# Does anyone use a Tracfone and bought a card for data?



## Ruth n Jersey (Jul 17, 2018)

The hubby and I use a Tracfone for traveling and for emergency's. We buy a years supply of minutes and that's all we need. Usually we even end up with some carry over minutes. We have a landline for our home. Reception on any cell phone isn't very good in our home.

Recently, a friend decided to up grade our tracfone as a gift. I guess she was tired of looking at that sorry looking thing I carry around.

I see that I can have them switch over our existing minutes to the new phone and I understand most of the info I got with the phone. I see that I can get a card for data. I assume that is used to get on the internet. I doubt I would use that but was curious as to how expensive it is to do that. They don't seem to give any info as to how much it costs per minute to use. I guess it would be nice to see reviews of restaurants and motels as we travel. We have an old Garmin GPS but notice the phone can do that also.

This new phone also has a camera. How much does it cost to take a photo and send it to someone? I do like the upgrade of the key board so I'll probably switch over.


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## JFBev (Jul 17, 2018)

I have two of them; one flip (family only) and the other is an Alcatel -- cost $20 and does everything the multi-hundred dollar ones do  except can't block callers.
I buy the cards, but they have online purchasing too.  Minutes, texts and data storage roll over on the Alcatel.  Every two years or so, I upgrade and move the numbers, call, text and data over to the new phone.

I don't sync with my other devices, so I have something like 3200 mgb of internet time built up  on the Alcatel, in case of emergencies.
Since I communicate 90% of the time by text, it only costs me a few cents over $120/year (not /month) to keep both of them live, including 911 service.

A shared photo to a phone/contact number costs me 1.5 minutes.


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## Gary O' (Jul 17, 2018)

Did
a few years back

Couldn’t get the thing on
The goofy sounding help guy couldn’t help me

Tossed it


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## Victor (Jul 18, 2018)

I have used one for 3 years. A simple LG. Mostly use it for long distance, special business calls when I am away from home and on trips.
Rarely text. It's okay if you want only a very basic backup phone.


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## 911 (Jul 18, 2018)

Tracphones are also known as “burner” phones. They are called that because they can’t be tracked either by GPS or through an IPS carrier. In the business that I was in before retirement, we ran across many unscrupulous people in the criminal world that used this type of phone. By putting these phones in a shielded bag, they become dark. 

They are also used by people that find cheating on their spouses a safe way of keeping in touch with one another. 

Law enforcement is working with congress to get the regulations of tracphones changed. Soon, if it hasn’t happened already, Tracphones will be able to be tracked and information gathered the same as any other type phone.


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## ClassicRockr (Jul 18, 2018)

When wife and I lived in So Calif., we bought a Trac Phone at Walmart. We refilled the minutes each month, buy purchasing a new minutes card at Walmart. Any time we were both in our vehicle, we had the phone with us. 

Actually, I talked my wife into us buying one. Told her it would be useful if we got stuck on a freeway at night, and, sure enough, there was one night we broke down in the fast lane. Not much traffic, but enough. The engine died and the lane to the left of us was the Carpool one, so simply hit the brakes and stopped in the fast lane. I immediately put on the 4-way flashers, looked behind before opening my door and it was clear, got out and opened the hood. Had my wife get a couple of road flares and I put them right behind the vehicle. Got back in, called 911 and the California Highway Patrol found us thru the flares I had placed outside. One patrol car slowed, then stopped, all traffic behind us, while another pulled up behind us with his emergency lights on. Tow truck came, hooked us up and we were on our way to a garage.

Yep, just like what happened above, I keep a First Aid Kit, road flares, jumper cables and fire extinguisher in both vehicles. Also, have a yearly membership with AAA Auto Club.

After we move, we will get rid of our iphones and get Cricket cell phones. Much cheaper and we'll be able to afford them.


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## SeaBreeze (Jul 18, 2018)

I have a simple old Tracfone flip phone that I share with my husband, basically bought it back when I was working for emergencies and quick calls to or from my husband.  I've never sent a text, our land lines don't have that feature.  If I want to contact a relative or friend, I do it in the comfort of my home on my land lines.  It does have a camera feature, but I haven't bee able to connect it to my computer and get the photos there.  I haven't used it for anything internet connected because I didn't want to use up my minutes.  I really am not a chatterbox, or connected to the internet like some folks these days, what I need to do I do it on my desktop at home.  Good enough....for now anyway.


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## JFBev (Jul 18, 2018)

911 said:


> Tracphones are also known as “burner” phones. They are called that because they can’t be tracked either by GPS or through an IPS carrier. In the business that I was in before retirement, we ran across many unscrupulous people in the criminal world that used this type of phone. By putting these phones in a shielded bag, they become dark.
> 
> They are also used by people that find cheating on their spouses a safe way of keeping in touch with one another.
> 
> Law enforcement is working with congress to get the regulations of tracphones changed. Soon, if it hasn’t happened already, Tracphones will be able to be tracked and information gathered the same as any other type phone.



Whoa!  Didn't know that.  For those of us who are just frugal, the locator, bluetooth and wifi serve as trackers.  And I pay a small fee to access 911. I keep all of those on when travelling.  Guess it depends on the user


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## Geezerette (Jul 21, 2018)

I was satisfied with one until about 3 yrs ago & more dead spots kept appearing, finally had my car break down in one of them & had to hike to a store to call for help. End of tracfone . Upgraded to iPhone  the next day with Verizon no further prob.


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## HazyDavey (Jul 22, 2018)

I used a Tracfone at work for many years. After I retired I switched over to Cosumer Cellular and use one of their flip phones.


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