4G LTE with Tracfone BYOP

Use 4G LTE Smartphones with Tracfone BYOP program

This post details the latest on Tracfone BYOP and 4G LTE. We will continue to update it, as well as our main Tracfone BYOP page which also contains a list of compatible phones. 

Tracfone BYOP 4G LTE 

We are excited to share the news that Tracfone has now opened their BYOP program to 4G Smartphones! Previously, only Verizon compatible 3G phones were capable of being used with Tracfone BYOP (Bring Your Own Phone). This meant the best phones you could get were the iPhone 4s, Moto G, and other similar types. While these smartphones are great, they are not top of the line.

With 4G LTE now available with Tracfone, you can use the iPhone 6, or a Samsung Galaxy S6, or many other high-end devices and get the fastest data speeds. The only requirement is that it must be able to connect with Verizon 4G service to activate.

We will dive into more details on activating your phone and what kind of requirements there are after we cover the basics of how the Tracfone BYOP program works.

How Tracfone BYOP 4G LTE Works

Using a 4G LTE device with Tracfone BYOP works similarly to bringing a 3G device to Tracfone. You will need to have your own smartphone, and it needs to be compatible with Verizon service.

Tracfone contracts with Verizon to use their cell towers for service, but everything goes through Tracfone. If you go outside the coverage of Verizon, you may lose service, or run on lower speeds.

To get started with Tracfone BYOP, you will visit this Tracfone page and check that your phone is compatible by entering your ZIP code and MEID/ESN. Following the steps, you will be prompted to buy an activation kit, which will give you a SIM card and Network Access Code.

Additionally, you can go over to SaveonTracfone.com and buy the Activation kit there. You can choose between the 4G LTE and 3G kits, and it might be a few dollars cheaper.

Most users are reporting a quick and painless process, but you should be prepared if something doesn't work right, and you need to make a phone call to customer service.

Phone Requirements and Activating on Tracfone BYOP

Activation Card for 4G LTE

The requirements for what kind of phone can be activated with 4G service on Tracfone seems a little more straightforward than before. You need a device that is compatible with Verizon 4G LTE, which includes a wide variety of top of the line devices. It also needs a clean ESN, which means it can't be in contract, or stolen.

A 4G LTE device will need a SIM card to connect with Tracfone, and this will come with your activation kit. On a side note, once you have activated a Verizon compatible 4G LTE device, you can take the SIM and move it to many other devices that would not be able to activate on their own. Not all the details are clear on this, but many users are confirming switching between devices.

This could be very convenient for those who want to have a backup device, since you could just buy another phone, and then switch the SIM card to it if you ever needed to.

To activate your phone, make sure you have the 4G LTE activation kit (or start by getting it, which will be mailed to you in about a day) and then proceed through the steps on the Tracfone website or by calling Tracfone.

To review, here are the steps:

1. Get a 4G LTE compatible smartphone that runs on Verizon and has a clean ESN (is not on contract or stolen) and test it on the Tracfone BYOP website.

2. Follow the steps on Tracfone and purchase your Activation kit (SIM card) and Network Access Code. The SIM card will be mailed to you. You can Also purchase this through SaveOnTracfone.com.

3. Activate your 4G device only at Tracfone.com or over the phone.

If you have thoughts or questions on this process, check out the comments below.

Where to Find Phones for Tracfone BYOP

You need a 4G LTE capable device that is for Verizon service (CDMA) to use it with Tracfone BYOP. Fortunately, there are many different phone options, and many different retailers to choose from. Used or new will work, as long as they are not currently under contract.

One of the cheapest and easiest places to find phones is online. You can quickly browse many different options and price points, as well as used, new and refurbished. Follow the links below to get started and see some of the options. Once you have a certain phone in mind, you can search for that device.

Search for Verizon 4G LTE phones on Amazon

Search for Verizon 4G LTE phones on eBay

There are many more retailers to search including Newegg, BestBuy and more.

To get some ideas, and for a full list of compatible phones for both 3G and 4G LTE, visit our Tracfone BYOP page.

We hope this covers the exciting news about Tracfone's slow expansion into 4G LTE and hope that they will also add support for 4G on GSM networks.

Please let us know if we missed anything, we strive to provide accurate and helpful information!

If you're interested in other phone options, visit our Cell Phone Reviews page which includes many Android devices like the LG Ultimate 2, which was our pick for the Best Tracfone Smartphone.

We have also created a list of the best Apps for Android with more than 40 great apps, almost all of which are free. I have found Clean Master App to be very handy for keeping my phone running well, and reducing wasted space.

Thanks for Visiting!

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Use the Moto G with Tracfone BYOP

How to Use the Moto G on Tracfone: A Guide by TracfoneReviewer

This Guide to using a Motorola, Moto G on the Tracfone BYOP program is put together by TracfoneReviewer with help from many visitors to this blog who shared their knowledge and experience.

Use the Moto G on Tracfone BYOP

The Moto G is a very popular mid-level smartphone widely available on many carriers, and unlocked. But wouldn't it be nice if such a solid Android phone were usable with Tracfone prepaid service? Well keep reading...

Tracfone is a prepaid, low cost cell phone and service provider. They offer minute cards with varying amounts of minutes, and cell phones to use the minutes with. 

In 2013, Tracfone first began offering Android powered smartphones for use on their prepaid network. Since then, they have continued to add new Android phones to the list of phones they offer. These Android phones are locked to Tracfone, and cannot be used with other providers. (See the full list of phones, with basic specs and features compared, on our Tracfone Android Phone List.)

And while the Android phones they offer are getting better, like the LG Ultimate 2 or Moto E, they still are a little behind, and have limited options.

And then came along the Tracfone BYOP program.

Introduction to Tracfone BYOP

The 'Bring Your Own Phone' program, or Tracfone BYOP, allows users to bring a wider variety of smartphones to use with Tracfone prepaid service. Phones are limited to only those that use Verizon 3G and 4G LTE, but this still offers some great possibilities, including the Motorola Droid 3, Samsung Fascinate, iPhone 4S and more. 

See the full list of phones, and all the details on the program, on our Tracfone BYOP page. And read all about using 4G LTE devices with Tracfone in our recent blog post.

These are pretty good phones, but not all of them have the latest operating systems, and some are a few years old. It would be nice to have a newer phone, with the latest OS and decent screen, with Tracfone's super low cost service. However, BYOP phones do receive Triple Minutes for Life which is nice.

The details on which phones work with Tracfone BYOP (beyond that it must be Verizon 3G and now also 4G LTE) are a little murky. And it doesn't help that Customer Service are notorious for giving out bad information and telling customers one phone won't work, when later it does end up working. 

But there were hopes for the Verizon branded 3G Moto G, which retails for just $100 (or less) and is for use with Verizon prepaid service. 

Now, multiple sources are confirming activating a Moto G on Tracfone, so we are sharing this information with you so that you can have the option of using the Moto G with Tracfone BYOP if you so desire.

What is the Moto G?

The Moto G is an Android powered smartphone created by Motorola while they were owned by Google (Motorola is now owned by Lenovo)

The Moto G has a first and second generation, but we will be talking only about the first generation Moto G which was released in 2013. The newer Moto G (2nd gen) which was released in Sept. 2014, does not work with Tracfone at this time.

The Moto G (1st Gen) is a workhorse kind of phone that does the daily tasks efficiently and painlessly. It has a 4.5" IPS display with Gorilla Glass 3 protection that is stunning, especially when compared to more expensive phones. It features front and rear cameras, with flash and autofocus on the rear 5 MP camera.

Let's take a quick look at the list of specs for the Moto G:

Moto G Specs and Features

The Moto G has a number of features that are somewhat similar to the Tracfone LG Ultimate 2, with several noticeable improvements.

Moto G Front and Back

• Latest Android OS - Currently 4.4.4
• 4.5" IPS Touchscreen (720x1280)
• 5 MP Rear Camera, 1.3 MP Front Camera
• Quad-Core 1.2 Ghz Processor
• Adreno 305 Graphics
• 1 GB RAM
• 8 GB Internal Memory
• Micro USB and 3.5mm headphone slots
• GPS
• FM Radio
• Battery Talk time 24 hours
• See even more specs at GSMArena.

A couple of key features that put the Moto G ahead of any of Tracfone's current phones are the processor, Internal Memory, Battery Life, Operating System, and Touchscreen.

The processor is a powerful quad-core 1.2 Ghz Cortex A7, a multitasking champ that runs well with the 1 GB of RAM. Internal Memory is 8 GB (some have 16) which is 4 GB more than current Tracfone devices, and is enough space to load all the apps you want.

The touchscreen is beautiful, and has plenty of resolution for this kind of price. The Moto G's battery is amazing, and can easily last two full days with moderate to low use. Surprisingly, the phone also charges very quickly. The long batter life isn't due to a large battery, but to the processor and other power-saving features.

Lastly, the Moto G will be getting Android 5.0 when it comes out, which none of Tracfone's other smartphones will get (except perhaps the Moto E). If you want the latest Android OS, the Moto G has you covered.

The Camera on the Moto G is fine, but doesn't really stand out, and can't compete with high-end devices like an iPhone 6 or Nexus 6. If you want a fantastic phone camera experience, you can buy these phones and use them with the 4G LTE service on Tracfone.

Finally, the fit and form of the Moto G is nice and comforting, giving the user a feeling of sturdyand ergonomic  construction.

Well, as you probably guessed, we are pretty big fans of the Moto G because of two key points: Price and Quality. For the money, there is probably no better phone currently available (besides the 2nd gen Moto G of course). But enough about the phone, time to share exactly how to get a Moto G working with Tracfone!

How to Use the Moto G on Tracfone BYOP

Now that you are familiar with what the Moto G offers, and what the Tracfone BYOP program is, we are going to share exactly how to get the Moto G to run on Tracfone BYOP. Note, there is no guarantee that a particular Verizon Moto G will work with Tracfone, but if you have the patience and are willing to take a risk, it is possible.

Step 1 - Find a used or refurbished Verizon (or pageplus) Moto G (1st Gen) on Amazon, eBay or elsewhere. The phone needs to have been used on Verizon prepaid for at least 6 months (we have not confirmed this, but it appears to be the case).

• Verizon Moto G on Amazon $50-105 or This One - look for used or refurbished 
• Verizon Moto G on eBay $50-120 or try This One - look for used or refurbished

Verizon Moto G

Step 2 - Go to Tracfone's BYOP page and enter the ESN/IMEI/MEID and follow the steps to register it, which includes a $10 activation charge. Note, this is the step that you might have the most difficulty getting through, as phones on Tracfone BYOP seem to be required to have been used on Verizon for a certain time, but no longer be active. If your phone fails the first time, you can try calling customer service, but that can be a challenge. Best advice from users is to have patience, and keep trying.

Step 3 - Once registered, log into your Tracfone account on the Tracfone website and choose "Transfer my Number and Service from One Tracfone to Another" and follow the steps there.

Step 4 - Your Moto G should be active in a few hours, or up to 24 hours. If it doesn't become active, you may have to call customer service to sort things out.

And now you have a Moto G active on Tracfone BYOP! This step by step guide was originally provided by an anonymous Tracfone user for TracfoneReviewer to share here. Thanks anonymous user!

Be sure to leave questions, thoughts and your experiences in the comments.

User Comments, Reports and First Hand Experiences

We want to share some of the comments and first hand experiences below for your convenience.

From Anonymous on Nov 4th, 2014:

Update on:November 2, 2014 at 3:38 PM My Moto G came today and I am on Tracfone, no problems and did it on-line too. This is a fantastic phone clear picture loud sound and it is like greased lightning. $9.99 for BYOP transfer and if you have an account just pick transfer you number to new phone. Look for Moto G refurbished and Verizon and Page Plus, clean ESN and right now going for less than $70.00 on Amazon. What a buy! Now it is learn how to operate this baby!

From Anonymous on Oct 18th, 2014:

Unlocked post paid verizon Moto G worked no problem. I am guessing this phone was flashed by ebay seller. It was advertised as being good for "PagePlus" also

From Anonymous on Oct 12th, 2014:

so all statements are not true to all extent i bought a new droid x2 "mb870"? no contract phone witch according to this post wont work anyway my steps to make it work step one set up with tracfone this alone wont work it will get activated to your account but the phone will not go through the activation to get that to work i had to call the (Verizon prepaid activation number "number" when i did this i received my telephone number (to let you know at this point i was completely pissed with tracfone and was just going to go to Verizon) when i got my number i thought at first it was a Verizon# so i went to the verizon site and entered the number but it said it wasn't a verizon number so i called back the tracfone support they said this is a tracfone number my best guess is that when i called the verizon act number it sent the unlock code well after a few min with tracfone the phone works.

The last comment, while a little hard to understand, seems to indicate that it may be possible, in a roundabout way, to activate new Verizon phones with Tracfone if you follow the right steps.

We hope this information, and the comments and input provided by anonymous users, will help you be able to activate a Moto G on Tracfone, if you so desire. Be sure to let us know how it goes, by leaving a comment below.

Be sure to visit our Tracfone BYOP page where there is lots of general information, and a lot of user comments. Also visit our Cell Phone Reviews page if you are looking for a new phone, but may want an easier route than the BYOP program. The Moto E is a great option, with somewhat reduced features compared to the Moto G, but still a solid phone.

We also share Tracfone Promo Codes each month, but unfortunately these codes don't work on Android phones.

If you're curious about how minutes work with smartphones, read our guide, How Minutes Work on Tracfone Android Phones. : D

Thanks for visiting! We will continue to update this as information becomes available. Keep up to date with us by following on Facebook!

Additionally, you can find a new Verizon Moto G on www.frys.com and use promo code 4397819 to get it for $48. But you may have to use it on Verizon prepaid for a few months before it will work on Tracfone. Thanks C. P. for the tip!

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Bring Your Own Smartphone to Tracfone

Bring Your Smartphone to Tracfone

Tracfone 'Bring Your Own Phone' Program

A new program from Tracfone allows consumers to bring certain smartphones to use with Tracfone prepaid service.

A year or so back Tracfone somewhat quietly launched their BYOP program, allowing access for consumers to a wide variety of new phones beyond the Tracfone branded devices.

A long standing complaint with Tracfone for many users was their typically outdated and limited phone options. Tracfone released five Android powered smartphones in 2013, but these phones didn't meet everyone's needs. The LG Optimus Dynamic II was the most popular, but still has certain drawbacks, and retails for close to $100.

But now with Tracfone BYOP, the game has changed. You can choose from a wide variety of Android and Apple smartphones and bring them to use with Tracfone service.

There are certain requirements for the BYOP program:

• Phone must use Verizon CDMA 3G network or 4G LTE (Tracfone recently added 4G LTE)
• Phone must be out of contract or unlocked

See the complete list of BYOP requirements to learn more.

What this does is make it possible to use phones like the Motorola Droid 3 and iPhone 4S with Tracfone 3G prepaid service and phones like the iPhone 6, Samsung Galaxy S5, and LG G2 with Tracfone 4G LTE service.

Visit our BYOP Phone List for the full updated phone list.

Many of the phones that will work with the Tracfone BYOP program can be found on Amazon or eBay for around $100 new, or below $50 used (except the higher end 4G devices). Some people have already found really great deals on smartphones and successfully activated them with Tracfone.

It is important to note that the BYOP program might not be for everyone. It does require you to find and buy your own phone, and there is no guarantee that once you have a phone Tracfone will accept it. BYOP phones will have Triple Minutes, but they won't accept Tracfone Promo Codes.

You can test the serial number or MEID with Tracfone to check compatibility by visiting their BYOP page.

The system is still new, and some people report having a hard time activating their smartphone. Some have even had their minutes or phone number lost. So know that it might take a bit of patience to activate your smartphone.

We have a full blog post sharing more details about using a 4G LTE device with Tracfone BYOP, so go take a look.

We would appreciate any feedback from those who have successfully activated phones with BYOP. Let us know in the comments what phone you chose, and how the process went.

Visit our Tracfone BYOP page for the central resource on information, requirements, and phones that work with BYOP.

Thanks for visiting, and leave a comment if you have questions or thoughts.

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