topic Re: Tracfone minutes question in Electronics

Tracfone minutes question

WVopr — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 01:11:14 GMT

I have an old non-android Tracfone (LG306) that has 2000 minutes on it. I'd like to port those over to a new Android Tracfone. I know the android phones have separate buckets for the text, data, and talk minutes. If I add those 2000 minutes to my android phone will I get 2000 each of text, data, and talk? Thanks for any help on this one!

Re: Tracfone minutes question

Carmie — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 01:21:36 GMT

I had an old Tracfone with talking minutes and text minutes left on it when I updated to an android phone

All of my unused talking minutes transferred over to talking minutes. All of my texts transferred over as texts. I had no Internet time left to transfer.

My old minutes did not triple when I added them new phone. They transferred over as is. Only new purchased minutes will triple.

Re: Tracfone minutes question

Venezia — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 01:23:24 GMT

@WVopr - You certainly used to get whatever you had in minutes (on your existing phone) put into each of the three buckets. At some point, I thought I read on these forums that you no longer did, but I can't imagine why they would've changed that.

I have the LG Premier and love the phone. Right now HSN has a great deal on it ($89.95 with free shipping). That's $40 less than I paid for mine on the Q. It comes with 1350 minutes, text and data already loaded and one year of service.

Your existing minutes should transfer, along with your remaining days of service. (They get added to the new phone.)

But be sure to check that it will work in your area, with their zip code checker. One other thing: adding minutes, texts and data (separately) now is really cheap, so I never run out. Good luck! I would never go back to a "non-smart" phone.

Re: Tracfone minutes question

hckynut — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 01:25:34 GMT

@WVopr wrote:
I have an old non-android Tracfone (LG306) that has 2000 minutes on it. I'd like to port those over to a new Android Tracfone. I know the android phones have separate buckets for the text, data, and talk minutes. If I add those 2000 minutes to my android phone will I get 2000 each of text, data, and talk? Thanks for any help on this one!

No, if you have never had texts or data, you only have minutes to transfer.

hckynut(john)

Re: Tracfone minutes question

Venezia — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 01:31:29 GMT

@hckynut wrote:
@WVopr wrote:
I have an old non-android Tracfone (LG306) that has 2000 minutes on it. I'd like to port those over to a new Android Tracfone. I know the android phones have separate buckets for the text, data, and talk minutes. If I add those 2000 minutes to my android phone will I get 2000 each of text, data, and talk? Thanks for any help on this one!

No, if you have never had texts or data, you only have minutes to transfer.

hckynut(john)

@hckynut - When they first came out with smartphones for Tracfone, they did indeed give you complimentary allocations of all three. I've only ever had Tracfone (for my DH and myself) and when we got our first smartphones, they gave us the same amount in each bucket. They made a point of saying that in all the presentations: e.g. if you had 1500 minutes left, you would get 1500 minutes/1500 texts/1500 data. And that's exactly how it worked.

Hope you're doing well!

Re: Tracfone minutes question

GCR18 — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 01:32:29 GMT

When they upgraded to three buckets, they rolled over to what you had left into each bucket. 2000-2000-2000. I can't remember hearing about that during the last couple TSVs. You may have to call them and ask.

Re: Tracfone minutes question

Kachina624 — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 01:32:50 GMT

If you've got 2000 talk minutes now, that's what will transfer.

Re: Tracfone minutes question

Carmie — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 01:40:58 GMT

Just a little info that might help someone. I ordered a Tracfone from HSN that would work were I live, but not where I visit all summer long.

I need a Tracfone that uses Verizon. If you want to use Verizon, Sprint or US Cellular, buy a CDMA Tracfone.

If you prefer AT&T or T Mobile, buy a GSM Tracfone.

I no longer have to send my phone back because I don't like the service carrier. I can now order the one I know will,work best for me.

Re: Tracfone minutes question

x Hedge — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 02:37:41 GMT

Hi @WVopr.

Used to be when you went from a single bucket phone to a triple bucket phone that also had triple minutes, your 2000 minutes would transfer as 2000-2000-2000.

Posters seem to think that's no longer the case (??)

I checked the recently re-designed Tracfone website where I can no longer find anything quickly or easily, and unfortunately couldn't find any answers for you.

If you end up doing an online chat, or calling their customer service, just remember you 'port' a phone number, but you transfer unused minutes and airtime.

We all know what you meant. But experience has shown me those little things can be important when the person helping you has trouble with English and/or is reading from a script and working off 'key words' you say or type.

Re: Tracfone minutes question

x Hedge — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 02:58:18 GMT

@WVopr

By the way, if you have another phone available I always suggest taking a picture of the phone you're about to transfer (or add air or minutes/any big change), showing current date and time and the remaining minutes and airtime.

Every now and then they 'lose' all your minutes or airtime in the process. Its rare...but exceptionally frustrating when they tell you they 'have no record' of the minutes and air time you insist you had.

This has happened to me due to an electronic hiccup in transmission that was not Trackfones fault.

Fortunately, I was able to tell my Tracfone cs person that I had a photographic record of that information, and would gladly share it with him if necessary to get my minutes and airtime back on my phone.

Re: Tracfone minutes question

Venezia — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 04:20:13 GMT

@x Hedge - My DH and I do a similar thing to record our current minutes and service before we upgrade - but we just lay our phones on our photocopier and press the button!

You're right that it's good to have a record of it before you transfer anything. Good advice.

Re: Tracfone minutes question

x Hedge — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 16:19:22 GMT

@Venezia

I update the Trackfone balance widget and then take a picture once a week. Gives me a running record of how much use is 'normal' on each phone. I've read those horror stories of people being told by Tracfone cs they must have 'used up' hundreds of missing minutes.

I do an extra photo before and after adding airtime and/or minutes or even updating the TracFone app in case anything goes kerflooey.

Store the pictures in the clouds, just in case you ever drop your phone into the dishwater.

Just a word of caution since you have 2 Trackfones;

Don't have them near each other and both with WiFi turned on and apps opened to the TracFone website.

I had mine side by side on the table top while I was updating the TracFone app on one, and suddenly the phone number and bucket balances of one phone showed up on the widget of the other phone. The 1st phone, having lost its phone number, completely shut down, and the other phone had lost it's own number and appeared to have been 'tampered with'.(they said)

Thank goodness I also had photos of my phone's serial numbers.

I hightailed it to the library to get on a PC, get my notes & pictures in order, and get on a chat with the Trackfone tech dept.

Re: Tracfone minutes question

Venezia — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 20:50:08 GMT

@x Hedge - I'd never have thought of the phones picking up each other's signal. When I say we lay them on the copier, I mean one at a time so we each have a record. To be honest, we've only ever had an issue with minutes going missing back in the "early days" and they got resolved by their CS. And, yes, I always make a note before I add any time, texts or data. It just pays to be aware.

But, wow - what a mess for you!

Re: Tracfone minutes question.

WVopr — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 18:25:04 GMT

Hi, Everyone.

I wanted to give everyone an update. I just now activated my new Android phone via the Tracfone website. Information said it could take anywhere from 2 hours to 2 days to activate. My new phone was working in less than 15 minutes. I'm able to surf, text, and make calls with it.

The phone came with 1350 minutes, texts, and data. My old non-android phone had 2000 minutes on it. When I transferred the 2000 minutes they did go into my minutes bucket. The text and data numbers (1350) stayed the same.

I wanted to thank everyone for taking time to answer my question.

Re: Tracfone minutes question

x Hedge — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 00:15:14 GMT

@WVopr, Thanks for the confirmation about what happens now to single bucket minutes when transferred to a triple bucket phone.

Re: Tracfone minutes question.

hckynut — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 02:49:38 GMT

@WVopr

Glad you got your new Tracfone up and running. No surprise to me you didn't get the texts and data added. Now those with the older Tracfones know they get only the part they have leftover transferred, not things they never had in their original Tracfone plan. Enjoy,

hckynut(john)