Anyone Here Use A TracFone ?

[74-StreetMachine]

  I'm considering buying my mother a cell phone for Christmas. Someone suggested I look into TracFone. It's one of those pay-as-you-go deals. I've heard of them but don't know anything about them. It's not something she will be using all the time.

http://www.tracfone-orders.com/direct/tr/phonelist.jsp?tech=TOGSM4&AID=1038777&VID=36560636&VC=1&COM=YES&CD=45&techzip=53405
 
So, does anyone here have a TracFone? 

Is it a fair deal?

Do you like it?

Have you had any problems with it?

Thanks, Randy

[Lowprofile]

A lot of crimminals use them......well, thats what I hear

[Old Moparz]

I had a Trac Fone years ago & it was okay, but terrible reception in some locations compared to the ones my wife & I have now. I don't know if they still have roaming fees, but they did a few years ago & the cost was 4 times higher in roaming mode. (4 units per minute compared to 1 unit per minute) My wife has Verizon now, but they don't offer the pay as you go plan anymore. She's grandfathered in, but if she forgets to buy air time & it lapses, (every 60 days) she will have to pay the new rate of $1.00 per day ($30 per month) to keep it active. When they stopped the pay as you go, I bought the Virgin Mobile phone for myself, & also one for my mother.

The Virgin Mobile is every 90 days to keep it active, but they also offers an annual telephone number if you buy $80 worth of time & activate it within 3 days apart. I did that over the summer for both phones, & I'm guaranteed the same number until next summer whether I run out of time or not. They also give you the ability to go on line & buy, activate & add time to your phone. Verizon doesn't have that that I'm aware of. The reception is no different than Verizon except I can't get a signal at my own house. (My wife can)     I'd pick the Virgin Mobile over the Verizon, but would pick either one over Trac Fone. I know there's at least one other available, but don't recall the name.

BTW, Most phone cards for all the brands are at Radio Shack & Wal Mart.

Also, my wife, my mother & myself are not criminals, At least not that I'm aware of.

[bull]

I have a Tracfone and I am only a part-time criminal. Anyway, it's an ok deal. I'm not going around bragging about it for sure. Sure it's pay as you go but you still have to re-up every three months and if you don't you have to start over with reactivation fees. Even if you don't use the minutes you have to keep adding time every three months. The network is pretty pathetic for the most part. We went on a trip through the Cascades in Washington near St. Helens trying to find a campground where my parents were staying and the thing didn't work at all once we got 30 miles from home. But then on a different trip my wife went to a fairly remote location in Canada and sounded like she was in the next room so it's hit and miss. It's kind of an emergency thing for us but I'm hoping that if we have an emergency we're having it in a place where the phone works. If you want to talk to your mom more than once or twice a month on it I'd suggest getting a real cell phone.

[AdamMopar]

We got both my grandparents one.  They hate to use them but they seem to work.  I think it's probably one of the better ones out there.  Adam

[Lowprofile]

I have a Tracfone and I am only a part-time criminal.

Well, thats your opinion.

[Old Moparz]

Sure it's pay as you go but you still have to re-up every three months and if you don't you have to start over with reactivation fees. Even if you don't use the minutes you have to keep adding time every three months.

Bull,

Trac Fone also had an annual plan when I had it a few years ago, & they should still have it. Every year I'd get it from Radio Shack for $89 or $99 & it was good for 12 months. You get 100 units (minutes) of air time & you don't need to buy time every 3 months unless you ran out. If you don't use the phone much it's a better way to go. I did the Trac Fone annual plan for 3 years & only had to buy air time 1 or 2 times other than the 100 units it comes with. Great for emergencies like you want, that's why we had it.

Bob

[Highbanked Hauler]

 I have it but I don't need a cell phone much so for me it works well when I am out but I don't have coverage at the house.

[74-StreetMachine]

  Thanks for all your replies.  I checked TracFone, Virgin Mobile, Verision, Net10, and Cingular. I read enough contracts to make my head explode.  More confused than ever. I think I'll buy her a couple soup cans and a string.

Thanks again,
Randy

[Old Moparz]

  Thanks for all your replies.   I checked TracFone, Virgin Mobile, Verision, Net10, and Cingular. I read enough contracts to make my head explode.   More confused than ever. I think I'll buy her a couple soup cans and a string.

Thanks again,
Randy

That's exactly how I felt trying to pick a new one when the Trac Fone (Nokia) needed a new battery after a few years. The replacement battery wasn't available at a store, & I was only able to find it on line. The battery with shipping was more money than a new phone was.   Planned obsolescence? I thought Verizon made sense because of the fact we had it for our home service & they're everywhere. I didn't know they were changing the plan 3 months later to a monthly payment, so I then got Virgin Mobile for myself. It worked fine & they have the annual plan so you don't need to renew air time every 3 months to keep your phone number. I let it lapse once & that sucked having to remember who had my number & then give them a new one.

Have fun picking one.