I just looked on eBay idly, wondering whether there were any good deals on Tracfones with minutes. Well, there were some okay deals, but I'm not planning on getting any just yet...
However, I did notice on one auction, where a guy was talking about a Motorola v176 with 2000 minutes preloaded, that the v176 has web access, and that it, like the Motorola c261, decrements web access at 0.5 units per minute. Sweet.
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Tracfone Refer-a-Friend...GONE!?!
From Tracfone's website:
Thank you for your interest in TRACFONE Refer-A-Friend! At this time, we are making improvements to the program, and new enrollments and referrals are not being accepted. However, if you recently visited this page and then referred someone to TRACFONE through this program, and he or she becomes a new TRACFONE subscriber by following the steps in the program and no later than October 15, 2006, you will each still receive the benefits. Please refer below to the terms and conditions if you have questions about the TRACFONE Refer-A-Friend program.
We are working to build a new and improved Refer-A-Friend program, with better tools to service you and your friends.
Thanks again for your support of TRACFONE - customers like you are so important to helping us grow, and we're committed to providing a great Refer-A-Friend program to reward you for sharing the TRACFONE story with your friends and contacts.
TRACFONE Wireless, Inc.
Need I say any more?
Monday, September 25, 2006
PrepaidWireless.com - Buy Anything Get $10 Free In Airtime
I was just contacted by one of the buys over at PrepaidWireless.com. They have a promo running (till the end of the year maybe?) where, after your first order, they give you $10 in reward points for your next order. Yes, that's right. Even if you buy some cheapie card you get $10 to buy another cheapie card. Sound pretty good to me. Especially considering their selection, which includes both phones (MovilListo and Mojo Mobile come to mind) and prepaid wireless cards. Another interesting thing they sell is TelCel (a Mexican communications giant) airtime.
Just letting everyone know...
Just letting everyone know...
Virgin Mobile Stuff
Well, Virgin Mobile, with their lackluster rates, does have one thing going for them besides what JD Power called great customer service (I think it was JD Power...didn't really pay attention to it that much...) Cheap Phones.
Yes, they've nicked the pricing of their older phones once again. Want a "free" phone in the contract sense of the word? You've got it, buddy. Take your pick...
For $20 you get the Kyocera K10 Royale (which does have web access but is...um...a Kyocera) with $20 in airtime. Note that this isn't an airtime card but if you want to go Virgin Mobile this is a good way to do so without getting ripped off.
But a better way is by buying the Kyocera Slider for $25, including $25 in airtime. It's, yes, an oooooold phone, but hey, it slides. Right, I know, nothing special here either. On to exhibit number three...
...a free Nokia Shorty! Well, $25 with $25 in airtime anyway. Nice to see the little phone again, though it, like the K10 and the SLider, are pretty darn likely clearance items that Virgin is selling cheap because they want to get rid of the phones...
...because they're going to introduce some new ones! DrPrepaid mentions two phones, a Kyocera flip with some sort of voice messaging function (Squawker I think is what it's called; didn't bother to re-check as it seems like a lotta hype with a name like that) with a camera and, more interesting, a SLVR-lookalike on the lower end, the Audiovox...er...UTSTarcom Slice. Which looks quite nice, thank you very much. Especially when compared to the abominable Hunch_Back...er...Switch_Back. These two phones, due out before the end of this year, will augment the Kyocera Oyster in the phone lineup. Yay. Viva la non-outdatedness.
Yes, they've nicked the pricing of their older phones once again. Want a "free" phone in the contract sense of the word? You've got it, buddy. Take your pick...
For $20 you get the Kyocera K10 Royale (which does have web access but is...um...a Kyocera) with $20 in airtime. Note that this isn't an airtime card but if you want to go Virgin Mobile this is a good way to do so without getting ripped off.
But a better way is by buying the Kyocera Slider for $25, including $25 in airtime. It's, yes, an oooooold phone, but hey, it slides. Right, I know, nothing special here either. On to exhibit number three...
...a free Nokia Shorty! Well, $25 with $25 in airtime anyway. Nice to see the little phone again, though it, like the K10 and the SLider, are pretty darn likely clearance items that Virgin is selling cheap because they want to get rid of the phones...
...because they're going to introduce some new ones! DrPrepaid mentions two phones, a Kyocera flip with some sort of voice messaging function (Squawker I think is what it's called; didn't bother to re-check as it seems like a lotta hype with a name like that) with a camera and, more interesting, a SLVR-lookalike on the lower end, the Audiovox...er...UTSTarcom Slice. Which looks quite nice, thank you very much. Especially when compared to the abominable Hunch_Back...er...Switch_Back. These two phones, due out before the end of this year, will augment the Kyocera Oyster in the phone lineup. Yay. Viva la non-outdatedness.
Tracfone...
First off, the LG 3280 is a bit more interesting than I first thought. It's actually a derivitave, says PhoneScoop, of the LG vx3300, which is only a few months old, rather than the grey-haired vx3200. Which is nice. Especially when, from Googleing it, it appears to have 0.3 unit text messaging both ways. Hey, I can stand cheaper text on CDMA...of course, Tracfone probably did this to unify more their product lines but it's good anyway.
Second, I have for sale right now my last bunch of ESN minutes and last two bunches of code minutes for awhile, as Tracfone doesn't have any promos to speak of online currently. So I'd see if they're still available right now, or you may be out of luck until...who knows... Tracfone may revamp their lineup with some good deals Friday, but then again they may not and it will take me a week to get more phones\ESN minutes\code minutes in. Just saying...and by the way as an added bonus if you want some code minutes I have one batch available right now, as in I can get it within 24 hours of request. Which is nice...for 10 cents a minute especially...
Third, and last, is that I noticed a week or two ago that Wal-Mart is now selling the Nokia 2126 for around $30 ($29.98 I think) rather than $19.98 plus tax. Dang. Still a good phone though and I'll wager worth every penny of that $29.98, maybe more, but don't tell Tracfone that or they'll raise the price again :). Of course, they probably already know that everyone knows the 2126 is a quite solid phone.
And that's all the Tracfone news I have right now...until I get a shiny new LG 3280 of course...but then again there may be some news before that, like when it actually comes out!
But wait...one more thing...refer-a-friend is still there, on Tracfone's homepage. It's just a lot smaller, a text link, rather than a big banner. That's OK with me...
Second, I have for sale right now my last bunch of ESN minutes and last two bunches of code minutes for awhile, as Tracfone doesn't have any promos to speak of online currently. So I'd see if they're still available right now, or you may be out of luck until...who knows... Tracfone may revamp their lineup with some good deals Friday, but then again they may not and it will take me a week to get more phones\ESN minutes\code minutes in. Just saying...and by the way as an added bonus if you want some code minutes I have one batch available right now, as in I can get it within 24 hours of request. Which is nice...for 10 cents a minute especially...
Third, and last, is that I noticed a week or two ago that Wal-Mart is now selling the Nokia 2126 for around $30 ($29.98 I think) rather than $19.98 plus tax. Dang. Still a good phone though and I'll wager worth every penny of that $29.98, maybe more, but don't tell Tracfone that or they'll raise the price again :). Of course, they probably already know that everyone knows the 2126 is a quite solid phone.
And that's all the Tracfone news I have right now...until I get a shiny new LG 3280 of course...but then again there may be some news before that, like when it actually comes out!
But wait...one more thing...refer-a-friend is still there, on Tracfone's homepage. It's just a lot smaller, a text link, rather than a big banner. That's OK with me...
Tracfone Minutes
Just to let everyone know, I not have no more ESN minutes to sell for the time being. All I have left is one bunch of code minutes right now aqnd one bunch of code minutes that will be in stock maybe four days from now. And they'll probably go fast. So pick one up now! As an added bonus, I'll take 50 cents off if you pay via PayPal, or you can get both bunches for $26 ($2 off) via either PayPal or Google Checkout!
PrepaidWireless.com - Buy Anything Get $10 Free In Airtime
I was just contacted by one of the buys over at PrepaidWireless.com. They have a promo running (till the end of the year maybe?) where, after your first order, they give you $10 in reward points for your next order. Yes, that's right. Even if you buy some cheapie card you get $10 to buy another cheapie card. Sound pretty good to me. Especially considering their selection, which includes both phones (MovilListo and Mojo Mobile come to mind) and prepaid wireless cards. Another interesting thing they sell is TelCel (a Mexican communications giant) airtime.
Just letting everyone know...
Just letting everyone know...
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Oh Please...
Sorry everyone. I've been on a Boy Scout campout until this morning. I will update my minutes page and everything starting right now...no false advertising, just absence...
Friday, September 22, 2006
No More 60 minute cards
I aoplogize, but I'm out of 60-minute cards and I'm not getting any more in any time soon, as it appears. Sorry for any inconvenience. I will update the minutes page to reflect this.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Treacfone New Stuff...Phone and Activation Step
Well, Tracfone has just updated their phone lineup for GSM, as far as promos, and now they're taking more drastic measures...
In the activation process you can now port your number from an old Tracfone. Sweet. One less call to customer service for people who want a newer phone but not a new number. Of course, this will result in any referral program stuff being void, but hey, is your old number worth $12? If so, this is great.
And now for even bigger news since...wel...the introduction of the motorola c261. Maybe even bigger...
You see, Tracfone just put the LG 3280 on their website as coming soon. So what?It's LG, that's what! Tracfone, for the past four or so years, maybe more, has only carried nokia and Motorola phones. And now CDMA users have a fairly capable flip phone, which is a pretty big deal since the last CDMA flip was the Motorola v60, which has been out of stock for...um...somewhere around a year.
Not to say that the LG 3280 is anything extraordinarily new or advanced. It's just a no-caller-ID-screen, color, grey flip phone with a speakerphone. Basically the same as the LG 3200 that Verizon has had for about two years now. But hey, it's a color flip phone and will likely be cheap on Tracfone so I'm not complaining.
I'll likely get this phone sometime soon, as I want to get a CDMA Tracfone for myself. When I do get it I'll review it.
In the activation process you can now port your number from an old Tracfone. Sweet. One less call to customer service for people who want a newer phone but not a new number. Of course, this will result in any referral program stuff being void, but hey, is your old number worth $12? If so, this is great.
And now for even bigger news since...wel...the introduction of the motorola c261. Maybe even bigger...
You see, Tracfone just put the LG 3280 on their website as coming soon. So what?It's LG, that's what! Tracfone, for the past four or so years, maybe more, has only carried nokia and Motorola phones. And now CDMA users have a fairly capable flip phone, which is a pretty big deal since the last CDMA flip was the Motorola v60, which has been out of stock for...um...somewhere around a year.
Not to say that the LG 3280 is anything extraordinarily new or advanced. It's just a no-caller-ID-screen, color, grey flip phone with a speakerphone. Basically the same as the LG 3200 that Verizon has had for about two years now. But hey, it's a color flip phone and will likely be cheap on Tracfone so I'm not complaining.
I'll likely get this phone sometime soon, as I want to get a CDMA Tracfone for myself. When I do get it I'll review it.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Tracfone Specials Change
After a month or so of having some (Nokia 2600) or other (Moto c155) refurb phone available for $20 with an unbelievable two 60-minute cards included, Tracfone has finally sold out of all its extra stock of these phones (apparently) and is just selling off the refurb Moto v170s with 1-year cards. Not such a great deal. But hey, I have four unactivated phones of different sorts (3 Motos, one Nokia) and a few 60-minute cards so don't worry; you can still buy minutes from me though Tracfone's prices have gone up comparatively.
Also, Refer-A-Friend isn't shown on the homepage of Tracfone anymore, but it still works. See my post about it to get the link to it.
Also, Refer-A-Friend isn't shown on the homepage of Tracfone anymore, but it still works. See my post about it to get the link to it.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
TuYo!
I just today called TuYo Mobile (1-877-GET-TUYO) to claim not one but two totally free SIM cards (each has $10 worth of credit on it) for their service...nice...
Especially since
1) TuYo runs on T-Mobile's network, including roaming (I caught my Nokia 3120 on Cellular One here!)
2) TuYo's plans are nice and inexpensive for voice, with long expirations (10 cents a minute plus 10 cents to connect for low-volume users; cards as low as $10 expire in 90 days)
3) Text messages are 5 cents to send and 2 cents to receive (so you can receive twice as many texts as you send and it'll still equal out to less than 10 cents per message to send\free to receive, which is getting rarer anyway); MMS is 25 cents to send and a mere 5 cents to receive
4) The customer service rep I talked to said that normal, priced-per-day-or-per-meg internet is in the works! (This is a biggie for me because I now have a Palm TX which I can use in conjunction with my Bluetooth-enabled Siemens s56 to access internet anywhere, provided I have service that'll let me do it)
So I'd say get one or two of these SIMs while you can! It's a pretty nice deal.
Especially since
1) TuYo runs on T-Mobile's network, including roaming (I caught my Nokia 3120 on Cellular One here!)
2) TuYo's plans are nice and inexpensive for voice, with long expirations (10 cents a minute plus 10 cents to connect for low-volume users; cards as low as $10 expire in 90 days)
3) Text messages are 5 cents to send and 2 cents to receive (so you can receive twice as many texts as you send and it'll still equal out to less than 10 cents per message to send\free to receive, which is getting rarer anyway); MMS is 25 cents to send and a mere 5 cents to receive
4) The customer service rep I talked to said that normal, priced-per-day-or-per-meg internet is in the works! (This is a biggie for me because I now have a Palm TX which I can use in conjunction with my Bluetooth-enabled Siemens s56 to access internet anywhere, provided I have service that'll let me do it)
So I'd say get one or two of these SIMs while you can! It's a pretty nice deal.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Google Checkout Now Functional!
Just letting everyone know that Google Checkout is now functional, which means that I can now take credit card orders on my Tracfone airtime. Enjoy! And yes, the page has moved to my own webhost, instead of Google's. But anyway, hope this helps everyone who prefers to pay via credit card than via bank account. As an added bonus, there will be no extra credit card processing fee! Again, enjoy!
Friday, September 08, 2006
New CheapPhoneCards Coupon
Well, it looks like the new 5% off coupon is....save8. Just letting everyone know...
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Tracfone...Where's The Refer-a-Friend?!?
I was just looking on Tracfone's wensote tonight to activate yet another phone, and I discovered to my horror that the refer-a-friend link was no longer there! Wierd.
No matter though. Probably just a site redesign. You can get at a refer-a-friend page here:
tracfone.com/sell_a_friend.jsp
Just as a teaser for the upcoming Motorola c155 review, this phone would be great if it weren't for two big flaws: styling and, more importantly, reception. More on that when I can write about it...as it is it's past my bedtime already :)
No matter though. Probably just a site redesign. You can get at a refer-a-friend page here:
tracfone.com/sell_a_friend.jsp
Just as a teaser for the upcoming Motorola c155 review, this phone would be great if it weren't for two big flaws: styling and, more importantly, reception. More on that when I can write about it...as it is it's past my bedtime already :)
Amp'd Has Got It Right
Just as a pre-note, DealKing.com can get you $15 off Amp'd phones, plus it talks about 1000 free minutes if you put in the coupon code "KFREE" at checkout...wow. That's why their site is hotlinked in this post's title.
So what's so great that Amp'd has been doing lately? Well, adding hybrid plans of course. Now you can, if you pay prepaid price for your phone ($100 for the Kyocera Jet or Angel after a $100 mailin rebate or $150 for the Motorola Hollywood after the same) you can get a pretty darn good deal on minutes (500 for $30 a month for example) without a contract. That's nice. And that's about it, but for the sweet thing that normal prepaid might have going on. And by the way I'd get this if my zip code were allowed by their site :(
So what's so great that Amp'd has been doing lately? Well, adding hybrid plans of course. Now you can, if you pay prepaid price for your phone ($100 for the Kyocera Jet or Angel after a $100 mailin rebate or $150 for the Motorola Hollywood after the same) you can get a pretty darn good deal on minutes (500 for $30 a month for example) without a contract. That's nice. And that's about it, but for the sweet thing that normal prepaid might have going on. And by the way I'd get this if my zip code were allowed by their site :(
Boost - New Phones, Higher Prices
Well, I just checked Boost Mobile's website. They've updated their lineup of phones...sort of. Everything's actually the same really. Just different colors and maybe higher prices.
For starters, there are two new versions of the i835, the i835w and the i835g. W stands for white. G stands for...um...girlie I think. But anyway they're there and...wonder of wonders...they don't cost any more than the normal i835! But it seems to me that, with everyone else selling some color flip phone with caller ID on the outside for a good bit less than $100...that Boost is doing the exact right thing if they want to keep custoemrs away! I mean gosh, $130 is too much for a plain old color flip, even if it's the thinnest iDEN phone available. Heck, you can get a black, unlocked Razr for $40 more!
For finishers (pardon the awkward phrase) is the "new" i455, which is no more than an i450 with enough black on it to make the part that didn't change color look absolutely ridiculous! No kidding...take a look yourself:
http://www.malsha.com/malshastores/boost.asp
If the main part of the front was also black things would be nice and cool and I'd even think about upgrading my phone via trading it or something like that. But noooooo...
Oh, and did I mention that it's $10 more than the i450? And that the i450 is no longer for sale at Boost's website? That stinks...
For starters, there are two new versions of the i835, the i835w and the i835g. W stands for white. G stands for...um...girlie I think. But anyway they're there and...wonder of wonders...they don't cost any more than the normal i835! But it seems to me that, with everyone else selling some color flip phone with caller ID on the outside for a good bit less than $100...that Boost is doing the exact right thing if they want to keep custoemrs away! I mean gosh, $130 is too much for a plain old color flip, even if it's the thinnest iDEN phone available. Heck, you can get a black, unlocked Razr for $40 more!
For finishers (pardon the awkward phrase) is the "new" i455, which is no more than an i450 with enough black on it to make the part that didn't change color look absolutely ridiculous! No kidding...take a look yourself:
http://www.malsha.com/malshastores/boost.asp
If the main part of the front was also black things would be nice and cool and I'd even think about upgrading my phone via trading it or something like that. But noooooo...
Oh, and did I mention that it's $10 more than the i450? And that the i450 is no longer for sale at Boost's website? That stinks...
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Sprint Shoots Themselves In The Boost Foot
In a move to complete the "poisoning" of Boost Mobile to up "subscriber quality" on Sprint\Nextel's cramped iDEN network, Boost just did a hop, skip and a jump BACKWARD as far as their "Premium Plan" goes. My only question is whether existing Boost users will get grandfathered in with their older Premium Plans, or not...if not then that simply...well...blows. I for one am going to put my Boost phone and service up for sale here if Boost does anything else stupid, like raising the Walkie Talkie rate back up to $1.50 a day, which may happen seeing the lowest tier of "Premium Plan". Take a look at the quick rundown of the new monthly plans:
$30 - NO MINUTES (10 cents each extra, same as other plans), Unlimited Walkie Talkie (hmmm...it'd be $30 a month anyway!)
$50 - 400 minutes, Unlimited Walkie Talkie (nights and weekends are GONE from this plan, and aren't present on either of the other two plans!)
$70 - 600 minutes, Unlimited Walkie Talkie (and did I mention that web and text are also gone from being uncluded?)
Yes, web, nights, weekends and text are all no longer included unlimited with the "Premium" plans. Time to start the snoring. But you can get web and text back...for an extra $10 a month! Which is about what normal users pay per month for web, and I wouldn't even factor in text because it's free to receive and unreliable\slow to send. And MMS ain't available unlimited anywhere.
As my friends at school would say, "Go Home Satan!" Perhaps this is being a little harsh, as this debacle has provided me with some juicy blogging material, but I'm thinking SPrint is going to experience a net loss company-wide this coming quarter, especially if they
a) Make plans on Boost even worse, which they probably will do
b) Don't grandfather in the older Boost Premium Plan users
c) Both of the above
*Plays taps for Sprint as its gradual shrinkage to nothing is forseen*
$30 - NO MINUTES (10 cents each extra, same as other plans), Unlimited Walkie Talkie (hmmm...it'd be $30 a month anyway!)
$50 - 400 minutes, Unlimited Walkie Talkie (nights and weekends are GONE from this plan, and aren't present on either of the other two plans!)
$70 - 600 minutes, Unlimited Walkie Talkie (and did I mention that web and text are also gone from being uncluded?)
Yes, web, nights, weekends and text are all no longer included unlimited with the "Premium" plans. Time to start the snoring. But you can get web and text back...for an extra $10 a month! Which is about what normal users pay per month for web, and I wouldn't even factor in text because it's free to receive and unreliable\slow to send. And MMS ain't available unlimited anywhere.
As my friends at school would say, "Go Home Satan!" Perhaps this is being a little harsh, as this debacle has provided me with some juicy blogging material, but I'm thinking SPrint is going to experience a net loss company-wide this coming quarter, especially if they
a) Make plans on Boost even worse, which they probably will do
b) Don't grandfather in the older Boost Premium Plan users
c) Both of the above
*Plays taps for Sprint as its gradual shrinkage to nothing is forseen*
Monday, September 04, 2006
Phones For Sale
OK. So I have too many phone. Way too many phones. And I want to get rid of them. And they're worth something. So...
All phones come with the battery and charger. All prices reflect shipped price. All GSM phones are unlocked. Don't assume they come with anything else unless I say so specifically. Phones are generally in good, though not brand-new, condition. On phones tied to a particular service, service will be inactive on the phones. Email me if you want to negotiate; I have the right to say no though. And now, without further ado:
Nokia 3120, 3595 or 6010 (Cingular, AT&T and T-Mobile branding, respectively, GSM) - $30
Siemens a56 w\MovilListo SIM (not sure if it's active; take it anyway, GSM) - $20
LG 225 (STi Mobile, CDMA on Sprint) w\case, data cable - $50
More phones will be coming. I'm also thinking seriously about selling my T-Mobile To Go Gold Rewards SIM.
And yes, I'll eventually get back to talking about normal cell phone stuff, like the Motorola c155. But not quite yet; I have to call Tracfone and transfer some code minutes and do a few other things first.
All phones come with the battery and charger. All prices reflect shipped price. All GSM phones are unlocked. Don't assume they come with anything else unless I say so specifically. Phones are generally in good, though not brand-new, condition. On phones tied to a particular service, service will be inactive on the phones. Email me if you want to negotiate; I have the right to say no though. And now, without further ado:
Nokia 3120, 3595 or 6010 (Cingular, AT&T and T-Mobile branding, respectively, GSM) - $30
Siemens a56 w\MovilListo SIM (not sure if it's active; take it anyway, GSM) - $20
LG 225 (STi Mobile, CDMA on Sprint) w\case, data cable - $50
More phones will be coming. I'm also thinking seriously about selling my T-Mobile To Go Gold Rewards SIM.
And yes, I'll eventually get back to talking about normal cell phone stuff, like the Motorola c155. But not quite yet; I have to call Tracfone and transfer some code minutes and do a few other things first.
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Tracfone Promo Codes (or lack thereof)
Well, I tried getting extra minutes on the results of two refer-a-friend minute bunches...and neither 58094, nor 54606, nor any of the other codes that could have been applicable, worked. How depressing...I'll modify my minutes page to reflect the fact that now I'll just be selling batches of 140 code minutes, instead of batches of 200. At least until some new codes come out. :(
At least you can still get the Motorola c155 and 2 60-minute cards deal...
At least you can still get the Motorola c155 and 2 60-minute cards deal...
Friday, September 01, 2006
Tracfone Promo...Still Going Strong
Just to let everyone know, the Motorola c155 is still $19.99 refurbished, along with two 60-minute airtime cards, at Tracfone's own web store. Get it while it lasts, which is probably until next Friday or something...I'm surprised with such a great deal lasting till this Friday...but here it is so I'm happy.
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