Merge an existing line is back

[tomseys]

Just noticed this morning while logged into my account in Manage lines/Add a line that after verifying phone the "Merge an existing line" option is back. Haven't tested it yet. See screenshots below:

[tomseys]

I'm unable to test it out at the moment due to pending AALs.

In the second screenshot above if you choose "I do not have access to any of these" in response to the account phone verification request it gives back this message:

[tomseys]

Ok so I gave this a test.

I have two accounts each with one line only.

So I intiated a merge from one account and first I had to verifiy a line in the account (the only line) which is a new thing. After that I had to put in the phone number I wanted to merge (add) into the account. It sent a text to that phone and I entered the code on site. It returned a message that I had to first remove the line from the other account. In the past, you didn't have to do that. It would automatically be removed.

So I logged in other account and removed the only line it had. No problem. That account was now empty and the sole line of it was sent into the void.

Logged back into the other account and merged the line over easy peasy. So now this account has two lines.

So then I want to send that line back to the account it came from.

So I logged into the now lineless empty account and initated a merge. It did not require a text to be sent to a line in the account which is a good thing since there is no lines in the account. Once again it stated I needed to remove the line in other account first.

So I did that and bang, merged it right back into the other account. Total time spent: maybe 4 minutes?

[pitflyer]

Thanks for all the data points. While now you must remove the account it seems like they restored all functionality so this is my shocked face that maybe TracFone did something right.

[tomseys]

Just a warning.

Don't do this with any accounts that have any pending rewards like AAL etc. Leave those accounts alone.

[russsell]

Dumb question: does this "new" Merge functionaility "combine" two lines? Based on @tomseys's experiment it appears it's more of a "move" - in that he moved a line from one account to another (and back).

[tomseys]

Dumb question: does this "new" Merge functionaility "combine" two lines? Based on @tomseys's experiment it appears it's more of a "move" - in that he moved a line from one account to another (and back).

No. TF uses the term Merge here differently.

In this case it just means to add an existing line to an account. Usually from another account.

It's not really new.. it's just back with some changes.

[SlowLoris]

Thank you for testing it out and reporting back. I need to move a line or two around so this is good news.

[tomseys]

I should mention that when I removed the lines from the accounts, a text was sent to the phone and I had to enter the code on the site first before removal was processed. But it was pretty quick/smooth overall.

[trac*fone]

Thanks for posting this. I was wondering if anybody has tried moving lines that are TracFone T-Mobile or TracFone AT&t to a different account?

Sent from my Pixel 4a using HoFo mobile app

[tomseys]

I was curious if you could also still create a new account like I was able to do about a month and a half ago using an existing line.

So I have an account with one line. I removed that line from the account leaving the account empty, sending the lone line into the dark oblivion.

I did this with the "Remove from Account" feature in manage lines/devices. I had to enter code that was sent to device to proceed.


So then I entered the phone number of this lone device where you login and then was texted a code to my phone to enter.





Entered that and was presented with the account creation screen just like the last time when I created a new account.





I don't need a new account at the moment so I didn't proceed.

So then I logged back into the empty account and initated a merge from there, to send/add the line back into the account.

I was texted a code to device to enter, and it merged/was added back into the empty account ok.

[sillyette]

OMG tomseys, you win the "Bravest Tracfone User Award" for this!!!

[pitflyer]

I have several lines that went inactive on Jan 15. Today on Jan 16 when I try to remove them from the website I get an error. Used the android app and they are gone.

[tomseys]

I haven't tried to move an inactive line using the website, only active lines and that seems to work well.

On the website it seems you are required to receive a text to the device you want to remove and that is not possible with an inactive line so maybe that is why. Good to know you can do it on the app.

[Tracfancier]

On the website it seems you are required to receive a text to the device you want to remove and that is not possible with an inactive line so maybe that is why.

It actually is possible. A Corporate rep sent a code to my just deactivated TF. When she said she needed to do it, I reminded her the phone was deactivated. She said it could be done and she proceeded to do it. It appeared to arrive as if a text.