Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

TracFone triple minutes

Jan 20, 2015 11:55AM PST

I am retired and eligible for free phone service from SafeLink TracFone. I looked up the phone they were sending me for free (Alcatel) and knew I would not be able to see the screen well or hit the tiny keys for texting. I bought a refurb LG TracFone with triple minutes and its own SIM card. They transferred my T-Mobile number to the LG800G, and have now added themselves as carrier, but did not transfer the 420 remaining minutes that had come with the original Alcatel phone. They are insisting that they cannot transfer the minutes without me having a new SIM card which was sent over the weekend. I am concerned that, if I use the SIM card they send me, I will no longer be able to get triple minutes. Can anyone tell me if the triple minutes are linked to the SIM card?

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Clarification Request
Do you have a laptop or tablet?
Jan 26, 2015 7:04AM PST

Did you try the RingTo site or app?

- Collapse -
My minutes have been transferred.
Jan 26, 2015 9:49AM PST

Problem solved. Thanks, people.

- Collapse -
You're posting here so...
Jan 26, 2015 9:57AM PST

Pursuant to another question I was trying Groove IP Lite on a tablet. Pretty cool, zero cost phone calls. I can see where this could come in real handy. I made calls to USA and Canada so far.
Bob

- Collapse -
Sounds great
Jan 26, 2015 11:07AM PST

Wish I could afford something like that. Plus you have to pay for the carrier. Yikes!

- Collapse -
What carrier?
Jan 26, 2015 11:13AM PST

I used my tablet and my home internet connection. No carrier. I see I can also text and call from my PC now with them. Again, no carrier, no fees. Just my internet connection.

- Collapse -
First I would need tablet
Jan 26, 2015 1:06PM PST

No money. And now have a sick pet and don't know how I can find money for vet.

- Collapse -
Worth calling.
Jan 27, 2015 12:17AM PST

You can ask your local animal shelter if they have emergency funds available for low income people with sick pets, There is more on the web about that.

As to my use of no carrier, no cost calling, I see that I can make FREE CALLS and Texts on https://ring.to/ on my PC. I'm sorry if you got the idea it was only for tablets.
Bob

- Collapse -
Interesting
Jan 27, 2015 3:28AM PST

Our humane societty does not help anyone, often including the animals. We have a cat sanctuary, but she can't afford to help with medical problems of other people.

- Collapse -
We have a Speakeasy forum.
Jan 27, 2015 3:35AM PST

I know it's tough but ask in the CNET Speakeasy forum about pet issues.
Bob

- Collapse -
Answer
Confusing.
Jan 21, 2015 1:01AM PST

If you get " free phone service " why would it matter if there is triple or not minutes. It's free service so maybe some clarification is required.

As to questions about Tracfone, we have 2 of them and support has always been truthful and worked out any issues over the years. Some folk have issues that no one can help with so there's that.
Bob

- Collapse -
Why it matters
Jan 21, 2015 3:45AM PST

They only give you 250 minutes a month and those minutes do not roll over. Thus, one has to buy a $20 card which has 60 minutes, but actually gives you 180 minutes, and those minutes do roll over. So, that $20 will go a long way. When I was last able to track it, I was using a little over 300 minutes per month. This is mostly calls for tech support or to the government. I have one girlfriend out of town who will talk for an hour or more. The others talk less or text. Each text is charge and 1/2 minute.

- Collapse -
Ah, so it's not free service is it.
Jan 21, 2015 3:48AM PST

I took your word it was. Now it's free service up to some limits.

Why not a landline? My mom gets a landline for under 15 a month with nationwide calling. Sounds cheaper than this free service.

Again, Tracfone has been pretty straight up about what they can do. I would be guessing you want another answer.
Bob

- Collapse -
Why not a landline
Jan 21, 2015 5:38AM PST

I have some medical problems and ALWAYS have the cell phone on my body, unless I'm asleep or in the shower. Can't do that with a landline.

Yes, free up to a limit.

I have emailed SafeLink (so that I could print out an actual copy of my question to them) but have not had a response yet.

- Collapse -
Mom got a cordless for that reason.
Jan 21, 2015 5:46AM PST

I guess it's new fangled stuff.

- Collapse -
But doesn't your mom ever leave the house?
Jan 21, 2015 9:28AM PST

My 75 yr old mom has had a post or prepaid phone for at least 8 yrs. Her cordless phone won't help much when she's calling to bug dad from the grocery store Wink

Seriously though- the safelink program seems pretty good if you really need it and cannot afford regular phone service.

To the OP> I scoured their FAQ and didn't see any mention of triple minutes, like the normal tracfone plans. My guess is, they might not overlap.

Also try asking @ Howardforums.com too in the prepaid sub-forum. Someone there will likely have a relative using that service.

- Collapse -
Yes.
Jan 21, 2015 9:33AM PST

I think she's with consumer cellular now.
Bob

- Collapse -
The minutes have been transferred --but not the service days
Jan 21, 2015 11:33AM PST

Been on phone multiple times since Saturday. After an hour and 10 minutes with April, she managed to put the 382 minutes on my phone and I did not use the new SIM card they sent.

(Note to R. Proffitt: They start you out with 500 minutes for 3 months. There were only 382 minutes because I was on the phone with them long and often.)

I did scour HowardForums and others, but no one had that particular problem.

- Collapse -
It's one of those govt supplied phones
Jan 21, 2015 12:46PM PST

Various slang terms for them, but they are free and have free minutes, but limited minutes. For retired person, then medicaid would qualify them, or food stamps, etc. There is a qualification for it.

- Collapse -
Ahh, after a little back and forth they want the best of all
Jan 21, 2015 11:51PM PST

I'll take this from plan A and that from plan B.

- Collapse -
Answer
You have internet
Jan 21, 2015 12:04PM PST

I suppose it has router capability? If so, can plug a Magic Jack Plus into it, after using USB on it to set up on computer. Once it's on the LAN, it will work just like a landline, but you can extend that with those radio phones. I use DECT6 type system with 4 phones, but they have them with 2 phones. Not much bigger than a tracfone and can call from anywhere in the house, carry it around in a pocket, etc. I also have google phone service which forwards to my Magic Jack phone number, so it rings at home, but the caller only sees my google number. I have a Tracfone myself, but it stays in my van all the time for on road and emergency need. Some new phones have wifi VOIP capabilities on them, just like a DECT6 phone does. Your LG800 does not. My daughter uses wifi to make her phone calls through the internet when at home, and no data charges then on the phone, no minutes used.

Too bad you didn't get this LG instead, it has WiFi and 3G capability. So long as you have wireless internet at your home, you can make wifi calls at home and shouldn't cost you minutes since it's going VOIP across your internet service instead of to a cell tower. You do have to set it to access wifi FIRST ahead of cellphone service system.


http://www.yourtechtamer.com/blog/2011/12/wi-fi-3g-4g-oh-my-what-does-it-all-mean/

The ladies of QVC explains it on a different LG phone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrAsRt9UKRA

- Collapse -
Safelink service does not allow smartphones
Jan 21, 2015 1:28PM PST

Understand, you copied a non-static link from a dynamic shopping site based on availability in your specific zip code, so nobody can see the product you were referring to. Which of the LG phones for sale @ Tracfone were you looking at(?)

FWIW, AFAIK all of the smartphones for sale @ Tracfone are not eligible for Safelink service. It's in the descriptions. The two that are eligible (or at least don't exclude it) don't support wifi calling since they are really feature phones and do not run Android. Or maybe you have a workaround? Wink

- Collapse -
workaround?
Jan 21, 2015 10:15PM PST

Hmm, get one that does have wifi capability? I think the cheapest I saw there with wifi was $40

Yes, different phones for different zip codes makes it hard to put a link that works, unless I copied the page to a pdf file and linked to that from my server.

- Collapse -
No
Jan 22, 2015 2:19AM PST

My point is that there IS really no workaround. The last thing cheap pre-paid providers selling minutes want to do is have their end users gain the ability to make free calls over wifi, since that would creep into going against their overall business model. Therefore, they do not offering the correct phones as such, or have restrictions.

It's not enough to necessarily have a wifi enabled phone either, depending on what firmware/software restrictions Tracfone has on their devices too.

- Collapse -
You are right, Pepe7
Jan 22, 2015 3:32AM PST

And I didn't buy any of the phones from the SafeLink or TracFone site because I don't have the money -- and, as I recall, none of them had touch screens. Thus, I got a $5 LG800G (one of the first androids) from eBay. Plus this phone came with triple minutes. They give me 250 minutes per month which do not carry over. But, if I buy 30 minutes for $10 I get 90 minutes. I'm almost 70 years old and the little screens and little buttons make me nuts. Essentially, all I needed was a phone that would give me a touchscreen qwerty keyboard. I don't care about connecting it to my WiFi or getting a Majic Jack.

- Collapse -
Answer
PS. Pet crisis care by state.
Jan 28, 2015 9:31AM PST
- Collapse -
Nope
Jan 28, 2015 11:17AM PST

The only one that was statewide appears to not be in existence since 2011. Thanks for trying to help.

- Collapse -
Email them?
Jan 29, 2015 12:22AM PST