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Tracfone Reviews See All Tracfone News

Company Overview: TracFone is a prepaid wireless provider. The company is a subsidiary of América Móvil, and also operates Net10 Wireless.

Network Benefits: TracFone does not operate its own network, but operates as an MVNO reselling service from over 30 other providers.

Special Plan Features: Prepaid services only; Remaining minutes balanced tracked on handset.

Unique Features: Refer-a-Friend offers free service minutes in exchange for referring a friend who purchases service.

Pros: Flexible service options without contract commitment; Inexpensive handsets (often refurbished); Phones and service available direct from Website and at stores nationwide; Choice between many networks and technologies.

Cons: More expensive than contracted service from national carriers.

Technology Used: GSM, TDMA, and CDMA.

Primary Coverage Area: Nationwide.

Customer Service: TracFone's service is both very popular and widely complained about with regard to phone activation and other technical problems, call quality, customer service, and general business practices.

Show me:

Average user reviews

 

Based on 272 Reviews

Overall
2.3
Service Quality
2.35
Customer Service
1.8
Service Quality:
4
Customer Service:
3
Overall:
5
Overall:
Review Rating: 
0

Would Recommend to a friend.

Have used them for a LOOOONG time, with good results.

Posted on: August 6th, 2013 by Michael Litoris

If you don't need the latest, greatest WhizBang iDroid phone with more processing power than a mainframe, and you talk/text/surf only occasionally, then Tracfone is for you. Got my first Tracfone in 2000. Since then, their plans, phones, and service have improved immensely. Tracfone works off of existing networks...ATT, US Cellular, etc. The quality of your call is only as good as the quality of these networks. But, this means that Tracfone has unrivaled coverage, which is awesome. I have never been unable to make a call when I had service. Customer service is so-so, but then, for what you're paying, it isn't that bad. I've had to call about 5 times or so in 13 years, and if the first technician couldn't solve my problem, I simply hung up and called back to talk to someone else. In all those years, I never posed a problem to them that someone couldn't eventually fix, including transferring numbers, transferring airtime, technical issues, etc. Yes, you may have to spend some time on the phone to sort something out, but it is rare. If all else fails, the phones are cheap enough that you can just buy another one and have your number transferred. I haven't had to do that, though. Right now, I have an LG840G. It's an app capable phone which, with the right apps, can text, browse Internet, check Facebook and Twitter with a dedicated app, send/receive email from my Gmail account, scan QR codes, run three different web browsers, take and send pictures, play games, watch video, listen to music, and more...on a phone that cost $40. And the service I have is only $9.99 a month. Where else can you get a deal like that? Of course, there are more expensive plans available with greater airtime, but for what I do, this suits my needs perfectly. Tracfone gets a lot of flack because they are the Model T of cell phones...maybe a bit basic, but affordable for the masses. I refuse to pay $75-100 a month for service that I won't use, so if it wasn't for Tracfone, I wouldn't have a phone at all.

This review is the subjective opinion of the user and not of PhoneDog.com

Service Quality:
1
Customer Service:
1
Overall:
1
Overall:
Review Rating: 
0

Would Not Recommend to a friend.

TRASHPHONE!! DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY

Posted on: July 23rd, 2013 by Cynthia Ham

I PURCHASED A TOUCH SCREEN, A YR OF SERVICE, AND 800 MIN. I WAS TOLD I WOULD GET 800 MIN EVERY MONTH........NOT!!!! I AM GONNA GO BACK TO CRICKET! FOR 59.00 A MONTH I WONT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MIN THAT FADE SOOOOOO DAMN QUICK!!! A FEW DAYS AND THERE GOES ANOTHER 20.00 FOR MIN, THEN ANOTHER 20.00 AND ON AND ON AND ON! SO, THIS COST ME 60.00 FOR THE PHONE, 125.00 FOR A YR AND 50.00 FOR MIN. + ANOTHER 40.00 AND MY PHONE IS NOW DISABLED AFTER 2 WEEKS!!!!! WTF, THIS IS A SCAM!!!!!

This review is the subjective opinion of the user and not of PhoneDog.com

Service Quality:
1
Customer Service:
1
Overall:
1
Overall:
Review Rating: 
0

Would Not Recommend to a friend.

A TOTAL WASTE OF TIME....SHOULD BE CRAPFONE !!!

Posted on: July 16th, 2013 by Anthony J Domino

Tried to switch to new touch phone. What a nightmare !!! Unfortunately I purchased considerable time...what a mistake! Have been on hold, right now for 56 minutes attempting to speak to customer-no service !!! How can this be allowed??? HORRIBLE !!!

This review is the subjective opinion of the user and not of PhoneDog.com

Service Quality:
1
Customer Service:
1
Overall:
1
Overall:
Review Rating: 
0

Would Not Recommend to a friend.

What a piece of CRAP

Posted on: June 22nd, 2013 by Kathy Fish

I actually give tracfone customer service a 00000. I have attempted to have a number and minutes transferred to another phone that I bought from Tracfone since the 12th of June and today is the 22nd. I have spoken to at least 15 different people and they are giving me the run around. I have asked to have the original phone re-activated and the one I bought returned for credit. I get nowhere. They tell me to ask for the Port Dept. and the first rep will not transfer me. I ask for a supervisor and the girl told me that she couldn't help me anymore than she did. If you call make sure you are recording all their lies. They need sued by a group to make this fulfill their promises.

This review is the subjective opinion of the user and not of PhoneDog.com

Service Quality:
1
Customer Service:
1
Overall:
1
Overall:
Review Rating: 
0

Would Not Recommend to a friend.

Wish I could give less than 1 star

Posted on: June 19th, 2013 by Anonymous

Customer service is disgraceful. Every email I ever sent resulted in the same response: Call customer service. If I had wanted to call I wouldn't have emailed. Calling is a nightmare! And, did you know that your minutes expire if your phone is inactive for more than 60 days? I didn't, because they don't make it evident and they don't bother to warn you when expiration is imminent. It happened to me the first time after 10 years, and when I requested the minutes back they literally told me that they would rather lose my business than give back the 200 minutes that cost them exactly zero dollars because I already paid for them! A company that would rather lose 2 accounts of over 10 years over about $20 that they they've already collected is not a company I want anything to do with. I'll be looking for a new service!

This review is the subjective opinion of the user and not of PhoneDog.com

Service Quality:
1
Customer Service:
1
Overall:
1
Overall:
Review Rating: 
0

Would Not Recommend to a friend.

Customer service useless waste of time and money, rendering phone service same

Posted on: May 31st, 2013 by Anonymous

I have been working for weeks (starting on 5/19/2013) to get my phone, a Net10 (company owned by TracPhone) LG900G, to be able to send images (it can take photos but you cannot send them although it will charge you for each attempt but will fail) with customer service. Over and over and over again I have to do the same steps, as if they have no record of what had passed before. I have spent between 50 and 100 dollars in minutes now trying to get this resolved (for which I am told I can only get reimbursed after the problem is fixed which it is not). I actually have two of the exact same phone (one for me and one for my son) which are LG900G and they both have exactly the same problem (and have have the problem since we got them). Finally they sent me a SIM card for one which did NOT fix the problem and yet they closed my ticket although it is unresolved (help desk ticket 1070211487). I have over 8 hours of phone time with them on this single issue. I have filed a better business bureau complaint over a week and a half ago (BBB case #90206603) and have yet to have any resolution or even movement on the issue. I cannot say enough about how bad this experience has been. And what is sad is that I had been a customer for years but now cannot say a single good thing about them. Update on 5/31/2013 I have yet to get any response from the better business bureau case contact named Shelly. She left a note on the BBB message site saying she tried to contact me once but there is nothing on the call logs of either my phone or my son's. I have attempted to call her every day this week during business hours and have sent a corresponding BBB message after each one.

This review is the subjective opinion of the user and not of PhoneDog.com

Service Quality:
1
Customer Service:
1
Overall:
1
Overall:
Review Rating: 
0

Would Not Recommend to a friend.

Customer sevice has no clue as to how to help

Posted on: May 11th, 2013 by Anonymous

I forgot to go into my account when my credit card expired and was notified only after they had cancelled my account. I was on a family value plan and I went and updated my cc information and tried to get the phones reactivated but was only able to activate one of them. I called customer service and had to go over and over that I need to reactivate the other 2 phones and it was supposedly taken care of but I wasn't that lucky. I got another email the next day saying that my phones were deactivated so I called again and was told that because the 2 phones were not due to expire for another month I couldn't add them to the family value plan because their computer system wouldn't let them. I even asked to talk to a supervisor and that went know where too. I spent almost 2 hours on the phone with them for nothing. So beware of their customer service they are completely clueless and be sure and keep your credit card information up to date with them.

This review is the subjective opinion of the user and not of PhoneDog.com

Service Quality:
1
Customer Service:
1
Overall:
1
Overall:
Review Rating: 
0

Would Not Recommend to a friend.

Customer Service

Posted on: May 9th, 2013 by Anonymous

Today I had to call the 1-800 number to get my new phone activated with the minutes witched over and the number from the old phone to the new one.Was a total waist of time. Was placed on hold over and over again after giving them the proper onfo need to do so. Gave me a ticket # and stated that I would not be able to use my phone for 24hrs because of whatever reason it was. Was bull if you ask me, because in the past had to do the samething no problems then. This is coman with this comany all the time. To people out there thinking of going with this comany think again. BEWARE THIS COMANY SUCKS!!!!!

This review is the subjective opinion of the user and not of PhoneDog.com

Service Quality:
1
Customer Service:
1
Overall:
1
Overall:
Review Rating: 
0

Would Not Recommend to a friend.

Don't waste your time and money

Posted on: May 5th, 2013 by Anonymous

i bought air time and minutes from customer service, they said i needed a new sim card, after i recieved the new sim the phone still wouldn't work. They said the new sim card, #2, was expired and would send a new one, #3. Weeks laterand about 5 calls to customer service, well over two hours on the phone, still no service and no new sim card. I tried to get a refund from them and they refused, i finally disputed the charge on my credit card. They are morons and thieves, beware

This review is the subjective opinion of the user and not of PhoneDog.com

Service Quality:
4
Customer Service:
1
Overall:
3
Overall:
Review Rating: 
0

Would Recommend to a friend.

Not as bad as some say

Posted on: April 28th, 2013 by Tim Kiess

I haven't experienced the problems I am reading other than poor customer service. What I don't like is my smart phone is dumbed down by tracfones service. I can't upload my photos and when I email them the phone shuts off . Not to mention apps are hard to come by.

This review is the subjective opinion of the user and not of PhoneDog.com

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