Electronics

[surfwave]

I'm reaching out for some advice, as I have read differing things about Tracfone service (or lack of it) and my already poor eyesight has been strained to the limit trying to read the 6pt type in the various Tracfone legal statements.

My issue is seemingly straightforward. I recently got the LG39C phone with the 1200 minute/1 year service package. I've used Tracfone for several years and this was an upgrade from my aging LG800g. Sure, the new one isn't the latest and greatest, but my needs don't require that and this new model should fit my bill for now. Unfortunately, I've encountered some glitches with this phone and I'm at the point of returning it to QVC for a new replacement.

If I return the phone to QVC for a replacement, will I have any chance of losing the 1200 minute/ 1 year service package when I try to start up a replacement phone? Also, this is my first QVC purchase, so any advice about their customer service would be appreciated. I've read enough of the forum comments to get the feeling that there is no customer service at Tracfone. Luckily, all my dealings to date with them have been strictly online (and may I add troublefree so far).

Thanks in advance for any info you can help out with. Also, any pointers for totally erasing all my private info from this phone before shipping it back to QVC?

[hckynut]

We've bought all of our many TracFone's and service from hsn. The minutes and expiration are tied to your name and phone number so the phone itself does not make any difference. I am assuming you plan on getting a different phone and activating it relatively soon after your return.

I've never had a defective phone,nor has my wife, out of the at least 15-20 different phones between the 2 of us that we have used over the last 9 years with TracFone, so I can't specifically address that part of your question.

You paid for the service and the phone and as far as TracFone should be concerned, what phone you use to "activate" that is not defective, should not have any bearing on your expiration or minutes. Sure the "time will tick by", but your minutes should remain the same if you are not using any of them.

As far as QVC and this particular Customer Service issue? Beats me.

[surfwave]

Thanks for the reply hckynut. Yes, I agree with you about Tracfone. I've had good luck with them for the past 7 years or more. When I hear what other friends are paying each month to use their iPhone on the major cell carriers, I privately cringe. When I switched over my existing account to the new phone, I didn't encounter any problems. I only became wary about doing a exchange after I scanned for other posts that might "solve" my question before I posted one. I've not used this board before and read a fair amount of others horror stories regarding the limbo of bad-to-awful customer service from Tracfone. I appreciate your input and figure like just about anything else, if you approach it the right way then you've got a better then fair change of resolving an issue. Regardless of my issue, I found quite a bit of interesting reading in scanning the Electronics Talk forum today - some very informational, and others, downright entertaining.

[Nightowlz]

If the only mins & service days you have on this new phone are what came with the phone you can simply return it & buy another one & do the process all over with the new phone. The new phone will come with the mins & service days just like the phone you bought. Now if you transferred your mins., service days & PHONE # from another phone then added the mins & service days that came with the new phone you will want to keep this phone until you have another phone to transfer all the info to. Tracfone will need the Serial# from the old phone & new phone to transfer your mins, service days & #. Hope this makes since. You may have to call Tracfone to get all this straightened out. I had to call Tracfone 5 times when I helped my MIL transfer her mins, service days & phone # to another Tracfone. HSN has the LG840G for $70 & comes with 1500 mins, 1 yr service & triple mins for the life of the phone. I had the LG800 & bought the LG840G & like it a lot better. If you call Tracfone & cannot understand them ask to talk to someone else. If all else fails ask to talk to a supervisor.

[surfwave]

Thanks so much for the advice Nightowlz! I do have the situation where I moved the minutes and service from my LG800g to the LG39C. I thought it was all clear sailing and I like the features that the new LG phone has, but would like to basically do a swap with QVC for a new one that doesn't have the glitches that I noticed on my phone after setting it up and using it for a couple of days. My initial question about QVC returns was a result of the hourglass running out as tomorrow will be 30 days since receipt of the phone and I understand they have a liberal return policy when you are inside that 30 day period. Heck, I've not even dipped into any of the minitues that it came with, having given myself a chance to get familiar with it via the wi-fi connection on my trusty desktop. Granted, I'm new at all this smartphone stuff, but I've been reading for years how the smartphone is (or to some, already has) replaced the desktop computer and I for one, don't buy it. Maybe it's an age thing and I'll admit my eyes aren't what they used to be, but I don't see being able to fully function on the 'net with just a smart phone. Well, enough of my editorializing. Just wanted to say "thanks" for your input. By the way, I love your Will Rogers quote and couldn't agree more with him.

[Kachina624]

Tracfone does have customer service. I've had them for 5 or 6 years and have had to call several times. They've always been able to take care of my problem. By the way, tracfones are not true smart phones. My LG840g is dumb as a rock. I've never been able to access the Internet with it but it's a reliable, simple to use phone that fills my needs and just looks smart.

[Meeras]

contact thier cs and tell them your situation.