Anyone switched their contract phone number to Tracfone?

[nuke]

I currently have a Sprint contract that just expired and am going to switch to Tracfone pay as you go. I bought a 2X airtime phone and called to have my number switched over to that. They said it takes 7-10 business days and not to cancel my Sprint contract until it switches over. I'm wondering if it really takes that long and if anyone has done it without issues.

Also what do you recommend for buying minutes with tracfone?

 

[Calliaz]

I have switched from T-mobile and my mom switched from Qwest. For both of us, it took less than 24 hours and our accounts were cancelled for us.

I recommend starting out with a 400 minute, 1 year card. Make sure you use a coupon code! http://trythesecodes.com/tracfone/ With the 2x and a code, I can usually get 1050 mins with a 1 year limit. After that, you can buy cards with lower time limits depending on how much you use the phone. The nice thing is that time is always added to the end of your current expiration. So, if you buy a 1 year card, then buy a 60 day card in three months, you add on to the 9 remaining months.

 

[nuke]

Thank you! I will watch for the switch to take place.

 

[Joyful3Heart]

I switched over two phones from T-mobile. My contract service on both phones was cancelled within 24 hours. I then had to wait 2-3 days for my sim cards to arrive. My husbands arrived, mine did not. When I called, I spoke to someone in Belize who hung up on me after telling me that I only transferred one number...by the way, there was no argument or heated discussion leading up to the hang up, just a silence and a feeling on my end he didn't know what to do...so he hung up.
I called the customer service number again, getting a female rep who also said there was no record of the transfer, but that she would arrange for me to get a new number--this was unacceptable, I have had the same number since 1994. Then , after multiple Google searches r.e. "Tracfone Customer Service", I found their Corporate Headquarters number listed in Florida. She couldn't find the order either, but walked over to the dept in charge of number transfers, where they had a sim card with my phone number on it but not linked to a customer. So my phone number and I were reunited...
Just a warning, I have learned since that Tracfone's customer service is notorious for poor behavior and incompetence. I have also learned that for every bad cs rep there is a good one, just hang up and try again. I have only had to call the cs in Florida one other time.
You would think, after this experience, that I would have dumped Tracfone like a hot potato, but I can buy alot of patience with a savings of $45.00 per month. Good Luck!

P.S. Just between us (and the rest of the DISers), this is the info about that Florida number. " If you have an issue with TracFone that you cannot get resolved quickly and efficiently, call the Corporate Headquarters, Executive Resolutions Dept at 1-800-876-5753 and these specially trained agents will gladly assist you until your matter is resolved".

 

[Joyful3Heart]

Also what do you recommend for buying minutes with tracfone?

Sorry, I missed this question. We buy their monthly plan, which automatically refills your card with anywhere from 50 minutes +. If you get a double minutes phone (which most of the new ones are anyway), you can get 100 minutes/month for 9.99/ month, 200 for 19.99, etc. It depends on your usage, you also can add minutes bundles at this same rate. The 400 minute card recommended by PP actually works out with coupon to be about 8 cents/ minute (with a double minute phone), which is a better deal, but I don't like to worry about buying cards, so I'll stick with the autofill plan. Just personal preference...

 

[fac]

Sorry, I am a bit confused here, can someone help me out please ..If I want to switch from AT&T, do I
a. buy a new tracfone, activate the phone, then request a switch?
or
b. request the switch at the time when I buy the tracfone?

I always thought it is (b), but then I can't find a page that allows me to request the swtich when buying the phone.

thanks

 

[Joyful3Heart]

Sorry, I am a bit confused here, can someone help me out please ..If I want to switch from AT&T, do I
a. buy a new tracfone, activate the phone, then request a switch?
or
b. request the switch at the time when I buy the tracfone?

I always thought it is (b), but then I can't find a page that allows me to request the swtich when buying the phone.

thanks

You must first buy the phone, then when you have it in hand either,
A. Go to the website and request porting of your number
or
B. Call customer service to request porting of your number

You then use the new sim card they send you with the ported number to activate your phone. Do not activate your new phone until you have done the above or they will assign you a new number and your old service will not have been cancelled, which could become a headache of mass proportions.

Hope this helps!

 

[gillenkl]

I had to laugh at this because we just switched from our Verizon contracts to tracfone yesterday. Mine tracphone was fine but for some reason DH could not get his hooked up. He was on the phone literally all morning today talking with all different people - finally he got someone who could help solve the problem. Whew! But like a PP said - we put up with it because we're saving tons of money. Our previous bill was $80 a month - should be around $30 a month now. Worth the aggravation.

 

[aribelle]

Has anyone taken their landline (home wired phone number) and switched it to Tracfone? I'm actually thinking about using the new Walmart service "Straight Talk" but can't seem to find out if I can move my home phone to it.....the folks at Walmart have absolutely no information (it just became available in my area last week and they don't even have the phones in stock yet, lol, let alone any knowledge).

 

[samshane]

Love my tracphone because I hate the phone - LOL. I carry it just for emergencies and I only buy the minutes in segments because I talk so infrequently. We went from an $80 bill per month to about $10/month. When DH deployed and we realized I used my cell phone for 4 minutes one month, it didn't seem worth the cost. I am now saving a lot. Took me 4 months and I only used about 70 minutes - and most were my daughter who I let borrow the phone.

 

[fac]

You must first buy the phone, then when you have it in hand either,
A. Go to the website and request porting of your number
or
B. Call customer service to request porting of your number

You then use the new sim card they send you with the ported number to activate your phone. Do not activate your new phone until you have done the above or they will assign you a new number and your old service will not have been cancelled, which could become a headache of mass proportions.

Hope this helps!

it helps. thanks

 

[Princess April]

We switched about a year ago and had really good luck. (Yes, I already had the Miami corporate office number... lol). What really makes me happy are the savings. We used to spend $100. + a month for service that we hardly ever used (and p.s., no texting included, I got charged for every one ala carte.... ) Now I MAYBE spend $20.00 a month... if even that. We have saved sooo much $$$$!

 

[downsouth]

When I activated mine online I ported my number via the website. It only took one day. Used to pay $69.00 month and now a $19.99 60 minute card + 60 double minutes + 25 using a code will last me three months. I like $6.50 month vs $69 + tax!

 

[Brendita]

I had a Tracfone.
OMG talk about problems.
Sim card is issued to the purchase phone only.
So if you loss your phone you loose your minutes.
Also if you have tech problems.
Service call center is in Guane.
Where everyone speaks with an accent I was unable to understand.
Also the call is not free you are charged.
They also keep you on hold.
I was on hold 1 hour 20 minutes.
Oh they tell you you are being charged.
They told me to call back on a land line.
WTH
After all that.
The problem takes 5 days to process.
It didn't work.
Back to start over.
Well after 3 times going through this and 15 days.
They finally got it fixed.

Sorry all I am very happy to stay with T-mobile.

 

[corie161]

Another prepaid option I just heard about is PagePlus Cellular. I read about it on slickdeals.net. You can activate pretty much any CDMA phone (altell/verizon). I haven't switched mine over yet, but have activated 2 new ones and it works great. They use Verizon towers.
The also have a few different plan options available.

More info:

http://www.pagepluscellular.com/

http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1593646

http://www.howardforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=364