FInally I think I understand how this works. However, nobody on tracfone ever once told me this. FIRST I need to go to store that sells tracfones. Then I need to buy something called an activation kit (they do not sell those on the tracfone site). THEN I can activate my phone. what a total run away....and I am exhausted...but at least thrilled that my new phone can be made to work....I hope. now I just have to figure out where to buy the activation kit. sigh!....thank you all for everything you have helped me with....

I called Verizon because that is what tracfone was telling me that my phone needs to work off of. The lady I spoke to said, the very nature of an unlocked phone is that it is unlocked....not connected to any one particular service plan and that there is no reason whatsoever why this phone shouldn't work in our area. All we need is a Verizon SIM card. She checked on her computer...she said this phone works with Verizon (which is what I thought too). So, I just went to a town 8 miles away (to take my daughter to work) and picked up a tracfone SIM card that says it works with the 2 largest and most dependable networks ...but it doesn't say which 2, so I have NO idea if it will work or not. I hope I figure this out...will anybody agree with the Verizon lady that any unlocked phone can become a phone that I can use...if I find the right SIM card? If so, then I will continue to keep working on this. thanks.

yes, I actually did that. I chatted with a rep and told them exactly what phone I was buying...my zipcode...the whole bit...and they told me what SIM card I needed....and now I find out that the phone I bought won't ever work in our area. So I have to return the phone....and now I have nothing better for our trip. My current phone is not working well at all...and I really was looking forward to having a new phone. but now it's too late...being Thursday....we are leaving on Sunday...and I live no where close to any store that might even be able to help me. I am so frustrated.

I bought a new phone, went on tracfone bought a SIM card. Phone and card came today...put the 2 together...doesn't work. Called tracfone and found out that this phone won't work in my area... I need a verizon phone...and I was under the understanding that this unlocked phone would work with verizon, at&t sprint and t-moble. but for some reason, I still really don't understand, this phone won't work in my area. we are leaving in a couple days for DC and i was really hoping for a better working phone...now it looks like that wont' happen. I am SO frustrated!!! I have wasted so much time on this...and now it's for nothing.

I was looking at a comparison chart...comparing the G5 plus, the 4 plus and the 4. a couple things stood out... 1) the g5 has a 12 MP camera, where as the 4 plus has a 16 MP (does that matter?) 2) the G5 has 2,3, or 4 RAM where as the 4 plus has 4 RAM (so I am assuming the more expensive G5 will have the same RAM as the G4 which I would guess is cheaper?) just trying to figure this out...thanks for all of the help!!!

just trying to learn here...what does this mean...and how is that done?

so how much memory does yours have (do you mean storage memory or RAM) and what is the amazon version "with ads" mean? I have never heard of that before.

I know I have asked over my allowed phone questions in the last couple days, but please I would really like to hear real people reviews on this phone. All I have read looks good, expect for the camera in darker places...so that might be a deal for me...but I am not sure. Please give me your opinions. thanks so much. I am hoping my phone research is coming to an end.

thank you for all of this advice, i greatly appreciate it.

my provider is Verizon, but I have a tracfone...how would I find out about getting an upgrade....I have never done that before. Can yo help me?

if you have pros and cons I would love to hear them. I am considering this one, but don't know about it. It seems pretty good... I am just a basic user...check email, facebook, take pictures, have a few apps for weather, E Oils, hangouts, fit bit, google maps, voice recording (kid's concerts mostly), of course phone and texting. No gaming or video watching. any and all thoughts are important to me. thanks. also, what are your opinions on buying unlocked phones from places like ebay or amazon. thanks.

the Samsung I currently own is a Galaxy core Prime...and i have no idea where that ranks with all of the other samsung phones.

it now appears that phone is sold out. And that was a good price too.

ok...just to see if I understand what you are saying... ROM is used to run the phone and RAM is used to store those items that don't go on an SD card? right? Now, is it true that you have to first have room in the ROM to add apps...even those that will go onto the SD card? ANd not all will go to an SD card..so then what? I am assuming that all of apps that come with the phone (and I dont' remember which those are...but surprsingly many...facebook, the google apps) don't those run only on ROM then? again, I am so sorry for my ignorance. It's not that I don't believe what you are saying, it's that I am still confused...and trying to understand. I don't know if you are frustrated with me(and I wouldn't blame you if you were)...but you come across as being very kind and patient...and for that, I am VERY grateful. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!

that one said that Verizon is not supported...and I found out that Verizon is the carrier of my current phone. Does that matter? I am so sorry that I am so dumb about this whole process. Maybe that is why I have had such bad luck with cell phones up to this point...seriously I have gone through 3 phones in about 4 1/2 years....some by choice...and some because the current one wasn't working right. I am fairly certain I don't know how to pick decent phones. thank you for helping through this process.... I just noticed too,, that it only has 3GB of memory...that isn't a lot for those things that don't go on a SD card....right?? (that was one of the reasons I went from phone 2 to phone 3....it only had 2GB....and this one has more....HOWEVER, frequently when I try to add an app, I get the message that there is no room to do that....even though I know there is.)

so, has anything changed? we will not be checking bags...just carry on luggage. What will we need to know about going through security...and anything else. We are headed to DC on Monday.

I don't know how to determine if a cell phone camera is good or not....before buying it that is. I understand that MP isn't always the deciding factor...so what it? currently my cell phone has 5MP. sometimes the pictures are blurry, but not always....maybe that is my fault too. Mostly all I want to do is take snap shots and put them in a Shutterfly book. Nothing too fancy...nor do I usually blow pictures up...maybe a few but only to a 8 x 10 size. SO....how do I pick phone with a camera to do that??

Good question. I spent about $110 for my current phone, which lasted about a year....I can't spend more than that for a yearly purchase of a phone....however if getting a better (more expensive phone) would last longer...then I might be able to consider that. I am considering one that is about $300 (on the tracfone site), but I am scared to buy it thinking that it won't last any longer than my $110 one. (it's the same brand....a Samsung).

for you guys who like Samsung. I currently have a Samsung...and I am having problems with it....even though it's not that old. I am scared to go with Samsung again.... however, maybe mine is a low end phone...and if I spend a bit more money will I not have the same problems that I am having now? the problems? sluggish, isn't responsive all of the time doesn't' always connect to a wifi (even though it's been connected there many times before...our home mostly...but all of our other devices....including my husband's very old and cheap smart phone does) the keyboard sticks....meaning...I try to type something....and it doesn't work (maybe that is part of sluggish) I send a text....and it can take FOREVER sometimes to actually send..... it drops facebook, my email, the weather app....often. the battery drains quickly....however, not always...most of the time..but there are random days where it doesn't...so I don't think it's a battery thing...but maybe it is... you recommended a S7.....is a S5 that much below a S7? What would be the difference? The only reason I ask is to learn....and there is a S5 on the tracfone site...but it's $300....and that is expensive for me...unless I can seriously keep it for more than a year....(I wonder if I can get it cheaper unlocked?) thanks for all of your help!!!!

my current cell phone carrier is Verizon. It is a tracfone. I plan to stay with tracfone. I just need to find a phone that will match up with Verizon...and then I can get a SIM card that will make it work in my area, right??? Needs to be fairly inexpensive....but I would love these features: Android removable battery SD card compatible decent camera (would love to be able to zoom, but that might be asking too much) fair amount of internal memory 5 inch screen or there abouts and since I know very little about cell phones...if there are other features that would be nice to have, I am open. please link me to some phones that I might like. thanks.

Thanks for asking. I am back to normal today.

thanks I will check that out. the link, however, only shows me which carriers I can use...and then I have to buy a SIM card and have a serial number to proceed. i will however, do a google search like you did...and see what happens.

I have way too much on there to wipe it out. (contacts alone is a lot of information)....the apps are easier to replace...except I have purchased some of them...so I am not sure about that. Oh, that is another question... if I get a new phone can I transfer any apps I bought to my new phone...or will I have to repurchase them?

I want to change phones. The one I have isn't working well. But if I wanted to bring in my own phone and not want to use one of the limited options offered on the tracfone website, how do I go about finding a phone that would work in my area? I have to enter in a serial number of a phone to see if it will work...but I would only have that if I actually owned the phone. So, how do I go about doing this? Is there a list someplace that I can find or what? thanks.

my current phone has a removable SIM card...so that makes it a GSM phone, right? Does that also tell me what carrier I use? or not.