TracFone - how to choose technology?

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Chris S - 15 Jun 2004 21:20 GMT

I just posted a question about international calling, but then saw
lots of posts about TracFone. I think I'll get my friend a TracFone.

But - when I go to their website, they don't talk about the underlying
technology/network, just ask for zip code.

My friend is planning to use her phone in the LA area (mostly) and a
bit of travel to Grand Canyon, Bryce, Las Vegas.

My hunch is, a CDMA phone is going to serve her better ... so how do I
get a TracFone with CDMA internals (that is, one that will work on
Verizon's network)? When I punch in various zip coes, I keep coming
up with GSM phones. I guess I could enter a zip code for a known
'cdma preferred' area ... ?

Thanks!
For email, send to chris at panties domain dot com
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Joseph - 16 Jun 2004 00:17 GMT

>My hunch is, a CDMA phone is going to serve her better ... so how do I
>get a TracFone with CDMA internals (that is, one that will work on
>Verizon's network)? When I punch in various zip coes, I keep coming
>up with GSM phones. I guess I could enter a zip code for a known
>'cdma preferred' area ... ?

Tracfone uses CDMA, TDMA (IS-136) and GSM in different parts of the
US. You do not have any choice what technology you get. If you sign
up for Tracfone service in your area you'll get whatever's used in
your area. Usually that's either CDMA or TDMA depending on where you
are and there are a couple of areas where you'll get GSM. It's
whoever Tracfone has gotten their service from and that's probably
AT&T, cingular, Verizon, Primeco or whoever a large local carrier is.
If you go to an area where the regular digital service does not exist
you'll use analog if you have CDMA or TDMA. If you're in a GSM area
and there's no local GSM carrier that's contracted with the company
you won't have any service at all.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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Chris S - 16 Jun 2004 01:34 GMT

>>My hunch is, a CDMA phone is going to serve her better ... so how do I
>>get a TracFone with CDMA internals (that is, one that will work on
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>and there's no local GSM carrier that's contracted with the company
>you won't have any service at all.

On their website, they ask you to enter the zipcode 'where you will
primarily be using the phone' (or words to that effect). So ... I
guess I just need to know the zip code for a zone where they will
supply a CDMA phone, then.

When I entered my local zip code (SF Bay area) and a zip code for LA,
and a Zip code for Arizona, I got the same phone selection (mainly
nokias with two motorola's, all GSM).

Given that she'll be traveling in less-populated areas, I'd prefer
CDMA or TDMA, not GSM.

Thanks.
For email, send to chris at panties domain dot com
remove panties, and replace domain with attbi

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JoshIII - 16 Jun 2004 03:04 GMT

Motorola(s) offered by TracFone are either CDMA/Analog or TDMA/Analog.
None of the Motorolas are GSM.

What models does she have to choose from so we can tell ya what the
technologies they use are?

I would recommend using the zipcode where your gf will be statying or living
or home zip. That way her local friends won't have to dial long distance to
get her on her TracFone.

Hope this helps!

JoshIII
upstate south carolina
josh3i@hotmail.com
Activating a TracFone soon? Ask me for a referral, and receive an
additional 100 free minutes! TracFone uses Verizon, Alltel, Cingular and
Suncom networks just to name a few

> On their website, they ask you to enter the zipcode 'where you will
> primarily be using the phone' (or words to that effect). So ... I
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> For email, send to chris at panties domain dot com
> remove panties, and replace domain with attbi

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Chris S - 16 Jun 2004 20:06 GMT

Thanks ... I found that, if you follow the links to the user guides to
the phones, you can figure out their technology. The Nokia 1221 is
TDMA/analog; nokia 5100 TDMA/ana; nokia 2285 CDMA; Motorola l120 CDMA;

Motorola v60 - not sure ... certainly has analog capability but
doesn't say CDMA or TDMA (just says ..."The phone
operates in the frequency range of 824 MHz to 849 MHz in
analog and digital mode and 1850 MHz to 1910 MHz in digital
mode."). I'm pretty sure it's TDMA.

Anyway, she's going to be in LA to begin with, but then driving to
Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Las Vegas, Bishop, Yosemite ... etc. This
suggests to me a TDMA or CDMA phone with analog backup is still going
to be useful! Not sure which is better for those particular areas
though. I have personally had good results with my TDMA/analog phone
in those areas; can't speak for CDMA but would guess pretty good.
Maybe I just go for TDMA/ana. So ... If I want to 'work the system'
to get TracFone to give me a TDMA phone, can anyone suggest a way to
make sure that happens?

Thanks!

>Motorola(s) offered by TracFone are either CDMA/Analog or TDMA/Analog.
>None of the Motorolas are GSM.
[quoted text clipped - 30 lines]
>> For email, send to chris at panties domain dot com
>> remove panties, and replace domain with attbi

To email me, remove panties.

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Chris S - 16 Jun 2004 21:34 GMT

And since I started this, I'll document what I found in case someone
stumbles across it via google a century from now ...;)

Nokia 1221 - TDMA/analog
Nokia 5100 - TDMA/analog
Nokia 2285 - CDMA/ (no reference to analog, even in battery life
section)
Motorola 120 - CDMA/?
Motorola V60 - ???/Analog (guessing TDMA)
Nokia 1100 - GSM 1900/850
Nokia 3390 - GSM 1900

Also ... are the Nokia GSM's locked to TracFone? Can they be easily
unlocked?

>Thanks ... I found that, if you follow the links to the user guides to
>the phones, you can figure out their technology. The Nokia 1221 is
[quoted text clipped - 54 lines]
>
>To email me, remove panties.

chris@panties.attbi.com
To email me, remove panties.

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JoshIII - 16 Jun 2004 23:03 GMT

Definitely stay away from GSM technology phones for that trip including
Nokia 1100 and Nokia 3390 TracFones!

For LA zip codes only TDMA or GSM TracFone(s) are available for some reason.
TracFone has no CDMA offerings for LosAngeles, CA.

This map will give you an idea of the national coverage of TDMA/Analog
(800Mhz + 1900Mhz) on the Cingular network which 1221, 5125, v120t, v60it
TracFones use. Tiy can visualize California/Nevada coverage in the
TDMA+Analog realm:
http://onlinestore.cingular.com/html/Maps/Southeast/DCS/nation_GAIT_map_6_30_03.htm

There is effectively no difference in the Nokia 1221 and the Nokia 5125
coverage wise. Both are only TDMA800/Analog800 phones.

The Motorola v60i(t) is trimode TDMA800,TDMA1900,Analog800.
The Motorola v120t is trimode TDMA800,TDMA1900,Analog800.

None of the other TracFones available for Los Angeles zip codes are trimode.

Personally, I would recommend one of the the two trimode TracFones mentioned
above for your girl friends trip route. Unfortunately to get the v120 now
you have to get the year service card and the v60i is $100 by itself.

GoodLuck!

JoshIII
upstate south carolina
josh3i@hotmail.com
Activating a TracFone soon? Ask me for a referral, and receive an
additional 100 free minutes! TracFone uses Verizon, Alltel, Cingular and
Suncom networks just to name a few

> Thanks ... I found that, if you follow the links to the user guides to
> the phones, you can figure out their technology. The Nokia 1221 is
[quoted text clipped - 54 lines]
>
> To email me, remove panties.

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Chris S - 16 Jun 2004 23:28 GMT

Thanks for the info!

The map link you sent didn't work, but this one did:
http://onlinestore.cingular.com/html/Maps/Southeast/DCS/nation_GAIT_dcs.htm
(they support directory browsing so I was able to go 'up one level'!).

Regarding the Nokia's versus Motorola's - the Motorola's have the
addition higher frequency TDMA band - 1900. Now, I've never seen a
map that differentiates TDMA to this level. I have a 6360 (and before
that the 6160), which is tri-mode and *always* gets a signal it seems
(best darned phones I've ever owned, and the reason I'm sticking with
ATT's TDMA service). Works in the elevator, down to 3rd basement of
my building, 'everywhere'. But I've never known whether it's getting
an 800 or 1900 signal. So is that 1900 band widespread?

Are TracFone charging extra, do you think, because they know the
higehr band is very useful, or just because they are nicer phones?

BTW - on the Motorola 120 - the manual on hte website specifically
refers to CDMA; is there more than one '120' (you refer to V120, the
website only has '120').

chris@panties.attbi.com
To email me, remove panties.

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JoshIII - 17 Jun 2004 04:04 GMT

There aren't as many of the digital Motorola TracFones as there are digital
Nokia TracFones around because the digital Motorolas were added to the
TracFone lineup allot later than the digital Nokias.

There are two flavors of the Motorola v120 and two flavors of the v60i,
namely (1) TDMA/analog, (2) CDMA/analog.

The TracFone website will tell you which version (Example: v120t or v120c)
you are getting if you click on the model you want with the zip code you
want.

As for CDMA TracFones that have for their home carrier Verizon or Alltel,
the 1900 MHz (PCS) band isn't really that important because Verizon is 99+%
CDMA800 in the US anyways.

I'm not sure the same thing applies for TDMA. Cingular and AT&T have TDMA
and GSM in the same 850 MHz (Cellular) band, so the TDMA/GSM bands are
shared. To Cingular and AT&T, they also went looking up in the 1900 MHz
band for more call carrying capacity especially in large markets. So having
a 800+1900 MHz capable TDMA cellphone is more important for now than having
800+1900 MHz (dual band) capable CDMA phone. In other words nearly all the
CDMA carriers that support TracFone are in the CDMA800 band as it stands
today. Make sense?

This is why I think you're better off getting a trimode TDMA TracFone if
your local calling area for TracFone is TDMA..

If your TracFone market (local zip code) is CDMA, any TracFone with CDMA800
and Analog800 would be preferred.. The Nokia 2285 (CDMA800/CDMA1900/no
analog) is in my opinion less desirable right now than the Nokia 5180i
(CDMA800/Analog). Because there are still areas in Nevada and Wyoming that
are analog only and a Nokia 2285 would be worthless in those wilderness
areas, for example.

All this will change years out from now because the push is to scale back
and ultimately eliminate analog coverage and TDMA. What works or is
preferred today will not be whats best tomorrow or next year or 5 yrs from
now. Its all a conspiracy to sell more cellphones! :)

Last MAJOR point: How much talking will your gf be doing when she roaming?
Roaming rate for TracFone is twice the local rate and eats into minutes like
a California wildfire when roaming on a TracFone.

This is why I plan to soon buy a Nokia 1100 TracFone (GSM850/GSM1900) that
has a single rate with no roaming. I will use it when roaming, but will
keep my Nokia 5180i as rural area coverage backup.

Hope this helps!

JoshIII
upstate south carolina
josh3i@hotmail.com
Activating a TracFone soon? Ask me for a referral, and receive an
additional 100 free minutes! TracFone uses Verizon, Alltel, Cingular and
Suncom networks just to name a few

> Thanks for the info!
>
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> chris@panties.attbi.com
> To email me, remove panties.

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