Tracfone versus Other Prepaid

[LAST2BUY]

In some of the other forums, I gather Tracfone does not come highly recommended.

Has anyone had any experience with Tracfone in the south (rural and city)?

From what I can see on their web site, Tracfone has fairly good
"extended digital" home/non-roaming coverage in the southeast.

I live in Memphis, and Tracfone says a TMDA phone is required.
One concern is whether or not TMDA will gradually disappear in
many areas over the next few months or years.

On a related matter, Verizon says this about voice mail:

" ..... Voice mail setup, deposits and retrievals are billed at regular
Verizon Wireless PREPAY rates and will deplete minute allowance.
If a caller reaches or leaves a message on your Voice Mail, it
will deplete your minutes even if your Voice Mail has not been
activated....."

I'm not sure of the difference in "setup" and "activated".

Can you purchase a Verizon prepaid phone and time, without
using/wanting voice mail ..... to prevent time being depleted?

Thanks,

William

[SQFreak]

Once your Verizon Wireless prepay plan is activated, you can call Verizon Wireless Customer Service and deactivate voice mail.

[axvx8xoxr]

Verizon's pre-pay is called FreeUp, right?

[LAST2BUY]

Verizon has a web site www.freeup.com. but the pre-paid rates differ from Verizon's site
(www.verizonwireless.com) for pre-paid rates:

Freeup Pre-Paid Rates:

weekday minutes: 30 cents @ minute
night & weekend minutes: 15 cents @ minute

(go to freeup.com --- show drop down list under shop -- select PAYUP FRONT --- scroll down past
phones and look for FREEUP RATES)



Verizon Pre-Paid Rates:

25 cent connect fee on each call (I guess in-coming as well as out-going)
anytime minutes: 10 cents @ minute

http://www.verizonwireless.com/ics/plsql/prepay.intro

[LAST2BUY]

Correction to Verizon Wireless Pre-Paid Rates:


Verizon Pre-Paid Rates:

25 cent connect fee on each call (I guess in-coming as well as out-going)

anytime minutes: 10 cents @ minute after first minute

first minute: 35 cents for 1 minute (I'm not sure if this applies to every call, or
for only the first call each day ..... too much info to absorb from all the various
pre-paid plans)

http://www.verizonwireless.com/ics/plsql/prepay.intro