I don't think the minutes that come with the HSN phones can be used on other phones. The minutes can only be used on the phone they come with. When you activate the phone, the minutes show up. There is no airtime PIN or airtime card shipped with the phones.
I saw the iphone 6S for tracfone in my local Walmart yesterday (6/13/16). IIRC the price was $695.
June 14, 2016 at 8:47 PM
Anonymous said...
I appreciate your blob that keeps TracFone users up-to-date - thanks!
June 15, 2016 at 7:50 AM
Anonymous said...
I think there is a way to add the minutes to your current phone but you have to take a roundabout way of doing it.
First, you have to activate the new phone and port your number to that new phone. (I'm not sure what the order is.) But you have to get all your minutes onto the phone you bought from HSN.
After all the minutes have been transferred to the phone you bought from HSN and that phone is activated, you then have to transfer all you minutes back to the phone you want to keep using.
It is more of a hassle than it used to be but can still be done.
On another subject, I have noticed the cost of airtime has increased. There used to be an online offer of 3000 minutes and 90 days for $90. That offer is no longer available. They now offer 1500 minutes and 365 days for $125. The per-minute charge is much higher.
For someone who talks 300 minutes or per month, Tracfone really isn't the best option anymore.
The Core prime is available on the referb list for 29.99. If they had the Grand Prime for that I'd get one. I been usin this little 34C and its been OK.
June 17, 2016 at 8:13 AM
Anonymous said...
I think the minutes can still be used but you have to do a round about way of getting on the phone you're currently using.
I think you have to first activate your new phone and port your number over to the new phone. (Not sure in what order.) Then after the phone has been activated and the number has been ported, you must then port your number back to the phone you want to use.
After the most recent increases in charges for airtime, it seems that there may be better options available.
Previously, a Tracfone user who talked 350 minutes a month could purchase a one-year card with 1200 minutes ($100) and an additional 3000 minutes for ($90) for $190.
After the recent changes, the cheapest option would be to buy five 750 minute cards ($35 each) and an additional 500 minute card ($25).
There are other companies who offer a better deal than Tracfone now offers.
For those of us who use less than 100 minutes a month, Tracfone appears to be among the best.
I have been thinking about switching to Tracfone. One of the main reasons why I haven't switched yet is because I know how terrible their customer service is when you call them on the phone. If I switch to Tracfone, can I port my phone number without having to call Tracfone on the phone?
June 20, 2016 at 9:52 AM
Anonymous said...
Enjoy your blog, but amazone link takes me to a S5 for $199 for Verizon. The unlocked S5 phone goes for $229. Since I have Verizon coverage now, will the Verizon S5 work, or do I need the unlocked one? Thanks!
June 20, 2016 at 4:58 PM
Anonymous said...
Be careful playing this game (moving minutes to a new phone then back to your old phone). I think there are restrictions downgrading from Android to non-Android. And Tracfone may block moving minutes back to a phone you previously used. Finally, if you have to resort to Tracfone customer service to sort it all out, may God help you.
Hey,have you seen the new 1 GB data option on the tracfone website for only $10? Is this card in stores, or only online? This is a game changer for byop.
June 21, 2016 at 5:29 PM
Anonymous said...
Will this work on Tracfone..? http://dealnews.com/Open-Box-Unlocked-Galaxy-S7-4-G-Android-Phone-for-430-free-shipping/1712564.html
Looks like Samsung has done away with the "mini" label phones, they are now called A3 A5 and A7. The A3 is the right size for what I want, but the A5 has better pixel ratio. But I think the A3 would work for me, now to find one on ebay at the right price.
June 26, 2016 at 3:25 PM
Scott said...
Yes.
June 27, 2016 at 8:23 PM
Anonymous said...
Hi its July will you be posting the July promo codes? I need minutes ASAP! Thx.
List of Tracfone Discounts and Sales for June 2016
Below we share some great deals on Tracfone phones, as well as unlocked devices. TracfoneReviewer strives to provide money-saving tips and other helpful information, and we hope you find this post useful.
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Tracfone Deals and Discounts June 2016
Tracfone offers a number of different cell phone options that consumers can purchase to use with Tracfones prepaid service. These phones, including plenty of smartphone options, are available from a wide variety of sources, which can make it hard to know where to buy from, or where to get the best deal.
Here at TracfoneReviewer, we spend a lot of time keeping up with the latest developments, and we usually see where to find certain phones for the cheapest.
In general, Tracfone devices are cheaper if you buy them on Amazon, eBay, HSN or other retailers rather than the Tracfone website.
Below we are providing some of the latest deals and discounts we have found on Tracfone cell phones.
We are also including a couple of unlocked smartphones that could be used with Tracfone BYOP if you're interested in going that route. With Tracfone BYOP, you can get a much more advanced phone compared to those offered by Tracfone, at a great price. Please note, while the phones we recommened below should work with Tracfone BYOP, you have to enter the phone's ESN or MEID to be sure. To learn more about bringing your phone to Tracfone, visit our Tracfone BYOP page.
Now, let's get to the list of deals!
List of Tracfone Discount Phones and Other Deals
Below are a collection of great deals on Tracfone devices, as well as some phones you could bring to BYOP. This list is in no particular order, and these are just some recommendations of phones at good prices.
1. Samsung Galaxy Core Prime on HSN for $89
This CDMA (Verizon) smartphone has a 4.5" touchscreen and comes with Android 4.4. It isn't the latest, but offers some really great features and performance, especially for the money. Take a look at our full review of the Samsung Galaxy Core Prime to learn more.
With this deal from HSN, you get the phone plus 1200 minutes and 1 year of service (a 1 Year/400 Minute card tripled) for just $90. The airtime alone is worth $100, making this a really great deal, even if you just want to airtime. You can always give the phone to someone else to use as a WiFi device, or activate it.
View the Samsung Galaxy Core Prime on HSN.
2. Alcatel Onetouch Sonic on Amazon for $20
The Sonic features a 4.6" touchscreen and is capable of 4G speeds using GSM networks (AT&T). It uses Android 4.1, and only has about 2 GB usable memory. See more specs and details in our review of the Alcatel Onetouch Sonic.
We don't recommend this phone unless you plan to use it for very little beyond calling, texting and surfing the web or email. But at the price of just $20, it might be a good option for a backup, a phone for kids, or just a WiFi device. It is a better choice than the Alcatel Onetouch Pixi, which retails for $10-20.
Find the Alcatel Onetouch Sonic on Amazon.
3. Tracfone LG 306G on Amazon for $7
When the LG 306G was released by Tracfone it was one of the most advanced phones a Tracfone users could get, but that was several years ago. Now, it is a fairly outdated phone, and doesn't have the Android OS, meaning you can't install apps. However, if you're looking for a phone to use for calling and texting, the LG 306G does that very well. See our full review of the LG 306G to learn more.
At just $7, this is the cheapest Tracfone you can buy if you just want a phone, or need a backup option.
Get the LG 306G on Amazon
4. Samsung Galaxy S5 (for Tracfone BYOP) on Amazon for $162
The Samsung Galaxy S5 has a ton of great features. Most notable is the 5.1" touchscreen, 16 MP camera, and 16 GB of internal memory. The phone comes with Android 4.4.2, but can be updated to 5.1, and perhaps even 6.0.
This unlocked smartphone can be brought to Tracfone's BYOP program. The main benefit of buying this unlocked is the much cheaper price. The Tracfone Samsung Galaxy S5 currently retails for $499. But you can get this unlocked (and refurbished) Galaxy S5 for just $162. View our Review of the Tracfone Samsung Galaxy S5 to see more specs, and understand your options.
View the Samsung Galaxy S5 on Amazon.
5. iPhone 5 (for Tracfone BYOP) on eBay for $119
The iPhone 5 has a 4.0" touchscreen, 8 MP camera and uses Apple's operating system which has access to many apps in the Apple App Store.
This version of the phone uses GSM technology. As some of you may know, Tracfone will be releasing a variety of iPhones to use with their service, including the iPhone 6S. Visit our recent post, New iPhones coming to Tracfone to learn more and see the latest. We don't know when the phones will be released, but it is very likely they will be expensive, closer to $500.
So if you want an iPhone on Tracfone, but don't want to spend the big money for it (or wait), buying an unlocked iPhone to use with Tracfone BYOP may be your best option.
You can get the refurbished iPhone 5 on eBay[Image] for $119
That concludes our list of Tracfone deals and sales for the month of June, we hope this help you find the best deal when buying a new phone.
If you're looking for a new phone, but didn't see any you liked in this list, you might want to check out our recent post about a number of new Samsung and LG phones coming to Tracfone.
Don't forget to also follow us on facebook to keep up with the latest news and information.
Thanks for visiting, and leave a comment below if you have any questions, or want to share a deal you've found.
posted by TracfoneReviewer Team at 9:08 AM on Jun 14, 2016
17 Comments
Close this window Jump to comment formI don't think the minutes that come with the HSN phones can be used on other phones. The minutes can only be used on the phone they come with. When you activate the phone, the minutes show up. There is no airtime PIN or airtime card shipped with the phones.
June 14, 2016 at 6:56 PM
I saw the iphone 6S for tracfone in my local Walmart yesterday (6/13/16). IIRC the price was $695.
June 14, 2016 at 8:47 PM
I appreciate your blob that keeps TracFone users up-to-date - thanks!
June 15, 2016 at 7:50 AM
I think there is a way to add the minutes to your current phone but you have to take a roundabout way of doing it.
First, you have to activate the new phone and port your number to that new phone. (I'm not sure what the order is.) But you have to get all your minutes onto the phone you bought from HSN.
After all the minutes have been transferred to the phone you bought from HSN and that phone is activated, you then have to transfer all you minutes back to the phone you want to keep using.
It is more of a hassle than it used to be but can still be done.
On another subject, I have noticed the cost of airtime has increased. There used to be an online offer of 3000 minutes and 90 days for $90. That offer is no longer available. They now offer 1500 minutes and 365 days for $125. The per-minute charge is much higher.
For someone who talks 300 minutes or per month, Tracfone really isn't the best option anymore.
June 15, 2016 at 10:17 PM
Yes when we buy new phone with offers those offers can't be used on other phones.
June 16, 2016 at 12:58 AM
The Core prime is available on the referb list for 29.99. If they had the Grand Prime for that I'd get one. I been usin this little 34C and its been OK.
June 17, 2016 at 8:13 AM
I think the minutes can still be used but you have to do a round about way of getting on the phone you're currently using.
I think you have to first activate your new phone and port your number over to the new phone. (Not sure in what order.) Then after the phone has been activated and the number has been ported, you must then port your number back to the phone you want to use.
After the most recent increases in charges for airtime, it seems that there may be better options available.
Previously, a Tracfone user who talked 350 minutes a month could purchase a one-year card with 1200 minutes ($100) and an additional 3000 minutes for ($90) for $190.
After the recent changes, the cheapest option would be to buy five 750 minute cards ($35 each) and an additional 500 minute card ($25).
There are other companies who offer a better deal than Tracfone now offers.
For those of us who use less than 100 minutes a month, Tracfone appears to be among the best.
June 17, 2016 at 10:25 PM
I went to 7-Eleven (in Oregon) today and saw they had the Alcatel Pixi Glitz on sale for $10 with the purchase of an airtime card.
June 20, 2016 at 12:40 AM
I have been thinking about switching to Tracfone. One of the main reasons why I haven't switched yet is because I know how terrible their customer service is when you call them on the phone. If I switch to Tracfone, can I port my phone number without having to call Tracfone on the phone?
June 20, 2016 at 9:52 AM
Enjoy your blog, but amazone link takes me to a S5 for $199 for Verizon. The unlocked S5 phone goes for $229. Since I have Verizon coverage now, will the Verizon S5 work, or do I need the unlocked one? Thanks!
June 20, 2016 at 4:58 PM
Be careful playing this game (moving minutes to a new phone then back to your old phone). I think there are restrictions downgrading from Android to non-Android. And Tracfone may block moving minutes back to a phone you previously used. Finally, if you have to resort to Tracfone customer service to sort it all out, may God help you.
June 21, 2016 at 1:46 PM
Hey,have you seen the new 1 GB data option on the tracfone website for only $10? Is this card in stores, or only online? This is a game changer for byop.
June 21, 2016 at 5:29 PM
Will this work on Tracfone..? http://dealnews.com/Open-Box-Unlocked-Galaxy-S7-4-G-Android-Phone-for-430-free-shipping/1712564.html
June 22, 2016 at 4:41 PM
Looks like Samsung has done away with the "mini" label phones, they are now called A3 A5 and A7. The A3 is the right size for what I want, but the A5 has better pixel ratio. But I think the A3 would work for me, now to find one on ebay at the right price.
June 26, 2016 at 3:25 PM
Yes.
June 27, 2016 at 8:23 PM
Hi its July will you be posting the July promo codes? I need minutes ASAP! Thx.
July 2, 2016 at 12:03 PM
Only on line as far as I know.
July 26, 2016 at 7:06 AM