topic Re: Tracfone stopped texting in Customer Care

Tracfone stopped texting

software — Mon, 16 Jan 2017 13:00:08 GMT

I still have text messages remaining on my plan.

My plan has not expired

I got an error code 97

Can anyone help? Otherwise I'm on the phone for who knows how long with Tracfone.

I will also try the chat feature but will have to wait an hour.

Re: Tracfone stopped texting

Tribesters — Mon, 16 Jan 2017 13:11:17 GMT

I just googled it. One of the causes might be your memory is full. It said to check the settings & memory storage.

Re: Tracfone stopped texting

Big Sister — Mon, 16 Jan 2017 13:29:01 GMT

@software @Tribesters If it is a memory problem with your phone, then I should tell you that my Samsumg Tracfone is constantly telling me with messages that my memory/storage is full. However, I went into the phone and found that while I have 8GB of memory, I was only using 4GB. So, I should not be getting the warnings, but I am.

So I am not sure what is going on with my phone.

Re: Tracfone stopped texting

software — Mon, 16 Jan 2017 17:29:59 GMT

@Big Sister, @Tribesters

I fixed it. I feel dumb. My first thought was I was out of "time" to include texts, etc.

So I opened the APP, logged in and I still had texts.

But when I went on the website, I was out.

So I bought more.....duh.

Even after I bought more "time" and I was texting again, the APP still said I was out of texts. Took a while to update.

I also considered the memory and will keep that in mind going forward.

Thanks for your help.

Re: Tracfone stopped texting

software — Mon, 16 Jan 2017 17:32:06 GMT

Could it be the warning setting is set assuming 4GB?

Your phone recognizes you have more but the warning setting may need to be re-set.

@Big Sister wrote:
@software @Tribesters If it is a memory problem with your phone, then I should tell you that my Samsumg Tracfone is constantly telling me with messages that my memory/storage is full. However, I went into the phone and found that while I have 8GB of memory, I was only using 4GB. So, I should not be getting the warnings, but I am.

So I am not sure what is going on with my phone.

Re: Tracfone stopped texting

x Hedge — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 00:11:19 GMT

@software, thank you for posting your update. I'm always glad to learn more about Tracfone issues and resolutions.

I update my balance once a week. It's a good habit, and gives me th prod to refill before my balance gets too low.

There are helpful FAQs on the bottom of the TracFone website under "Support".

I see they also have added the FAQs under Support in the app menu.

Re: Tracfone stopped texting

software — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 16:06:01 GMT

Good advice.

I thought I was checking it regularly but the APP is not always accurate.

And since I don't use the phone much, I figured I was in good shape.

@x Hedge wrote:
@software, thank you for posting your update. I'm always glad to learn more about Tracfone issues and resolutions.
I update my balance once a week. It's a good habit, and gives me th prod to refill before my balance gets too low.

There are helpful FAQs on the bottom of the TracFone website under "Support".
I see they also have added the FAQs under Support in the app menu.

Re: Tracfone stopped texting

x Hedge — Wed, 18 Jan 2017 00:13:50 GMT

@software, when you downloaded the TracFone app you should've also gotten the balance widget. It will be with your other widgets, and won't show up on your screen unless you choose to put it there.

When you want to update your balance you'll need to have either Wi-Fi or data internet connection, then just tap "update" and wait a minute or two. It seens to update faster when you're someplace where the phone signal is strong.

Maybe the mods can move this to Electronics. There are probably other TracFone users who have had qyestions about getting their balance updated.

Re: Tracfone stopped texting

software — Wed, 18 Jan 2017 14:07:12 GMT

I'll have to play around with it when I can access WiFi.

Thanks

@x Hedge wrote:
@software, when you downloaded the TracFone app you should've also gotten the balance widget. It will be with your other widgets, and won't show up on your screen unless you choose to put it there.

When you want to update your balance you'll need to have either Wi-Fi or data internet connection, then just tap "update" and wait a minute or two. It seens to update faster when you're someplace where the phone signal is strong.

Maybe the mods can move this to Electronics. There are probably other TracFone users who have had qyestions about getting their balance updated.

Re: Tracfone stopped texting

x Hedge — Wed, 18 Jan 2017 19:19:52 GMT

@software wrote:
Could it be the warning setting is set assuming 4GB?
Your phone recognizes you have more but the warning setting may need to be re-set.

@Big Sister wrote:
@software @Tribesters If it is a memory problem with your phone, then I should tell you that my Samsumg Tracfone is constantly telling me with messages that my memory/storage is full. However, I went into the phone and found that while I have 8GB of memory, I was only using 4GB. So, I should not be getting the warnings, but I am.

So I am not sure what is going on with my phone.

@Big Sister, @software, for example my newest phone has 8GB memory, but 3.17GB are being used by the phone to operate itself. So available memory will always be less than total capacity listed. My older phone uses less, so more is available for me to use.

When I need space I dump seldom used apps, old downloads, old saved pages and unnecessary bookmarks, cookies and caches, un-needed texts.

If I played games I'd look at dumping those.

Re: Tracfone stopped texting

Big Sister — Thu, 19 Jan 2017 07:30:27 GMT

@x Hedge Hedge, does deleting many old emails also open up more GBs for me? I have been putting those in TRASH, but I don't know how to get them removed from the TRASH for good. Can you tell me that?

BTW, I have also disabled many of my apps, and whatever else I don't really need.

Re: Tracfone stopped texting

I am still oxox — Thu, 19 Jan 2017 12:16:34 GMT

Old e mails do not "live" on your phone, what you see is a copy, they are on the providers server

@Big Sister wrote:
@x Hedge Hedge, does deleting many old emails also open up more GBs for me? I have been putting those in TRASH, but I don't know how to get them removed from the TRASH for good. Can you tell me that?

BTW, I have also disabled many of my apps, and whatever else I don't really need.

Re: Tracfone stopped texting

x Hedge — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 05:28:00 GMT

@I am still oxox wrote:
Old e mails do not "live" on your phone, what you see is a copy, they are on the providers server

@Big Sister wrote:
@x Hedge Hedge, does deleting many old emails also open up more GBs for me? I have been putting those in TRASH, but I don't know how to get them removed from the TRASH for good. Can you tell me that?

BTW, I have also disabled many of my apps, and whatever else I don't really need.

@Big Sister, sorry but oxox is right. Emails arent stored in the phone so deleting them unclutters your email, but doesn't free up storage space in your phone.

Check your disabled apps and make sure you have cleared the cache on each of those apps when you disabled them.

The process for permanently deleting large groups of old emails all at one time is fast and easy from a PC.

I have to go to the library to use a PC.

From a PC, In your email, along the left side you will see Inbox, Sent mail, Drafts, Outbox, Trash, and so on. Click on Trash.

Look for the Delete Forever. You'll want to Select All, then once they're selected click Delete Forever.

If there are more waiting in the trash they'll appear on the screen and you can keep selecting and deleting until they're all gone.

From your phone in email, tap Trash and see what your phone offers. You may be able to permanently delete a group, or you may have to delete one email at a time from your phone.

I asked the Mods to move this thread to electronics 2 days ago. I assume they didn't do so because I didn't originate the thread. The request may have to come from @software.

Re: Tracfone stopped texting

x Hedge — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 05:40:03 GMT

@Big Sister, there is lots of help online to guide you in deleating or just turning off bloatware. I wouldn't want you to delete an app your OS needs to function properly just because you aren't sure if you need it or not.

Be aware a lot of apps will install other apps without you knowing about it. It's getting harder to know which apps you can safely dump.

Re: Tracfone stopped texting

Nuttmeg — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 07:31:30 GMT

@x Hedge wrote:
@software wrote:
Could it be the warning setting is set assuming 4GB?
Your phone recognizes you have more but the warning setting may need to be re-set.

@Big Sister wrote:
@software @Tribesters If it is a memory problem with your phone, then I should tell you that my Samsumg Tracfone is constantly telling me with messages that my memory/storage is full. However, I went into the phone and found that while I have 8GB of memory, I was only using 4GB. So, I should not be getting the warnings, but I am.

So I am not sure what is going on with my phone.

@Big Sister, @software, for example my newest phone has 8GB memory, but 3.17GB are being used by the phone to operate itself. So available memory will always be less than total capacity listed. My older phone uses less, so more is available for me to use.

When I need space I dump seldom used apps, old downloads, old saved pages and unnecessary bookmarks, cookies and caches, un-needed texts.
If I played games I'd look at dumping those.

You may want to consider buying a Tracfone with more storage. When you decide to upgrade.

http://tracfonereviewer.blogspot.com/

I have in the past disabled an app, put it to sleep, and cleaned out its contents,etc. I did not need to delete it. LOL, some of the apps in a phone are native, and can not be uninstalled.

Re: Tracfone stopped texting

x Hedge — Sat, 21 Jan 2017 05:07:49 GMT

Hi @Nuttmeg. I guess I dont use either of my phones in a traditional way, so always have plenty of storage available in my 8GB phones. I can understand storage.

What I run into on my oldest (Jellybean), but most used phone is a shortage of RAM which I don't understand.

That phone holds a running text conversation of tens of thousands of texts which must be preserved, and I'll sacrifice all other use of that phone if necessary.

I've noticed when the RAM is nearly full, the messaging app will slow considerably, stutter, even freeze up.

This is when I'll go through and dump other stuff on the phone, not for more storage space, but to free up more RAM. ( does that make sense?)

Right now that phone is using only 5.7 out of 8GB storage, but 7.8MB out of 0.88GB RAM, and messaging app is very cranky & non-cooperative again. It must be babied. Everything's slow. Even the keyboard freezes for a second or two between typing each letter. Sometimes I get the message "Messaging app has stopped".

This will ease up again when I dump non-related stuff from the phone.

Since I dont understand RAM, I've never cleared RAM manually, for fear of negative effects to the only thing on that phone that matters.

TIA for any help and enlightenment you can share.

Edited to add: Today I dumped old alarm settings, calculator history, phonecall history, and about 800 images from the gallery. The messaging app is back to running quickly and the keyboard is normal again. But WHY?

@Big Sister, @software@