Smart Phone upgrade from 3G to 4G Tracfone

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nvrver

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 15, 2009
Posts
907
Location
Fallon Nevada
I need to upgrade my Smart Phone from 3G to 4 G to stay on my Tracfone prepaid plan.
The phones for Fallon Nv 89406 are limited.  My 3G LG CDMA phone has served me fine so have been looking at LG models again, but most of them and other brands are using non-removable batteries.  I did find a Samsung Galaxy J2 (S260dL) with removable battery that looks like it would fill my limited cell phone usage. 

Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated as it was this forum that helped me pick out my existing smartphone. 
 
I have been using an LG L22C Power for years as my back up and I have been happy with it. Today my Pixel stopped making calls so I have to send it in. I am using the LG and it is slow and I don't think they sell it anymore. It only cost me $50 years ago. Why do you want a removable battery?
 
Why do you need a removable battery?  Smart phones are enough of a commodity and are advancing fast enough that you can find "second tier" phones that surpass what you have now at prices that are less than replacing the battery in a lesser phone.

CDMA and the need to get away from 3G technology says Tracfone has you on Verizon.  I'd look at Verizon's prepaid service and eliminate the middleman.  All of the carriers are now offering inexpensive month to month plans.  Verizon's starts $35 a month and may beat what you're getting through Tracfone.

https://www.verizonwireless.com/prepaid/

On the phones page, they have a few phones that are free when you sign up for prepaid service.  Scroll down past the expensive phones and look at the ones that say $0.00 per month.

If you want to stay with Tracfone, the Samsung Galaxy J3 Orbit is a decent phone.  I had one through Total Wireless that I replaced when I switched to Visible's $40 a month plan that included using the phone as a hotspot.
 
The reason I think I don't want a non-removable battery is I'm not a fan of changing phones when it need a new battery.  I figure my monthly cost now on paying my plan every two years is less then $10. per month. 
 
Shop around and you can replace the entire phone for less than it would cost to change out a replacable battery.  Just contact your provider and they'll either send you a new SIM card or tell you to transfer your existing SIM to the new phone.

As you're now finding out changing technology is making phones obsolete before battery life becomes a factor.
 
My last few Tracfone devices I've bought from Ebay, from Tracfone's own Ebay store... the versions sold with 1 year of service bundled. They often sell that package for $60-70, which is crazy cheap considering that a one-year service card alone costs $100-120 from their website.

I've had a couple LG's in the past, and my current 4G LTE model is a ZTE Zmax One. Great phone, and each one I buy (regardless of make/model) has been an improvement over the last one. Search Ebay for "Tracfone 1 year" to find the deals they have... the phone/package options change frequently, as the phone models change and they sell off remaining stock. Every year when my Tracfone service is up for renewal, I just get a new phone with it. Essentially for free, and Android devices all work the same so there is generally a shallow learning curve moving to a newer model.
 
I think you are worrying about a non-existent problem.  The older ni-cad and NMH batteries may have needed more frequent replacement, but a modern lithium phone battery should easily last 5-8 years, even in daily use.  After that much time, you are probably ready for a new phone anyway!
 
I had to buy a WM burner phone back in May. I got the LG L355 and it's a great little phone. In some ways better than my Galaxy A51.

Non-removable battery although I don't know why that is a thing.
 
I have seen several instances where the phone got wrapped around the axel, and the only way to clear it up was to pull the battery.
So, I would want to insist on having a removeable battery, too.
 
My original post was ion October 31, 2019 and I replied what I purchased on November 5, 2019. And I'm pleased with the phone I purchased. Why bring this old post of mine back up?
 
Hmmm... Sorry looks like my bad. Somehow it showed up in my new messages feed and I didn't notice the date...

A couple days ago a new member (spammer) revived this thread with a spam post, which was removed. But the replies to the then “current” thread remained. That’s how it made it up top again.
 
Unless your strictly a telephone user why not step up to 5G service while your looking for a new phone? But in that case a basic flip phone would do just fine.
 

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