TracFone roaming problem

[PeterT]

I have a Motorola v120 phone and my local calling area is Michigan's Upper Peninsula. On TracFone's web site the western part of Lower Michigan is an extended digital local area. As soon as I cross the Mackinaw Bridge my phone shows roaming, which is OK. But, if I try and make a call I get a recording saying something like - "this is american roaming network" and language to the effect that there will be a connection and per minute fee and would I enter my credit cart number. I was surprised to be able to make calls without a problem in the Lansing, MI area. TracFone says use network setting and set the phone to 'digital preferred', but this hasn't cleared up my problem.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[Gamer03]

Welcome to WA, PeterT.

It sounds to me like TracFone might have changed their roaming agreement.

I have also received that message when I was in Wisconsin a couple of years ago with my old provider (Cingular TDMA). Did you try to redial after you received that message, and see if it did it again? Sometimes, if you redial, it clears up the problem (you could have been picking up another roaming partner that you normally don't pick up).

Have you had this problem before in this area?

[Andy]

Seems like TracFone might have ended a roaming agreement they might have had active in the past. There's not a hole lot you can do other than calling customer care and complaining, or opening a trouble ticket, especially if the coverage map shows it covered.

[strunke]

Isn't this your coverage?

[budone]

I think the phone may be set up incorrectly.

Just this week a buddy of mine finally used his TracFone and he has the LP
Western MI plan and he is able to call from the UP without a hitch. And also called from just below the bridge also.

I do see some rate plans for the UP that cover JUST the UP.

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by strunke Isn't this your coverage?

This is my coverage area, and the location I try and place a call from is in the green area in the lower peninsula (Big Rapids-Reed City area).

[PeterT]

I have this problem every time I travel to the Lower Peninsula. Which has been a half dozen times or so.

[strunke]

Well, I'm not an expert or anything but there may be something wrong with your phone. Or maybe the PRL in it? Maybe even try turning it off then back on again when you reach that area next time. It actually shouldn't be roaming along there, they are running on Alltel's towers everywhere were it is green....If there is something wrong with your phone I would get a hold of TracFone and see if they can update it remotely. Or possibly they will transfer the minutes and your number over to another TracFone if you bought another one. If you bought it within the last 30 days try and return it. But again I'm not an expert on it.....

You could create a case for it with tech support.....

http://tracfone.com/case_select_acti...k=tech_support

Also, I will be driving to Marquette from Kalamazoo around the 3rd or 4th of November, I'll see if the tracfone that my family and I have does the same thing, although its the Nokia not the Motorola, but I don't think that that will matter both are CDMA technology.

[Andy]

If it's a CDMA TracFone, won't *228 work to load a new PRL into the phone or does TracFone do it differently?

[strunke]

Yep you are right, *228 will update Tracfones PRL...that would probably be the first thing to try, but he won't know if it worked until he travels to that spot again....

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by strunke Yep you are right, *228 will update Tracfones PRL...that would probably be the first thing to try, but he won't know if it worked until he travels to that spot again....

When do I call *228? When I'm in my local area or when I next travel to the LP? Thanks

[omni]

dial *228 when you are in a digital non-roaming area. I recommend dialing this at least once a month.

[Andy]

So TracFone does change roaming agreements quite often then? I thought they have the largest roaming area or something in America, offering their customers to use their phones in more places than any other carrier...why would they drop roaming agreements then?

[omni]

It might not be a case of them dropping a contract, I've been told that lately they were losing their contracts. In my part of Iowa, US Celluar was allowing TracFone to use their towers as part of their service area. But now US Celluar is bringing their own prepaid service to my part of Iowa, so when TracFone's contract was up they couldn't renew.

[Andy]

So now TracFone users have no network to use their service on in that part of Iowa?

[strunke]

Yeah just dial #228, it doesn't matter where you are as long as you aren't roaming. Then an automated message should say press 2 to update roaming list....just wait until it says it is done updating and then hang up. It will probably give you no bars at first if you wait a few minutes they will come back. But if you don't want to wait turn the phone off and back on again. Also, my Moto v710 actually had a thing pop up on the screen asking if I want to start activiation before it goes to the automated message. Just select yes on the screen if it happens with the V120....

[EdwardP]

Originally Posted by PeterT I have a Motorola v120 phone and my local calling area is Michigan's Upper Peninsula. On TracFone's web site the western part of Lower Michigan is an extended digital local area. As soon as I cross the Mackinaw Bridge my phone shows roaming, which is OK. But, if I try and make a call I get a recording saying something like - "this is american roaming network" and language to the effect that there will be a connection and per minute fee and would I enter my credit cart number. I was surprised to be able to make calls without a problem in the Lansing, MI area. TracFone says use network setting and set the phone to 'digital preferred', but this hasn't cleared up my problem. Thanks for any suggestions.

I don't see a Motorola V120 on the TracFone web site, just the Motorola 120 (no V). The 120 that comes up for my area is a TDMA phone and it's possible that the roaming carrier which previously allowed your phone to work on it, may have discontinued TDMA service.

This might explain why your phone picked up ARN. Here is some information regarding ARN.

If your phone is CDMA though, you should call *228 while in your home service area.

[PeterT]

My phone is a Motorola 120t, which appears to be TDMA. Is this the root of my roaming problem. If I replace the phone with a CDMA one will this resolve the problem? My local TracFone carrier is Altell. How do I find out if CDMA is supported? TDMA must be since I can make calls without a problem from my local area. Hope I'm using the acronyms correctly.

[strunke]

Alltel is CDMA based, so it will be compatible. But in the area you are traveling Alltel must not support TDMA and CDMA, just CDMA, as TDMA is on the way out.
TracFone is selling cdma now, so you can get the Motorola V120c instead of t. If you do get a new phone. Other ones that have the same coverage would be the Motorola c343. It is CDMA and is a little more "cool" looking, haha....I believe they are $39.99 at Radio Shack right now which is less then TracFone offers. Another cdma is the Nokia 2285, Nokia 5180, Motorola v60i, Nokia 2126. All of those have the same larger coverage area.

Of course you don't have to go to Radio Shack but they seem to have the best prices when it comes to these....
Moto 120c: $9.99
http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2117953

You may want to call and see if they have the phone you want first. They are not always in stock.
Here is the closest one that I could find according to the radio shack website
SOUNDS & MOTION
906-482-4445
1208 W MEMORIAL DR
HOUGHTON , MI

[EdwardP]

Originally Posted by PeterT My phone is a Motorola 120t, which appears to be TDMA. Is this the root of my roaming problem. If I replace the phone with a CDMA one will this resolve the problem? My local TracFone carrier is Altell. How do I find out if CDMA is supported? TDMA must be since I can make calls without a problem from my local area. Hope I'm using the acronyms correctly.

TDMA is being phased out in some areas, being replaced with GSM. The fact that you have a TDMA phone, may be the root cause. TDMA may have been turned off by the carrier TracFone contracts with.

[Andy]

Originally Posted by EdwardP TDMA is being phased out in some areas, being replaced with GSM. The fact that you have a TDMA phone, may be the root cause. TDMA may have been turned off by the carrier TracFone contracts with.

I haven't really heard of a carrier already shutting down TDMA- carriers just don't service it anymore and tend to take as much spectrum away from TDMA as possible, making it's quality deteriorate fast, but it shouldn't just send you to the ARN. You obviously got a TDMA signal, otherwise you wouldn't even have been sent to the ARN...I'm a little confused myself.

[EdwardP]

In reading the information regarding ARN, they allow "unregistered" phones to connect to their network which requires a credit card to make a call.

It's also possible that none of the major carriers had any working TDMA towers in the area, or his phone could not register anywhere, so it locked onto ARN instead. I read somewhere that TDMA phones were supposed to update its information automatically over the air.

*228 only works with CDMA phones.

[budone]

I know TracFone may contract with other companies, but I travel that area quite often and Alltel has service the entire trip and it is rock solid. So if they contract with Alltel, it should work. (I have not been in the NE part of the lower peninsula)

I do not drop off to Analog until I cross the bridge and head down M-123 towards Trout Lake.