As a BYOP user of a Galaxy S4 I agree that it's good news that Tracfone is starting to offer a substantially better class of Android devices than their initial pitiful offerings. That being said, the S5 was pretty much panned by industry pundits as a disappointing successor to the wildly successful S4. So much so that Samsung scrambled to release the S6 and S6 Edge to attempt to gain back the market share that the S5 cost them. For the premium price of a Tracfone supplied S5, a BYOP S4 or a BYOP S6 is a much better option IMHO
As someone who uses multiple BYOPs on Tracfone, I agree that the latest offerings are a marked improvement but believe folks would be better off with phones similar to ones I use (LG G2 D800 or iPhone 5s Verizon variant). Prices continue to decline on these and other reasonably good phones.
January 31, 2016 at 10:08 PM
Jerry Green said...
Interesting, but I want to upgrade to a 6" screen. Will keep looking.
February 1, 2016 at 1:49 AM
Anonymous said...
An absolutely necessary feature is the use of Verizon Cell Towers. Only those of us who hook-up via Verizon Towers can connect while at Old Faithful/Yellowstone. Thus, when reviewing any phone, please indicate which system it uses. Also, when I use saveontracfone.com, they show both a "TracFone (Verizon) 4G LTE" and a "TracFone (VZW) 4G LTE" network. What is the difference? THANKS!!!
The three phones listed above all use Verizon 4G LTE cell towers. As for what is on the saveontracfone website, I'm not sure what the difference is and it could just be an inconsistency in their written content.
I am curious. I thought Tracfone was using AT&T for the 4G LTE. I would like to get a better phone than my LG L41C but 99% of the time I can make a call all along the East Coast. How do you know that Tracfone is also using Verizon for 4G LTE. I like my phone but it is very slow.
Tracfone recently started accepting both GSM and CDMA 4G LTE devices on their BYOP program. Now Tracfone also sells phones that will work on Verizon's 4G LTE CDMA Network. The phones above are the first. Tracfone also offers the LG Sunset, which uses GSM 4G LTE through ATT towers.
February 3, 2016 at 3:01 PM
Anonymous said...
I can't believe these phones are still on 4.4.2! That version came out in 2013 and doesn't even have the 4.4.4 patch that fixes the heartbleed bug! That was questionable on last year's $120 Alcatel Pop Icon, but completely insane for a $500 flagship phone. You'd be starting off with three years of security patches and bug fixes missing right off the bat. If you keep the phone for two or three years, you'll end up trusting all of your data (including contacts, pictures, credit card info and banking details) to a device that's five or six years unpatched.
For that price you can get an unlocked Galaxy Nexus with Android 6.0, and since Nexus phones come with two years of OS upgrades it should see 6.1 and 6.2 in it's future. Combined with monthly security patches for Nexuses and you'd actually have a device that you can put your whole life's data on and not be an easy target.
Okay, I'm stepping off my soap box now. To be fair, this hardware mops the floor with my current Tracphone and I'd be trilled to have it, but securing my data is a real concern. I'll go brood somewhere else now.
I thought we could only bring an iPhone 4S from Verizon to the BYOP program. My 4S broke and I need to replace it. I have temporarily reverted to the cheap Samsung I bought with the service but as a link time iOS user I would prefer an iPhone, if for nothing else a good camera... Trcfone hasn't been any help, what phones can I use with their service?
People who live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan should be aware that it's about impossible to get a phone on the BYOP program. Even tho when you go to tracfone's website and put you zip code in and it comes back saying you have service, when you start working through their program there is a spot to enter your zip code. No matter what U.P. zip code you use it won't be accepted. Been on the phone 4 times for several hours and have no resolution yet. I'm trying to get a Galaxy S5 activated which is just like the one they offer on Home Shopping Network. Good luck making it work if you're in the U.P.
Barry is that phone from Verizon (or AT&T?) originally? I thought they have to be one of those to work with Tracfone. I am so leery of buying any iPhone for fear that once I have it it won't work with my Tracfone service!
It was from Verizon. Supposedly a CDMA-LTE phone. I'd be leery too. The last thing I can think to try since tracfone won't recognize any nearby zip codes is to try one from a major city in lower Michigan. Maybe that will work (?)
Last Christmas, I bought my son the same exact phone(iPhone 4s). Got it on eBay for$100. It was an unlocked phone, meaning under no contract. The 4s is a CdMDz meaning it uses Verizon tower. I call Tracfone it was up and working in less than 10 minutes. The important thing is it has to be unlocked, not under contract. If you had your phone with Verizon it has to be out of contract service agreement. Good luck. PS Tracfone phone now is use AT&T tower so unlocked iPhone 5 will be in the BYOP program.
Finally got to a human that explained there is no 4G service in my area and therefore a 4G phone wouldn't work. Poor results on 3G and we have very little of that either. I wish people would mention this when they talk about phones--especially the BYOP programs.
February 15, 2016 at 11:46 AM
Anonymous said...
It is baffling to me as well that so few phones released by Tracfone have the most current OS version! I want a phone from Tracfone without having to go through the BYOP process on CDMA with 4G LTE and Android 5+ is that so much to ask?
The Samsung Galaxy E5 through Tracfone is does not have the multi-window feature...why is this???
March 5, 2016 at 8:09 PM
Anonymous said...
Hello, Is the Alcatel pixie glitz and Alcatel pixie eclipse the same phone?? If not which one would be the same as the eclipse?? I am looking for a simple snap on case for the eclipse and can't find one. I can find all other models. Thanks for your help and have a good night.
July 9, 2016 at 1:50 AM
Anonymous said...
Hello, Would you be able to tell me if the Alcatel pixie eclipse and the Alcatel pixie glitz are the same phone?? If not which one is the same as the eclipse?? I am looking for a simple snap on case for the eclipse and can't find one. Thanks for your help and have a good night.
July 9, 2016 at 1:53 AM
Anonymous said...
Tracfone smart phones do not roam. Possibly an actual verizon smart phone would give better reception in rural and distant areas. Worth a try?
I live in the UP, Houghton/Hancock area. My son gave me his out of service Galexy S5 (Verizon). I bought a Tracfone BYOP kit at Walmart. Went through the transfer my number from the Tracfone I had (Galexy Centura). Everything transferred, minutes, text messages. Everything is working fine.
I ahve been using my Samsung S5, a Verizon unlocked (900V) model) for a couple of years, but it still starts with the Verizon welcome page and I gather it has a lot of Verizon apps I don't (can't) use with my Tracfone service. Would it be worthwhile to root the phone, and if so, what is the best or safest way to do so (link to web site would help).
Thanks
June 1, 2019 at 1:40 AM
Samsung Galaxy S5 and 2 More Phones with 4G LTE Service Now Available from Tracfone
This post contains the latest news on the release of three new phones from Tracfone. Check back soon for more information, and full reviews of each of these devices.
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New Samsung Devices with 4G LTE available from Tracfone!
Tracfone has released three new smartphone devices for use on their prepaid network. These three new Android phones are the first to use CDMA 4G LTE service, which will allow users to have faster connectivity speeds on their device.
Until now, users who wanted a 4G LTE capable device had to either use the GSM LG Sunset, or use their own device on the BYOP program. Now users have the option to choose one of these three news smartphones from Tracfone.
The three new phones are the Samsung Galaxy S5, Samsung Galaxy E5, and Samsung Galaxy Core Prime. We are going to share a little about each phone, and also include where you can find these devices. We will also be working on our reviews for each of these phones in the near future, so stay tuned for that.
What is really exciting beyond the fact that these new phones use CDMA 4G LTE technology is that these smartphones are some of the most advanced devices, particularly the Samsung Galaxy S5. However, that appears to come at a price.
Tracfone Samsung Galaxy S5 Quick Look
Take a look at our full Review of the S5.
The Samsung Galaxy S5, when it was released in April 2014, was one of the best devices available that money could buy. It is in Samsung's flagship lineup and comes with a full list of great features.
Let's take a brief look at some of the Samsung Galaxy S5's features and specs:
5.1" Touchscreen made with Gorilla Glass 3 and 1920x1080 resolution
16 MP Rear Camera
16 GB Internal Memory with 2 GB RAM and Micro SD card slot
2.5 Ghz Quad-core processor
Android 4.4.2
And more
These are just some of the more notable features that show that this device is a very capable device even though it is almost 2 years old. There isn't a phone currently available from Tracfone that has the same list of impressive specs. But, as we said, it comes at a price, and that price is $499.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 can be found on HSN bundled with 1200 Minutes. We haven't found it anywhere else yet, but expect it to show up in stores, and on the Tracfone website sometime in the near future.
The question we are asking, however, is would it be cheaper to just buy an unlocked Samsung Galaxy S5 and bring it to Tracfone through the BYOP program? You can find a Refurbished Samsung Galaxy S5 on Amazon for just $235 that can work with either GSM or CDMA. That's less than half the price, although you don't get the 1200 minutes. There are also new S5's for a little over $300 on Amazon and eBay.
What is nice about buying a phone that is released by Tracfone versus using the BYOP program is that you don't have to worry about comparability issues. You can just buy the phone and activate it. However, if you're looking for the cheapest option, it looks like buying your own unlocked Galaxy S5 and then using the BYOP program is the best bet. The nice thing about Tracfone BYOP is you can choose from many different devices, and find the phone that will fit your needs at the price you want to pay.
So, we are very excited about the Galaxy S5 coming to Tracfone, but the cost is way beyond the typical sub $200 range most phones from Tracfone are released at. If you've been looking for a high end smartphone from Tracfone, the Samsung Galaxy S5 will not disappoint.
Look for our review soon!
Tracfone Samsung Galaxy E5 Quick Look
The Samsung Galaxy E5 is like the younger brother to the S5. It comes with somewhat reduced performance features, but still has 16 GB of internal memory, which is a huge plus. It is also $150 cheaper than the S5.
Let's take a look at some of the Samsung Galaxy E5's features
5.0" touchscreen at 720x1280 resolution
8 MP Rear Camera
16 GB Internal Memory
1.2 Ghz Quad-core processor
Android 4.4
And more
As you can see, the Galaxy E5 has a slightly smaller screen, a little less processing power, and a smaller resolution rear camera. It doesn't impress as much as the S5, but it is more budget friendly.
However, as with the Samsung Galaxy S5, we can't help but wonder if you could find a phone similar to the Samsung Galaxy E5 on Amazon or eBay and use it with the Tracfone BYOP program.
The Samsung Galaxy E5 is available on HSN for $350 with 1200 minutes.
We will be working on a review for the E5 very soon!
Tracfone Samsung Galaxy Core Prime Quick Look
The third device released by Tracfone is the Samsung Galaxy Core Prime. This Android-powered smartphone is more in line with other smartphones currently available from Tracfone, and the price is actually a really great deal.
The Feature and Specs for the Samsung Galaxy Core Prime are below:
4.5" Touchscreen with 480x800 resolution
5 MP Rear Camera
8 GB Internal Memory
Android 44
1.2 Ghz Quad-core processor
And More
The Galaxy Core Prime actually matches up very similarly to the LG Sunset which has been available with Tracfone for some months now. They both have 1.2 Ghz processores, both come with 8 GB memory, and both allow 4G LTE connectivity. The Galaxy Core Prime uses CDMA while the Sunset uses GSM.
The real news here is that the Samsung Galaxy Core Prime is available on HSN for $99 with 1200 minutes. So you are basically buying a 1 Year/400 Minute Airtime card and getting a very good Android smartphone for free!
We will be sharing our full review for the Samsung Galaxy Core Prime in the near future!
We are expecting several more Samsung smartphones to be released from Tracfone in the near future, but the Samsung Galaxy S5 is probably the best phone we will see from Tracfone for a little while. Stay up to date with the latest news by following us on Facebook.
Let us know what you think about these new devices, and if you will be spending the money to upgrade.
You can take a look at the other smartphones available from Tracfone on our Android Tracfone List.
Also view our recent list of Deals and Discounts for January 2016.
Thanks for visiting!
posted by TracfoneReviewer Team at 12:30 AM on Jan 31, 2016
24 Comments
Close this window Jump to comment formAs a BYOP user of a Galaxy S4 I agree that it's good news that Tracfone is starting to offer a substantially better class of Android devices than their initial pitiful offerings. That being said, the S5 was pretty much panned by industry pundits as a disappointing successor to the wildly successful S4. So much so that Samsung scrambled to release the S6 and S6 Edge to attempt to gain back the market share that the S5 cost them. For the premium price of a Tracfone supplied S5, a BYOP S4 or a BYOP S6 is a much better option IMHO
January 31, 2016 at 2:21 PM
As someone who uses multiple BYOPs on Tracfone, I agree that the latest offerings are a marked improvement but believe folks would be better off with phones similar to ones I use (LG G2 D800 or iPhone 5s Verizon variant). Prices continue to decline on these and other reasonably good phones.
January 31, 2016 at 10:08 PM
Interesting, but I want to upgrade to a 6" screen. Will keep looking.
February 1, 2016 at 1:49 AM
An absolutely necessary feature is the use of Verizon Cell Towers. Only those of us who hook-up via Verizon Towers can connect while at Old Faithful/Yellowstone. Thus, when reviewing any phone, please indicate which system it uses. Also, when I use saveontracfone.com, they show both a "TracFone (Verizon) 4G LTE" and a "TracFone (VZW) 4G LTE" network. What is the difference?
THANKS!!!
February 1, 2016 at 1:27 PM
The three phones listed above all use Verizon 4G LTE cell towers. As for what is on the saveontracfone website, I'm not sure what the difference is and it could just be an inconsistency in their written content.
February 1, 2016 at 2:21 PM
Perhaps a Nexus 6, which comes with a nice screen and is only $350-400
February 1, 2016 at 2:21 PM
I am curious. I thought Tracfone was using AT&T for the 4G LTE. I would like to get a better phone than my LG L41C but 99% of the time I can make a call all along the East Coast. How do you know that Tracfone is also using Verizon for 4G LTE. I like my phone but it is very slow.
February 1, 2016 at 4:05 PM
Tracfone recently started accepting both GSM and CDMA 4G LTE devices on their BYOP program. Now Tracfone also sells phones that will work on Verizon's 4G LTE CDMA Network. The phones above are the first. Tracfone also offers the LG Sunset, which uses GSM 4G LTE through ATT towers.
February 3, 2016 at 3:01 PM
I can't believe these phones are still on 4.4.2! That version came out in 2013 and doesn't even have the 4.4.4 patch that fixes the heartbleed bug! That was questionable on last year's $120 Alcatel Pop Icon, but completely insane for a $500 flagship phone. You'd be starting off with three years of security patches and bug fixes missing right off the bat. If you keep the phone for two or three years, you'll end up trusting all of your data (including contacts, pictures, credit card info and banking details) to a device that's five or six years unpatched.
For that price you can get an unlocked Galaxy Nexus with Android 6.0, and since Nexus phones come with two years of OS upgrades it should see 6.1 and 6.2 in it's future. Combined with monthly security patches for Nexuses and you'd actually have a device that you can put your whole life's data on and not be an easy target.
Okay, I'm stepping off my soap box now. To be fair, this hardware mops the floor with my current Tracphone and I'd be trilled to have it, but securing my data is a real concern. I'll go brood somewhere else now.
February 5, 2016 at 8:00 AM
I thought we could only bring an iPhone 4S from Verizon to the BYOP program. My 4S broke and I need to replace it. I have temporarily reverted to the cheap Samsung I bought with the service but as a link time iOS user I would prefer an iPhone, if for nothing else a good camera... Trcfone hasn't been any help, what phones can I use with their service?
February 5, 2016 at 7:49 PM
People who live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan should be aware that it's about impossible to get a phone on the BYOP program. Even tho when you go to tracfone's website and put you zip code in and it comes back saying you have service, when you start working through their program there is a spot to enter your zip code. No matter what U.P. zip code you use it won't be accepted. Been on the phone 4 times for several hours and have no resolution yet. I'm trying to get a Galaxy S5 activated which is just like the one they offer on Home Shopping Network. Good luck making it work if you're in the U.P.
February 7, 2016 at 5:10 PM
Barry is that phone from Verizon (or AT&T?) originally? I thought they have to be one of those to work with Tracfone. I am so leery of buying any iPhone for fear that once I have it it won't work with my Tracfone service!
February 8, 2016 at 12:26 PM
It was from Verizon. Supposedly a CDMA-LTE phone. I'd be leery too. The last thing I can think to try since tracfone won't recognize any nearby zip codes is to try one from a major city in lower Michigan. Maybe that will work (?)
February 10, 2016 at 1:09 PM
Last Christmas, I bought my son the same exact phone(iPhone 4s). Got it on eBay for$100. It was an unlocked phone, meaning under no contract. The 4s is a CdMDz meaning it uses Verizon tower. I call Tracfone it was up and working in less than 10 minutes. The important thing is it has to be unlocked, not under contract. If you had your phone with Verizon it has to be out of contract service agreement. Good luck.
PS Tracfone phone now is use AT&T tower so unlocked iPhone 5 will be in the BYOP program.
February 11, 2016 at 7:29 PM
Finally got to a human that explained there is no 4G service in my area and therefore a 4G phone wouldn't work. Poor results on 3G and we have very little of that either. I wish people would mention this when they talk about phones--especially the BYOP programs.
February 15, 2016 at 11:46 AM
It is baffling to me as well that so few phones released by Tracfone have the most current OS version! I want a phone from Tracfone without having to go through the BYOP process on CDMA with 4G LTE and Android 5+ is that so much to ask?
February 15, 2016 at 3:26 PM
I own a GS5, superior in every way to the S4. Can't always believe the critics.
February 25, 2016 at 12:48 PM
The Samsung Galaxy E5 through Tracfone is does not have the multi-window feature...why is this???
March 5, 2016 at 8:09 PM
Hello,
Is the Alcatel pixie glitz and Alcatel pixie eclipse the same phone?? If not which one would be the same as the eclipse?? I am looking for a simple snap on case for the eclipse and can't find one. I can find all other models. Thanks for your help and have a good night.
July 9, 2016 at 1:50 AM
Hello,
Would you be able to tell me if the Alcatel pixie eclipse and the Alcatel pixie glitz are the same phone?? If not which one is the same as the eclipse?? I am looking for a simple snap on case for the eclipse and can't find one. Thanks for your help and have a good night.
July 9, 2016 at 1:53 AM
Tracfone smart phones do not roam. Possibly an actual verizon smart phone would give better reception in rural and distant areas. Worth a try?
July 25, 2016 at 10:01 AM
,I bought a prepaid galaxy. S5 from straight talk and connected or but u do I only have 3g when I should isn't 4f lte
August 1, 2016 at 10:25 AM
I live in the UP, Houghton/Hancock area. My son gave me his out of service Galexy S5 (Verizon). I bought a Tracfone BYOP kit at Walmart. Went through the transfer my number from the Tracfone I had (Galexy Centura). Everything transferred, minutes, text messages. Everything is working fine.
August 1, 2016 at 8:37 PM
I ahve been using my Samsung S5, a Verizon unlocked (900V) model) for a couple of years, but it still starts with the Verizon welcome page and I gather it has a lot of Verizon apps I don't (can't) use with my Tracfone service. Would it be worthwhile to root the phone, and if so, what is the best or safest way to do so (link to web site would help).
Thanks
June 1, 2019 at 1:40 AM