Anyone experienced with Tracfone?

[bluecoupe]

Well, I may give up my old flip phone finally. If I use it 25 times a year (yes, year) that's a LOT but the phone is just plain getting old so I'm looking around.   My phone currently costs me $100 per year on the prepaid plan with Verizon.

 

So looking around, Tracfone seems ok and I could get a phone (Samsung Galaxy Centura) with lifetime 3x minutes, text, and data.  The cards typically are good for 3 months so I figure I'd need to throw twenty bucks at it every three months even though I'd never use that much, but the unused carries over.  So cost wise it'd be about the same as I pay now but would have text and data available.   Never saw a good use for text until the other day when I was sitting waiting to get some tests done. It would have been nice to be able to text my wife at work just to let her know nothing was wrong and I was just waiting.  Didn't call her 'cause she's in a lot of meetings, etc.

 

Anyhow, on to questions.  From what I read, tracfone disables USB and Bluetooth file to and from the phone to PC's for files, pictures, ringtones, etc.   Can anyone confirm or deny that with the latest offerings?  I tried their site - no details and checked out their "support" forums and it looks like their support organization is somewhat lacking as well. A LOT of "we'll take this to personal messaging to resolve" replies from their support people. 

 

Any real life input would be appreciated.

[bluecoupe]

hm,  well the "fancy stuff" I figure is non-existant on a trac. but the weeks for texts to be sent or arrive would be a definite problem. thanks

[bluecoupe]

dunno, never used it... but maybe

[silent death]

I got my daughter the galaxy centura and the

50$ unlimited straightalk....they say unlimited but it aint

I had to call them twice because they said she went

Over the data limit...it's suppose to be unlimited ..

[bluecoupe]

Actually that's one of the phones I'm looking at but not the unlimited plan, I'm looking at the prepaid options.  How does she like the phone?  And if you don't mind, what age range are we talking about?  Mid to late teens seem to be pickier than early teens.

 

Thanks

[azhuntress]

Wow!  You only paid $100 per year for Verizon???  I assumed you could never get a plan from Verizon that cheap!

 

I have used Tracfone for the past 8 or more years but I don't use any of the fancy stuff either so can't help you there. 

 

Have you tried to call them to answer your questions?  I have had a few problems throughout the years and needed their assistance and they were very helpful.

 

Good luck!

[bluecoupe]

Yeah, it's a pay as you go plan through Verizon. $100 and it costs me a buck if I use the phone on a day but from then on all calls to a Verizon customer that day are free.   I usually carry over between 60-70 days so you can see I don't really use my phone, it's just more for emergencies or once in a while kind of thing.  

 

From what I read on their forums, their customer "service" is rather non-existent which is why I was hoping to hear from folks who've used them.   I know.... I've been called a geek here, and probably rightfully so. ;-)  But I don't consider file/pic transfer fancy, I just "assumed" it was basic stuff but from what I've read so far, maybe not.  Again, no biggie, just curious.

[airedale]

I am not a phone person and and have been using a basic Tracfone for my service for several years. I just did what you are thinking about, my old Motorola flip would not hold a charge any more so I decided to upgrade to the Centura smart phone and the triple minutes. I go with their yearly plan and just pay out once a year and do it online, your minutes and data amounts can be accessed and kept track of on the phone or online.

 

As for the Centura phone it sure can do more than the old flip phone. At this time I do not use much of it's features but I do like being able to check the weather and my email. So far it has worked well and I have had no problems.

 

Al

 

 

 

 

Edited January 18, 2014 by airedale

[bluecoupe]

Thanks for the input Al.  I'll probably do it but I know as soon as I pull the trigger, they'll come out with newer/better phones.

[josephmrtn]

Ive got $20 a month unlimited talk txt from verizon... Im on a group plan tho

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk 2

[nyslowhand]

Been with Tracfone for several years and used the flip phones. They were basic phones and battery life was ~1 year. Cost more to buy new battery than buy a new phone..!?! Pretty basic phone, but did find reception was pretty sketchy and influenced by terrain. Still with Tracfone, did upgrade to a 3G phone & reception was much better. Any purchased wallpaper, ringtones are specific to your individual phone & can not be sent to or save on a PC. I can send photos taken with phone via eMail to my PC. Not sure about files..may be stretching the limits of Tracfone's basic premise? I've never had a lost or delayed text message, if I had good reception (bars).Using a cell phone for its' basic purposes, I leave connecting to the web strictly to my home PC. If you only pay ~$100/yr with Verizon, I'd stick with them..reception wise!! Sure you've also found Tracfone has a pretty limited selection of phones.

[bluecoupe]

Thanks.  It sounds like I was reading correctly then and it's good to hear about no delayed texts in your case as that's really what's prompting me to do it. So I can get msgs to my wife without having to actually call her at work.   I figure the tracfone would cost me $80 max a year with the triple minutes/texts/data and as far as Carriers, phones whose Tracfone models that end with a C use Verizons tower network and phones ending with a G use Sprint and or AT&T.  If anyone else cares, here's a link that says what phones use what network but the C and G thing works.    

 

They just came out with a new LG model - LG39C but the reviews of it indicate it's got some pretty serious issues so I think I'll steer away from that one even though I really like the bigger screen for my fat fingers to "type" on. Oh well.

[nyslowhand]

Exact same phone I upgraded to from the old flip phone style. Had it for ~1yr and like it, no issues so far. Especially good battery life compared to flip phones. Lot of cases, screen protectors, etc available on-line. If I remember correctly, mine was a reconditioned model for ~$50. See now there are other very similiar Android-ish, full screen models available. On the LG39C when texting, you can turn phone side-ways (Gyro-sensing) and get larger texting buttons. I still need to use the stylus pen though! Takes okay photos for a 3Mp camera. I'm still betting you'll pay ~$100/yr like I do. One year contract & 400min (dbled or tripled) card for $99.

[bluecoupe]

I actually may end up with a L39C.  HSN has it for 129 with 600 minutes, 600 Texts, and 600Mb with triple minutes for life so if I buy a 60 minute card for 20 bucks I'll get 180 minutes, texts and Mb.  I'm not really looking for the camera function so that's not a biggie.  It's got a slightly larger screen and a little faster processor.  Now my challenge if I do it will be to not root it and shoot myself in the foot but I probably won't be able to resist. ;-)

[Fantail]

I have and regularly use a tracfone LG 530g. Connect via usb to pc & transfer files all the time. It first prompts to connect to mass data - if not it goes to charge. I can't comment on bluetooth - don't use it.

[bluecoupe]

Thanks Fantail. I'm pretty confident I've sorted out the data/bluetooth stuff. I am looking intently at the LG39C phone that Tracfone just put out but I swear I read something somewhere about it having issues with too many preloaded apps that limited what the user could add /run.  So I'm investigating that one now.  I should probably just bite the bullet and order the sucker but can't bring myself to do it.... yet

[bluecoupe]

I couldn't take it any more.  I ordered the LG39C from HSN.  I'm a newbie phones that are more than a phone so it may take a bit but if anyone would be interested in my opinion of it let me know and I'll post it after I try it out.   Thanks for all of the info.