Tracfone
Boothbay
please.
h
"Boothbay" <harri...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:8738bbe2-c781-4876...@8g2000hsu.googlegroups.com...
> can anyone here recommend the Tracfone? Is it reliable, pros and cons
> please.
I've had one for years, and I love it. That said, I only use it for
emergencies, maybe 2-3 times a year. It's never not worked, and I've used it
in the boonies. The best thing is that you can load the phone with two years
of service and minutes and not worry about it again until it's time to
renew. I've had the phone since 2001 and I've never had to purchase any
extra minutes, since 150-200 minutes come with one year of service for $99.
I buy an extra year of service for $50, but no extra minutes. I currently
have over 600 minutes available on the phone, so I'm set for any emergency.
If you do it that way it costs only $6/month, but that would change quickly
if you used up your minutes. Of course, YMMV.
Craig
"Boothbay" wrote...
> can anyone here recommend the Tracfone? Is it reliable, pros and cons
> please.
It works for me. I'm a frugal person who, in the past, had a use for a
cell phone maybe 2-3 times a year, not enough to warrant buying a phone.
Recently, I looked at my Qwest bill, with no features other than Caller
ID, and saw that I could actually save money compared to Qwest buy buying
both a Vonage VOIP unit to be used as a home phone *and* a Tracfone, so I
bought both. The Tracfone will serve as a backup in case my ISP or internet
go down rendering my Vonage unit temporarily not useable--and the Tracfone's
also there for the few times I'm on the road needing a cell phone.
My Tracfone is reliable. The pros are basically cost, if used as a
emergency and travel phone. I've tested it around Arizona and to the best of
my knowledge, I get a good signal in all locations where other cell phones
work as well. The cons are that if used a lot, it may be more expensive than
buying a Phone/ServicePlan from another provider.
Things to look for: when buying your Tracfone, you probably will get the
best bundled deal by buying online directly from Tracfone rather than buying
it in a store. I was able to get (and see that in my area, the offer is
still available from Tracfone) a reconditioned Motorola C261 camera phone
bundle including 1 year of service and Double Minutes For Life. A
1-yr/DoubleMinForLife card is $140 and that's what I paid, essentially
getting the phone for free. This gives me 800 minutes to be used over the
next year, a cost of 17.5 cents/minute. Renewals, if I get a $100 1-yr card
when my current subscription ends will give me another 800 minutes, or 12.5
cents/min.
Other things to look for. When buying a Tracfone, you may, in small print,
be given some Promotional Codes. Be sure to have these handy when you
activate your phone to get some extra minutes. My original "800-min." deal
with the codes resulted in my phone getting 850 minutes to be used over the
next 365 days. Also, if you rarely use the phone and find that you have lots
of minutes left but are about to run past your End Date, you can pay
$5/month for added time but no added minutes. As long as you have remaining
minutes, this $5/mo. means you can have a cell phone for $60/yr.
If you do buy a Tracfone and it doesn't include a case or a 12V car
charger, you may want to look into buying these extras. eBay offers both at
very low prices. Locally, these can also be found at anything from Wal-Mart
on up...
All in all, Tracfone works for me. If a cell phone was my primary or only
phone, I'd probably look into Verizon, but as a backup/travel/emergency
phone, Tracfone works for me and probably will for you, too. Good luck.
Craig
Chloe
news:8738bbe2-c781-4876...@8g2000hsu.googlegroups.com...
> please.
I use a cell phone only a few minutes a week--and almost never in roaming
mode--and for several years Tracfone was a convenient and frugal choice for
me. Then they switched local carriers and I began to get dropped calls
constantly. I had to give up on them. So I recommend buying only a few
minutes to start--or first talk to existing customers of the local Tracfone
carrier to see if they're satisfied with the quality of their coverage.
Whispurr the Cat
I basically agree with 'h' although I do use mine a little more. I currently
have 300+ minutes left with only 9 months of service left. I've not found a
way to buy months of service without buying more minutes. Last time I
re-upped, I got the extra y.o.s. for $50, but still will run out of months
before I use up the minutes.
Anybody figured out how to get more months?
Steve
southiowa
Craig
"Whispurr the Cat" wrote...
> I basically agree with 'h' although I do use mine a little more. I
> currently
> have 300+ minutes left with only 9 months of service left. I've not found
> a
> way to buy months of service without buying more minutes. Last time I
> re-upped, I got the extra y.o.s. for $50, but still will run out of months
> before I use up the minutes.
> Anybody figured out how to get more months?
>
> Steve
> southiowa
Yes. Go to the Tracfone web site. You will find a $4.95 per month option to
add a month to your existing account without adding minutes. I think this is
only available via the Tracfone website (as opposed to cards you buy at the
supermarket, etc.)
Craig
Dennis
Good idea. If you activate your Tracfone online, you get 20 min/60
days of service as part of the deal, so that gives you some time to
see if it works for you before you pay for more minutes/service time.
My family uses Tracfones and we're pretty happy with them. They use
the ATT network here and we have great signal/coverage in this area.
Not so great in other parts of the country, though (the plains states
for example).
Dennis (evil)
--
I'm behind the eight ball, ahead of the curve, riding the wave,
dodging the bullet and pushing the envelope. -George Carlin
Whispurr the Cat
Thanks Craig,
I finally found it under
Tracfone Programs> Value Plans.
It does require signing up for automatic payment by Credit card or checking
account which I would rather not do, but, I could sign up, buy what I want
then cancel the auto-pay plan.
Thanks again.
Steve
41N
nr
Tracfone and initialized it today. I called 'customer service' with a
few questions and am not particularly impressed, so I was hoping to
get some info here.
1. The manual mentions a call barring feature and to get it from
Tracfone. The person I spoke with told me, after checking with her
supervisor, that they couldn't tell me what the barring password is.
Anyone know where else to get it?
2. Is the time spent retrieving voice mail messages counted in the
minutes?
3. Are minutes assessed for text messages? Can this option be turned
off?
Please offer any tips you might have for using Tracfone. Thanks for
any replies.
Craig
"nr" wrote...
> After reading the notes here, and doing a lot of research, I got a
> Tracfone and initialized it today. I called 'customer service' with a
> few questions and am not particularly impressed, so I was hoping to
> get some info here.
>
> 1. The manual mentions a call barring feature and to get it from
> Tracfone. The person I spoke with told me, after checking with her
> supervisor, that they couldn't tell me what the barring password is.
> Anyone know where else to get it?
One thing to remember is that with your phone, you should have gotten a
manual for the phone itself (Motorola, for instance) and for the service
(Tracfone). The phone model you have can offer more features than what
Tracfone supports. On my Motorola C261 Tracfone, I see Call Barring
mentioned in the Motorola manual but Tracfone doesn't support it--or at
least when I try to access the feature, the menu choice isn't there and I
see nothing about it in my Tracfone manuals. You may easily find other
theoretically potential features of your phone which won't appear on your
Tracfone.
> 2. Is the time spent retrieving voice mail messages counted in the
> minutes?
Yes, if you retrieve them with your Tracfone. But see below--you can
access your Tracfone VoiceMail from any phone and lose no Tracfone time
units.
> 3. Are minutes assessed for text messages? Can this option be turned
> off?
Yes, connection time is deducted. I don't see how text messaging can be
turned off. However, if you don't send text messages and you choose not to
receive any incoming messages waiting for you, you'll have no text charges.
I think sending or receiving a text message is a fixed 0.3 units plus the 1
unit/minute connection time. Messages with images cost more yet.
>
> Please offer any tips you might have for using Tracfone. Thanks for
> any replies.
Be sure to activate your phone's Voice Mail if you want that feature so that
folks can leave a voice message for you when your phone is turned off or in
a No Signal area. There's no charge to receive VoiceMail messages other than
your Tracfone connection time. Note that if you have a wired or other phone,
you can check and retrieve your VoiceMail messages on that phone and lose no
units of Tracfone time: With your Tracfone turned off, from any other phone
call your Tracfone number; you will immediately be sent to your Tracfone
VoiceMail. Press * on the phone, then enter your VoiceMail password. You can
hear and delete any Tracfone VoiceMail messages waiting for you at no
Tracfone unit cost.
Craig
SMS
> can anyone here recommend the Tracfone? Is it reliable, pros and cons
> please.
It's one of the more expensive prepaid plans, but yes, it's reliable.
Mark...@gmail.com
you are charged retrieving voicemail
but not if call/retrieve from another phone
h
"SMS" <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote in message
news:Omh2k.7907$Ri....@flpi146.ffdc.sbc.com...
SMS
ARN is 21¢ per month, and 25¢ to $1 per minute. You need to add time
every two years. No incoming calls. CDMA networks (all).
T-Mobile is 83¢ per month after the first year at $8.33/month and as low
as 10¢ per minute (actually less if you catch one of their periodic
sales on $100 airtime cards). You need to add time once a year, but you
can add as little as $10, just to keep the number active. T-Mobile
network, with some roaming allowed apparently.
Page Plus is $2.31 per month and as low as 5.3¢/minute. A monthly fee of
between 22¢ and 50¢ is deducted each month. You need to add time every
120 days. Verizon network, with extra cost roaming onto other CDMA
networks if no Verizon network.
7-11 SpeakOut is $2.08 per month minimum, and 15¢ per minute, with a
$1.25 per month deducted from the $2.08. You need to add time every 365
days. AT&T network, with supposedly off-network roaming available at
extra cost.
Each has their pros and cons. T-Mobile's coverage is poorer than
PagePlus or SpeakOut. PagePlus has the lowest per minute rate, as well
as very low texting rates. But it's a hassle with PagePlus to have to
add $10 every 120 days. 7-11 has higher per minute rates than T-Mobile,
but better coverage, and you only have to add time once a year. T-Mobile
has a higher start-up cost since to get the 83¢ a month, you have to
first go "Gold" by spending $100 in airtime the first year.
See "http://prepaiduswireless.com/" for details on all of these.
I find PagePlus to be the best because Verizon coverage is significantly
better than AT&T or T-Mobile coverage in most parts of the country.
Dennis
Actually, the minimum for TracFone is US$5 a month. Adding minutes to
the account is on top of that, but if you don't use the phone much and
have a bunch of minutes sitting in your account (like I do), you can
keep it alive for $5/mo.
But there are cheaper plans available (with different sets of
features) from other sellers .
Dennis (evil)
--
The honest man is the one who realizes that he cannot
consume more, in his lifetime, than he produces.
SMS
> But there are cheaper plans available (with different sets of
> features) from other sellers .
Tracfone is also well-known, easy to buy, and easy to refill, plus the
handsets are very cheap. That's the attraction. Most people know about
Tracfone as it's so widely distributed. Most people don't care about
$6/month versus $3/month and they don't care about per minute cost
because they use the phone so rarely.
If you're a moderate user, on prepaid, then it pays to go with a carrier
that has lower per minute rates. T-Mobile is as low as 8 cents per
minute if you buy the $100 card on sale for $80, and PagePlus is as low
as 5.3 cents per minute.
I have two T-Mobile prepaid phones. They cost $40 and came with a $25
airtime card in addition to the start-up airtime card. I got them not to
use on T-Mobile, but to use as quad-band phones when traveling outside
the U.S. with a prepaid SIM card that is country specific. My old GSM
unlocked phone was so old that it couldn't be used anymore as it
couldn't get text messages from the prepaid carrier, which was necessary
to get passwords.
PagePlus takes some legwork to set up but it's very inexpensive with
very good coverage. You can use new Verizon prepaid phones on PagePlus,
or you can use any old Verizon handset that you can get a hold of. It's
a shoestring operation, but it's far outlasted most of the high-profile
MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) like ESPN, AMP'd, Disney, etc.
NoSpa...@lousyisp.gov
from my current carrier (STI Mobile) but having seen this exchange and
noted that an advanced degree in Cell Phone Economics is required to
arrive at a dubiously-cheaper rate than STI I'll stay where I am,
thank you.
STI's rates (mine):
Cost of phone = zero*, cost per day = 10c ($3 month), cost per min =
10c. Your balance always carries forward (the concept is not even
considered), you just can't let it drop to zero for 14 days and you
must make one call every 60 days. * = special offer after rebate; no
longer available but see cheap phones for STI at
http://www.cheapphonecards.com/.
So annual cost = $3 * 12 = $36 plus (6 * 10c) = $36.60. That's 4 $10
cards, leaving a balance at the end of year of $3.40. At no time do
you have to have more than a $10 balance. No $100 air time and the co
goes belly up!
No complicated purchases. All you have to remember is to make 1 call
every 60 days and to check the balance (free call) regularly (or you
can calculate it if you want).
SMS <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote:
>Dennis wrote:
>> But there are cheaper plans available (with different sets of
>> features) from other sellers .
>Tracfone is also well-known, easy to buy, and easy to refill, plus the
>handsets are very cheap. That's the attraction. Most people know about
>Tracfone as it's so widely distributed. Most people don't care about
>$6/month versus $3/month and they don't care about per minute cost
>because they use the phone so rarely.
Oh, I didn't know this NG had changed its name to
misc.consumers.profligate-spenders <g>. If you or your "most people"
don't care about $36 a year please send to me, I can make good use of
it. And as to the price of a call remember that people who are likely
to worry about these sort of costs are also likely to have low
balances and will have a problem when they do need to make that 10
minute call. E.g. to get a tow truck when they break down.
>If you're a moderate user, on prepaid, then it pays to go with a carrier
>that has lower per minute rates. T-Mobile is as low as 8 cents per
>minute if you buy the $100 card on sale for $80, and PagePlus is as low
>as 5.3 cents per minute.
There's where the advanced degree comes in handy <g>.
>I have two T-Mobile prepaid phones. They cost $40 and came with a $25
>airtime card in addition to the start-up airtime card. I got them not to
>use on T-Mobile, but to use as quad-band phones when traveling outside
>the U.S. with a prepaid SIM card that is country specific. My old GSM
>unlocked phone was so old that it couldn't be used anymore as it
>couldn't get text messages from the prepaid carrier, which was necessary
>to get passwords.
Geez, don't you think you might be a trifle out-of-the-ordinary,
requiring phones to travel outside the US? And passwords via text
messaging? What sort of business are you in? CIA? Terrorist? Or maybe
it's a kiddie-porn ring? Do tell.
>PagePlus takes some legwork to set up but it's very inexpensive with
>very good coverage. You can use new Verizon prepaid phones on PagePlus,
>or you can use any old Verizon handset that you can get a hold of. It's
>a shoestring operation, but it's far outlasted most of the high-profile
>MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) like ESPN, AMP'd, Disney, etc.
Yeah getting those Verizon handsets might not be so easy especially
for the technically ignorant. Like me! The seller might give me a CDMA
phone with an unbolted SIM using 16 ghz instead of 23 ghz and
requiring $75 of refurbishing from this guy in the back-blocks of
China.
A typical phone call (once a month or so):
<home phone rings>
Wife: Hello
Me: It's me. I'm 2 blocks away and I bought a pizza. Put the oven on.
Wife: OK, see you soon
<both parties hang up>
Less than one minute!
What on earth are all those people talking about on their expensive
phones? Are there any decent studies on usage?
The Real Bev
> Dennis wrote:
>
>> But there are cheaper plans available (with different sets of
>> features) from other sellers .
>
> If you're a moderate user, on prepaid, then it pays to go with a carrier
> that has lower per minute rates. T-Mobile is as low as 8 cents per
> minute if you buy the $100 card on sale for $80, and PagePlus is as low
> as 5.3 cents per minute.
Target had the T-Mobile $80 card two years ago, but I haven't seen it
that cheap anywhere since, or even discounted $10 cards. I guess you
could buy one at a drugstore that your credit card gives a 3% rebate on,
but that's not really all that special.
I do a painless survey thing that gives me maybe $25/year in Target gift
cards (most useful "reward"), so after the initial purchase airtime is
free, or at least at a constantly decreasing cost. $10/year keeps it
alive and I've got 950 minutes in the bank.
--
Cheers, Bev
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
The volume of a pizza of thickness 'a' and radius 'z'
is given by pi*z*z*a
h
<NoSpa...@LousyISP.gov> wrote in message
news:m5hm44ppmluu9e5vo...@4ax.com...
> With all the talk about PagePlus I was actually thinking of changing
> from my current carrier (STI Mobile) but having seen this exchange and
> noted that an advanced degree in Cell Phone Economics is required to
> arrive at a dubiously-cheaper rate than STI I'll stay where I am,
> thank you.
>
> STI's rates (mine):
>
> Cost of phone = zero*, cost per day = 10c ($3 month), cost per min =
> 10c. Your balance always carries forward (the concept is not even
> considered), you just can't let it drop to zero for 14 days and you
> must make one call every 60 days. * = special offer after rebate; no
> longer available but see cheap phones for STI at
> http://www.cheapphonecards.com/.
>
What a total pain in the ass! I make less than one call a year, so having to
dig the phone out and use it every two months would be a drag. If you forget
to make the call does the phone stop working? How ridiculous.
SMS
> With all the talk about PagePlus I was actually thinking of changing
> from my current carrier (STI Mobile) but having seen this exchange and
> noted that an advanced degree in Cell Phone Economics is required to
> arrive at a dubiously-cheaper rate than STI I'll stay where I am,
> thank you.
It's not all that complicated. You buy one $10 card every four months.
If you're using more than the minimum, it make sense to buy an $80 card
to get the volume discount on minutes, then buy the $10 card every
four months. A lot of prepaid carriers give you cheaper minutes on the
more expensive cards. There's really no "card" just a code that they
e-mail you.
Pageplus is good for those people that are using a lot more than the
minimum possible, because the per-minute rate is much cheaper than the
other prepaid carriers. If you're only using a few minutes a month then
it makes no difference.
Also, for very high volume users, the PagePlus unlimited is much cheaper
than unlimited from the regular carriers.
Samantha Hill - remove TRASH to reply
troll
SMS <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote:
I've had Tracfone about a year. It's good but lately I've had trouble
finding a 60 min./ 90 day card.
So, I popped for the year card/ about $8 a month. lot's of units.
I kept my landline so, I only use the cell occasionally.
works for me.
--
If Evolution is out-lawed. Only the Out-laws will evolve.
Samantha Hill - remove TRASH to reply
buy the minimum card and just purchase extra days, and you save money
that way.