tracphone

[Chicken Feathers]

How well is the tracphone reception in Mass. Vermont. New Hampshire. and Maine ? Don't want to sign a contract

[Snowleopard]

tracphone uses other carriers' networks (att, verizon, sprint,t-mobile), so reception would depend on which carrier your phone uses.
You can figure out which carrier some tracphones use from this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TracFone_Wireless#Carriers
You'd definitely want ATT or Verizon as carrier.

[RWheeler]

I don't know if it varies by model, but I have an LG 500G Tracfone that I'm going to use on my thru. Based on the code on the SIM card, it uses AT&T networks.

[The Old Chief]

A couple of years ago my Tracphone worked well in Vermont at Journeys End on the Canadian border and elsewhere in Vermont. It's the only phone I use on the AT now. If I lose it I'm only out the minutes left on the phone and the $10.00 I paid for it.

[Deadeye]

My Tracphone works well in VT and NH, haven't tried it in Maine. Works best on ridgetops.

[Hikerhead]

A couple of years ago my Tracphone worked well in Vermont at Journeys End on the Canadian border and elsewhere in Vermont. It's the only phone I use on the AT now. If I lose it I'm only out the minutes left on the phone and the $10.00 I paid for it.

Good news. If you loose it buy another and transfer your old phone number and minutes to your new phone. I did this a few months ago. Only thing I lost was my contacts.

[swjohnsey]

ATT doesn't seem to work well 'specially on the first half of the trail. I bought a Net 10 prepaid phone that uses Verizon that I plan on usin' 'til Harper's Ferry.

[hunter121]

Ahh! I stand corrected then, Thanks for clearing that up.

[elkie-girl]

Ahh! I stand corrected then, Thanks for clearing that up.

Make sure it's a CDMA tracfone! Its model number ends with "C", not "G". You cannot buy it in Walmart. Here's the trick, go to their web-site and pretend you live somewhere where is no GSM reception (I remember Babcock, WI, find zip code for the place and enter it). They will let you choose CDMA models and you will be able to ship it to your real location and activate to your real area. Since CDMA-tower covers much longer distances (it's originally a military technology), USA is covered much better with CDMA (especially places middle of nowhere). GSM from any provider sucks in any wilderness.

I am yet to see any phone from any provider which would have any coverage where mine would not.

And I pay for my cell 9.99 a month (+ tax which sucks).

[double d]

Tracfone phones are the best, and I've had good reception in Vermont and NH. I can't anwer about Maine. But for the money, a Tracfone is the best value in my opinion.

[The Old Chief]

My first Tracphone was a GSM type and did well everywhere in the Northeast and on the AT in Virginia but not at all at my cabin in West Jefferson, N.C. I recently bought a CDMA Tracphone at the West Jefferson Walmart because it does offer even more coverage. If I remember correctly all the tracphone, Net10 phones, and the straight talk phone models ended in "C".