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CELL PHONE DISPOSAL

Discussion in 'General Chat' started by BGBG, Dec 28, 2021.

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  1. BGBG

    BGBG Registered Members

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    My plan is to call the customer service number and find out if I have 4G phones or not and decide what to do. Likely will add minutes by cards as I can if they still work. Have not called tracfone in over 2 years but now that I trust them more I am willing to check it out. If they will still work I will likely keep them. Do you know the minutes capacity of these phones or will company have to tell me that?
     
    BGBG, Jan 16, 2022
    #41
  3. Tony D

    Tony D Administrator Administrator

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    The phone have no capacity for minutes. Phones know nothing about minutes. That info is not stored on the phone. Your carrier (Tracfone in your case) knows how many minutes you purchased, how many minutes you have used, and how many minutes you have remaining. There is nothing about minutes on the phone.
     
    Tony D, Jan 16, 2022
    #42
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  4. BGBG

    BGBG Registered Members

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    I was wondering about purchasing additional minutes before service ends in order to keep them working since I believe they are the 4G type that will keep on working. Perhaps I shuld simply call Tracfone 1800 876 7183 and discuss this. I would like to keep the phones if I can but was unsure if and how many minutes I could or should purchase. Maybe Tracfone will have to be the one to answer this? Thanks for your reply. I am slowly learning this cellphone thing. Bear with me please.
     
    BGBG, Jan 16, 2022
    #43
  5. Tony D

    Tony D Administrator Administrator

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    If you get a new phone, Tracfone will transfer any remaining minutes from the old phone to the new phone. It's all in the magic that happens behind the curtain.
     
    Tony D, Jan 16, 2022
    #44
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  6. Tony D

    Tony D Administrator Administrator

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    Actually the minutes go with the phone number, not the physical phone.
     
    Tony D, Jan 16, 2022
    #45
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  7. BGBG

    BGBG Registered Members

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    If this is so and the phones still work I could simply purchase whatever number of minutes I choose to extend the end of service date and not be concerned with how many minutes are actually available. Is this correct? It would be nice to keep the phones if they work and purchase minutes cards as I choose. to keep the service end date in the future. No maximum minutes for the phones capacity. As I thought there might might be.
     
    BGBG, Jan 16, 2022
    #46
  8. plodr

    plodr CHF Advisor CHF Advisers

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    You need to worry about:
    1. If the phone model is 4G. If it is, keep the phones. Use them to talk, talk, talk because both phones have lots of minutes.
    2. The calendar date when service ends. One phone is good through January 2023 so forget about that one. Write something on the 2022 calendar in December to remind yourself to add minutes to that phone.
    So you can add any amount of minutes to one phone before March 4, 2022. You only need to decide if you want to do this every 90 days, (go for the $19.99 card because you don't need more minutes) or once a year.
    The 90 day for 60 minutes, will add 180 minutes to the phone. The 365 day plan for $99.99 for 400 minutes, will add 1200 minutes to the phone.

    Since my husband's service needed to be topped up in December and I was afraid I had too much to do and miss it, I topped it up in November. It was extended through March (90 days from the Decemebr date). I have a card in the house and I could use that now. The end time would then be extended through June, even if I used it in january. It is 90 days from the end of service date, not when you use the card to add time/minutes to the phone.

    I usually buy a spare card or two so I have them ready to add to the phone at any time.
    For us, 4 cards at just under $80 for 360 days of service gives my husband more than enough minutes to talk.
     
    plodr, Jan 17, 2022
    #47
  9. BGBG

    BGBG Registered Members

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    I trust the Forum far more than I trust Tracfone right now. I plan to shop the minutes cards at Walmart and decide what I wish to do. Probably what you said sounds good. Just keep extending the end time. I believe the owners manual and the article that says the 4G phones will keep working and I suspect someone loaded my phones with minutes so I would not discard them and maybe upgrade them. I am now working out my plan. Thank you for he help and suggestions.
     
    BGBG, Jan 18, 2022
    #48
  10. plodr

    plodr CHF Advisor CHF Advisers

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    That is highly unlikely!

    People pay for minutes on their own devices, they don't add minutes to a stranger's phone.
     
    plodr, Jan 19, 2022
    #49
  11. BGBG

    BGBG Registered Members

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    It makes no sense to me either. I thought maybe Tracfone was afraid I would discard my phones and buy another brand so they gave me incentive by telling me my phones would stop working and loading me with minutes so I would buy new phones and rollover instead of throwing away the minutes. I just stopped using them for a few years and the online minutes balance site I was using was discontinued. When I searched for another minutes balance site I found I HAD the minutes after all. No theft.
     
    BGBG, Jan 19, 2022
    #50
  12. BGBG

    BGBG Registered Members

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    Maybe I should just add a small amount of minutes to phones periodically rather than a whole year of minutes as I did at first. Unsure of how many how often. The cards sound like a safe Idea especially if pay cash for them.
     
    BGBG, Jan 20, 2022
    #51
  13. BGBG

    BGBG Registered Members

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    STILL getting come-ons to upgrade my Tracfones before they quit working. But at least a few peeople on this forum plus the user manual have said the 4G phones will NOT stop working. I get these messaging messages on the phones which direct me to the website that no longer works and offers free upgrade before 2/22. I think Tracfone only offers phones so it can sell MINUTES. Real profits lie therein.
     
    BGBG, Jan 20, 2022
    #52
  14. BGBG

    BGBG Registered Members

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    I believe that the phone may end because of the service end date of March 04 and not because of the wireless network change. But why would a phone upgrade be FREE? Likely because if stops then I MAY buy a DIFFERENT brand phone and they cannot sell me more minutes. They are afraid of minutes-sales loss. And why is the website listed a non-working website? No idea how long ago this messaging was put on the phone. I think I shall follow the advice to get a minutes card simply to put a low amount of minutes on at a low cost simply to extend the service end date. Only have 1961 minutes on the phone anyway.
     
    Last edited: Jan 20, 2022
    BGBG, Jan 20, 2022
    #53
  15. plodr

    plodr CHF Advisor CHF Advisers

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    <sigh> Before you buy the card, please call and find out if the phones are 4G!!! You'd be wasting money if the phones are not 4G capable.
     
    plodr, Jan 21, 2022
    #54
  16. BGBG

    BGBG Registered Members

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    IS THE CORRECT NUMBER FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE 1-800-867-7183?? As in post #18?
     
    BGBG, Jan 21, 2022
    #55
  17. BGBG

    BGBG Registered Members

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    PLODR: I called the phone number above and was told that both these phones will stop working in February 2022 but I can get 2 free phones and minutes will transfer. He was transferring me to sales but line was busy so I decided to think it over until Monday and retry. I believe it may be best to get 2 free phones and a minutes transfer at this time. But do not know how to do this yet. I guess I will try calling back on Monday. This is all unfamiliar to me.
     
    BGBG, Jan 21, 2022
    #56
  18. BGBG

    BGBG Registered Members

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    I cannot prove this but do believe one way to be sure of selling minutes is to tell customer their phones will stop, give them a cheap upgrade, and assure sale of minutes for indefinite time instead of have customer switch to different brand.
     
    BGBG, Jan 21, 2022
    #57
  19. allheart55 (Cindy E)

    allheart55 (Cindy E) Administrator Administrator

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    Trackfone has a pretty good reputation, Bill.
    You need to make sure these phones are 4G compatible.

    Screenshot_20220122-094222_Google.jpg Screenshot_20220122-094238_Google.jpg
     
    allheart55 (Cindy E), Jan 22, 2022
    #58
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  20. BGBG

    BGBG Registered Members

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    I am considering replacing my original phones with the free upgrade they offer. Is there a "best" customer service number to call to accomplish ths out all the ones I see.
     
    BGBG, Jan 22, 2022
    #59
  21. plodr

    plodr CHF Advisor CHF Advisers

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    There is no "best" customer service number. Tracfone has exactly one customer service number
    1-800-867-7183
    Tracfone customer service operates from 8 a.m. to 11:45 pm Eastern Standard Time, seven days a week.

    https://support.tracfone.com/
     
    Last edited: Jan 23, 2022
    plodr, Jan 23, 2022
    #60
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