Electronics

[gabstoomuch]

As in, I got someone a new TracFone for Christmas. Person is not techie, asked me to set it up and port phone number before getting it to them. It was not a surprise gift, it is now just I have the phone, and he lives elsewhere.

He wants to keep his phone number. I can activate etc., my question is (if anyone knows before I get caught "half activated"), do I need to have his original TracFone in my hands to port the phone number?

Are there any text messages I am going to have to click to confirm that will go to the original phone? I have activated before, just never ported a phone number.

Planning on doing it online. He has the weekend off so he does not need his phone as urgently as he would during a work day, so if porting takes a few hours he is Ok with that.

Trying to avoid a glitch ahead of time.

[namaste000]

I have ported my # to a new tracfone phone twice.  I remember the instructions saying you should have both phones available for the porting.

Seems like you could just have the info requested about the old phone, not the phone itself.

Having said that, the last time I did it over automated phone instructions, it didn't go thru. I then sent all of the specifics to a provided cs email address.  I was out all day with my old phone.  When I got home, I noticed they had emailed me to say they had completed the activation and adding of new minutes and carrying over of old minutes.  Only then did I realize all day I was walking around with a dead phone!

So just be aware at the moment the # is ported to the new phone your old phone is no longer usable.

[gabstoomuch]

oh, thank you! I have read the forums at TracFone too (I just found those, did not know they had any). Seems everyone's porting time is different.

Guess I should be safe and get the old phone, thanks for the heads up.

I am not a real techie either, but this person is barely learning how to turn a phone on, and learning to text. I am just helping so he has a better phone than he started with.

[GCR18]

If I remember right, you need to get a number off the old phone that's specific to that phone.  I think the new phone could be setup without the old phone, but your friend would have to get the number for you.  Read through the directions, it will talk about it.

[Nightowlz]

I have transferred mins & service days from an old Tracfone to a new Tracfone but never had to port a number. I'm pretty sure all you need from the old phone is the phone number & the serial number. The phones both need to be turned on during the process.

[CatsyCline]

if it's the LG Power many reports indicate they have had problems and even without a working phone for days.

the way Tracfone CS operates i would avoid needing them to open a trouble ticket !