topic Re: Tracfone Bring your own Phone program? in Electronics

Tracfone Bring your own Phone program?

Marybella — Wed, 24 Jul 2019 14:58:38 GMT

I have had ATT for the last two and a half years. I get no service at home without using a Microcell, which I didn't realize when I signed up with ATT. So, now my phone is paid for and I can unlock it and bring it to Tracfone, I believe. Has anyone done that? How quickly and smoothly did it go?

Re: Tracfone Bring your own Phone program?

2blonde — Wed, 24 Jul 2019 20:21:07 GMT

@Marybella Well, sort of. I had been a T-Mobile pay-as-you-go for many years before I got my first Tracfone 2 years ago. I had to enlist the help of a Tracfone rep to get my old phone number transferred. I did buy a new LG phone that had come with the 1-year package of minutes/talk/data. Keep in mind that Tracfone is only the provider and is only pay as you go. They will allow you to choose whatever carrier network is best in your area. My choices were AT&T or Verizon. I chose Verizon because lots of my friends have it.

I've never heard of anyone bringing their own phone, only their phone number. I just upgraded to a newer model LG and got the phone plus l year service 1500/1500/1500 for only $59 through HSN. Just the 1500 min/talk/data normally costs $125 to renew for one year. If you use your phone a lot, Tracfone may not be the best choice.....it depends.

Re: Tracfone Bring your own Phone program?

Deb665 — Wed, 24 Jul 2019 20:42:14 GMT

I have an iPhone 6plus that I transferred from ATT to Tracfone. I also transferred my number. No problems at all. It might have taken a couple of days before the number was ported over, and I was very careful to follow the instructions so that I would be sure to get to keep my number.

I encourage you to go for it!

Re: Tracfone Bring your own Phone program?

ThinkOutsidetheBox — Thu, 25 Jul 2019 01:32:16 GMT

Know who provides service for Tracfone in your area before you switch. A coverage map is not what you need to check either. You need to call or Live Chat with Tracfone (or any other potential pay-as-you-go service) and find out who that service piggy -backs off of for service. At my mom's house in Gloucester, VA Tracfone uses the Verizon towers. If they used any other towers, she would get no service at her home. So, this is something to definitely check.

Re: Tracfone Bring your own Phone program?

Marybella — Thu, 25 Jul 2019 13:13:26 GMT

Thanks for the replies. I am a former Tracfone user who went to ATT a couple years ago. Bought a new phone with them, but now want to go back to Tracfone. I really like the Samsung Galazy S7 that I bought and will plan to bring that to Tracfone. My husband has Tracfone and he can get a decent signalat our house, where my ATT can't. His towers are Verizon, so I'm sure I would be using that, as well. Happy to hear that it went well for LovesWesties who did bring their own phone.

Re: Tracfone Bring your own Phone program?

JGalt — Sat, 27 Jul 2019 01:12:26 GMT

@Marybella , Tracfone nearly exclusively uses Verizon towers for smartphones. You need to be sure the phone works with CDMA network to use Tracfone. Your ATT phone would be GSM compatible. I understand some phones work with either network. I think you will have to talk to someone at Tracfone. The are horrible to talk to....be sure to call during regular business hours during the week.

I think you will need to know which network your phone has.

I understand there is a special number to call at Tracfone so you can reach an English speaking person who is well trained. Maybe someone here can tell you what that phone number is.

Re: Tracfone Bring your own Phone program?

cowboy sam — Sat, 27 Jul 2019 13:29:14 GMT

@JGalt @Marybella

customer support for Tracfone in Miami,Fla.

Mon.-Friday hours 9am-6pm Eastern time

1-800-876-5753

Re: Tracfone Bring your own Phone program?

Nuttmeg — Sun, 28 Jul 2019 13:22:47 GMT

@Marybella wrote:
I have had ATT for the last two and a half years. I get no service at home without using a Microcell, which I didn't realize when I signed up with ATT. So, now my phone is paid for and I can unlock it and bring it to Tracfone, I believe. Has anyone done that? How quickly and smoothly did it go?

You can find a link on the Tracfone site "bring your own phone".

Re: Tracfone Bring your own Phone program?

Marybella — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 19:43:08 GMT

@JGalt wrote:
@Marybella , Tracfone nearly exclusively uses Verizon towers for smartphones. You need to be sure the phone works with CDMA network to use Tracfone. Your ATT phone would be GSM compatible. I understand some phones work with either network. I think you will have to talk to someone at Tracfone. The are horrible to talk to....be sure to call during regular business hours during the week.

I think you will need to know which network your phone has.

I understand there is a special number to call at Tracfone so you can reach an English speaking person who is well trained. Maybe someone here can tell you what that phone number is.

@JGalt Thanks for this information. I don't know if it would work. I'll call and ask.

Re: Tracfone Bring your own Phone program?

Marybella — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 19:44:26 GMT

@cowboy sam Thank your for the number!

Re: Tracfone Bring your own Phone program?

Marybella — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 19:46:30 GMT

@Nuttmeg Yes, thanks, I saw it. I wondered if anyone had done it smoothly. LOL I have been a Tracfone customer in the past and know how quirky the process can be!

@Nuttmeg wrote:
@Marybella wrote:
I have had ATT for the last two and a half years. I get no service at home without using a Microcell, which I didn't realize when I signed up with ATT. So, now my phone is paid for and I can unlock it and bring it to Tracfone, I believe. Has anyone done that? How quickly and smoothly did it go?
You can find a link on the Tracfone site "bring your own phone".

Re: Tracfone Bring your own Phone program?

Marybella — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 19:54:07 GMT

@Marybella wrote:
@JGalt wrote:
@Marybella , Tracfone nearly exclusively uses Verizon towers for smartphones. You need to be sure the phone works with CDMA network to use Tracfone. Your ATT phone would be GSM compatible. I understand some phones work with either network. I think you will have to talk to someone at Tracfone. The are horrible to talk to....be sure to call during regular business hours during the week.

I think you will need to know which network your phone has.

I understand there is a special number to call at Tracfone so you can reach an English speaking person who is well trained. Maybe someone here can tell you what that phone number is.
@JGalt Thanks for this information. I don't know if it would work. I'll call and ask.

I just spoke with Tracfone and they support both networks. So, we'll see!

Re: Tracfone Bring your own Phone program?

Nuttmeg — Fri, 02 Aug 2019 11:56:57 GMT

@Marybella wrote:
@Nuttmeg Yes, thanks, I saw it. I wondered if anyone had done it smoothly. LOL I have been a Tracfone customer in the past and know how quirky the process can be!
@Nuttmeg wrote:
@Marybella wrote:
I have had ATT for the last two and a half years. I get no service at home without using a Microcell, which I didn't realize when I signed up with ATT. So, now my phone is paid for and I can unlock it and bring it to Tracfone, I believe. Has anyone done that? How quickly and smoothly did it go?
You can find a link on the Tracfone site "bring your own phone".

Does Wal-Mart or Target sell Tracfone service?

Re: Tracfone Bring your own Phone program?

Marybella — Fri, 02 Aug 2019 13:47:32 GMT

@Nuttmeg yes, they do. Probably not in the less-populated areas of the country, like mine. I'm going to attempt to go to one of them this morning to purchase a sim card. We have a tremendous amount of road construction in front of each store, as our town is putting in two roundabouts and a tunnel under the highway. It's chaos right now!

@Nuttmeg wrote:
@Marybella wrote:
@Nuttmeg Yes, thanks, I saw it. I wondered if anyone had done it smoothly. LOL I have been a Tracfone customer in the past and know how quirky the process can be!
@Nuttmeg wrote:
@Marybella wrote:
I have had ATT for the last two and a half years. I get no service at home without using a Microcell, which I didn't realize when I signed up with ATT. So, now my phone is paid for and I can unlock it and bring it to Tracfone, I believe. Has anyone done that? How quickly and smoothly did it go?
You can find a link on the Tracfone site "bring your own phone".

Does Wal-Mart or Target sell Tracfone service?

Re: Tracfone Bring your own Phone program?

Marybella — Sat, 03 Aug 2019 19:35:24 GMT

So, the latest update on my attempt to bring my own phone to Tracfone is that ATT is difficult to leave. They approved my unlocking of my phone and sent me a code to do it. If you try 5 times and fail each time, your phone is permanently locked to ATT. So, I tried 3 times and kept getting the "incorrect code" message. Then I did an online chat with ATT and they had me try again, with the same result. They told me there was some kind of glitch and they would send an email for follow-up instructions. I had to wait 24 hours before trying again. I'm going to take my phone to an ATT store to have them do it. I had similar trouble trying to extricate myself from Directv last summer. No more ATT anything for me!

Re: Tracfone Bring your own Phone program?

Nuttmeg — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 08:48:38 GMT

@Marybella I do hope you can unlock your phone. You may want to look at both Tracfone and Verizon. VZW has prepaid Plans and they own the network.

Re: Tracfone Bring your own Phone program?

Marybella — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 14:51:19 GMT

@Nuttmeg I finally got it done and transferred to Tracfone. The ATT unlock code that was re-sent did the trick. Then I had to make a couple calls to Tracfone and they got it working for me.