What Is a Track Phone?

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Marketed under the brand name TracFone and owned by a company of the same name, the TracFone mobile telephone is offered on a pre-paid plan. Many people choose to use TracFones because of the lack of a contract as well as the availability of cellular service. TracFone is the leader in wireless prepaid services in the U.S.

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TracFone pre-paid phone services offer better service than other providers because they use the towers of other carriers to create a larger coverage area. Both national and major regional carriers rent airtime to the TracFone Company, allowing TracFone users to have coverage in various areas where other cell phone users may not be covered.

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Phones

TracFones are not limited to one brand and style of phone, but offer phones from many of the top cell phone manufacturers. LG, Motorola, Kyocera and Nokia phones can be programmed for use with as a TracFone. TracFone even offers popular phones like the Motorola RazR.

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Bill Options

There are three way of obtaining and adding usage minutes and service days to TracFones. The Pay As You Go plan is distinguished by the need to purchase cards that add minutes and days to the TracFone. Annual and monthly plans can also be used with TracFones, but without the hassle of contracts. Annual and monthly plans are also pay-as-you-go plans but without the need to remember to purchase additional minutes and days of service.

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Benefits

Along with no contracts, TracFone also offers a minute rollover feature that is beneficial to the experience of using TracFone service. If minutes are not used up before the days of service expire, the minutes will be rolled over to the next term of service. Minutes will not expire when days of service expire.

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Included Features

TracFone offers many of the features offered by other cell phone providers. Voicemail, caller id and call waiting come standard on all models of TracFone phones. Other features will be specific to the phone the TracFone user purchases. Possible features include speaker phone, downloadable ring tones and Bluetooth technology.

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Texting and Talking

Text messaging, or texting, may be included for free on certain services provided by TracFone. Other TracFone services may charge airtime units or talk minutes as the charge for text messages sent and received. Talk time is charged with units. Each minute spent on the line results in one used service unit. When roaming outside of the U.S., two units are typically charged per minute spent on the line.

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