TracFone Wireless is a subsidiary of America Movil, Mexico’s largest telecommunications company. The company functions as a mobile virtual network operator, holding agreements with different large network operators like Sprint and Verizon to provide nationwide service coverage for its customers. Established in 1996 as Topp Telecom in Miami, Florida, TracFone now has over 90,000 retail locations nationwide.

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The Good

No Contract
Airtime Flexibility
International Calling

No Contract

TracFone is "America's #1 National No-Contract Wireless service provider." They offer no contract, bills, daily or monthly fees, with nationwide coverage on America's best and most dependable networks, like Sprint. TracFone is a pay-as-you-go wireless phone service, which means you can pay month-to-month or as needed. They have various customer service options offering live chat, email, and phone service, from 8 AM to 7 PM EST.

Airtime Flexibility

TracFone products and services are easy to understand. Each prospective customer follows the same three steps prior to enrolling in the service:

Choose a phone - customers need to purchase their phone up-front since there are no contract discounts or promotions to bind them to the service. The TracFone inventory offers a few different phones, including Android smartphones and iPhones.
Activate - once you order your phone, customers simply need to follow the activation instructions found in the package. At this stage, customers will need to have an airtime card or service plan.
Add airtime - to continue service, customers will continuously need to add "airtime" to ensure minutes, texts, and data are available. This can be done over the phone, online, or in one of the retail stores.

TracFone has unlimited carryover, which means your unused minutes, texts, and data never expire as long as your service is active and in use within each six month period.

The carrier also triples everything, which means that when you buy a 60-minute Airtime Card, you'll get 180 minutes, 180 Texts, and 180 MB of data at no extra charge.

International Calling

Some international service is included with every TracFone account. You can purchase a $10 global calling card to cover additional calls to Mexico, United Kingdom, Germany, India, and Colombia.

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The Bad

Expensive Minutes
Customer Service Concerns

Expensive Minutes

Pricing is something that has also caused concern amongst the TracFone consumer base despite the overall affordability of the business model. The minutes are pretty expensive, and because you have to purchase them upfront, you may end up spending a lot more on minutes than you would on another unlimited plan. The tradeoff is that minutes carry over from month to month so if you buy more than you need, you can use them next month.

Customer Service Concerns

Despite having several customer service options like live chat, text message, email, and phone availability to address a problem or complaint, many PureTalk reviews describe challenges understanding customer service reps or getting the help they need.

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The Bottom Line

TracFone is a good option for prepaid phone service, but customers should be aware that minutes tend to add up and are quite expensive to buy in bulk and there are no unlimited data or unlimited texts plans. Read customer reviews for more details about the customer experience and compare TracFone's service plans to determine if it's a good service provider for your needs.

TracFone customers can expect the following:

No contracts
Custom talk and text amounts
No unlimited data options
Limited device selection
Prepaid plans
No hidden fees
GSM network coverage
Unlimited carryover
Pay for phone up-front
Some international coverage

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User Reviews

Star Rating

3.9

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193 Reviews

Review Breakdown

5 grade

44%

4 grade

27%

3 grade

16%

2 grade

1 grade

Sentiment Criteria

Value

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Quality

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Service

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Gina Donofrio

TracFone has fantastic service, and inexpensive phones. Customer Service is outstanding and reaches beyond your quandary.

2 hours ago

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Brett Schiftner Weatherford, TX

I've been with TracFone for about ten years and have really enjoyed their service. I am not a high volume user and pretty much only use the cell phone for emergencies and short calls. At these low volumes I can get by on less than $10 per month. This is hard to beat in today's market. Coverage is pretty good but I do have a few dead spots. This is not a problem for me.

8 months ago

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Tiffany Robinson Richmond, VA

They have nice phones for cheap and you can put any amount of money on your phone,when times is hard and you have a little money you put enough for you to make important calls

5 months ago

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Jennifer Haggett Boston, MA

Customer service representative repeatedly lied about policies and tack on charges as they see fit despite meeting policy criteria

2 weeks ago

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Vanessa Scott

I have the alcatel tracphone. so far it has been supper. The coverage has not been a problem and the hotspot I run all the time, never any problems with it. the Monthly card is $55. for full everything and that is Much cheaper then any carrier. I was able to get great info from the salesmen and I would totally recommend to anybody. Customer service was OK I was not able to transfer old number but other then that. it still a great phone.

4 years ago

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Matthew Locke Tucson, AZ

Easy way to have cell phone service prepaid so you can keep track of all your minutes and internet time.

3 months ago

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Bridget Walker Bay Saint Louis, MS

TracFone is very affordable and that have great service. I couldn't ask for a better cellphone service provider.

3 months ago

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Kort Kort Hopkinsville, KY

I have been with this company for several years now. It has been the best phone service that I’ve ever had since I got my first phone when I was 15. I’ve not had a single issue with the company or products or the website. I’ve had some really great customer service experiences and that alone has convinced me to stay with them longer. They are very dedicated to what they do and love to help customers. On the other half, they could work on making sure that the product that is listed on the website is actually in stock. There were times that different products showed that they were available to buy, but then it turns out that they were all sold out. That could be something that they could work on and it would make a very big difference. Overall, I’ve had a great time being a dedicated customer.

1 year ago

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John ,

I grew up using TracFone. I always sought the lowest prices and TracFone couldn't be beat. 60 minutes and 90 days of service for $20. I rarely needed to use my phone and largely kept it for emergencies. That was outstanding. When my peers were paying a lot more for service, I was paying almost nothing. The only drawback is for those who make far more calls and texts. Then, TracFone might not be the best. Though, they do have other service plans, aside from minute cards, that you can check out. I never really used anything other than the minute cards, so I can't really comment on that. Overall, though, great option for those who just want a cheap phone and service. Highly recommended.

1 year ago

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Kathleen LaFratta Fall River, MA

Worst cell carrier in the biz in my opinion! Their website is chock full of lies, and they do not give a hoot about the BBB. I bought two cell phones from them 3 months apart, they have a points system where your supposed to get 7,000 points added to your account when you add your second line......HAH! Try to get those points. Your also supposed to get 250 points with every auto refill, but you will never see them. The points are good for a free month of service when you reach 10,000. So they don't want to give them to you. Lousy spotty service at best. I wish I had gone with someone else and as soon as I have time to look I will.

6 months ago

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Jim Bullhead City, AZ

I thought at first it would be a so so service and cheap. I was wrong. Phone is great , helpful service and great value. I would recommend it over their competitors!

8 months ago

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buggy crazy Clatskanie, OR

Alcatel MyFlip A405DL This is supposed to be an easy phone but they put too much smart phone crap on it and made it so complicated it is nearly impossible to use. If I wanted a smart phone I would use one, I want a phone that works. This came with a voice that took and hour to figure out how to shut it up. It doesn't get a signal where I live like my old 3G did (same ATT tower). I cannot save contacts to SIM so the first time I wash this or drop it in the creek I lose everyone, it has very difficult and complicated voicemail. Everything is nearly impossible to find that I need, and I don't need much. What I need is a PHONE, not a computer! And i cannot hear it and have yet to figure out how to turn on the speaker! So now I have no phone to use and I wasted hours and hours of time and trouble, and money. And a 24 hour (so far) migraine from trying to make it work, which it just doesn't. Eventually you will get a non english speaking human on the phone but in my case i have to travel or use my soon to be killed 3G phone since this gets no signal where I live.

8 months ago

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Coral Brennauer

Good Snowbird option for Canadians. Huge learning curve- I got. SIM card at Best Buy but they didn’t explain that I needed to buy the Global call card . It works well once you get use to calling a 1800 or 305 number to connect long distance. You need the app to follow the phone usage. The chat feature is useless and call back is troublesome because the robot doesn’t register mobile phone selections. I will try it out for a while and see. I like having the local number.

9 months ago

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Micael James Pontillo Atlanta, GA

Tracfone has done wonders for me, as much as nightmares. It's CS is horrible so I hope stop outsourcing so problems can get solved by americans who care, not third world people who can can care less. The policies are very good, and they've replaced tons of phones for me without a single dime.

3 years ago

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Herman PARNES Staten Island, NY

I have this cell phone app. 4-5 years and it came with triple minutes. I buy a 60 minute card and get 180 minutes for 90 days. service has always been good. Please note that I do not use it very often as I am more concerned with safety.

4 years ago

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Ms. KoKo MA

I've had family mobile for almost a decade. When Tracfone took control of Family mobile, it was a rough rough transition. But the did many things to try and fix it and keep their customers. Today they have gotten better with customer service and are always available to help you!!!

11 months ago

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Sara McCreery Brooklyn, NY

I’ve been a customer of tracfone for years. It’s easy and convenient to pay for my bill and know how much data I’m using. I can even get cloud space now which is awesome. I have had other providers and I have not been impressed. This is easy to use easy to buy minutes Everything. The only downfall and it might have to do with something else, sometimes I loose LTE or 4g network and it runs off 3g which just blows.

11 months ago

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Ella Endicott, NY

Highly dependable service, very good usage for the price, $45.00 unlimited. The cons are you can’t get a print out of calls (if need to) after 30 days Customer service is blah— Easy to recharge service via a card or by calling in with your credit card from anywhere. Phone you buy are tied to this network only and can’t be brought into another from what I know...maybe someone else can speak on this. Had them for 7 years, comparable to AT&T, if this is your first company, just read the instructions well. Not hard, but if you are not tech savvy and need help, you may want a local store. Speed is good, not the fastest, but reliable. To get a tandem line to link to your other devices costs money, when other companies provide this freely. They removed this option from their phones, so to have your phone be a hot spot you need to pay money.

1 year ago

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Vic Omaha, NE

I liked tracfone. I used it for a long time when I still depended on my landline. And it was dependable; you knew what to expect, as it was a pay as you go, and there was no contract, so it was convenient for what I used it for at the time. It's good for people who exclusively use landlines, and only need a mobile phone for emergencies (when they're out of the house), and don't want a recurring monthly bill.

1 year ago

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Sdianas Saint Paul, MN

TracFone provides great service, especially for people who have a landline home phone and use the cell phone for short calls. I get better reception on my LG Tracfone than I do on my CenturyLink home phone. At $22 for 120 minutes (after doubling), or 140 minutes (with a special code I sometimes receive) and 90 days, it is very affordable as as second phone. Starting in January they are switching to 4G only, and I hope my new phone sounds as wonderful as my current one! (I am using the one I have as long as possible.)

1 year ago

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Tina Taylor Ebensburg, PA

Tracfone is the only cell phone brand that I have had, I am on my 4th one. Also, my sons and husband have them. You can't beat the value. It also takes great pics. There is no need to spend a fortune on a phone. I am able to get service in many places that people with expensive phones can't get. The speaker quit on my son's phone, they had a new one in the mail to him in a week.

2 years ago

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Marci Randall Sandy, UT

Trac fone is a great way to train young kids how to use and keep track of a phone. Their phones are inexpensive so if lost it isn’t a huge loss

8 months ago

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John Kohlberg Long Beach, MS

Good for if you want a cheap phone until you get a better one. It's a phone and there is nothing more I can say. Its not terrible buts its not good. It has everything a usual phone would but the camera quality is a bit bad and its slower than the upper class phones

2 years ago

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Tom

Generally very hap[py with it. Service staff are knowledgeable, friendly. I LIKE the pre-paid type service. Wish it would be easier to simpkly ADD data rather than having the pre-paid card divvied up among data, text and phone service.

3 years ago

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J.R. Seifert Sr. Jasonville, IN

Been a TF owner for just over 20 Yrs., TF Customer support service's are located outside of The United States, where all support staff are scripted, very poorly trained, & articulate the English language poorly. In my professional opinion, TF, has reduced the quality of customer service & technical support, in response to the fines imposed on TF, by The United States. This being said; the phones are good enough to call/text & search the web. I travel, so I rarely find issues with bar reduction or roaming. Conclusion, Buy 1, if it breaks, buy another 1. NEVER buy 1 online, Wal-Mart should be option 1, & read & follow the activation process exactly, or you will be very dissatisfied with your customer service experience.

4 years ago

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Marlene Coville Blakeslee, PA

I love TracFone have had them for well over 20 years. I never have an issue with their service. Sometimes they are hard to transfer the service over to your phone but for the most part I have not had a problem. I would not have had them for a company for so long if I did not like them.

1 year ago

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41BUICK Dahlonega, GA

Customer service and rates are awesome. Always ready to help if a problem. Treat you like a customer, NOT a number. ONLY complaint: when switching from Straight Talk to Tracfone, I couldn't keep my #. Don't understand this, since they are the same company!

1 year ago

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A. Taylor Panama City, FL

Trac Fone has been a fallback system for me at times. A great filler between other systems contracts. The best thing is the flexibility of the TracFone platform and the ability to choose a minutes/serviceplan that suits your own needs.

1 year ago

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Alaskan Bev Chugiak, AK

A little over two years ago, my two-year-old Tracfone wore itself out so I replaced it with a new Tracfone. I had used Tracfones for over a decade and had no major problems with them. My new phone had an incredible Triple Your Minutes for Life offer (TML), published on the front of the box and verified by the counter technician. I used the phone, was happy with it, ordered 1,500 minutes and received my expected 4,500 minutes, and all was well. When I used up most of my time and was down to perhaps 200 minutes, I went online to order more time but could not figure out how to be sure the connected TML would take effect. I ordered the 1,500 minutes anyway and the bill was for nearly as much as I normally pay for my 4,500 minutes - but was only for around 1,000 or 1,200 minutes. I tried the Chat line feature for the Tracfone website and was initially told that my order would be corrected. It was not. I called the Tracfone live conversation and was told that "This offer is no longer being honored." I was irate. "My Tracfone box says right on the front, 'Triple Your Minutes for Life.' Life means the life of the phone! My phone is only a couple of months old! It still works fine. I want the offer I have paid for and expect." I received the same explanation as before. I looked up the CEO's name and address online and wrote to him explaining the issue. No response. I decided I was done with Tracfone and went to Straight Talk. They deduct a certain amount from my credit card on autopay, I have excellent service, and the phone is fine. Straight Talk is connected to Tracfone, but the service and phones are much more satisfactory. Just be aware that what Tracfone offers may not be what you expect or receive.

1 year ago

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Jincey Lafayette, LA

The Bring Your Own Phone works with the newest iPhone models and is very economical for those who don't use their phone a lot so need unlimited minutes, etc. No contracts, just pay as you go, and the coverage uses major cell phone towers. Pay for what you use only.

1 year ago

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Freddie McCain, Jr. Jacksonville, FL

I've had TracFone for ten years. After I retired, I realized that my previous plan was a waste of money because of un-used roll over minutes plus extra fees. I also realized that I did not use the cell phone as much. TracFone was the right plan for me because I only pay for what I use.

1 year ago

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Brenda Mertes Houston, TX

Tracphone was my very first phone use. I recall being a teenager, excited to buy my first phone. The games for my generation were fun and relaxing. I never had any problems with the phone itself. It did exactly what it was intended to do: make call, text a little, and have a few games.

2 years ago

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Sierra Beck Herriman, UT

I used TracFone years ago when I was getting my very first phone. I had just the simple keypad phone and just a couple of minutes so I could text for a ride home from work. It always worked just fine for me and was a good plan for the price because I needed so few minutes

3 years ago

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Angela Nelson Pleasant Grove, UT

We used TracFone as the first phones for our kids when they were younger. They had texting phones that they could use to text or call (they didn't need internet service) and it worked well because they had to watch their usage since it was prepaid. It helped them to be aware of how much they were using their phones and also helped them get used to carrying and keeping up with their phones. I recommend this product and service for kids or for anyone who doesn't need heavy usage. Customer service was not great, however.

3 years ago

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Lauren Maddock Pleasant Grove, UT

We used TracFone when my kids were traveling to Texas to visit relatives. It was the perfect balance for us. It gave them access to call us when they needed, yet we weren't stuck in any contracts. Its a great option when you are needing temporary access to a phone!

4 years ago

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tini mapu Orem, UT

I got a tracFone for my nephew. It was perfect for what we needed. We added minutes so he can call for emergencies and call for rides. We didn't put internet on it and it was safe for him. It was a perfect phone for a kid. We didn't have an extra bill. Just add minutes when needed and texting was available. I really love it.

4 years ago

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Daione S Milbourne Orlando, FL

TracFone is a solid Brand always has came through in trying times Definitely reliable as far as price and they have Quality service would recommend

9 months ago

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Don

Good company, fine customer service. They have an excellent website, and keep track of my used minutes. Yearly "stock-up" on minutes at a very reasonable price.

2 years ago

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Zachariah Lloyd Norfolk, VA

Tracfone is an almost criminal organization that has a terrible network, horrible products, and ridiculous so called "Support".... About half the time, you cannot even complete a phone call without a stupid error message telling you contact customer service, yeah right, and the other half you are having your Mobile Data balance drained to nothing by some stupid phone app that is never used.... Trying to contact customer service is a trial of attempting to get the ignorant robot that answers the call to let you speak to a live agent, who also will be of no help whatsoever, and wasting 30 of your minutes begging and pleading with the stupid recording to transfer you to an agent.... "We're sorry, we are unable to complete your call at this time, please contact customer service at *611 for assistance" So, you dial *611, in an attempt to get the assistance suggested, but instead of a customer support representative, you get a recorded message that transfers you to another robot, and that robot has an almost endless list of choices to choose from, none of which includes speak to an agent. After arguing with this robot for 1/2 an hour, they might finally transfer you to a human being, but not guaranteed. You might be forced to deal with the robot only, and never get your problem solved.... So, you can try to get them by chat, but you will likely get a message saying they are experiencing high chat volumes, and telling you to try again later.... Tracfone, like most scam organizations, does everything they can to make themselves inaccessible, because they KNOW their service is terrible, and glitched. As a result, you are often left to just take it, and deal with whatever does or does not work.... STAY AWAY from this company, they are ridiculous!!

3 years ago

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John M Stanley Burleson, TX

Customer service is so-so; the real saving grace is the purchase of time - with my cell phone, if I purchase 200 minutes, I get 600 minutes or 3 times whatever I purchase. And for me, my cell phone is not attached to my ear - it's just a phone and when I need it, it works.

4 years ago

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Reinder de Boer San Antonio, TX

One of the cheapest around. Uses T-Mobile network. Hardly any issues with connectivity though phone service availability could be better. Few dropped calls, and they allow VOIP so I call abroad for free. I like them.

1 year ago

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Tony Wilhite ,

TracFone does ok with respect to being a company that provides cellular service at a reasonable price. If you don't use the cell phone much to talk, text or surf the web, TracFone is the right service. The service coverage is good where I live and with the high prices of other companies, am considering renewing my service.

1 year ago

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Natalie M. ,

What I didn't know was that TracFone was Straight Talk or vice versa. Until I just received my new phone and it says TracFone.I have had one of the BEST experience with Straight Talk. I will not go back to any other company.

1 year ago

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David Plainfield, IL

We recently upgraded out Tracfone to a smartphone and could not be more pleased with the company. No problems with the process and we still are enjoying great customer service. Thanks!!

1 year ago

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Bob Benzing Diamondhead, MS

I pay a single price for a year of time on my phone and days which is very reasonable for people who use the phone for emergency's or on a trip by car. It figures out to about $6 a month. Can't beat the price !

2 years ago

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Msindoni Pembroke Pines, FL

My mom has been using TracFone for a while now because the prepaid plan works best for her lifestyle. It's simple to set up, and instead of buying more minutes I just buy her a new phone.

2 years ago

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Dee Farquharson Washington, DC

I had TracFone for many years. It was easy to topup my usage and I loved having the option for doubling or tripling your minutes when buying certain models of phones. However, having the double/triple value on your phone for minutes was the only way I felt I got my money's worth. The phones were kinda cheap, but not too shabby at the time.

3 years ago

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Kimberly Maddock Pleasant Grove, UT

Great temporary phone. We needed a phone to send with our daughter who was going to visit a childhood friend. This provided great service and was really easy and convenient to use.

4 years ago

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MindyV Lubbock, TX

I used to use Straight Talk, which is part of Trac Fone. They were a nightmare!!!! Their customer service was horrible!!!!! If you changed to a different phone or changed your phone number, it would take around 24 hours for the changes to take effect, often leaving me without a phone at all. Straight Talk claims that you can earn points to use towards things, like purchasing minutes. But there are too many restrictions and strings attached that it's just not worth it!!!! I like how cheap they were but the headache and nightmare dealing with customer service isn't worth it at all!!!!

1 year ago

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Al Nance Wilmington, NC

I have used it for years and never had a problem. I like either using minute cards or a low monthly rate with no contract.

3 years ago

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