Electronics

[Jordan2]

Does anyone know much about this phone? At Tracfone you can buy it for $199, but must purchase and activate a plan with it. It doesn't give you the option of purchasing the monthly talk, text, and data plan for $20. I want to keep my same number ( I am already with Tracfone), is it easy to activate the phone and have your same number and minutes, texts, and data carried over?

[gadgetgal613]

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@Jordan2 wrote:

Does anyone know much about this phone? At Tracfone you can buy it for $199, but must purchase and activate a plan with it. It doesn't give you the option of purchasing the monthly talk, text, and data plan for $20. I want to keep my same number ( I am already with Tracfone), is it easy to activate the phone and have your same number and minutes, texts, and data carried over?

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Most iPhones are designed to work with a certain group of carriers.  There is a sim card installed which allows the phone to work with AT&T, Verizon, etc.  I don't know if you can change it to a Tracfone plan or not.  I would contact Apple and see if what you want to do can be done.  My guess is no but, I could be wrong.   

[geezerette]

@Jordan2 

I have that phone, 2020 version, not the original.  But I don't use TracFone, which I think is what your question is about.

[x Hedge]

   @Jordan2 

I checked their website. 

It says, "a service plan card is required for activation".

You wrote: "It doesn't give you the option of purchasing the monthly talk, text, and data plan for $20."

   Huh?  Where do you get that?

You can choose from basic plans or smartphone plans.

Didn't you write that you hardly use your existing phone, and already have airtime and minutes?

Buy whatever plan you think is best for you. I would buy the new phone and the cheapest plan, (it's $9.99) and activate the new phone. At that point your account will show two active phones.

Then transfer the phone number, and then transfer airtime and minutes from the old to the new.

When that's complete the old phone will show as deactivated because a phone with no airtime cannot remain active.

Is it easy? Yes, as long as you do it yourself from their website.

Here's a tip, just in case there's a glitch.

Go to the website and check your existing balance.

Snap a picture of the balance and airtime end date, put that photo in the clouds so it's safe.

Then activate the new, transfer the old, get all the business out of the way. (May take a little while.)

 Then check your talk and time balance on the new phone. It should show the sum of what you bought plus what you transferred.

If minutes or time get "lost" during the transfer you have your photo.

I've had them tell me, "you didn't have those minutes" right up until I inform them I have a pictures of YOUR website saying I had those minutes just prior to the transfer.

[x Hedge]

Personally @Jordan2 ,  First I'd just activate the new phone with a cheap plan and a new phone number they assign.

Then I'd go through everything that phone can do, give it a real workout to be sure everything is functionally correct.

When I know it's not defective and I'm certain I'll keep it, that's when I'd port the old phone number over, and trans the old air and minutes, shutting down the old phone.

[Frangelina]

I see that Iphone SE, and that the lowest plan you can buy with it is the $25 unlimited talk/text and 2 gb data. Yes it is easy to activate and port your existing number. It is easier to do that by creating an account on Tracfone and activate it online. Dealing with their phone customer service can be challenging, but it is do-able if you don't feel comfortable with the online process.

After your first month is over you will be able to choose the $20 unlimited talk/text 1 gb data, if that is better for you, or even the basic plans rather than the snartphone plans.

For some reason Tracfone is limiting what plan you can purchase with that phone initially.

[Frangelina]

Promo code ERTG10 gets you a 10% discount at checkout

[Nuttmeg]

@Jordan2

I wonder, is this phone new, refurbished or what? I would ask Tracfone. I would ask which network this phone will run on Verizon, AT&T, or T-mobile. 

[Frangelina]

Tracfone will state whether phone is reconditioned. If it doesn't, then it is new. Verizon owns Tracfone now, so most likely it runs on Verizon towers.