UPDATED: 7/27/2015 Tracfone Now Also Includes Service on ATT's Network Exactly as Described Below for Verizon Based Service
For those of you looking to switch over from Verizon, Tracfone may provide an excellent value for you. Tracfone operates as a Verizon MVNO and if you're willing to dish out a good chunk of change up front Tracfone Wireless offers one of the best all around values on the market for low usage users seeking 4G LTE coverage on Verizon's network. Although not spelled out clearly on its shop airtime page, all Tracfone Pay as you Go airtime cards when used with a smartphone include triple the amount of minutes listed on the card as well as the equivalent amount of text and 4G LTE data. Let's take a look at exactly how this works.
How Does Tracfone Work?
As an example, when you buy the $199.99 365 day airtime card which includes 1500 minutes that automatically triples to include 4500 minutes, with 4500 texts and 4500 MB of 4G LTE data added on. If used evenly during the course of the year you'd average out to having 375 minutes of talk, 375 texts, and 375 MB of 4G LTE data to use per month at a monthly cost of $199.99/12 = $16.67 (+tax). Extra airtime and data cards are also available. A 2GB data add on card (does not triple) is available for $50 $30 that would increase your total upfront cost to $249.99 $229.99 and monthly data allotment to roughly 546 MB of LTE (4500 MB + 2048 MB)/12. With the data add on card your averaged out monthly cost would increase to $20.83 $19.17 + tax ($249.99/12) ($229.99/12). At the time of this writing you can't get this much LTE data on the Verizon (or ATT) network elsewhere for less!
UPDATED 8/3/2015: Tracfone is now offering a 4 GB data add on card for $50. Purchasing that you could obtain for $20.83/month (which includes the 365 day airtime card) 716 MB of LTE data monthy.
A breakdown of Tracfone's base 365 day yearly plans is explained in the following table:
TracFone Yearly Plans Summarized
All plans include carryover as long as service remains active
Airtime Card (Minutes) | Talk | Text | 4G LTE Data (MB) | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400 | 1200 | 1200 | 1200 | 99.99 |
| 800 | 2400 | 2400 | 2400 | 119.99 |
| 1000 | 3000 | 3000 | 3000 | 159.99 |
| 1500 | 4500 | 4500 | 4500 | 199.99 |
TracFone Monthly Value Plans
Plans are for 30 days and all include carryover for as long as your account remains active
Airtime Card (Minutes) | Talk | Text | 4G LTEData (MB) | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 150 | 150 | 150 | 9.99 |
| 125 | 375 | 375 | 375 | 19.99 |
| 200 | 600 | 600 | 600 | 29.99 |
You could also save more money on the yearly plans by just focusing on obtaining more data if needed and by simply using Google Voice or FreedomPop to make free phone calls and send free text messages as opposed to buying more minutes. Those calls and texts would then be routed over your wi-fi or cellular data connection.
There are many other combinations of minutes and data that you can purchase through Tracfone, too many to actually list here.
What I've instead done is just give a few examples of plans that would qualify for my cheapest plans table if they were true monthly plans rather than 365 day pay in advance/pay as you go plans.
Currently Tracfone is running a promotion where you can receive $15 off your 365 day plan through June 17th, 2015 by using promo code 99138. A 10% discount is also offered to those who keep their accounts on auto-refill.
Tracfone supports bring your own phone (BYOP) and you can activate Verizon postpaid phones as long as they have been paid off and are free from contract. They also offer a limited selection of phones that you can purchase. As previously described, pay as you go and monthly value plans both come with triple talk, text and data.
Like with all Verizon MVNOs, LTE download speeds are limited to 5 Mbps, and upload 2 Mbps. An LTE sim activation kit, and a Network Access Code (NAC) are needed to obtain 4G LTE service with Tracfone. Also be aware that the double minutes for life cards listed on the Tracfone website do not apply to Tracfone smartphone users. That is, you cannot by a double minutes for life card and have your Tracfone service minutes, text, and data get increased 6 fold it will only stay triple minutes talk, text and data.
Tracfone also offers 90 day pay as you go plans as shown in the following table:
TracFone 90 Day Plans
Include carryover for as long as service remains active.
Airtime Card (Minutes) | Talk | Text | 4G LTE Data (MB) | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30** | 90 | 90 | 90 | 9.99 |
| 60 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 19.99 |
| 120 | 360 | 360 | 360 | 29.99 |
| 200 | 600 | 600 | 600 | 39.99 |
| 450 | 1350 | 1350 | 1350 | 79.99 |
**=30 day airtime card
I decided to try the Tracfone BYOP option. The way the web site worked for me, the Triple Minutes deal was NOT an option. Only the 90 day plans were offered, and the least expensive one was $35 for 500 minutes of talk, 1000 texts and 400MB data, and it is non-refundable. The only plus is the carry-over feature. The SIM card cost $6.99 and is non-refundable, and even though the web site stated there would be no shipping charged if the SIM was purchased with the air time, I still got charged $4.95 plus tax on top of everything.
To make everything more frustrating, I purchased an AT&T/Microsoft Lumia 640 LTE GoPhone on Black Friday and followed the information from another article on getting it unlocked. I received the unlock code and instructions from AT&T just like the article explained, but the phone never displayed the SIM unlock window as described in AT&T’s instructions. A 2-hour phone call with AT&T support was no help. A 1-hour phone call with Microsoft was no help. And another 2-hours with Tracfone was a complete and utter waste of time!
Bottom line: I returned the phone to Microsoft this morning. I’m out $50.34 to Tracfone (remember those non-refundable items) AND had to call Tracfone again because somehow or another, the first person I spoke with managed to deactivate my flip phone so I was unable to make or receive calls. I also purchased earbuds for the phone because it didn’t come with any, and a 64GB microSD card to use as expandable storage in the phone. Maybe I’ll be able to use the earbuds and microSD card in the future. I’m none to sure about ever attempting to try to upgrade my phone with Tracfone.
Apparently the only way to get the Triple Minutes deal is if you buy a phone from Tracfone, and their selection is pitiful.
Hi,
Triple Minutes is absolutely an option with Tracfone for BYOP. I have personally set up someones ATT LG G2, created an account for them and purchased a plan in the past two weeks. It works, BUT, it was a big pain to get going particularly with a number port. To make a long story short, several phone calls, long online chats and two sim cards later everything finally worked as it was supposed to.
I’d like to add, at signup, I didn’t have the option to purchase the monthly value plan, so I initially had to buy a 90 day 30 min, $9.99 plan. This plan did include 90 min, 90 text, and 90mb of data (triple feature). It is a web only plan.
Also, when the number was ported to the second SIM card they wiped all the minutes out so I had to call them again, and they quickly restored everything to the new Sim card.
I can certainly understand your frustration with Tracfone given the hard time I had setting everything up with them and the conflicting information different representatives were giving me. You may want to call Tracfone and try and get at least that shipping charge refunded.
I wish you would’ve reached out to me sooner before returning the Lumia, I may have been able to provide some help that Microsoft and AT&T couldn’t.
I guess it’s a moot point as of now, but
1) Was the phone ever powered up before inserting the sim card?
2) What Sim card did you use to try and unlock the device?
3) Did you try and use the phone on Tracfone without unlocking it? It should’ve worked no problem.
https://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1867672-Successful-Activation-of-4G-LTE-Go-Phone-GSM-on-Tracfone-BYOP
I forgot to mention that once everything was setup properly the option to enroll in a monthly value plan became an option in the account.
1. The phone was powered on before inserting the new SIM card from Tracfone. I removed the AT&T SIM card prior to turning it on and used it on wi-fi to familiarize myself with it while I waited to get the unlock code. Was that the reason I never saw the required place to enter the unlock code?
2. I used the Tracfone SIM card to try and unlock it. I did not get the “SIM unlock window” as described in the AT&T instructions. After all the time spent on the phone trying to get assistance, I eventually found a SIM Security setting with a place to enter a SIM card code. I was unable to get either the Tracfone or the AT&T SIM card number accepted. The “enter” option dimmed after typing in the first 5 digits.
3. I was unable to use the phone on Tracfone. The tile on the Start screen displayed “No Service,” “Invalid SIM,” or something else which I don’t recall now.
As for the link you provided, I read that prior to requesting the unlock code from AT&T, as well as an article here on BestMVNO.
Regarding the various plans: I started at: https://tracfonewireless.com/byop/ . On that page it states there are 90-day plans available starting at $19.99. I clicked the Learn More button just below that and was redirected to: https://tracfonewireless.com which states the 90-day plans start at $35 and do not triple. Below that it states, “90-Day Plans Start At Less Than $20… Purchase an airtime service plan when you buy your phone.” Since I wasn’t going to buy a phone there, I scrolled back up and clicked “Learn More.” That took me to this: “NEW! No-Contract Smartphone Only Plans – Unlimited Carryover® of unused minutes, texts, and data never expires with active service. Service must be active and in use within any six month period. These smartphone plans do not triple.” A chart with different options is shown.
Below that chart is another chart that states, “3x Minutes, Text and Data – Get 3x the minutes, texts, and data when you purchase a TracFone Airtime Card except for Smartphone Only Plans available online.”
There are several ambiguous charts with a variety of prices shown on that page, but when I eventually got to the page to order the SIM card, it stated that I had to purchase air time to activate the card, and that took me back to the $35 option.
I have $35 worth of minutes/texts/data if anybody wants to buy them. 😉
I did have to call Tracfone again today. Somehow, the guy I spoke with yesterday deactivated my current phone and I had to get it reactivated. While I had the service rep’s attention, I asked to see if the Tracfone SIM card was associated with the Lumia 640’s IMEI. She said it was not. I then asked if I could use that same SIM card in a different phone and she insisted it would not work if it had been activated… which it wasn’t… which I had to explain to her. She then changed her answer to, “it might or it might not work. I recommend you buy a new SIM card.”
It really shouldn’t be this difficult.
It’s probably better to not use the phone until you’re ready to unlock, but I don’t think that was the big issue. I think you needed to insert a T-Mobile sim card to bring up the unlock dialogue. Your Tracfone SIM I presume was AT&T based SIM so since it’s still AT&T that’s probably why it doesn’t trigger the unlock dialogue. Unlocking is done to allow you to be able to use the phone on T-Mobile or other GSM based providers.
I think the sim card code you were playing with is not the same as code for unlocking the device. I think that’s a security feature that if enabled locks the sim card so that no one can place a phone call without the password.
The reason why you couldn’t get service on the lumia was not because the phone wasn’t unlocked, it’s because you had to enter in Tracfone’s APN into the phone. I had the same issue with the unlocked 640 I set up for EasyGo. Without APN there’s no service. If you got that phone back, you could get it working.
Tracfone’s 90 day “pay as you go” plans DO triple. The 90 day plans that do not triple are the ones called “smartphone and byop only plans.” Fortunately you don’t need to buy the “smartphone and byop only plans” to use a smartphone. I recommend you only look at the airtime plans on tracfone.com instead of at the numerous other tracfone owned websites. If you have any questions about those, I’ll be happy to answer them for you.
Also, I purchased a Tracfone sim card at the store, then ended up having a problem due to representatives telling me different things and ultimately they sent me a second one for free. You may be able to argue your way into a free one if you need to.
(I hope my response doesn’t come off as being written as if I don’t appreciate your input. That’s not the case. It’s just that I’m so frustrated with all that happened!)
“I think you needed to insert a T-Mobile sim card to bring up the unlock dialogue.” So you would have me buy a T-Mobile SIM card that I’ll never use? Sorry, no. Besides, it’s too late for that since I already returned the phone.
“Your Tracfone SIM I presume was AT&T based SIM…” I couldn’t use a Verizon based SIM in a GSM phone, so you’re correct.
“The reason why you couldn’t get service on the lumia was not because the phone wasn’t unlocked, it’s because you had to enter in Tracfone’s APN into the phone.” It would have been great to know that and the APN settings before trying to follow AT&T’s instructions for unlocking the phone. I suggest you write an article with ALL the necessary steps! For people like me, having a complete explanation would be very helpful.
Also, since you appear to have an “in” with the Tracfone people, you might suggest that they clear up the confusion on their web site(s). If nothing else, it might free up some of their customer disservice reps to help other customers having different problems.
Thanks for trying to shed light on what may have gone wrong. Maybe it will help the next person who is considering using Tracfone.
No, not at all. I was just trying to give you some answers you couldn’t get after spending hours on phone with various tech support.
Unfortunately, I don’t have any ins with Tracfone, hence why I also spent several frustrating hours on phone and chat with them trying to setup a phone as well. Their websites can still be confusing to me especially when they add new plans and air time cards.
I can’t say with 100% certainty that you needed a T-Mobile (or T-Mobile mvno ) sim to unlock, I just don’t have tons of devices and cards to test first hand myself. I can make mention of that in the unlock article though. There may also be some dialer codes one can punch for an unlock, I’ll have to look into that. I did unlock two AT&T lumia 640’s using a T-Mobile sim card myself though (T-Mo is my service provider) . T-Mobile often sells sims for 99c as do many MVNO’S. Sometimes you can even get them for free or simply a penny. Keep in mind that there are companies that try and charge you much more than price of those SIM cards to unlock your phone.
As far as the APN thing goes, every device is going to be a little different. The G2 I setup I think showed service without the APN in, it just wasn’t fully usable. In fact, I remember Tracfone sent a text to the device to autoconfigure the APN after signup. Also some SIM cards from some carriers and MVNO’s sell SIM’s with the APN pre-configured. I think in the case of the 640 and perhaps with Windows phones in general, they require an extra step in configuring. My only experience with Windows phones though is with the Lumia 640.
Okay, thank you again.
If I could find an unlocked Lumia 640 at a reasonable price, I’d be willing to attempt it again. Except for the lack of a few apps, I really liked that phone’s features and performance, especially at the Black Friday sale price!
I bought a MS Lumia 640 AT&T prepaid (for $29.99 @ BB on BF) and never used a sim to unlock.
This is what I did:
1) Opened the package
2)**** Removed the SIM that was in the phone***
3) Put the battery in
4) Turned on the phone and connected it to WiFi. Played around,installed apps etc
5) Requested unlock as non-AT&T customer (IMPORTANT!!)
6) Got code in 2 days.
7) Then type ##7820# on dial screen. That brought up unlock code entry window.
Just using it as a WiFi device right now but will eventually activate it with TF.
@dlareg9:disqus Except that you were able to get the BestBuy deal — it was sold out when I went online to get it — you and I did everything *exactly the same* through step #6, except I didn’t install any apps. The instructions I received from AT&T stated I needed to put in the non-AT&T SIM card, power on the phone, and wait for the SIM Unlock Window to open — except I never got that SIM Unlock Window. The phone went directly to the normal start screen. Nothing I did ever caused the SIM Unlock Window to appear. I even tried without a SIM card installed. Didn’t help.
I’ve read that several others got it to work. I wasn’t so lucky.
I hope you have no trouble activating your Tracfone SIM and never have to call their customer service.
Re tracfone activation
Only one small hiccup. Forgot my tmo pin so the tracfone rep called me and we did a conference call with the tmo rep. Got my # ported & up & running within a couple of hrs.
Win win for me. Love the phone and will save $ with TF.
So the 1500 minutes plan for one year , does not really include any separate data. Does it ?
So you can either use 1500 minutes or use part of it for talk, part for text, and part for data.
I feel the new puppy wireless plans (750 talk/750 txt/ and 1 gb data) are more interesting than tracfone plans
It does. It’s 1500 each. 1500 minutes, 1500 text and 1500 MB data. They are all separate from each other. It’s not 1500 combined.
That “800 minutes” card is really 400 minutes and adds the double minutes for life feature, so you really get only 1200 on a smartphone if you put it on one (400 minutes tripled to 1200).
Thanks, I missed that but am now seeing mixed information about that card. Have you bought one before? Some say the 800 minutes card only includes 800 minutes period.
This is really great info… I just picked up some MOTOe’s Verizon prepaid during a recent Best Buy Sale…. I wonder if I could use that phone with the 1500 Tracfone plan… 199 is a bit steep. But no more bills for the rest of the year is pretty darn good. Especially on the best NETWORK (sorry Cricket/ATT. your only marginally better than sprint in AZ).
I’m not sure if those will work. I’ve heard mixed things that you need to be active on Verizon prepaid for a few months before you can move to an MVNO if you bought a Verizon prepaid phone. I’ve heard some people have luck going directly to an MVNO, but that may more be due to an oversight by the network.