Electronics

[Kachina624]

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@PickyPicky3 wrote:

I'm being put on a medical information sharing program. Today a young nurse called me to set it up.

Nurse: What kind of smartphone do you have?

Me: Android.

Nurse: Who is your carrier?

Me: Tracfone. 

Nurse: Tracfone? What is that? I never heard of it.

She refused to accept Tracfone for the program and offered me some other alternatives.

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@PickyPicky3.  Her ignorance is on full display.  I'd have a word with her supervisor or a patient advocate at the facility.

[Carmie]

The nurse probably has a list of carriers and instructions on how to set things up with each one.

Tracphone is not a carrier and not on her list.  She has no way to set up the program without a carrier name.

[Ainhisg]

@PickyPicky3 I mentioned this earlier in your thread, but if this comes up again or can help anyone else, if you have a Tracfone, your carrier is Verizon:

TracFone Wireless, Inc.(TFWI) is an American prepaid, no-contract mobile phone provider. TFWI is a subsidiary of Verizon Communications, and offers products and services under several brands.

[PickyPicky3]

I posted this primarily to show a generation gap in Tracfone users. I was surprise someone had never heard of Tracfone, and it made me think that tracfone and QVC are facing the same issues.

In the end the nurse rejected Tracfone not just because she never heard of it (although that was a factor) but also because it's not an unlimited data service. The program has alternative communications options for people who do not have unlimited data with their phones.

So even if I had said that that my carrier was Verizon, my Tracfone still wouldn't have qualified.

I have come across a few instances where my phone number doesn't show up as Verizon or Tracfone or anything else. 

[Still Raining]

Tracfone is a niche market.  But a good price for what it is.

Another good use is for a simple phone, voice only, for a child.  Can be kept in gear bag for calling when a sports practice go haywire.

[Ainhisg]

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@PickyPicky3 wrote:

I posted this primarily to show a generation gap in Tracfone users. I was surprise someone had never heard of Tracfone, and it made me think that tracfone and QVC are facing the same issues.

In the end the nurse rejected Tracfone not just because she never heard of it (although that was a factor) but also because it's not an unlimited data service. The program has alternative communications options for people who do not have unlimited data with their phones.

So even if I had said that that my carrier was Verizon, my Tracfone still wouldn't have qualified.

I have come across a few instances where my phone number doesn't show up as Verizon or Tracfone or anything else. 

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This wasn't explained in your original post.  I thought the issue was that you gave Tracfone as your carrier when it is just the provider.  Good to know.

[gardenman]

Tracfone has a pretty big niche. Reportedly 21 million users at last count. In a country of 340 million (or so) people, that's about one out of every sixteen people. Not bad market share for a minimally advertised company.

[Tinkrbl44]

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@PickyPicky3 wrote:

I posted this primarily to show a generation gap in Tracfone users. I was surprise someone had never heard of Tracfone, and it made me think that tracfone and QVC are facing the same issues.

In the end the nurse rejected Tracfone not just because she never heard of it (although that was a factor) but also because it's not an unlimited data service. The program has alternative communications options for people who do not have unlimited data with their phones.

So even if I had said that that my carrier was Verizon, my Tracfone still wouldn't have qualified.

I have come across a few instances where my phone number doesn't show up as Verizon or Tracfone or anything else. 

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@PickyPicky3 

I agree her supervisor should be notified.  "I've never heard of it" just isn't a valid reason ... for anything.  

Too bad that while you were on the phone she didn't google Tracfone and see there are things out there, even if she'd never heard of them.  Good grief.

[Kachina624]

I'm sure my Tracfone  smart phone would be fully capable of handling anything a medical clinic could throw at it,  as it does my patient portal.