So I have this flip phone.......................

SilleeMee · ‎05-22-2016

And I'm not tech-savvy when it comes to cell phones. But I need an emergency phone to put in my car in case I need to call for help. This flip phone I have is an ATT GoPhone that I bought last year. It came with one year of service. That service is no longer available. So my question is...how do I make this flip phone get service again? ATT wants me to buy another one of their SIM cards and then buy minutes. I don't want that. I just want to buy another year worth of service. Is that possible?

I don't need a smart phone. I have a hand disability and I can't physically hold one in my hand. The flip phone I have is a style I can actually hold on to.

Catty2 · ‎09-06-2014

I don't have a Smartphone either. I've had a basic Tracfone for years to use for emergencies. There is no contract and I buy minutes every 90 days (to keep the phone activated). You can either purchase minutes on their website or most stores like Walgreens, CVS, grocery stores carry a variety of cards. If you do buy a card you need to go on their website to enter the code on the card to add the minutes.

SilleeMee · ‎05-22-2016

So do I have to buy another phone? Or can I somehow use the one I already own to use the Tracphone minutes? Like I said I know nothing about cell phones. So when I go to the store to buy the cards for adding minutes, is that card called a SIM card?

Nightowlz · ‎03-11-2010

You might be able to use Tracfone's BYOP (bring your own phone). Not sure exactly how it works just know they have it. I think you have to buy a BYOP card & I think a new Sim card.

Go to their site & go down to the bottom of the page & click on Bring Your Own Phone. On the next page click on check compatibility & follow the steps.

qbetzforreal · ‎08-28-2010

You don't have to purchase a new phone. You keep the phone you have, AT&T replaces the SIM card and you buy however many minutes you need for the year. You don't have to get a smartphone, they have a flip go-phone for 59.00.

goldensrbest · ‎03-10-2010

The tracfone ,is the only phone i have, no landline.

When you lose some one you L~O~V~E, that Memory of them, becomes a TREASURE.

SilleeMee · ‎05-22-2016

When I typed the number of my old sim card, that I took out of my flip phone, Tracfone says there's no device compatible. All I see listed are smart phones and no flip phones.

I might have to buy a new flip phone that is compatible with Tracfone service. Is that what I need to do?...buy a new phone?

SilleeMee · ‎05-22-2016

@qbetzforreal wrote:
You don't have to purchase a new phone. You keep the phone you have, AT&T replaces the SIM card and you buy however many minutes you need for the year. You don't have to get a smartphone, they have a flip go-phone for 59.00.

I thought you had to buy minutes every 90 days in order to keep the service active. If you let it go beyond 90 days then you have to buy another sim card. That is what I'm trying to avoid. I want service for a year w/o worrying about buying minutes all the time to keep my phone active.