I have had my TRACFONE since 2009 when my landline died. That is another story for another time. Anyway, I really love the thing. It cost $9.99 plus tax, and then you have to add time, setting it up on the website first. It seems to be pretty easy to operate, and the minutes are always displayed prominently. It has a bell tone for ringing and I like that. The only real issue I have had is this annoying message “check call restrictions -34”. Sometimes to get through to the cell I have to step out of my car or house. If you don't spend much time on the phone it can be a good phone for you.
I had safelink wireless which is a free cell phone that uses Tracfones, it came with 250 minutes. Even for free I didn't want it! I didn't mind loading it because I needed more minutes, but what I DID mind was going thru hell every time I wanted to load more minutes. My card never worked on their website and I would have to call in..... ugh, somehow on the phone India culture and USA futures do just not mix. It was always a nightmare. They would charge me for the minutes and half the time I wouldn't even get the extra minutes I paid for.
My mother set my oldest daughter up with one of those free phones that give you 250 free minutes every month as a graduation present, for her advancement to Middle School. It was a grand idea and we were appreciative of the thought, but the phone that she received, which was actually nice, a Motorala Razr flip phone, would never receive service. As of right she has about 3 months worth of free minutes that she can't use because the phone always says it has no service. Come to find out, the phone itself has a Colorado area code..... while we live in Kentucky. I can never get in contact with any customer service reps to switch the numbers, but when I finally got through to someone, it in and of itself was frustrating and literally hair pulling because of course, all customer service reps are ( no offense ) in some call center in another country, so we couldn't understand a word each other said, and of course, I never got the numbers changed. It wouldn't be such a big deal to me, except for the fact that my daughter was proud and excited to use her phone and it was a graduation present that she truly deserved.
I am sorry that you also experienced such a bad experience. I agree that is is really hard communicating with them. The only way you can get that phone to work is to keep calling (even though they take forever to answer) until you get someone to actually help you. It will take some real patience and a prayer to get that job done. Best wishes to you and your daughter.
