Any good deals on no-contract phones (i.e. Tracfone)?

[mgmtrnr]

Hey all,

I have a cell phone that is very old (it actually has a qwerty keyboard). I love my old phone and have been putting off upgrading but it doesn't ring (not really a problem because it still vibrates) and isn't going to last much longer. I know...I know...I should just upgrade but want to wait until after my thru-hike.

I am searching for a reliable, no-contract phone for my SOBO thru-hike. The best I have found is a Tracfone Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime 4G LTE 5" 8GB Smartphone w/ 1350 Minutes/Texts/Data. It is right around $90 but that is for a year and you get triple minutes on future reloads. Some of the monthly phones I've seen are around $30-40 per month so that would still be $180-$240 for 6 months.

Anybody seen any better deals or have advice on getting a no-contract phone for a thru-hike?

Thanks,

Mike

[scrabbler]

Tracfone is probably the cheapest you will find. But those phones you mention for $30/$40 month give you unlimited usage, so it's not really a fair comparison.

[BuckeyeBill]

I know a lot of people that get Straight Talk from Wally World. They say that they get great coverage and it is easy to reload.

[Lyle]

I've been very happy with my Tracfone. Been a customer of theirs for many, many years. I upgraded to the Samsung Galaxy Luna about six months ago - pretty happy. Only problem is that Samsung disables the ability to use the SD card as internal memory (that is part of Android "Marshmallow version"). As a result, you are limited to 8gb of room for Apps, since most of them will not allow installation to external memory. That is a Samsung issue though, not a Tracfone issue.

I find pretty decent service with Tracfone and buying their annual activation and minutes cards has been quite adequate for me for many years. They also allow you to buy additional data only cards - kinda expensive, but I seldom use the 4G network for browsing, so not much of an issue for me. It's easy to add while traveling, if needed, right from the phone.

When I upgraded last fall, the Samsung was the only true "Smartphone" available. They do also allow you to port your own unlocked Smartphone to their service.

[mgmtrnr]

Thanks for the replies.

Lyle...I'm definitely no "techie" but this phone has 1 GB of RAM with 8 GB of internal storage expandable up to 64 GB via a micro SD card. It operates using the Android v5.0.2 Lollipop Operating System. Is that sufficient for a hiker looking for basic service and who also doesn't do a lot of browsing?

Thanks.

[rashamon12]

I use At&t and my bill comes to $34 a month with all fees and whatnot. It is a go phone aka no contract and has unlimited text calling but no data. Data isnt nessasary on the trail because in town you can always get wifi to some establishment. But if you want data they have a $40 a month plan

[rashamon12]

forgot to mention it has great service in my area but i hear Verison is the best provider to use on the trail.

[Tennessee Viking]

I would look into coverage a bit better.

Coverage can greatly vary depending on where you located using no-contract phones.

I found to Verizon Prepaid and Virgin to be some of the better ones in the mountains.

[Jaybird]

I always carry a LITE WEIGHT FLIP PHONE for my section hike...LG 441 is 4oz & 3G.
I use TRACFONE service & get just enuff mins to get me thru 2 weeks.

Good Luck..see U out there...MAY 2017 MASS-VT


"Jaybird"
hiking the A.T. on the 20-year-plan!

[FlyPaper]

If you get a TracFone, make sure you get one that uses the CDMA network (same network Verizon uses). TracFone sells both GSM and CDMA phones, and for some reason I don't understand, they really, really, really prefer to sell you their GSM phones. So you'll have to be careful when purchasing otherwise you'll be stuck with a phone that hardly works on the trail.

Generally, their phone models that end in a "C" are on the CDMA network. Those that end in "G" are on the GSM network.

If you go to their website, they'll ask you what zip code you plan on using the phone in. You need to pick a zipcode for an area that has only CDMA service. Any zipcode that has even a trace of GSM service, even if the service is much better for CDMA, TracFone will show you GSM models. I think zipcode for Gatlinburg, TN works to allow you to select only CDMA phones (37738), although for their smartphones it is not always obvious which network they work on.

I have a cheap TracFone I use primarily for hiking. Gets great coverage most places on the trail.

[Lyle]

8 GB of internal is pretty limited. It will work if you only install a few apps. That version of Android doesn't support using the SD card as internal memory, but you could use it to store photos, music, etc.

In spite of my comment above, I must say at the moment, Tracfone has completely lost my confidence. Since I posted the above, I called their customer service because I can no longer make calls using my phone. I was on my home phone with them for over an hour, even played the recording I get asking me to buy another pre-paid card whenever I attempt to make a call. After three different technicians and over an hour, I was told they do not provide service in my area. This in spite of the fact that I have been a customer of theirs for many years, and having had this particular phone for several months without an issue.

I've about given up and will probably be abandoning my months of activation and almost 3000 minutes of accumulated talk time.

I no longer recommend Tracfone - their customer support is the pits.

[mmais68569]

Check out
Ting.com
Wife & I have been with them for over 2 years & never a problem with service. I have section hiked from Springer to Dalton, Mass. & she has received a call every night. It cost us for 2 smart phones $32 per month you own your own phone.
Mike (Mr. Mean)

[DownEaster]

I used to have a no-contract T-Mobile phone, and it ended up being fairly expensive with their best rate being $.10 per minute (1000 minutes for $100). These days I've got Republic Wireless, which costs me about $17 a month for unlimited voice and text, BUT data is strictly via WiFi. The phone I bought was the Moto G4, for $229 (Amazon.com) with 32GB. The difference in monthly costs compared to other carriers makes up the price of the phone in about a year. It'll be interesting to see how many WiFi hotspots I'll add to my phone's list next year on the AT.

[TexasBob]

Here is a really good "cheap" smart phone that is on Verizon no contract plan. Has 16gb internal memory and takes an sd card as well. These phones are often on sale at big box stores and I have seen them as low as $40. It is certainly not a flagship smart phone but is light years better than what you have now.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Verizon-Moto-G-Play-Prepaid-Smartphone/53970798

[KDogg]

I have a no-contract plan with Verizon. It is actually $20 a month cheaper than their first tier contract (which is why I did it). The difference is I get 2gb of data instead of 3gb/month. I ran out of data the first month on the trail but was fine after that. Yes, you can find wifi in town but it is nice to have it when you are aren't.

[Mugthumper]

I am also a huge fan of Ting. I have been using them for around 2 years and recommend them over a any other MVNO. They use Sprint's towers but allow you to roam on Verizon's for talk and text at no extra cost. For around $17 a month I get 1,000 text, 100 minutes and 100 MB of data. After fees and tax it is usually around $18.70. This is perfect if you send texts as your primary way of communicating and save minutes for emergencies and an occasional short call to family or friends. It also provides just enough data for things like weather checks and to access to google maps. Their are other tiers if you need more talk, text or data, but 95% of the time this is what works for me.

[Bansko]

I strongly recommend Verizon prepay. For 40$ a month you get a few gigs of data and unlimited talk/text. Moreover, Verizon probably has the best coverage on the AT. I bought a used Samsung 5 before starting last year, but you can get off-brand smart phones for not much over $100 that work just fine. You'll want at least 16GB of memory for all of those photos, and the ability to add micro-SD memory is nice, but not a deal-breaker with cloud storage, etc.

You can pay each month, add more data, etc. using Verizon's smart phone app.

[MuddyWaters]

I use total wireless
Its verizon, no roaming onto partners

5 gb, $33+tax

[Dogwood]

I am searching for a reliable, no-contract phone for my SOBO thru-hike. The best I have found is a Tracfone Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime 4G LTE 5" 8GB Smartphone w/ 1350 Minutes/Texts/Data. It is right around $90 but that is for a year and you get triple minutes on future reloads. Some of the monthly phones I've seen are around $30-40 per month so that would still be $180-$240 for 6 months.

Anybody seen any better deals or have advice on getting a no-contract phone for a thru-hike?

Thanks,

Mike

OMG, this is a deep topic as I've been finding out. The world of smartphones has me feeling like I'm on a electronics merry go round needing to go back to college to understand.

It depends on what you want in a smartphone. Will you want a really good camera, removable battery, long battery life, outdoors protection built in as a stock feature, playing games or watching movies on trail, bringing up maps on trail, accessing the net, desiring to play music, want good to FAST speeds, want fast charging, want high pixel content(better pics) and vid, take vids, want some apps that can be useful, etc.

No contract no credit check prepaid carrier service is available by MANY carriers. You don't have to use Tracfone. I'm not sure of all such carriers but I too do like the Triple Mins TF option particularly if it is calls you're mainly anticipating engaging on the AT.

In my mind if I'm carrying a smartphone on trail I don't just want it to make calls. I can get a cheap Tracfone($10 with double mins) and load it up with mins to do that. I want a smartphone to take advantage of smartphone tech such as good pics as my point and shoot $200-300 cameras, play/stream music(MP3 player replacement), play FM, be able to access the net to check weather reports/eMail/financial info/etc, have a compass, have a removable battery so that I can carry a spare to extend life rather than always take a heavier battery charger, download apps(such that enable not having to carry a wallet or cash), etc so that I can save wt, electronics volume, and redundancy. Some of the downsides are that it make smartphones such a great loss if they are lost, stolen(big international market for stolen phones!), break, or don't work when desired and connecting to electronics can be addicting to the point where "connecting" digitally entails disconnecting from other things ...like your hike, the environment, the ones personally around, ability to socialize in person, etc. Smartphones can have folks accustomed to instantaneous results making them unfocused, rude, impatient, and always expecting info in short terse targeted soundbites.

If you buy the Galaxy Grand Prime from Tracfone it is locked to Tracfone as the carrier. You have the option of picking your phone first and then your carrier(but check first that your anticipated carriers are compatible with your desired phone) if you buy an unlocked phone. Unlocked phones are typically a bit more money than locked versions but at least you're not locked into one carrier which could be useful if you travel...which is kinda what you're doing if you LD hike. Factory certified refurbished UNLOCKED phones are cheaper than new and might be fine for the trail considering you might put some wear on it on trail(scratches, even on metal housings, etc) enabling you to get a more feature rich smart phone(such as a kick arse camera, higher network speeds, greater connectivity ability, greater internal memory, IP67 protection from water/breakage/etc, Gorilla glass, etc but without the bloatware. Replacing with a new battery might be wise if buying a used smartphone.


I've been very happy with my Tracfone. Been a customer of theirs for many, many years. I upgraded to the Samsung Galaxy Luna about six months ago - pretty happy. Only problem is that Samsung disables the ability to use the SD card as internal memory (that is part of Android "Marshmallow version"). As a result, you are limited to 8gb of room for Apps, since most of them will not allow installation to external memory. That is a Samsung issue though, not a Tracfone issue.

I find pretty decent service with Tracfone and buying their annual activation and minutes cards has been quite adequate for me for many years. They also allow you to buy additional data only cards - kinda expensive, but I seldom use the 4G network for browsing, so not much of an issue for me. It's easy to add while traveling, if needed, right from the phone.

When I upgraded last fall, the Samsung was the only true "Smartphone" available. They do also allow you to port your own unlocked Smartphone to their service.

Lyle, first I've heard of Samsung disabling their SD memory card slot. That has not been my experiences with Samsung. I would assume one would still have up to a 128 GB upgradable external memory?

Tracfone has been slow in offering Tracfone branded med-high end true smartphones. Tracfone has the BYOP program. It affords using a much greater variety of true Smartphones using Tracfone as your carrier, OR OTHER CARRIER, as your carrier. Buying a Tracfone, Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, etc branded LOCKED smartphone locks you into having to use that carrier. That can be problematic if that carrier has sketchy coverage in the area or you want to change carriers. Buying some branded smartphones means having to put up with that carriers bloatware or other possible limitations. Buying your own UNLOCKED phone separate from buying a TracFone branded phone, checking with Tracfone before buying the phone that it is compatible with them, using their BYOP program offers greater flexibility.

Some reports say Verizon in itself as a carrier is not the best in northern GA? But coverage debates IMO seems to be as much about marketing especially in the U.S. with overall very good coverage by a wide range of carriers. Does everyone always have an absolute NEED, not desire, but NEED, for utmost coverage in the context of hiking the AT?.. not always a deal breaking inconvenience.

CDMA is largely a U.S. system that doesn't use replaceable SIM chip tech. It's supposedly somewhat more secure than GSM though. GSM is vastly more in use nation and worldwide so if you want to use the same smartphone outside the U.S. or in some U.S. regions usually all you need is to find a SIM chip/GSM compatible carrier for your phone and exchange it out. Either CDMA or GSM oriented phones will work though on the AT with appropriate carriers.

Lyle, can't you transfer some of your apps to external memory to free up internal mem? If not CAREFULLY roto rooter out the non functional non critical apps. :cool: This voids warranties though and if not done right can lock up the phone.

I haven't spoken to a U.S. based Tracfone assistant in a long time. They have good tech support(they show this Luddite a lot of patience) IMO but sometimes hard to understand Indian accents.


Here is a really good "cheap" smart phone that is on Verizon no contract plan. Has 16gb internal memory and takes an sd card as well. These phones are often on sale at big box stores and I have seen them as low as $40. It is certainly not a flagship smart phone but is light years better than what you have now.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Verizon-Moto-G-Play-Prepaid-Smartphone/53970798

The Moto G Play is a "good" phone(depending on what one might want in a smartphone) but this version is Verizon branded therefore can only be used with Verizon as your carrier if you want voice, text, and data. Again, one can buy the Moto G Play factory unlocked certified refurbished that allows lower cost than new and possible option of carriers.