need can someone help me with this
DeleteMy current tracfone has air time till March 2014 if I update to a newer tracfone do I lose that air time or can it be transferred to my new phone.
ReplyDeleteIt should transfer to any new Tracfone you get but I would call customer service to ensure they get it right. Just be sure to tell them how many minutes you have, and when your service is good through.
DeleteCall customer service??? There is none. Try to get a person on the phone??? There is none.
DeleteI have found the customer service to be quite good. Transferred to a new phone last month and had to call customer service. They were very responsive and got my new phone up without issues.
DeleteI don't understand the numerous complaints I read online about Tracfone having poor customer service. I had NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER when I first activated my Samsung Galaxy Centura back in Dec 2013 and had a TOTALLY SATISFYING experience when I transferred my wife's number from Verizon (not prepaid) to Tracfone when I bought another Samsung Galaxy Centura for her. As far as I'm concerned, their customer service was EXCELLENT in both instances.
DeleteReally? I tried transferring minutes from my old phone to my new one and the service person could not do it without me losing my new phone number????? After I just changed it with all of my connections and now I would lose it??? Customer service at Tracfone is a nightmare. I can't wait until I can dump it.
DeleteHi Peter. Great information.
ReplyDeleteWhat are the best sites to get apps? I am interested in finding an app that will allow me to make calls over wifi (so it doesn't come out of my minutes). Any suggestions?
I am guessing you are asking about apps for the LG 840G? It uses proprietary java based OS which means, I believe, that apps and such must be made specifically for it, so the market is not as big as for android or apple phones. Also, the LG 840G is not really a smartphone.
DeleteYou can get some features, like google maps. Hope that gives you some info!
Do you know who actually provides the tracfone network coverage for their phone system.
ReplyDeleteI just got a new tracfone and transferred my current tracfone number and minutes to the new phone. It is the LG440G which does have 3g connectivity, but now I have sporadic service with the signal which I did not have with my previous tracfone that was not 3g.
Thank you.
The 'G' at the end means GSM, which Tracfone usually uses AT&T's network. They might use a different network because it is 3G. Not sure why the coverage would be sporadic, but it doesn't sound fun.
Deletecan I use my lg840 tracfone in Italy to call home (NYC)
ReplyDeleteI don't think so, but you should probably get confirmation by checking with tracfone, specifically their international rates and information.
DeleteCan anyone tell me how to put text pictures in my picture folder?
ReplyDeleteDo minutes get deducted from my tracfone if someone calls or texts me?
ReplyDeleteI have been getting minutes deducted from my phone for incoming texts and calls. I was led to believe that only the calls/texts that I made would be deducted. Can you clear this up for me?
minutes are deducted when you make and receive texts. It does the same when calling, minutes are deduced when you make and receive phone calls.
DeleteI've had my 840g for about a month. It's supposed to have new email alert and I'm supposed to be able to get to my mail via the short cut. Not happening.
ReplyDeleteI can get to my gmail via the browser that, I guess, I can live with but I bought the phone so I would get alerts to new mail when I'm away from home.
After speaking to many different people in tech support (communication is frustrating) I was finally told that my "network" doesn't support that option.
It clearly states in the manual that it does. I have selected the new mail alert on the phone. The icon is there for the short cut but neither is working. I'm annoyed.
First I want to say, I LOVE THIS PHONE!!! It's simple, easy to use, does everything I need it to do, and I get to choose how much I spend. I had a really nice HTC EVO 3D on Virgin Mobile before this and it was a great phone at a great price, but I'm a Luddite at heart so it was too much for me. This 840g is great because it's inexpensive, has no lag, no unnecessary graphics, and it fits into my pocket perfectly.
ReplyDeleteSo, the only way I could get my gmail to work on this phone was to go to the gmail website and allow the login. Otherwise, the phone was being asked twice to verify my user info and the phone was just giving me an invalid password error. I went to https://accounts.google.com/DisplayUnlockCaptcha and clicked on the link to enable my LG840g to be able to get gmail. My Yahoo mail worked perfectly without having to go through any of this. That's when I suspected it was a security setting on the gmail site. Good luck!
I have over 200 minutes on my tracfone but no service days - will I be able to use the minutes when I by service days?
ReplyDeleteOne must NOT let the days run out... if you do the minutes do not roll over for you. You must buy the days to keep the minutes.
DeleteHave been a Tracfone user over 15 years now, back in old days was 50 cent per min, WOW, time moves fast, when you think they get smart phones? love the LG
ReplyDeleteI'm in the same boat, nice not to have phone bill for, say one year, let us know when track, or net, let's us per pay for smart phones, I b the first in line, cool site, u the man!!
DeleteIf it's a smartphone you're looking for, check out this phone another visitor told me about just yesterday:
Deletehttp://www.hsn.com/products/samsung-galaxy-centura-android-tracfone-wgoogle-play/7260446
It is a tracfone android smartphone, with all the features of a smartphone. It has only just come out, and I can't find it available anywhere else. Will keep track of it, and hopefully share more details when they show up.
Being a long time tracfone user I have been waiting for them to offer smartphones. Now that they have 4 new android phones I was ready to try one UNTIL I saw the texting rate increase. IT is 1 minute per text now!
DeleteNo more .03 if you choose their smartphones.
What a shame.....
I thought Tracfone actually had something til their greed got in the way.
I will stay with my existing flip until I find a reasonable replacement.
Anyone know of a smartphone that qualifies?
Texts do cost a little more with the new smartphones, but the old rate wasn't .03, it was .3 and the new rate isn't really 1 minute, it is 1 text, since minutes and texts and data are all separate now.
DeleteAND -- if someone wants to prank you they can use ALL your text allotment -- you can't turn it off on the Smartphone (at least not the Huawei) -- BAD design Tracfone
DeleteI have a flip phone and 'normal' texts are displayed as .03 minutes, but if I get a text from a smartphone it comes across as a picture and uses an additional minimum 1 minute, bummer.
DeleteAre the reconditioned phones sold on the tracfone site worth buying or should a just buy a new tracfone?
ReplyDeleteHard to say, but at 5-10 dollars it is hard to beat!
DeleteHow to fixif date and time are wrong. If I activate will this fix that.
ReplyDeleteYeah that should fix it. Sometimes if its wrong you can just turn it off and on and that will fix it. If the problem persists it might be an issue with the phone.
DeleteI have a tracfone LG800. How do you block a phone number?
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely outstanding site! Thanks to you, I just got 30 free minutes while buying online minutes for my wife's LG800. She loves the LG800 and Tracfone and I love your site and free-minute promo codes! I'd call THAT a win-win situation! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteMy sister offered to buy the QVC LG Optimus Tracfone for my Christmas present but I'm really confused about how the "buckets" work for the Android phones. The reason I wanted to go to Android from my LG880G was to be able to use down the 4870 talk/text minutes that I have. I've been with Tracfone since 2003 and I don't talk much and never text! Now I have found that minutes can't be used for data usage on Android. The QVC video for the Tracfone LG Optimus Dynamic says they will triple when transferring which would give me 14610 minutes for talk, 14610 for texts and 14610MB of data. [That's extrapolated from their example of 450 minutes transferred.] Somehow I really can't believe that! I'm assuming the 600/600/600 that would come with the new phone is lost in transfer situation---if not in my situation it becomes 15210/15210/15210MB which is even MORE unbelievable. I guess I'll just have to call Tracfone and see what they say. I dread that! Those people don't know much!
ReplyDeleteI don't think you can transfer all of your minutes, I think there is a limit of 2000 or something. And the minutes you are transferring won't triple, but you should still end up with 2000 calling, 2000 texts, 2000mb data. It might be best to just call a rep and get the details for sure. The 600 minutes the phone comes with from QVC is really a 200 minute card they already count as tripled.
DeleteHello, I bought a LG Optimus Android Tracfone
ReplyDeleteE225404 on QVC. The Tracfone rep said there was a place in the "settings"
that I can find my airtime minute balance but I can not find it.
Was that just BS? This is such a basic and necessary thing they should show the minutes on the front screen but I suspect they are trying to bully the user into buying a plan. I don't want a plan, I just buy minutes as I need them. That's why I got Tracfone but I may have to get another carrier now.
There is no airtime display on the homepage, it wouldn't work with android OS. However, there is a tracfone app that will give you your airtime updates.
DeleteIs there any way to add minutes without also paying for additional months? My husband has *many* months left on his Tracfone card, but has used up almost all his minutes. Is it possible to add one without the other?
ReplyDeleteHow much does it cost to take a picture with my LG440G and then email it to someone? Does the recipient lose minutes from his phone by receiving my picture?
ReplyDeleteIf you email it, then it won't cost anything, If you send it via MMS, it will probably cost a few minutes, for both you and the recipient
DeleteYou got any info on the new byop plan on tracfone?
ReplyDeleteThere is no app on a TracFone LG840G to block or reject calls or numbers. But there is this work around. You can install a silent mp3 ringtone and assign it to the offending number. Your phone will still display that it received a call, but you won't hear it ring. Here's how: You can create a silent mp3 ringtone with Audacity, a free sound editor. The silent ringtone should be 10 seconds in length. Download the silent mp3 to the LG840G SD card. Go to SETTINGS/FILE MANAGER/MEMORY CARD/AUDIO - Click on the silent mp3 file name. Click USE AS Ringtone. You can assign this silent ringtone to the offending number. Or you can make the silent ringtone the DEFAULT RINGTONE. Then assign real ringtones to all of your contacts. Then any number not in your contacts list will ring the silent ringtone and not bother you.
ReplyDeleteI listen to audio books on my LG840G. My problem is, When I turn the player off the book automatically goes back to the beginning of the chapter. I would like to have it start where I left off.. Can't find a setting on the unit to change this.
ReplyDeleteOld fashioned phone caller: I am looking for the dimensions of Alcatel The Big Easy, thanks
ReplyDelete2.3 x 0.5 x 4.6 inches ; 0.2 ounces
DeleteThese comments, questions and answers were SO informative...Thank you!!
ReplyDeletehow do you know your pin number?
ReplyDeleteI called my provider's customer service and they provided it to me, IIRC.
DeleteHow can I get to my Voicemails. Don't recall what password I used.
ReplyDeleteWe've had Tracfones for over 7 years and presently have Samsung T404G (him) & T301G (hers). I'm going to upgrade to the S390G and give the wife my T404G so she get the 'qwerty' keyboard and 2.0G camera. We text briefly but often. I attend/instruct high performance auto events in remote areas. When Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint can't provide cellular service, I have it via Tracfone. Rate customerservice at 40% but benefit/cost @ 110%. Phil in So Calif
ReplyDeleteMy wife and I have the Samsung S390g's with triple minutes. This site has been a great help in the recent years of Tracfone ownership. I get a 5 percent savings on ANY phone cards(or any phones for that matter), purchased, when I use my Red Card at Targets. That saves a few bucks on the 1 year card. Earlier in the year, Targets had a 10 percent off ad sale, without being a Red cardholder, but if you were, the normal 5 percent, to cardholders, additionally kicked in giving a total savings of 15 percent on the phone card purchase. Oh, I am not blindly smitten to Targets or to charging any in-store or internet purchases(anywhere) without being aware of the hazards we have these days, but I am giving them a go and watching my account statements carefully. I hope the input is helpful to other savers out there.
ReplyDeleteI bought a Samsung Galaxy Centura (Tracfone version) back in Dec. 2013 and love it. Prior to that, I had no desire at all to carry a cell phone, but ESPECIALLY no desire to go out and buy a smartphone and pay an exhorbitant monthly fee to Verizon.
ReplyDeleteI'm not one of those types of people who always needs to be in touch. Most of the time my friends or family can find me at (1) work or (2) home. And they know those phone numbers. But now that I have the Centura smartphone, they can also reach me for those occasions when I'm out and about.
What I especially like about the Centura is the ability to (1) check my Yahoo e-mail while at work (which forbids access to Yahoo mail and Google mail), (2) surf the web when I'm not in front of a desktop at home or at work, and (3) apps/games. And most of the time I'm using Wi-Fi (NOT the mobile data) to surf the web, watch videos, and play connection-needed games because I'm home and connected to my router.
So for me, I bought the 400-minute, 365-day card (which triples to 1200 minutes, 1200 texts and 1200 MB data) for $99.99 since I'm not a "power user." And as a result, it costs me a paltry $8.33/month and I can be a smartphone owner!
I live in central NJ and only once have had a call drop on me. So the phone aspect is very reliable in my area. Now admittedly, the built-in camera's image quality is just so-so but it will do in a pinch. And sometimes the phone will freeze up when too many apps are running at the same time--but all that's needed is a quick re-boot which takes less than a minute, so it doesn't really bother me.
In summary, I have been EXTREMELY delighted with my Samsung Galaxy Centura smartphone as well as Tracfone's prepaid plan. A clear-cut winner in my book, and a great way to stick it to the big companies like Verizon and AT&T for someone like me who doesn't need all the bells and whistles of a higher-end smartphone.
My Son has a tracfone and claims it uses minutes up by just being on. I don't buy it.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Tracfone devices don't use minutes just being on, but sometimes it is easy to hit the internet button on some phones which will use minutes.
DeleteYou are only charged for calling, texting and data.
My husband's phone (840G) was doing the same thing. Turns out it was periodically checking for new emails because he had it linked to his phone. Because he keeps the wi-fi off when not in use to save battery life, it was using his over the air minutes to update. He disconnected the email from his phone and it no longer has disappearing minutes.
DeletePeter, will all Tracfones work in any location? Looking to buy one on Amazon but don't know if will work in my location, Louisville,KY" ?
ReplyDeleteCan I activate a new phone outside my normal area code ?? I need to replace my old tracfone but I am on vacation outside my area code. Thank you for any help you can give..
ReplyDeleteYes, that should be fine. If you are asked for a zip code, use your home zip code.
DeleteI recently transferred my old Tracfone number (LG L34C) to a new Tracfone (LG L15G). I have a California area code, but I now live in Arizona, where I purchased and activated my new phone. My new phone says it's "Active;" however I am unable to make or receive calls, even though the phone indicates it has full bars. Texts work fine. The Tracfone representative told me that if I take my new phone to California, it will work. Is that true?
DeleteIs there a tracfone smartphone that you can get wifi and 3G on, but you can turn off the browser (for a child's phone so they cannot surf the web, but can use wifi / 3G for apps that require it)?
ReplyDeleteI'm ready to upgrade to a smartphone from my old, old, talk/text Tracfone. Have seen references to going on wifi and not using your data minutes. What are you using -- talk minutes? Or are no minutes being used?? About 3 decades behind in technology. Please help! What would I be turning on/selecting to do this. I'm assuming it's like being at home and using my tablet on wifi from the signal on my home computer. Am I close???
ReplyDeleteWiFi typically refers to wireless internet, the same your tablet or computer might use at home. When a cell phone is using WiFi, there is no cost - no minutes are deducted. What you will need to do is turn off your 3G internet, and then find, and connect to, a wireless connection.
DeleteI just entered a long plea for help and had the comment disappear after asking how I wanted to comment and selecting my goggle account. Just need help purchasing airtime. Several attempts, online, on my phone and on their customer service line have NOT been successful. I have spent so much time on this, hours. I have been satisfied until this experience. Not so much right now.
ReplyDeleteSorry the comment disappeared! Not sure about solutions for adding minutes, never heard of anyone having trouble with that. Your phone is still functional and active?
DeleteJust switched from our old LG flip phone to a new ZTE Valet, We had good service with the old phone, but the new one cuts out and does not get service where the old one did. Any suggestions for help.
ReplyDeleteWell, the new Android phones only use Verizon cell towers so it could be that the Verizon signal isn't so great in your area, which you can't really do anything about. Hopefully Tracfone will make roaming possible with the Android phones which may improve this.
DeleteI currently have mobile service through VM. I would like to buy a Trac phone AND then transfer my existing phone number as well. After purchasing online and then having the new Trac phone in hand--how do I proceed to minimize downtime???
ReplyDeleteAnonymous one of the worse phone you can have. when you try to call track phone say no network. worse customer service. This phone is junk phone
ReplyDeleteHello Peter,
ReplyDeleteI am a longtime Tracfone user and now have a Samsung S425g. I can receive texts from individuals just fine. But I am trying to sign up for text alerts from various business and so far it never works. I never receive the confirmation code. It doesn't make sense to me why it would work fine with individuals but not work for alerts. I can't find anywhere that says I should not be able to receive alerts. Is there some setting I am missing that could be blocking them?
As you have a S425G, can you tell me what the symbol to the right of the tower & bars is for. It doesn't always come on when I turn on my phone & then I have "no service".
DeleteI have a S425G also. Sometimes when I turn on my phone the symbol to the right of the tower does not show up. Then phone shows "no service"
DeleteCan you tell me what that symbol is for.
LG800g: Is there a way to listen to just the mvx(s) you want, or have I just not discovered it. Must you listen to ALL mvx's to get to the 1 you want.
ReplyDeleteI know you pick up mvx's by calling in fr landline & listening to ALL and thus saving your tracfone mins, but I when a landline's not available, can how can you get to just the call you need to?
Can you transfer your same phone number to the new trac phone
ReplyDeleteAnonymous: Yes we transferred our exist cell numbers to tracfone.
ReplyDeleteFYI
I have had Tracfone services for all of our family for years, and for the most part we really like the phones and service. I have had bad luck with one phone/phone number, repeatedly I have had to call for service (not easy) and I go thru hoops trying to get the time registered on the phone. The service reps are good, hard to hear sometimes as I think they are based in the Philippines and the line QOS is poor. But I continue on with Tracfone and I look forward to getting and using Android smartphones. Great blog site I appreciate the promo codes, works for me.
These prepaid cell phones only work in the U.S.? Not in Canada right?
ReplyDeleteI just want to know what the little white button is for that's on the back of my phone under back cover
ReplyDeleteI had a LG 840G with 1,496 minutes and 75 service days left. I tried upgraded to a LG Optimus Fuel online. When I tried to do this at my account on Tracfone.com their system crashed and gave me error messages and erroneous text on my computer screen. I did not think about it being "black friday". I have been on the phone with their customer service twice in the last two days. My service end date has been correct all along, but they left off my minutes. I finally got the rep to restore my 1,496 minutes but she said I would have zero texts and zero MB of date and that I would have to buy those after the fact. I had previously gone from a non android to android and I was given equal amounts of minutes, texts and data equal to the number of minutes I had. Did something change? Just trying to get some answers before I attempt the customer service labyrinth again.
ReplyDeleteDisregard, on my third attempt with Tracfone CS, they finally got right and gave me equal minutes, text and data.
Deletejust got be careful buying prepaid cell phone ok need look in unlocked cell phone from ebay
ReplyDeleteI really do not want to be anonymous, but that seems to be the only category into which I fit. I have loved my phone and generally the day to day service is fine, but dealing with customer service is impossible. Each time I have attempted to add minutes by phone the transaction has come out wrong.
ReplyDeleteAt present I am trying to deal with a situation by which it appears that I was dropped for no reason last Wednesday night and my calls have gone to Verizon, ie if people call the get a Verizon message saying that the phone is out of service, if I try to call it is answered by Verizon who says either I can pay with a credit card, or that my number is out of service. This in spite of the fact that my time does not expire until March and I have plenty of minutes left.
I have spent more than 5 hours between Verizon and Tracfone -- Thank God I had computer work I could do-- given my phone, serial number, dialed *22809 and turned my phone off and on more times than I can imagine. I have been placed on hold, had my call dropped and received numerous unintelligible voicemail messages and still have not been able to solve the problem. In spite of the fact that this is their problem that they cannot correct they refuse to refund me the balance of my contract.
I am now trying to get the information so that I can port my number to another less cost efficient, but I hope more efficient company but am afraid they will mess that up as well.
Since I cannot figure how to enter my information without being inundated with unsolicited sales pitches, I will check back to see if there are any suggestions or commiserations.
That sounds like a crazy situation! I would be really mad. Don't know what you can do to figure things out, but if you do, I would suggest adding minutes online rather than calling. Could be they messed something up when adding them last time.
DeleteI am considering tracfone. My cousin had it for 3 years and loving it. She also mentioned about the roll over minutes and what is the minimum amount of minutes that you typically recommend?
ReplyDeleteWhew! Just read thru this section and have info overload. contradictions throughout, old & new data comingled. Its like watching Bill O'Rielly as he banters back and forth. However, my Bottom-Line on all this is: for the price and not having to make a 2 year commitment of about $3000.00 you can't beat it. For crying out loud just buy one and try it out. The risk is about $100.00 vs. $3000.00. Not hard to figure that one out is it? a no brainer.
ReplyDeleteI am trying to figure out which if any tracfone android actually has GPS. I was wanting to use Jog Tracker Pro since I used it before on my Sprint HTC EVO 4G. I have the LG Ultimate 2 and it says GPS disabled when trying to run the app. The app states the phone must have its own GPS as the app can't use cell tower telemetry since it is not accurate enough for the results the app can offer.
ReplyDeleteYou probably have to go into your settings menu and turn on GPS. All of the Android phones should have GPS, but it can be enabled or disabled in the settings area.
DeleteThat is what I thought, but that would be wrong. Many, if not most of the low end android phones say GPS enabled. All that means is it can run google maps and maybe some other navigation apps using cell phone tower telemetry to simulate the GPS experience. The Ultimate 2 has no GPS on/off, it only has location on/off. Since there is a lot of confusion about true GPS and GPS enabled I would like to see tracfone reviewer spell that out in their reviews of current and upcoming tracfones since having true built in GPS is critical for running some apps. Thanks
DeleteI may have overstated the numbers, but I know for sure the LG Optimus Fuel L34C, and the LG Ultimate 2 L41C, have no GPS. Maybe it is just LG that has gone cheap with the "GPS enabled" cell tower telemetry technology. I find the "GPS enabled" label to be completely deceptive and confusing for consumers. Feel free to verify for yourself. I would like to see the reviews of these phones reflect that they have no onboard GPS and will be unable to run apps that require the more accurate location data provided by true GPS. Also be on the lookout for other manufactures trying to do the same and emphasize that in future reviews so that consumers like myself won't make the mistake of an uniformed purchase. Thanks and I will go buy you a coffee.
DeleteBoy do I feel like an idiot. All I saw was location On/Off, I finally found the screen for location mode selection. Why they can't just say GPS On/Off is beyond me. It was fairly obvious on my last Spint HTC phone, not so much on these tracfones. It is rough being an old guy trying to figure out new tech.
DeleteAll this talk about terrible customer service. I think the thing most hate about it is.. you have a hard time understanding the underpaid person on the other end. The answer is take your problems to Tracfone via their "chat" line. I have used it several times and most of the time it is simple and effective.
ReplyDeletenot always, but probably still a better alternative, one time chat over 20 mintues problem not solved, second time chat about 10 minutes problem solved. guess it depends on the customer service person...
DeleteI can not use my LG 840g phone, I have a password, and the LG keyboard is saying i'm unable to use it, I can not get into my phone to do anything, i cannot reset anything or even try to fix my situation and I am unable to get in contact with any LG techs concerning my issue , this is getting to the point where i'm about to start posting some pretty nasty stuff about this phone.... Please help me!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI have an old flip phone, which works ok. I'm not glued to the device, only using it when I'm away from home or work.
ReplyDeleteI would like to try a smart phone, but if I transfer the number and don't like the smart phone, is there any way to move the number back to the original phone?
Does anyone know if I can make my optimus fuel roam? Can I make wifi calls? Great phone!!!
ReplyDeleteNeed some help...1) i bought moto e phones for my daughters. Is there an app to allow them to text for free over wifi without charging against their minutes? I researched a bit and found google hangouts that said it could but after a couple days, found out it still charges your minutes. They do most of their texting when at home so using our wifi would be ideal.
ReplyDelete2) when i transferred over their minutes from their old tracfones it pushed their expiry date out to 6 months vice the 3 months expiry i had on the cards i just bought them before transferring to their new tracfones. Is it better to have a longer expiry date or better to have the shorter expiry date? Looks like i have to add minutes way before their normal 3 month expiry date so that would push their current expiry date (8-15) out another 3 months. Is that a good thing or not?
Longer expiry date is good, but if you let the phone run out of minutes completely, you will lose all the time you have on the phone as well. It is best to set a schedule of buying more time every three months and it builds up over time. Also, if you run out of time, you lose your minutes, thus the reason for longer expiry.
DeleteI read somewhere that you can turn off the 3g on the Moto e phone and use wifi to text without using minutes. I am assuming turning off the 3g is in settings somewhere.
I just found these notes on "free" Wi-fi texting on this website, favorite apps:
ReplyDeleteLine
Widely popular in Asia, this free messaging app is powerful and simple. Text friends, call, and even video call for free when your on a WiFi connection. A great way to stay in contact with friends and family for free.
Whatsapp
More popular in America, Whatsapp provides and great instant messenging service and has millions of users. It was recently bought by Facebook, but does not appear to be changing anything. While you don't get ads or annoying stickers with Whatsapp, you do have to pay for it after your first year. It costs $1 per year.
It doesn't hurt to have a longer expiration date. If they don't use up all the minutes in 3 months, you have extra time to use them without having to buy extra minutes/time. If you run out of minutes "early" you just buy more minutes and it will push the time out even further.
Hey Peter,
ReplyDeleteFirst time poster, been following you over the past several months, great blog. I have a question that hopefully you, or someone who visits here, can help me with. I live in an area that has had an unusual existence between tracfone's line (trackfone, net10, and straightalk) and us cellular(I'll avoid the details for now, but can post them if you need them). On the tracfone website I'll put in my zip code to check out which phones are available, but recently have noticed some odd behaviour. Example...a few months ago I put in my zip code and saw the the LG Ultimate 2 (L41C). The next month the Alcatel Onetouch ICON Pop (A564C) shows up, but the LG Ultimate 2 (L41C) disappeared from the list. The month after that, the Alcatel Onetouch ICON Pop (A564C) disappeared as well. So my question is can I buy and activate one one those, or another phone that disappeared from the list, if it's no longer on the current list? Thanks in advance.
Yes, you can buy the LG Ultimate 2 on Amazon, eBay or other retailers and activate it. I believe the phones disappear because they go out of stock, not because they won't work. If they showed up at some point for your, then they will work for you!
DeleteWell Peter the saga continues...
DeleteI bought the LG L41C Ultimate 2 tracfone + 1200 minutes from Amazon. The phone arrives, I charge it to full, then start to activate it. After entering my zip code I get this message:
The following error has occurred.
The SIM serial number you entered was not found in our system. Please re-enter a different SIM serial number.
Please call the TRACFONE Customer Care Center at 1-800-867-7183.
Hummm... odd... Before I call the TF CCC and go down that potential rabbit hole, I decide to do a little recon and experimentation with the tracfone website. So I click on coverage, enter my zip code, click on the LG L41C, and the the following message:
Coverage is not available for this device in the selected area. Please enter a different zip code, or select another device.
After further testing I find out every phone the tracfone phone shop listed for my zip code comes up with the same message. ...(This is most likely due to the uneasy relationship between tracfone and us cellular in my area)... Now I've gotten tracfones to work here before (to a greater or lesser extent), so I'm not going to let this stop me. Looking at the zip code map I follow the interstate going through my zip code to the one next door (10 miles north). I enter that zip code and the LG L41C, and lo and behold...I get a coverage map. Looking at the map the only "Select a plan" is "Pay As You Go for Android"...and not only is that entire area covered, but mine is as well (odd?)...as well as most of the state. Next I start a new activation for the L41C, enter that zip code, and no error message...goes straight to "if you have a minutes card". I aborted the activation at this point. So I my question is: Should I sit at home in my zip code and activate the phone using the zip code next door that worked, or should I be on the safe side and take the L41C and my laptop to a wifi hotspot there and then activate it? Thanks again.
You should be fine just using the zip from the area nearby. I don't know how the call quality will be, but if you've done this before it should be fine.
DeleteCan you tell me how the data minutes are deducted? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteSee Getting Started with Tracfone - The Beginners Guide above in article. It is different with Basic Phones than Androids. I could tell you, but it might be best to go there & there is a section on minutes & hopefully the differences in charges?
DeleteBasically, on Basic Phones, whatever minutes you get are for calls, texts, & data. Try to get double or triple minute phone deals. I've been told so many things. So, I won't try to tell you how many minutes are used for each, which is what you are asking, but I don't trust what Tracfone Customer Service says & things change.
It was & may still be that unopened texts in the Basic phone DO NOT COST YOU ANY MINUTES... but with the ANDROID phones, you get charged whether you open them or not!
However, with the Android phones which usually give you Triple Minutes... Say you buy 400 minutes, tripled that will be 1200 minutes. But with the Android minutes, you get 1200 for calls, 1200 for texts & 1200 for data, so that is a good deal. Again, the costs for usage, check.
This site is great. Peter Vanosdall seems to know his stuff. As far as getting "trustworthy information" from calling the Tracfone "Customer Service"... what a joke. Don't even go there. All are offshore & 3 out of 4 of the so-called Corporate Offices are offshore. Somehow I managed to get the Miami Corporate Office which they do NOT want you to reach & they were as clueless as the rest. I asked for Tech Support & I was told that Tracfone does NOT HAVE TECH SUPPORT. So, contrary to what some "satisfied" Tracfone users say, which is that Customer Service is great... Well, read the reviews. They are clueless & if you happen to get one who DOES know what he/she is talking about, how do you believe them when so many are DEAD WRONG!
Hope this at least gets you started. The guide that is given above is your best bet... & then ask Peter Vanosdall.
new tracfone user
ReplyDeletejust got my LGL38c in the mail
whats your tips on this phone?
i am sick of att bills
hope i can mange qith this one
just need it for texting ot calling my wife and job
any hints or reviews on this phone?
thanks
I could tell you lots... almost all NEGATIVE, but Peter Vanosdall is really wise, unlike the so-called Customer Service Reps.
DeleteGo to the site in his article above called: Getting Started with Tracfone - The Beginners Guide. It is very informative.
Hope this helps.
I have a triple minute tracfone I want to give to my sister. Will the triple minutes continue for her. It is supposed to be for the life of the phone.
ReplyDeleteYes, the phone is triple minutes for life so any minutes added by anyone will be tripled.
DeleteHello. I recently purchased a Tracfone Alcatel One Touch Pop Icon (my first smartphone). My husband has one of Tracfone's Samsung Centura. Shortly after I set up my contacts on my Alcatel (via manual input), I noticed some of the contacts from my husband's phone mixed in with my contacts on my new phone. I know I didn't input them (nor did he). It's not a big deal, but it is a mystery to me. Can you explain it?? So far, the Alcatel is meeting my needs very well. Thanks
ReplyDeleteHi There,
ReplyDeleteI have a Tracfone LG420 with lifetime double minutes and a balance of 4206 minutes on it. Can I buy a new Tracfone the lifetime triple minutes and transfer over the same number and the 4206 minutes? When I then add minutes to the new phone I'll then be getting triple minutes...correct? I guess what I am concerned about is this: Is the double minute plan is associated with the phone number? ...or...is it associated with the SIM that comes in the new phone?
Thanks
On my new android tracfone, I have lots of calling minutes and lots of data minutes but I am almost totally out of texting minutes. How can I get more texting time without having to waste money buying more calling minutes and data minutes?
ReplyDeleteOK. I have the Tracfone LG840G. I cannot use it. All of a sudden it goes code 34 unregistered sim. Talked to customer service and they reinstated it. I had to feed numbers into it and walla it worked. After a few weeks here we go again. Code 34 unregistered sim. Tracfone customer service tells I cannot use this phone in my area anymore. funny thing is my husband has the same phone with no trouble and uses his a lot and does not get code 34. What the heck. It is because I go travel to more areas to use my phone and he does not? It is frustrating. I resigned myself to the fact that I have to buy a different phone. I still want to use Tracfone. I like the idea of no contracts. I did buy the MaxPatriot Android. After I read the reviews I am not sure I want to activate it. I have like 3000 minutes on my phone. Sounds like I won't get all my minutes and it will be split. I think I should go with another nonandroid at this time. I am not a huge texter nor do I use the online capabilities. But did want a phone with a few aps like the 840G. I am confused.
ReplyDeleteDoes a trackphone really track you
ReplyDeleteTracfones, depending on the model, can be GPS enabled. This is suitable for many common uses but for further information contact your nearest NSA Branch Office.
DeleteWe have had cell phones and now trac....love the TP since we have it for traveling.
ReplyDeleteI set it to where only the people in my contact list can call. Just as good, or better, than call block.
I have caller ID and did not set up my voice mail so I can just call them back. I do not text and do not read any that come through.
I control my minute usage.
how do i know my own phone #
ReplyDeleteCan I get apps on my Android from my PC without using Google Play? Can I use my Android as an eReader and not be charged or on the internet?
ReplyDeleteIs there a time limit after purchase of a Tracfone phone for activating it? I am considering buying a backup phone when at a really good price, then keeping it until I have a problem with my current phone (like breaking it). Also, must airtime cards be used within a certain time after purchase?
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of any time limits on phones or minutes.
DeleteI am a Canadian spending winter months in south
ReplyDeleteTexas so I purchased a Trac phone with triple minutes , texts and data. When I text back to family in Canada it cost them 7.99 a text to receive it. Whats up with that?
My tracphone sas unfortualy google search has stopped how do I get it to work again
ReplyDeleteAccording to the tracfone website, any phone can be used with the purchase of a sim under BYOP plan as long as it is either an at&t phone or an unlocked GSM phone. Does that mean I can go out and buy any gophone, do not activate it, and bring it to tracfone? The ZTE Max 2 is what I want to buy, 16gb 2gb ram Android 5.01 and 5.5 inch screen for $149. Second question, can I port a number from another carrier say a year from now to an existing tracfone, give up the tracphone telephone number and still keep my miniutes? In other words, do the minutes attach to the phone or telephone number. Thanks. Gary
ReplyDeleteOctober 22, 2015: AGAIN Tracfone has screwed me over on minutes. I'm using the phone and I hear the "toot-toot... toot-toot" that I think is an in-coming call. No, it's the "under 10min remaining" alert. UNDER 10MIN.? I had well over 30!! And I only get 1-min incoming calls calling me to work, or the rare text mssge. exchange. Where did they go? This is the 2nd time my crapfone has done this. The previous time, I finally got 20min out of them, but they used this against me this time, as if I didn't deserve it originally and should've been grateful. For life. I googled this and it's not uncommon. This is outright stealing, on top of their deceptive advertising, "No contract". Well, if you don't use your phone by the "service date" it shuts down. I call that condition/date combination a "contract". For God's sake, is there anyone out there not endlessly trying to trick you and screw you?
ReplyDeleteI have a cheap $5 dumb phone and am considering getting one of the android smartphones. I was wondering, if I switch will the $10/30 minutes option still be available for the smartphone. Also, if it is will it triple with the new phone? I rarely use my phone and the $10 option usually lasts me a whole month. Thanks for any info.
ReplyDeleteAre you aware of the $10 sale on the tracfone alcatel onetouch pixi glitz android smartphone with 3G at Best Buy & 4G at Target, Kmart, Kroger & Family Dollar stores. Please compare & contrast this phone with the other tracfones on this site.
ReplyDeleteHi, I need help with two Samsung Stardust phones I bought one for Sharon and one for me. She hates hers and wants to go back to Net 10 and take her number with her. My question is can I move her time over to my phone or are those minutes gone? both phones came with a one year plan.
ReplyDeleteI am going to France in the summer. If I put my tracfone (LG2) on airplane mode, can I use the camera, alarm clock, flashlight and games I've loaded?
ReplyDeleteYes, you should have no problem.
DeleteI have Tracfone Alcatel. I can receive Text messages but when I send most the time the person I send them to don't receive them.
ReplyDeletePlease give an answer to my problem with my Tracfone Alcatel
ReplyDeleteTrac phone customer service has to be the worst. First of all, you cannot understand them due to their thick accent, nor can they understand you. It has taken more than five hours (in all) talking to a customer service person and the problem is still not solved. Transferred minutes/number of old trac phone to new VG. I can make a call but cannot receive calls. So frustrated. Is there any number that connects with a person who speaks and understands English<
ReplyDeleteI just bought an lg 440 as a back up phone with only 10 minutes on it. I ended up using all 10 minutes sending test text messages at the reps request. Now that I have 0 minutes I receive my texts (because they're free) but i get no alert to let me know they're there. I have checked all settings and they are fine and the volume is up. The messages go straight to the inbox with no noise or screen alerts. What can I do to fix this?
ReplyDeleteI bought my granddaughter a tracfone. I hooked her up on my wifi so that she could watch a cartoon. She came and showed me that she had more "stuff" on her phone. She had all of my contacts and my Gmail on her phone. I did a hard reset and entered the 3 numbers she is allowed to call. Everything was fine until she came over 3 days later. Her phone connected to my wifi and all the info came back. Customer service couldn't help and I wondered if anyone else encountered and corrected this problem? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteIf you attempt to transfer your phone number and minutes from one tracfone to another and they 'lose' them somehow, call up customer support and ask to be connected to the 'loss prevention department'. I did that this morning and got good service.
ReplyDeleteI upgraded my wife's tracfone for Christmas, and initiated the transfer on her 'my account' on the web on Christmas day. My confirmations looked good - I e-mailed myself the receipt and it contained the correct phone # and minutes balance, and a ticket number for the transfer. The new phone also appeared with the correct serial number in 'my account'. It took 10 hours or so for the old phone to deactivate, and about 12 hours after that I used online chat support to check on the order status, since the new phone wasn't activating yet when calling *22890. When they opened the ticket number, none of the information matched mine, and all they could tell me was that the phone number and minutes had been transferred to a serial number unknown to me or my wife, owned by someone unknown to us named 'Darryl'. I guess to them it looked like a legitimate transfer, so they couldn't help me. That's when I asked if they had a fraud investigation department, and they referred me to the 'loss prevention department'.
TRACFONE claim that you can transfer your minutes to a new phone is false; I upgraded to a new phone and they would only give me twice my last transaction (which happened to be a smaller than normal purchase). Apparently they can track your expiration date, but they have no idea what your current minutes are. One operator told me that she could only give me twice my last purchase, called back the next day (as instructed) and the new operator claimed that they read my phone and coincidentally it was the same amount.
ReplyDeleteBottom line: I will never make a large purchase of minutes from
TracFone because you are likely to lose them if there is a problem with your phone.
can anyone tell me why my Android Lucky Tracfone uses data when i have no apps loaded?
ReplyDeleteI have a tracfone Alcatel Pixi Glitz. A notice is across my phone all the time saying,
ReplyDelete" My account is denied to turn on blue tooth" It blocks everything I do. How do I get rid of it?
I have a Alcatel Pixi Glitz .A notice is constantly across the screen saying "My account is denied to turn on Blue Tooth" This is blocking my view to do anything. How can I get rid of it?
ReplyDeleteWalter Muench
I have used Tracfone for years and plan to continue with them. Being in control of usage and having the ability to buy more airtime as needed is the best part of this service.
ReplyDeleteI upgraded to smartphones and keep the old flip phones as backup. It's simple and inexpensive to just keep the old phones in service to use in an emergency or to loan to somebody if they need one.
The ZTE smartphone was slow and had problems with the proximity sensor. The display would turn off when holding the phone to your ear like is was designed to do, but when taking it away from your ear to enter numbers, the display would turn on and off rapidly. You couldn't even end the call.
The new Samsung Galaxy Stardust is very good and is satisfactory for web browsing. Easy to have multiple windows open. I recommend getting an ad blocking app to stop the pop ups when browsing.
Agree with the comments about customer service. Avoid it. Their website is useful and meets my needs.
peter--help please, how to block calls with LG 530G...I need help...thanks!!!
ReplyDeleteI need some advice/ help. My daughter and i both have the pixie glitz and we hate it. It is difficult to navigate and what we both would like is a phone that is great for just calling and texting. We don't use anything else..also would like reminder sounds if we don't hear the ring or text when it comes in. Also a calendar that is easy and has reminders...this one says to set for up to 5 reminders, but neither of our phones does..any suggestions are appreciated.
ReplyDeleteI have had a Samsung S765C trac phone since December and all of a sudden, in ALL of my contacts the last two digits are missing. Trac support was not able to help. Can anyone help me?
ReplyDeleteI am a Canadian living in Florida for 3 mos/yr and have purchased a Tracfone and 60 min/90 day card. If I want to wait until next January to activate my new phone and minute card will it work for me then or is it time sensitive to the date of purchase? I purchased the phone to activate my Comcast internet as I have an internet net phone and as it turned out I didn't need to go that route.
ReplyDeleteAlso, when I active and setup the minutes and let it expire when I return home - can I use the same phone next year and just purchase another 60min/90day card?
Thank you to anyone who can provide the answer for me.
I made a mistake yesterday entering an invalid promo code and
ReplyDeleteNO ONE at Tracfone would help to get bonus minutes! I was on the phone for about 1/2 hour or more and 3 reps said they couldnt. Meanwhile while waiting, I used code 12745 on hubby's phone, worked fine. Why couldnt they add the code to mine??
Received a LG 306G (3G) phone to replace my old TRACFONE 2G phone. Very few problems with my 2G phone but the upgrade was free because 2G service was being discontinued in my area (ZIP 85739).
ReplyDeleteNothing but problems: I could not get service at my home; either inside or outside. Called tech support- hours of typing in codes to the phone with no help. Finally they agreed to send me another SIM card which didn't help. When I called tech support again I got hours of power cycling, inserting codes but still with NO SERVICE. Finally, the tech called the Carrier (T-MOBILE) who said, and I kid you not, that my new 3G phone was not capable of in-house service in my ZIP code. I told the tech that that was not acceptable. She said she would ship me(expedited service) another SIM card with a different carrier. The next day when I saw no tracking info in my email, I called tech support again and talked to a manager and was told that I would NOT get another carrier. I asked him if the tech from the previous day had lied and he said that she was misinformed.
A few days later when I was driving out of my area, I got a text message on my 3G phone that said my case had been closed because the problem was solved. (They must have previously worked for the VA). So now I have a BRAND NEW 3G phone that gives me NO SERVICE inside or outside my house. An example that perceived technical advancement is a step forward
The lesson to be learned: you get what you pay for - my new phone was free so my service was non-existent. Avoid TRACFONE; their tech support and customer satisfaction are terrible
Need to replace 2g phone...I do not really need a smart phone. I need a CDMA that has great reception & service as most important feature...& if possible no touch screen & low priced. I have had TracFone for 3 yrs...
ReplyDeleteWhat do you recommend? & how would it compare to Verizon prepaid Gusto 3? Thank you
Hello same person as above...I see that TracFone has the best deals...so which of their CDMA phones would be recommended for $20 or less? Thank you.
DeleteSorry forgot to add CDMA-V so it's on Verizon network. I'm mostly on farms in the middle of no where...
DeleteThere are two flip phone CDMA options on the Tracfone website at this time - the LG 237C for $15 and the Alcatel A394C for $30. These look like your best options at this time.
DeleteThank you so much for responding...the only other one I found was Samsung 336C...has great talk time & etc but I see it is a smart phone...I think the time card will be split 3 ways & only calling is used...no text or data.
DeleteWhich do you think is best...LG 237C or Alcatel A394C?
I have the reviews for the LG but none on the Alcatel. I have seen some reviews in general on Alcatel but none on this particular phone...
what are the features & does it come with double or triple minutes?
LG unfortunately talk is 2:18 but that doesn't kill the deal...it comes with double min? Thank you for your time...Cheers
They are both pretty similar, some minor pros and cons. The LG is a bit cheaper but not as much battery life. Both only have double minutes for life, so you could look for something that has triple minutes for life. If a phone has a 'C' on the end of the name, then it uses CDMA and most likely Verizon towers.
Deletethanks mate...I mind 2 for a friend who is a farmer & does not even know how to use a computer...I picked up
Delete2 Alcatel A394C today. They are now charging. cheers
Just picked up an LG android which I'll need to activate in the near future. Am familiarizing myself with this phone on free Wifi currently and checking to see usage as I surf the net. Just want to clarify - if I am using available free Wifi - will Tracfone deduct any data charges?
ReplyDeleteHi, no your doing just fine with free WiFi. That gives you a chance to learn about your new phone. Until you load your usage card you can't be charged for data, and I leave my data OFF and just use free WiFi unless I need it then I turn it on. Good luck with your new LG.
ReplyDeleteThank you! That clarifies for me - turn Wifi ON and Mobile Data OFF and no data charges applied. If Wifi unavailable and I turn Mobile Data ON, charges will be applied.
DeleteI just bought a new smartphone and a data plan with Straight Talk, but it is still through Tracfone. I was wondering what would happen to my minutes once I attempt to transfer over my number?
ReplyDeletewhat happens to your tracfone phone that you buy from them when you decide to go to a different servicr provider? Like if I buy a tracfone phone, I end up moving or something or for whatever reason, and I want to activate this phone with someone else like say, at&t, will it activate there? Or anywhere?
ReplyDeleteHas anyone else had a problem with transferring the phone number, service time and minutes to a new Tracfone? I did not get the 3 months service time and over 700 minutes from the old Tracfone. I tried to do it online and it said there was a problem and to contact customer service. I contacted Tracfone and was told that they couldn't confirm the minutes, because the old phone was deactivated when I tried to transfer everything to the new phone, but the service time could be confirmed. I don't understand why they couldn't find the minutes, they were still registered on the old Tracfone handset I had,that was deactivated when I tried to transfer the phone number, service time, and over 700 minutes. I lost about $90.00 worth of minutes and am not very happy about it. I feel like this is a rip-off that Tracfone does on purpose. That is why I am asking if any other people have had this happen and would be interested in knowing if it happened to a large amount of Tracfone consumers. Thanks.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteOur family has used Tracfone for several years. One is on an iPhone 4s, one an LG and mine is a Samsung Galaxy On5. None of us can send or receive pictures, nor can we get group messages. Is there a fix for this?
When I was traveling I was able to use a homeowners WIFI to text and call, but now that I cam home I cannot get it to work with my own WIFI??? LGSunrise Android Tracfone I went into settings and it is checked? Please HELP. Thanks, Mary
ReplyDeleteI have to say, the tf Alcatel Pop Icon is the best tracfone ever, better than the newer ones, I don,t use my phone much, and i usually turn it off when at home, but i never had to charge the phone for almost a year!! Best battery life. Also, can,t stand cs, so i make my husband call. But over the last 6 yrs of using tf, we have saved many thousands of dollars, that,s why he,ll deal with the terrible customer service.
ReplyDeleteThe savings!,! Noone on the cs team knows anything, But i still recommend tf. But, i,ve read everything and i still don't know if the minutes are broken down with one third is data, one third calling , and one third texts, cause my son has one and he has no data left, but he can call and text. They make it sound on hsn like the minutes can be used for anything. Please help me understand this one question. Also just bought a iphone 5s for my son, unlocked, from Target, and put it on tracfone service, and he got his minutes transferred works wonderful, but it took a week for it to start working after activating, also bought myself An iphone5c and will do the same thing, but my son still has no data, do I just have to buy more minutes for him to get data?
Can anyone tell me if the triple minutes program is still active? I bought an iPhone late last year and it didn't say anything about triple minutes. I notice that on the current cell phone page for phones available thru TracFone that only a few phones mention double minutes for life and there are no phones listed as triple minutes. I haven't had to buy minutes since I got my phone, so I don't know if I'll get triple minutes or not.
ReplyDeleteBill R, yes all smart phones get triple for life
ReplyDeleteHi, my LG 306G will not open outlook.com email (Hotmail.com). It used to work fine, someone said the certificate is not renewed on Tracfone's end? Also, yahoo.com won't work either. Any ideas? thanks Dave
ReplyDeleteNo need, bought a MotoE.
ReplyDeleteHi - the weirdest thing is happening on my Tracfone. Firstly, one night I texted a friend - then when I texted another friend, my phone # showed up on his end as the friend's # that I had texted previously. Now, when I receive a text, a different friend's #shows as it coming from her #, but then smaller underneath it is the person texting me's phone #. Any clue???
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the up-to-date info on tracfone, I really appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteI recently upgraded my Tracfone account by purchasing a Samsung Galaxy S7 with CDMA. My reason for upgrading was to have 4G LTE so that I could access the new Verizon cell tower that's within close proximity to my camp in Northern New Hampshire. While my phone works fine everywhere else I have tested it, I cannot complete a call while standing within 1,000 feet of that Verizon tower next to my camp. I show 5 bars, the phone displays that it's dialing but I hear no dial tone and the call ends shortly after it starts to dial. I have called Tracfone, gotten the typical run around and can't seem to get a straight answer as to why, with 5 bars I can't place a call. Many friends have success with that tower, but they are using a Verizon wireless plan, not Tracfone. My SIM card was based on my home zip which is Southern NH, but works with all Verizon towers near my home and every other tower in Northern NH I have tapped into. I have even emailed the Tower company to get answers, but they haven't gotten back to me yet. One friend says I need to have 4G LTE (which I have) and HD voice, which to my understanding is not available to Tracfone customers. I don't think this should matter anyway because with 5 bars I should have no problems. I can text off that tower with as little as 2 bars. Any clues as to why this is happening? I even turned on "Allow roaming" even though I don't pay for roaming charges under the Tracfone plan.
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous, when I lived in Superior MT. Verizon installed a new tower, service was poor to none. Turned out the tower was set too high up the side of the hill and the signal went over most of the town. Verizon changed the signal direction and the whole town was happy.(sorry)
ReplyDeleteTry going a mile or two down the road away from the tower, may work better.
I have had my tracfone a month and they still can't get it set up right, I still can't call or text, they sent me a new sim card and that still doesn't work, I have called and been on chat over 12x, its been driving me crazy, they say I have good service here, I can get on the internet,I just can't call and text
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous, If they can't talk you through a fix, return the phone before your time to do so runs out.
ReplyDeleteI have a regular tracfone. Decided to get a smart phone trac phone. It didn’t work for me . got it at QVC, all looked good but didn’t work out. Now want trac back to my old trac fone. I was told need new sim #.
ReplyDeleteMy problem my land phone isn’t working and having trouble getting Comcast to fix it. I am 85 years old and need a phone. Just want my trac phone back.
I was using a lg238c when is the emd of verizon 3g on this phone? do you have a clue cuz i do not have a clue, and thank you very much if you can help me.
ReplyDeleteJust had very bad experience with tracfone.
ReplyDeleteBecause I lost previous LG phone I bought a replacement LG phone. When I activated they told me I had zero minutes. No, no, I said. I had almost 3000 minutes because I bought a one year minutes card plus several other replacement phones. I didn't use my phones heavily.
I went up the tracfone ladder, all the way from agent to supervisor to manager. They all told the same story: I had zero minutes. The best I can do is write a hard copy letter to the central office, the manager said.
I plan to write that letter plus complain online to the Federal Trade Commission plus give bad reviews to tracfone wherever I can.
If I stay with tracfone I will accumulate as few extra minutes as possible so they can't steal them from me again.
I am having the same issue at Nooyawka (9-28-2019). I lost over 3000 minutes when my phone died and I activated a new one. They told me I had 0 minutes on the old phone. I do not have any proof, and my entire purchase history disappeared as well. Both phone and chat support provided no help and they could not escalate it to a higher supervisor or anything. Very frustrating but affirming to see that someone else had the same problem.
ReplyDeleteIt's 'been said that tracfone will have the Samsung S-20 available in it's phone store this year. Does anyone have a date on when this will happen? Thanks for any comments
ReplyDeleteDon't go with Tracfone. Their service has gone downhill. They can't resolve problems. I was a customer for over 20 years, but now I switched.
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