Ugly Hedgehog - Photography Forum
Home Active Topics Newest Pictures Search Login Register
General Chit-Chat (non-photography talk)
TracFone Problem
Oct 21, 2018 08:09:44   #
jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY
 
I've been singing the praises of TracFone since we started using them three years ago. We had been paying Verizon $160/month, but TracFone has averaged $42/month for two phones. Recently, my son's Samsung Galaxy failed under warranty, and TracFone replaced it. Shortly after activation, it stopped being able to make or receive phone calls. The phone number was gone, and so was all his text, data, and minutes. After a couple of Chats, we discovered that we should have transferred all of that to the new phone - somehow.

Speaking to TracFone on the phone is just about impossible because you get connected to very polite people in India who cannot speak English. Today, we are going to start over again with this replacement phone - buying more time and getting a new number. Fortunately, the time and data my son lost wasn't very much, but he shouldn't have lost anything at all.

So, if you get a new phone to use with TracFone, be very careful about transferring your data.

Reply
Oct 21, 2018 08:39:21   #
ottopj Loc: Annapolis, MD USA
 
It has been my experience, when you get a replacement phone, you get a refurbished phone and not a new phone.

Reply
Oct 21, 2018 08:48:04   #
Burtzy Loc: Bronx N.Y. & Simi Valley, CA
 
Jerry. The problem you described is not unique to Tracfone. I am still with the great Satan, Verizon, and I have long used my Samsung Galaxy S4. It has been a very reliable phone, considering that in the universe of smart phones, it is now a dinosaur. It is five years old. It was supposed to be backing up all my phone numbers and other data to the "Cloud." But in the last five years, (the actual age of the phone) changes to the operating system and to the cloud have made my phone incompatible with that particular form of backup. The bottom line was that when recently, I was forced by a phone failure to reset the phone to "Factory settings", I lost all my contact numbers. Fortunately, most of my pictures were backed up to an SD card. There was no way the phone could do that with my other data. The phone is working again while I await delivery of my new phone, but eventhough my friends and family have largely responded to email pleas to send me their information, the contacts in my phone are much thinner than they were. Worse, I used to have a phone book in which I kept those numbers. And back then, I seldom used it because I remembered most of them. Not anymore. The technology that allows me to keep all my number in my phone has dulled my memory. Technology has made me less useful. Although my wife feels I have always been that way.

Reply
 
 
Oct 22, 2018 06:39:45   #
WessoJPEG Loc: Cincinnati, Ohio
 
jerryc41 wrote:
I've been singing the praises of TracFone since we started using them three years ago. We had been paying Verizon $160/month, but TracFone has averaged $42/month for two phones. Recently, my son's Samsung Galaxy failed under warranty, and TracFone replaced it. Shortly after activation, it stopped being able to make or receive phone calls. The phone number was gone, and so was all his text, data, and minutes. After a couple of Chats, we discovered that we should have transferred all of that to the new phone - somehow.

Speaking to TracFone on the phone is just about impossible because you get connected to very polite people in India who cannot speak English. Today, we are going to start over again with this replacement phone - buying more time and getting a new number. Fortunately, the time and data my son lost wasn't very much, but he shouldn't have lost anything at all.

So, if you get a new phone to use with TracFone, be very careful about transferring your data.
I've been singing the praises of TracFone since we... (show quote)


Jerry there is a apt called Smart switch, you can put all your info on new phone. Wife and I have galaxy s5 and it works. Hope this helps.

Reply
Oct 22, 2018 08:05:20   #
gerdog
 
Once I began using my google account to sync my contacts, I never had to worry about losing them again. Works great, and is free. I only use it to backup my contacts, but it can back up your data as well. Had to use it a couple of times to restore my contacts, and it worked flawlessly.
https://support.google.com/contacts/answer/7199294?hl=en
The Smart switch app mentioned above works great for transferring ALL your data and apps from your old phone to a new one as well, but only if the old phone is still in working condition.

Reply
Oct 22, 2018 08:10:27   #
dpfoto Loc: Cape Coral, FL
 
I use the AT&T pre-paid plan. Unlimited talk, and 2 GB of data. By enrolling in the auto pay option, it costs $43 per month. When I upgraded my phone, the tech at the local AT&T store transferred everything for me. I'm very pleased with them.

Reply
Oct 22, 2018 09:01:39   #
DaveJ Loc: NE Missouri
 
I used Tracfone for several years. I switched to Consumer Cellular about 3 years ago and very happy with the rates and service. All US based phone tech support.

Reply
 
 
Oct 22, 2018 10:04:19   #
hj Loc: Florida
 
I have to agree with DaveJ - after a few years with TracFone we became irritated with the problems. Went with CONSUMER CELLULAR a couple years ago and absolutely love it! We followed my brother's recommendation and couldn't be happier.

Reply
Oct 22, 2018 10:08:12   #
DaveJ Loc: NE Missouri
 
hj wrote:
I have to agree with DaveJ - after a few years with TracFone we became irritated with the problems. Went with CONSUMER CELLULAR a couple years ago and absolutely love it! We followed my brother's recommendation and couldn't be happier.

And if you go with CC, if you know anyone with one, you can get both of you a $10 one time credit by using the referral of their name and phone number. Every one on here knows two folks, hj and me!


Reply
Oct 22, 2018 10:26:36   #
WessoJPEG Loc: Cincinnati, Ohio
 
I have used Tracfone for years and no problems, uses Verizon Towers, can't beat it for 99.00 per year. I love it.

Reply
Oct 22, 2018 11:02:34   #
fetzler Loc: North West PA
 
I agree with wessoJPEG. $99/yr is great. Don't use the phone much. I think the last time it was on was early August. I have changed phones with no problems.

Reply
 
 
Oct 22, 2018 11:14:30   #
WessoJPEG Loc: Cincinnati, Ohio
 
fetzler wrote:
I agree with wessoJPEG. $99/yr is great. Don't use the phone much. I think the last time it was on was early August. I have changed phones with no problems.



Reply
Oct 22, 2018 12:53:24   #
djfkeefe
 
Here's my problem. I need to back up the data on my LG flipper phone, for which I buy time every few months from Trac fone. What I don't have, don't want, don't need, don't anything is a smart phone. My flip LG suits me almost perfectly, except that I live in constant fear, no, dread, of losing it and/or the info on it. I've gone to Verizon with the problem, told them that I am perfectly willing to go into some sort of periodic contract etc if I could keep my flipper and its number if only I could get a psyche-securing back up for the info for when the inevitable catastrophic phone and/or data loss happens. Verizon said no. Does any other provider provide the kind of service I want? Alternatively, is there any other way to back up the info on my LG flipper?

Reply
Oct 22, 2018 18:42:35   #
hassighedgehog Loc: Corona, CA
 
djfkeefe wrote:
Here's my problem. I need to back up the data on my LG flipper phone, for which I buy time every few months from Trac fone. What I don't have, don't want, don't need, don't anything is a smart phone. My flip LG suits me almost perfectly, except that I live in constant fear, no, dread, of losing it and/or the info on it. I've gone to Verizon with the problem, told them that I am perfectly willing to go into some sort of periodic contract etc if I could keep my flipper and its number if only I could get a psyche-securing back up for the info for when the inevitable catastrophic phone and/or data loss happens. Verizon said no. Does any other provider provide the kind of service I want? Alternatively, is there any other way to back up the info on my LG flipper?
Here's my problem. I need to back up the data on m... (show quote)


I also have a flip phone. Need the size of a tablet to see things on the internet. Mine is from AT&T but had a mini SD card to hold the info in the phone. Makes it easy to replace phones. If yours will hold a mini SD card you might get one to back up your info.

Reply
Oct 22, 2018 21:34:12   #
hookedupin2005 Loc: Northwestern New Mexico
 
fetzler wrote:
I agree with wessoJPEG. $99/yr is great. Don't use the phone much. I think the last time it was on was early August. I have changed phones with no problems.


After buying the phone, my bill is actually $4.00/month cheaper with Consumer Cellular vs Trac Phone, and support is in english that you can understand.

Reply
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.
General Chit-Chat (non-photography talk)
UglyHedgehog.com - Forum
Copyright 2011-2024 Ugly Hedgehog, Inc.