Tracfone WIFI Calling Guide - How to Get WIFI Calling

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

Is WIFI Calling Free? How does it work? There are a lot of questions surrounding WIFI calling, and as Tracfone has slowly made it more available on their networks, it has become a popular option for some.

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? Here are the FAQs

WIFI Calling allows users to send and receive both calls and texts over a WIFI network instead of the cell network. It does this by going out over the internet, and then connecting to the cell phone 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 building, or in rural areas.

WIFI Calling does not allow 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 uses support WIFI Calling.

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

Tracfone's Requirements for WIFI Calling

There are a few basic requirements for WIFI Calling:

• Your Smartphone is active
• It has a Wi-Fi calling SIM card
• It has Wi-Fi calling capabilities (not all phone models support Wi-Fi calling)

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 check eligibility by visiting 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).

Note: in our recent tests with several different BYOP devices, none were WIFI calling eligible.

How to Enable WIFI Calling on Your Smartphone

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

1. Visit https://www.tracfone.com/support/wifi-calling and enter your phone number.
2. Click 'Send Code' and receive a 6 digit security code to your phone and enter it on the next screen.
3. If your phone is eligible, you will be able to proceed to activate WIFI calling.

In some cases, you may need to enable WIFI Calling on your device (if it isn't already enabled) by going to your phone app > Settings > More > WIFI Calling. Here is a Tracfone tutorial for enabling WiFi Calling.

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 Best Tracfone Money Saving Tips!

And finally, we recently shared 23 Pros and Cons for Tracfone - check it out!

Thanks for visiting!

Tracfone Cheapest Airtime Hack - 1 Year/1200 Minutes

Cheapest Deal on Tracfone Airtime 1 Year/1200 Minutes (won't last long)

This deal gives users a new flip phone, and 1 Year/1200 minutes for just $20! It is such a good deal, we had to share this straight away because it likely won't last long. The airtime is worth closer to $99, and with a few steps, you can get the airtime into your current smartphone. Follow along to find out!

We recently shared how to get the Cheapest Tracfone Airtime which used a similar tactic of buying a phone with an airtime bundle to get a year of service for around $60. But this deal is even better, you just might not want to keep the phone.

How to Get 1 Year/1200 Minutes for $20 from Tracfone

Unfortunately it looks like the deal has ended, and the price is back up to $60. But have a look, it may drop again soon.

The Tracfone TCL Flip 2 with 1200 Minute Airtime Bundle is on eBay for just $20 with free shipping. That's a savings of $125 off retail price.

Here are the steps to get the airtime added to your account:

1. Activate the new phone (flip phone) and SIM card with a transfer of your existing number and service. This can be done on the Tracfone website, with the chatbot, and usually is a smooth process.

2. While logged into your account, select activate, then new phone from Tracfone, and choose 'I want to keep my number' when prompted and select it form the dropdown.

3. Verify the transfer from your current phone, and complete the transfer. All of your current airtime and service days should be added to the new phone, along with 1 year of service and 1200 talk/text/data.

4. If you don't want to keep the flip phone, you can initiate a transfer back to your old phone. Go back into your account, find the inactive device, and activate it with a transfer of your number and service from the new phone.

It might be a good idea to give a day or two between the transfers to ensure it all geos smoothly. We also don't know if Tracfone will add some sort of limitations or restrictions in the future to limit this.

These kinds of deals have happened in the past, and there is no knowing how long it will last, or if it will continue to work. But for the price, it is a very affordable way to get airtime.

This deal was sent in by Charles P, thanks for the tip! And it was originally posted on SlickDeals.

Let us know in the comments, or over on our Facebook page, how this deal works for you!

Get to know the basics of Tracfone, visit our Beginners Guide.

Also take a look at our List of the Best Tracfone Smartphones under $100!

And check out the Latest Deals and Sales on Tracfone devices and also our Tracfone Promo Code page!

Thanks for visiting!

Best Tracfone Deals for April 2023

 Tracfone Smartphone Deals and Sales - April 2023

Everyone wants the best deal and to save some money, especially when buying an expensive new smartphone. Plus, there are so many different places to buy from these days, how do you know where to find the best deal?!

We are here to help! With the list of best prices on recent Tracfone smartphones and unlocked devices! 

We track and monitor various deals online and every month we gather the best prices on popular Tracfone smartphones and provide the updated deals to our readers below. Some of these deals include airtime bundles, and others just the phone. (The best value usually includes airtime bundles).

Prices and availability can change quickly, and we update this list every month. If you are looking for a new phone, also check out our List of the Latest Tracfone Smartphones.

Best Deals on Tracfone Smartphones - Updated for April 2023

These are the lowest prices from around the web on some of the latest and greatest smartphones from Tracfone.

Moto G Power (2022) - $109 for 2

6.5" touchscreen, 4 GB RAM/64 GB storage,  (Read our full review of the Moto G Power 2022)

2-Pack with airtime bundle from QVC | eBay (with airtime bundle) | Amazon 

Moto G Stylus (2022) - $149

6.8" touchscreen, 6 GB RAM/128 GB storage, (Read our full review of the Stylus)

Tracfone Website | (affiliate link)eBay

Moto G Stylus 5G (2021) - $120

6.8" touchscreen, 6 GB RAM/128, 5G network compatible

QVC (with airtime bundle) | Amazon

Samsung Galaxy A03s - $49

6.5" touchscreen, 3 GB RAM/32 GB storage,  (read our full Galaxy A03s Review)

 HSN (with airtime bundle for $59) | Amazon | Target

Samsung Galaxy A13 5G - $99

6.5" touchscreen, 4 GB RAM/64 GB storage. (Read our Galaxy A13 5G Review)

HSN (with airtime bundle) | Amazon 

Samsung Galaxy A23 5G - $139 Now $129

6.6" touchscreen, 4 GB RAM/64 GB storage (Read our Galaxy A23 5G Review)

HSN (with airtime bundle) | QVC (with airtime bundle)

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G - $219

6.5" Super AMOLED touchscreen, 6 GB RAM/128 GB storage (Read the Galaxy A53 5G Review)

(affiliate link)eBay

Great Deals on Unlocked Smartphones

Moto G Power 5G (2023) (Unlocked) - $279 ($20 off)

6.5" screen, 6 GB RAM/256 GB storage, 5G network compatible

Amazon

Moto G Stylus 2022 (Unlocked - $169 ($140 off)

6.8" screen, 6 GB RAM/128 GB storage, 4G LTE

Amazon

Google Pixel 6a 5G (Unlocked) - $299 ($150 off)

6.1" touchscreen, 6 GB RAM/128 GB storage, 5G network compatible 

Amazon

That concludes our deals and sales list and hope these help you get the best price on a new smartphone!

Leave a comment below with any thoughts or questions and also join us on Facebook to connect with our growing community and get the latest info.

We just shared our thoughts on whether Alcatel, TCL and ZTE phones from Tracfone are any good, and some of the information we share might be surprising.

All the phones in our list above are VoLTE capable according to Tracfone, but you may want to take a look at updates to our post about Tracfone Closing their 3G CDMA network and how it may affect you.

Keep up with the latest in 5G network access with Tracfone including 5G Coverage maps! And a list of Tracfone 5G phones.

If you're new to Tracfone, start with our Beginners Guide which shares helpful information about how it all works.

And finally don't miss out on our Tracfone Promo Code list with many different codes to get free minutes when adding airtime!

Thanks for visiting!

Complete List of Tracfone Brands (And Which One is the Best Deal) 2025

 All the Brands Owned by Tracfone and Which One is the Best Deal

Tracfone Wireless was acquired by Verizon in 2021 and that included not only the Tracfone brand, but a number of other companies under the 'Tracfone Family' of brands.

Which brands does Tracfone own, and now Verizon? And which brands are the best deal? Let's find out now.

List of Brands Owned by Tracfone Wireless

Tracfone owns several other brands, including:

1. Straight Talk: Sold exclusively at Walmart and StraighTalk.com, they offer a wide variety of plans, focusing mostly on unlimited options ranging from $35 (w/ 10GB data) to $65 (w/ unlimited data) per month. They also offer some basic phone plans, international calling plans, and even home phone and WiFi bundle options.
2. Net10 Wireless: Available from a variety of retailers both in stores and online, Net10 has plans for $20 to $65 per month, with their cheapest plan coming with 2GB data, and their top level plans featuring unlimited data. 
3. Total by Verizon (formerly Total Wireless): Recently rebranded after Verizon acquired Tracfone, Total offers plans starting at $30 per month for 5GB data, and going up to $60 per month for unlimited data and a host of extras (like Disney+). They offer some (very small) discounts for additional phone lines and are available from a number of online retailers and on their website.
4. Simple Mobile: Like the other brands above, Simple Mobile has unlimited talk and text plans with a range of data options starting at $25 for 3GB data, and going up to $60 for unlimited data.
5. Page Plus Cellular: Airtime is primarily available on their website, Page Plus has unlimited talk/text plans starting at $30 for 3GB data, and going up to $55 for unlimited data. They also offer several options for buying minutes that can be used for a certain period of time (similar to how Tracfone basic airtime cards work). They have service for as low as $10 for 166 minutes that will last for 120 days. They also offer a monthly plan for $12 that adds 500 talk, 500 text and 100mb data per month. 
6. Walmart Family Mobile: Operated in cooperation with Walmart and using T-Mobile's network, Family Mobile offers unlimited talk and text plans with various amounts of data. $25 per month comes with 5GB data, and $50 per month features unlimited data. They also offer discounts through Safelink benefits, a government benefit program.
7. GoSmart Mobile: Using T-Mobile's networks, GoSmart has some relatively cheap plans starting at $15 for unlimited talk/text and 250MB data and going up to $55 for unlimited talk/text/data. However, they only offer 3G speeds for the data, except for Facebook, which gets access to LTE speeds. This is pretty slow for many online activities like streaming video, or downloading things.
8. Clearway: Offering no frills, value oriented wireless service for businesses, Clearway doesn't even have a website, but has a wide range of monthly plans. They offer everything from data only plans, to plans with unlimited talk, text and 100GB data.
9. SafeLink Wireless: A government-supported program that provides free cell phone service and a limited number of free minutes and texts to eligible low-income customers. 

Tracfone also offers their own range of service plans, with some providing unlimited talk, text and certain amount of data, and others giving specific amounts of talk, text and data. Take a look at our recent post on the Cheapest and Best Plans from Tracfone to learn more.

Which Brand is the Best Deal?

Straight Talk, Net10, Total, and Simple Mobile all offer somewhat similar plans and prices. With their low end giving unlimited talk and text and a certain amount of data, and their high end plans going fully unlimited in most cases. They are each a pretty good deal for those who use a lot of data, and probably a little bit better deal compared to Tracfone (especially considering that Tracfone doesn't offer any unlimited data plans)

Total by Verizon has a lot of extra features, that also comes at a somewhat higher price. For those that plan to use all the bonuses (like unlimited talk and text to Canada and Mexico), it can be a good deal. Tracfone, by contrast, does not offer any kind of extra frills or bonuses with their service plans.

Page Plus Cellular is somewhat like Tracfone in that it can be a really low cost method of maintaining cell service with a specific amount of talk, text and data. 

So which is the best deal? It all depends on individual usage and requirements. There are ways to have really cheap service with Tracfone or Page Plus, but they come with very limited amounts of data and no other extras. For simple, monthly service,  several of the brands offer unlimited talk and text with several GB data for $25-$35 per month which is a great deal. 

Leave a comment (or post on our Facebook page) your pick for the best deal from Tracfone.

Will Verizon Keep All These Brands?

You, like us, might be thinking, that's a lot of different brands under one company, and now that Verizon owns Tracfone, will they work to consolidate these brands? That is very likely. 

Verizon has already rebranded Total Wireless to Total by Verizon with updated plans and prices, and it is likely they will slowly work to do the same with some of the other brands to help align them with Verizon's overall strategy.

There are already significant rumors that Verizon may shut down certain other brands, like Net10. However, they have announced they will keep it alive until at least November 2024. 

When the FCC approved Verizon's acquisition of Tracfone, it came with some conditions for consumer protection, and some of those related to maintaining the current offerings for at least a few years. It is likely that once this time period ends, we will see some major changes in many of these brands.

One of the larger changes would consist of brands that use AT&T and T-Mobile's networks forcing users to switch to Verizon. This may occur for Tracfone users after November 2024.

We hope the information was useful, and please leave a comment with any thoughts or questions.

For more on the basics of Tracfone, visit our Beginners Guide.

Also take a look at our List of the Best Tracfone Smartphones under $100!

Take a look at the Latest Deals and Sales on Tracfone devices and also our Tracfone Promo Code page!

Join our Facebook page where we post the latest news, deals and other information. Plus, if you have specific questions you can send us a message.

Finally, learn how to Make your Airtime Last Longer and also check out our recent post on How Data works with Tracfone.

Thanks for visiting! 

BLU View 3 (B140DL) Review - Tracfone Smartphone

 Tracfone BLU View 3 Specs, Features and Review

Delivering a 6" touchscreen, 3 GB RAM, 32 GB Storage and octa-core processor, the BLU View 3 is an ultra-budget Android smartphone that aims to replace it's predecessor, the BLU View 2, with some modest improvements.

The View 3 was first released in October 2021, and came to Tracfone a little while later. The low price of this smartphone is a big draw for many people, even if the brand isn't very well known. So is the BLU View 3 worth the price? Or would buyers be better off considering other devices? We will cover all of that here, starting with our pros and cons list.

BLU View 3 Quick Facts

What we Like:
-Low Cost (around $50-$70)
-Expandable external storage
-Processor is a nice improvement over previous model

What we Don't Like:
-No Fingerprint or face unlock options
-Small battery and no fast charging
-Low internal storage and RAM
-Single rear camera, no wide angle, macro options

Two noticeable improvements on the View 3 are the octa-core processor and larger, 6" HD screen. These are both nice features, but they are somewhat tarnished by a low amount of internal storage and RAM, and a lack of a handful of other features we see on many budget phones.

We will be comparing the View 3 to the previous version, the View 2 often in this review. And one interesting thing to note is that there are actually two versions of the BLU View 2 from Tracfone, with the model B131DL the newer version with updated Android 11 and several other improvements. The Older, B130DL version has less RAM, an older OS, and was launched in late 2020. 

Now let's get to the full list of features and specs.

Tracfone BLU View 3 (B140DL) Features and Specs

Below are the features followed by the technical specs

• Android 11
• 4G LTE (Verizon)
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
• Bluetooth 5.1
• Alarm Clock
• GPS 
• MP3 Player
• Standard 3.5mm Headphone Jack
• Hearing Aid Compatible
• Access to over 1 Million Apps on Google Play
• Voicemail, Caller ID, Call Waiting
• SMS/MMS
• USB Charger (USB Type-C 2.0)

BLU View 3 Technical Specs
Size: 6.31 x 3.02 x 0.35 in (6,28 oz)
Camera: 13MP main camera and 8MP front camera
Screen: 6" HD IPS LCD display (720x1440 resolution)
Processor:  MediaTek Helio P22 Octa-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53

Memory: 3 GB
Storage: 32 GB internal storage, supports a MicroSD Card (up to 128GB)
Battery: 3400 mAh battery (non-removable) with about 22hrs talk time, 22.5 days standby

BLU Products is a private American company based out of Miami, FL that specializes in affordable mobile devices. They were founded in 2009, and have sold more than 60 million devices since then. The name BLU, stands for Bold Like Us, and they generally have bright, bold styles and colors.

BLU phones have been very popular in Latin America, and have been gaining more popularity in the US. Their business model focuses on keeping phones at the most affordable price points possible for the specs of the device. 

BLU has faced a variety of privacy concerns over the years, culminating with a settlement with the FTC in 2018 over Deceptive Privacy and Data Security Claims. 

They are not the only budget phone company with concerns, we just shared our Security and Privacy Concerns about Alcatel, TCL and ZTE. Take a look if you want to learn more.

The issues that plagued the company in earlier years seem to have been straightened out, as there haven't been any big issues in recent years. 

Some of BLU's popular devices include the Bold N2 and the BLU F91 5G that offer some higher-end specs and features at only about $200. 

Let's get into all the details of the BLU View 3 from Tracfone with our full review.

BLU View 3 (B140DL) Review

Touchscreen

The View 3 has a 6" IPS LCD touchscreen that has 720x1400 resolution and 18:9 ratio. This gives it a pixel density of 268 ppi, and a screen to body ratio of about 75%. Nothing is all that spectacular about the screen, but it does an adequate job, and IPS LCD panel is a small step up over some other cheaper options. There are some larger than average bezels, so you are not getting an edge-to-edge display like on higher end devices.

Coming in about half an inch larger (diagonally), compared to the previous model, the View 3 keeps the same resolution and screen ratio, for a slightly smaller than average overall size. In general, the screen works just fine, but don't expect too much from it.

Performance - RAM, Storage and Processor

With 3 GB RAM, 32 GB internal storage and an MediaTek P22 octa-core processor, the View 3 offers basic performance that is good for low to moderate use, and probably not much gaming or other resource intensive apps.

We've mentioned this in several of our other budget phone reviews, but 3 GB RAM/32 GB internal storage are the minimum for a phone these days. For many users, 32 GB internal storage is actually too low, as typically half of that is used by the system software, and the rest can quickly be used up by apps, photos and videos. There is an external MicroSD card slot for up to 128 GB extra storage, which is nice to have.

The P22 processor in the View 3 is a big improvement over the older model, which had just a quad-core processor. However, compared to most other budget phones, like the Samsung Galaxy A03s, the processor in the View 3 is a little underpowered. 

Camera

A single, 13MP rear camera handles photos on the View 3, along with an 8MP front selfie shooter. They do an adequate job of capturing usable photos and videos in most situations but don't expect to rely on them, and for those who like taking and sharing photos, we would really recommend stepping up from this.

Most budget phones come with a few more interesting features, like a macro camera, depth sensor and wide angle lens. So it is a little disappointing to see none of these options on the View 3. The Galaxy A03s, Moto G Power 2022 and other sub-$100 phones all offer some additional camera features at around the same price.

Get our 8 Tips for Better Cell Phone Pictures to help improve your images!

Battery Life

There is a 3,400 mAh battery on the View 3 which provides an advertised talk time of 22hrs and standby time of about 22 days. The battery is non-removeable, which is a change from the View 2. There is no fast charging features, so it will take a little while to recharge using the USB Type-C 2.0 port.

With almost all budget smartphones offering 4,000 to 5,000 mAh batteries that give 2 and even 3 days of use, the smaller battery on the View 3 is a disadvantage. And for those who are looking to use it as a backup device, the longer the standby life the better.

Android OS

The View 3 comes with Android 11 and isn't likely to get any OS updates. It is the same Android version as the previous model, the View 2, although that model did get an update to 11.

Android 11 offers a variety of improvements, features and security fixes over previous versions. We would have liked to see this phone include Android 12, which was released in 2021, but users will have to settle for the previous version. 

Design

It is fairly chunky, and nothing fancy, but most users probably won't be too worried about the aesthetics. The View 3 does offer a 3.5mm headphone jack, and has the USB Type-C charging port on the bottom. Power and volume rockers are located on the side. 

There are no biometric unlocking options like fingerprint scanner or face unlock, which is a little disappointing as most other budget phones offer something. 

While the plastic design is a small step up over the previous model, it still seems like a deice from 5 years ago. For example, to access the SIM card and MiscroSD card slot, the back panel has to be removed.

Conclusion

Like the View 2, the newer View 3 is very basic but still functional. The more powerful processor and larger, nicer touchscreen are both nice improvements. In many other areas, however, there doesn't seem to be any improvement.

The problem we have with the View 3 is that there are just so many other smartphone options for around the same price that offer so much more. The Samsung Galaxy A03S, Galaxy A13 5G, Moto G Power 2022 and others are all around or well under $100 and feature larger batteries, bigger screens, more powerful processors and better cameras. (See all our top picks for under $100 from Tracfone)

If someone is looking for a simple device to use as a backup phone, or for just a few texts and calls every now and then, the View 3 is capable of handling that. But those that want a few more features, better camera or the ability to play games, may want to go for something else.

The Bottom Line: The View 3 offers a few improvements, but also a higher price, compared to the last model. And at that price, there are other, much better options we would recommend. If the price on the View 3 drops to closer to the View 2 ($30), it might be more of a contender.

Best Prices on the BLU View 3

These are the lowest prices from around the web, but price can change quickly.

Get the BLU View 3 on Amazon $69
Get the BLU View 3 at Walmart $69
Get the BLU View 3 from Tracfone.com $49

BLU View 3 (B140DL) User Manual

View the BLU View 3 User Manual

That concludes our review of the BLU View 3. Please leave a comment below with your thoughts or questions. 

If you are new to Tracfone, start with our Beginners Guide!

Join us over on Facebook for the latest news and posts or send us a message for more direct help questions.

If you're shopping around for other plans, take a look at the Best Alternatives to Tracfone. 

Take a look at some of our recent posts, including a Guide for Making your Airtime Last Longer and Everything you Need to Know about Data Cards.

And don't miss out on the best Tracfone Deals, Discounts and Sales!

Thanks for visiting!