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Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,179
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: DO NOT BUY A TRACFONE PHONE


@KatieB wrote:

@wismiss   I agree that Tracfone is not all that good.  I purchased more minutes, more data in FEB 2017.  I saw that none of it was tripled.  I called and a person who could barely speak English told me that nothing I purchased could be tripled.  So much for their claim....    So sorry to hear about your nightmare.  


 

It's usually only tripled if you bought the phone off a shopping network.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,911
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: DO NOT BUY A TRACFONE PHONE

I understand the difference between time paid, minutes of voice, text, and data.  My time was paid up to March 2020.  I have over 3,000 texts that I could send, and many many mega bytes of data, as I very seldom use the internet on my phone.  That is why I am saying that there is no way I could have used 1200 minutes of voice in less than two months.  In the past, I have recommended Tracfone to others because I never had a problem.  But, it appears that Tracfone is fine unless you have a problem and then they are not able or willing to provide good customer service.  Marp, I did use those two numbers.  The first one was just like the one I had been calling but the second one sent me to a person in the Phillipines who was able to be understood and said that they needed 24 hours to run my record and to call back after that amount of time.  He was at least polite and tried to be helpful, unlike the other seven I spoke with.  One of those seven told me to just hold and he'd get back to me.  I waited half an hour and he never did come back.  That's not the type of customer service I would expect from a large company like Tracfone.  I also called QVC customer service telling them my problems with the whole deal----not expecting them to do anything about it but to let them know that in my opinion one of their vendors did not have good customer service.

“I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.” St.Teresa of Calcutta
Honored Contributor
Posts: 65,680
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: DO NOT BUY A TRACFONE PHONE

This is surprising because I waited a long time to replace my last phone and when I called them to set up my new one, I had pretty capable help. They deleted many of my minutes in the process but went back and researched my account and ended up reinstating most of them... Communication can sometimes be an issue, as it, and actually reaching a 'live body' is with most anything anymore... And I suppose it's the luck of the draw with regard to the agent you get... I certainly hope the OP's experience isn't indicative that this is the wave of the future with this company because, to this point, they've met my needs pretty well. 


In my pantry with my cupcakes...
Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,458
Registered: ‎06-10-2015

Re: DO NOT BUY A TRACFONE PHONE


@wismiss wrote:

I understand the difference between time paid, minutes of voice, text, and data.  My time was paid up to March 2020.  I have over 3,000 texts that I could send, and many many mega bytes of data, as I very seldom use the internet on my phone.  That is why I am saying that there is no way I could have used 1200 minutes of voice in less than two months.  In the past, I have recommended Tracfone to others because I never had a problem.  But, it appears that Tracfone is fine unless you have a problem and then they are not able or willing to provide good customer service.  Marp, I did use those two numbers.  The first one was just like the one I had been calling but the second one sent me to a person in the Phillipines who was able to be understood and said that they needed 24 hours to run my record and to call back after that amount of time.  He was at least polite and tried to be helpful, unlike the other seven I spoke with.  One of those seven told me to just hold and he'd get back to me.  I waited half an hour and he never did come back.  That's not the type of customer service I would expect from a large company like Tracfone.  I also called QVC customer service telling them my problems with the whole deal----not expecting them to do anything about it but to let them know that in my opinion one of their vendors did not have good customer service.


As far as I know, the phones purchased from QVC came with a year of airtime plus the voice minutes, texts, and data minutes.

 

You purchased airtime through March of 2020? Like three years in addition to what you started with? Did it say on your phone or via an app that you had service through March of 2020?

 

AFAIK, Tracfone airtime doesn't multiply when you have a phone that multiplies benefits on purchases of additional airtime, with or without more voice/texts/data. Only the voice/texts/data multiply. At least that's the way my 3 or 4 Tracfones, dating back to the dark ages, have worked.

 

Last, 1,200 voice minutes spread over 60 days works out to 20 minutes a day. It's amazing how quickly those minutes can be used, especially since they start counting as soon as the line is ringing, plus all your received calls count against your balance. Or at least that's how mine have been counted.

 

 

Valued Contributor
Posts: 645
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: DO NOT BUY A TRACFONE PHONE

Tracfone triple minutes, texts and data expire after one year. Tracfone sends several text messages warning that the year end date is coming up. They start sending those texts one week before the date comes up. If you renew on or before the expiration of the minutes, then you do not lose the minutes, texts and data. If you do not renew until after, then you have lost it all. You state in the original post that is what you did. I'm sorry you are aggravated, but it really looks like the problem rests with you.

I have three Tracfones and have had no problems. The times I have had to contact customer service, they have been fantastic, and solved my problem.  One of my phones needed a reboot because it wouldn't let me answer calls. Tracfone helped me back up my contacts and memos before they did the reboot, then helped me reinstall all of it.  I never felt like T-mobile, Sprint or AT&T were that good considering the terribly high prices.  JMHO. .

“The price of light is less than the cost of darkness.”
– Arthur C. Nielsen
Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,179
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: DO NOT BUY A TRACFONE PHONE

Op your first post said it was due by 2/28/17. Now you say March 2020?

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,354
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: DO NOT BUY A TRACFONE PHONE

I've used TP for years and just buy a minutes card to add time when needed. I dont use a mobile phone very often and dont text.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,609
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: DO NOT BUY A TRACFONE PHONE


@missy1 wrote:

@KatieB wrote:

@wismiss   I agree that Tracfone is not all that good.  I purchased more minutes, more data in FEB 2017.  I saw that none of it was tripled.  I called and a person who could barely speak English told me that nothing I purchased could be tripled.  So much for their claim....    So sorry to hear about your nightmare.  


 

It's usually only tripled if you bought the phone off a shopping network.


I DID buy the phone from QVC......

Honored Contributor
Posts: 25,929
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: DO NOT BUY A TRACFONE PHONE

[ Edited ]

I once had an issue with losing 1000mb of data and called tracfone - they said it was because I left my mobile data on - my fault - but they very nicely restored the 1000 mb plus gave me an additional 1200 talk & text & data for my trouble. That has been my only issue with them and was certainly resolved to my satisfaction.

I also would wonder why anyone would want to keep thousands of old texts. Once you have responded to them, what use are they? 

Anyway, I couldn't disagree more withh the OP. For those of us who are not working , and using our phone a great deal, tracfone is the only sensible way to go.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,141
Registered: ‎12-08-2013

Re: DO NOT BUY A TRACFONE PHONE


@missy1 wrote:

@KatieB wrote:

@wismiss   I agree that Tracfone is not all that good.  I purchased more minutes, more data in FEB 2017.  I saw that none of it was tripled.  I called and a person who could barely speak English told me that nothing I purchased could be tripled.  So much for their claim....    So sorry to hear about your nightmare.  


 

It's usually only tripled if you bought the phone off a shopping network.


Walmart sells them with triple minutes -- I know because my husband has one and his minutes are tripled every time he adds time to his phone. We've never had a problem that hasn't been fixed to our satisfaction and we've dealt with Tracfone for at least 15 yrs, maybe longer.