Wally Mart-Laconia

[NoBozo]

Kudos to MATT in the Electronics Dept. I just bought my FIRST Cell Phone in Wally Mart-Conway. (A TracFone). I freely admit I had problems with talking to the "Computer" during activation. SO: The activation failed. It could not be reversed.

We were vacationing in the Wolfeboro area. We decided to go to Wally-Mart Laconia during a drive around the lake to see if they could help....hopefully saving a trip back to Conway.

MATT went through the whole routine talking to someone on landline to resolve the activation problem ...with a phone I had bought elsewhere. He resolved the problem....going through all the phones functions with the "Other End". Just to make sure everything was alright..he asked the "Other End" to call him back on the phone in question...just to make sure EVERYTHING worked. The ringer was faulty...not loud enough to be heard.

He recommended an upgrade (+10 bucks) because of the unavailibility of a direct replacement for my "old" phone in HIS store. I said OK. He went through the whole activation thing again..including "Transfer" of information from the old phone to the new phone.

Before I had arrived at his store I had spent quite a bit of time talking with...Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Philipines..and maybe even India. Youv'e probably been there. MATT had patience that you would not believe.

I understand that MATT probably didn't have to talk to INDIA...But his patience with this task was remarkable anyhow.

My Newest TracFone worked every place I tried it around the lake as well as at home in Rhode Island. I think TracFone uses cell towers from ALL the major providers...giving coverage even better than any ONE provider.

Kudos again to MATT at Wally Mart-Laconia. NB

EDIT: I forgot to mention..the new TracFone Model thet Matt recommended gives DOUBLE Minutes every time I add minutes...for the life of the phone.

[pops]

Trac phones are all I have ever used. Mine has worked in the middle of nowhere in northern Maine when no other phones in our group would work. When you add minutes next time do it on your cell phone it is a breeze.

Pop's

[fatlazyless]

3-cheers for Matt....way-to-go Wallyworld-Laconia....oops....make that Wallyworld-Gilford....and just to say that both the Wal-Mart and the nearby Laconia Airport are both located 100% in Gilford. Lowe's is 100% in Gilford, too.

So, what-o-what is the #1 best store that's located in Laconia? The Saint Vincent de Paul store, next to the now under construction McDonald's is Laconia's best store; tape cassettes for 25-cents & Sony or Panasonic boom boxes for five-dollars, Marantz tape cassette tape decks for 20-dollars. Go build a world class cassette collection for short money! Complete set of golf clubs & bag for 20-dollars!

It all happens on every Tuesday at 10-am, when they open the store for a new week! Go feed your need for more stuff......aaarrrrooooo!

[NoBozo]

Well, we really liked the Tracfone LG 290c that Matt sold us. We got back to RI and a week later decided to get another one for my wife. No Problen...Goto any WallyMart...right..? WRONG: We drove ALL OVER Southeastern New England..(RI, CT and South Eastern MA.) on a bright and sunny Sunday ride stopping at Rite Aid, Radio Shack, CVS, Cumberland Farms, ..etc..they all carry Tracfone...but NOT the LG 290c.

No problem..we go for a Sunday ride anyhow. Then we started to make phone calls to Wally-Marts...Nashua..Manchester.......No Go.. Laconia/Gilford..BINGO.

You will not believe: We drove up to Gilford, NH from RI the next day..3 hours each way to buy a $30. cell phone. Nobody (other than Tracfone) carries the LG 290c....except "Strait Talk"..which is a "Plan" designed for people who like to talk a lot..NOT Us. BTW: Tracfone and Straight Talk/Net 10 seem to be the same company..just different plans. NB

PS: Not that it matters..we are both Over 65....Old Coots.

PPS: I think certain cell phone models offered..are offered "Regionally".

[Argie's Wife]

We used to use Tracfones and I thought you could get them online?

[fatlazyless]

So, you like that LG290c do you. Well, about one mile away, over in Laconia, the Saint Vincent dePaul store had a tracphone 400-minute card for just ten dollars! Plus, while I was there, I backed the old Chevy up to their food pantry building, and loaded up on Uncle Ben's rice and some Great Value brand tunafish with the old labels, and it was totally free. Even Wal-Mart cannot beat that price!

After showing the Food Pantry people a copy of my Meredith property tax bill expect'n to get some sympathy, they all circled around like in a huddle, and no they did not sing any prayers for me, but they did throw a couple more tunas at me, as I drove outta there fast!

[songkrai]

Tracfone uses both GSM phones and CDMA phones. Depends on where you live or where you activate phone - the physical address. Yes, Tracfone does not own any towers - Tracfone rents "space" from most of the major cell companies.

Tracfone web site is the best for deals on new and refurbished Tracfones. Refurbished phones are often better than new phones. Certainly there are sales at Kh*ls, Wally Mart, etc.

Always get a phone that has double minutes for live. Always go online and looks for current 'coupon' codes - for free added minutes when you do add a minute card. Coupon codes are always listed online someplace - do a search. You will find many and always write down at least 2 as some have expired. But Tracfone is always adding new coupon codes.

To find out who your home carrier is look here:

LINK

Tracfone is not and never has been the least expensive way for cell phones. But for those who don't make many calls and do not want any contract - it is the best. Net10 and Straight Talk - are both owned by Tracfone. Straight Talk has unlimited talking plans that can be good for those that talk - all the time.

Tracfone is a company from South America. Tracfone Customer Service can be a challenge for some - as the CS agents - English is not their primary language. But if you do have to call CS - be patient and leave yourself plenty of waiting time.

[NoBozo]

The honeymoon is over. We've had the Second Tracfone since October 11. Thirty minutes after leaving the store in Gilford, we got our first bogus call. Over the following 14 days we got a dozen more calls from various numbers all over the country. Googling the numbers usually pointed to collection agencys or "number unknown", etc. If you get bogus calls on your phone, just Google the number and see if there has been any activity. Pages of "Posts" will show up almost every time. We NEVER answered the calls. Most of the victims posting, did answer the calls. We did however keep a list of the numbers.

This past Tuesday I drove down to a local (RI) Wally Mart and asked if they could call Tracfone and get the telephone number changed. They agreed without hesitation. The new number provided us with almost two days of silence. Good. We have not yet given the number to anyone.

The first call came Wednessday night at about 8:45 and I later determined it was probably just a "wrong number" as it was a local Auto Parts store.. Today my wife got two more calls at work which did prove to be collection agencys. Again she did not answer the calls. The phone is now turned OFF...the place she works does not allow cell phone use in the office and the ringer can still be heard even though the phone is in her purse.

Even though she doesn't answer, the bogus caller leaves a Text message or even a voice mail (which we don't have set up) which uses up minutes. BTW: Leaving the phone OFF all the time does no good, because as soon as you turn the phone ON later..the messages pop up.

Maybe I can sell the phone on ebay for a buck. NB

[Argie's Wife]

Not sure if you can do this, but is there a way the phone can be programmed to only accept calls from your contact list?

Just wondering...

[songkrai]

If Tracfone doesn't work for you then switch to Verizon pre-paid or any of the other pre-paid cell phones.

Yes you can sell it on eB*y. People do purchase them for the SIM cards and ship them overseas. That is why there is a restriction on the number of Tracfones one can purchase.

[NoBozo]

Originally Posted by Argie's Wife

Not sure if you can do this, but is there a way the phone can be programmed to only accept calls from your contact list?

Just wondering...

There may be, but I haven't found it yet. The "Users Manual" that came with the phone does not address anything technical, and manuals on line are only a one page copy of what came in the box. The only thing I am able to do is hunt and peck through the phones menus....and try to use an old engineers Logic. There are a couple of items that are still foreign to me that someone familiar with cell phones probably would already know about,....BUT: I Wikipedia or Google it and low and behold I have more info that I can read in my retirement.

My wife came home today with the phone and I "Had A Look". Apparently she inadvertantly answered the first (of 2 calls 20 minutes apart..diferent numbers) by pushing "something". This phone is a "Slider"...and her hand is not as big as mine and .....well....buttons get pushed by accident.

I am optimistic that this problem will go away if we just ignore it for awhile. After all, we get calls all the time on landline ...to the answering machine...which we never answer.. that never leave a message. We don't have Caller ID so we are never presented with......Who The Hell is this... and why are they calling.

Even as I type this..I just got a call on the Land Line..probably a Political Pollster or something. I didn't pick up. NB

[NoBozo]

Originally Posted by pondguy

have you concidered registering your number with national do not call list 1-888-382-1222......worth a try, and maybe RI has a do not call registery also.

YUP: We put the last number on Do Not Call but it takes 30 days for it to take effect so there was not enough time before we "upgraded" to a new number.

I think I'll do the same for this number as well. The problem is: The Scammers and Collection Agencys don't give a poop about NO STINKIN LIST. NB

I'm gonna remain optimistic..until the NEXT call comes through. NB

[Greene's Basin Girl]

Originally Posted by NoBozo

YUP: We put the last number on Do Not Call but it takes 30 days for it to take effect so there was not enough time before we "upgraded" to a new number.

I think I'll do the same for this number as well. The problem is: The Scammers and Collection Agencys don't give a poop about NO STINKIN LIST. NB

I'm gonna remain optimistic..until the NEXT call comes through. NB

I am on a do not call list and I still get those annoying calls.

[NoBozo]

HER Phone: It's been two years. My wifes phone continued to produce collection calls. SO we turned OFF the phone ALL the time except when she was using it. Any incoming calls to her phone would meet with a stone wall. "The number you have called is not available. Voice mail has not been set up".

That seems to have worked. After a year and a half of this Phone Off routine...the crank calls have dried up. now we can leave the phone ON.

MY Phone: My phone has had an Excellent number. NO CRANK or Collection calls for two years. Silent.

Last week..My phone reverted to as though ..."UnActivated" all by itself. I had 780+ minutes and 23 days to go. I went around to my local Wal-Marts and Radio Shacks to see if they could FIX this. Blank Looks. Nobody was interested in helping me.

SO: Being as we were on "Staycation" this year and just doing daytrips..we descided to take a three hour ride (One Way) to the Gilford Wally-Mart (From RI) to see if MATT could fix my phone. Matt is till there, but had the day off when we got there so BONNIE took on the task. In ten minutes the phone was fixed.

Whoo Wooo. I can't say enough about the Service from the Gilford (Electronics Dept) Wally-Mart..and BONNIE. Thanks Bonnie. NB

[NHBUOY]

There is a special place in Heaven for the people who sell & set-up cell-phones.
It can be a tiring, unthankful job. Glad you found people who can do it with competence and a smile on their face. Happy Trac-king.