This is the the very best info forum on the web. Seems Tracfone is going to gsm carriers and are only offering two cdma phones, I live in a cdma area and have a phone that runs on Verizon towers (southwest Va). My phone battery is just about gone and i want a better cdma phone anyway. What are my options besides a LG 501c? Zip code does not bring up a different phone. Can I get one from ebay and activate it? Thanks much for any info!!
GSM will eventually completely displace CDMA, but for the moment CDMA has a better coverage footprint, especially in the midwest.
If you browse Tracfone's 'browse all phones' page you will be able to see and order from the five models that they actively sell today (the LG3280 is CDMA, even if it doesn't have the 'C' in the model designation):
This is the the very best info forum on the web. Seems Tracfone is going to gsm carriers and are only offering two cdma phones, I live in a cdma area and have a phone that runs on Verizon towers (southwest Va). My phone battery is just about gone and i want a better cdma phone anyway. What are my options besides a LG 501c? Zip code does not bring up a different phone. Can I get one from ebay and activate it? Thanks much for any info!!
HSN has deals on Tracfone every so often. shopcelldeals is at ebay and Amazon with a good reputation. Ebay is ok for private sellers with a good rating.
I live in a cdma area and have a phone that runs on Verizon towers (southwest Va). My phone battery is just about gone and i want a better cdma phone anyway. What are my options besides a LG 501c?
Choose from an LG 231c flip phone, LG 501c qwerty or the older LG 290c (but still available new).
Check ebay, amazon, HSN.com. There is a vendor named shopcelldeals who sells through ebay and amazon. I have bought several phones through them and recommend them highly as do many others here on HoFo and other online forums.
HSN.com stands by everything they sell. Just check the return policy.
Cautionary note about the LG 290c. I don't think it has bluetooth file transfer (photos, ringtones, contacts), just bluetooth connectivity for headsets. The other phones do. Someone please correct me if I am wrong.
If I were getting the LG231c I would probably get it directly from Tracfone using one of the cashback websites. I use bigcrumbs.com and they are giving 24% off Tracfone.
For the other two I would go to shopcelldeals. Lots of people like HSN.com but their offerings often come standard with 1000 minutes or so and I already have plenty of minutes accumulated from being a longtime Trac customer (boy is that an understatement). Other than paying for minutes I don't need, HSN would be fine with me. HSN has longer shipping times than either Trac or shopcelldeals, sometimes up to two weeks.
Good luck with your decision. Post if you need more help.
The Tracfone website has just a few of the newest phones and is not trying to have every possible phone. The Browse All Phones page is just a sampling of Tracfone history. If you try ordering from it, you get just the regular current order pages. Your best bet is to look in local neighborhood stores, which of course are where TF probably sells most of its phones anyway. But the better CDMA models are from the past. This is where eBay and the home shopping networks come in handy. Look for models such as LG290C, LG220C, or LG231C. You can in reality use any CDMA Tracfone that is not totally obsolete. Just make sure that the serial number is in good standing in Tracfone's system.
The LG290C has a workaround for bluetooth file transfer. I used it all the time. But it is not for the technologically challenged and you have to do the tweak every time you want a transfer session.
Tracfone has clamped down on BigCrumbs and allows it only on certain featured specials (trying to get rid of stuff) on a special website offers.tracfone.com or something like that.
The LG290C has a workaround for bluetooth file transfer. I used it all the time. But it is not for the technologically challenged and you have to do the tweak every time you want a transfer session.
Tracfone has clamped down on BigCrumbs and allows it only on certain featured specials (trying to get rid of stuff) on a special website offers.tracfone.com or something like that.
A previous post reviewed the LG 231c. I believe he said the bluetooth file transfer did not work on this phone.
Concerning the LG 290c-I have it and am annoyed it cannot do bluetooth file transfers. Otherwise its a nice phone. Can you send me the info or point me in the right direction to do this>
If I were getting the LG231c I would probably get it directly from Tracfone using one of the cashback websites. I use bigcrumbs.com and they are giving 24% off Tracfone.
annepani,
I love using BigCrumbs.com too but just FYI, they went from 24% down to 21% cashback on Tracfone web site purchases the last time I checked.
timdennis,
I have the LG231C and you can't BT pictures, wallpapers, ringtones to the phone but you can send them to your phone as an MMS or as an email to the phone's email address to get them on the phone. I like it, flip phone, good reception, voice clarity good, camera if you need it, Voice commands through my BT BlueAnt T1 and S4. I carry a a GSM and CDMA for coverage here in the Southwest and the LG231C is my CDMA phone although I'm thinking about trying the LG290C from shopcelldeals just because so many people seemed to praise that model.
Lisme,
BigCrumbs didn't clamp down to specific deals, they're highlighting specific deals they want to push but if you click through the general Tracfone discount/cashback link they still offer "Cash back earned on sale of phones, accessories and airtime (when purchased in conjunction with a phone) Cash Back not available on the renewal of minutes." When you click on the link and it forwards you to that stupid page on TF where they are pushing specific deals you can click on the TF logo on the top to get back to the home page and really shop for what you want, not what they want you to buy. Just FYI.
Pair your phone and computer so that part will be done.
Download and install OBEX Commander.
Computer bluetooth turned on.
Phone bluetooth turned off. You have to turn it on by a different method in order to unlock it.
As if you were calling someone, enter ##program290 and press send.
Enter 000000 and press OK.
Scroll to Bluetooth (might be aways down) and press OK.
FTP Server press OK.
Yes press OK.
On press OK.
Now you can use the bluetooth transfer.
Open OBEX Commander and use it to transfer files.
The bluetooth unlock will remain alive for some time, but nobody knows exactly how long. If you need to turn off bluetooth in order to take more pictures, etc., you turn it off the regular way. Then you will have to go through the workaround again.
annepani,
I use the LG800G for my GSM phone. We live on the fringe of an AT&T coverage area and both had the W376G that received calls about 50% of the time when someone called us. Then my wife switched to the LG420G and missed about 95% of the calls people made to her, the other 5% disconnected during her conversations and she'd have to return calls on the landline. About the same time I had switched to the EX124G which received calls about 50% of the time as long as you didn't have your hand on it, put your hand on the back of that phone and it drops 2 to 3 bars and goes to 'No Service'. The EX124G's voice quality was so-so like an average cellphone. Then we got her the LG800G and she started getting all her calls, best signal reception we've had here on AT&T. One day my wife called our landline from our bedroom (worst GSM location in our house) and when I talked to her my jaw nearly hit the floor because it was so clear she sounded like she was on a landline. That's when I dumped the EX124G and went with the LG800G. We're both happy with them so far and the TMFL is a real nice benefit too. The LG800G batteries also last a lot longer than any of our other phones did, I guess they aren't struggling near as hard to stay connected to the network and no problems when my hand is on the back of the phone. The LG420G's battery lasted about 2 days on standby, never got more than 2 bars, and then would die.
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Originally Posted by Mildew49
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