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Tracfone Updated their Unlocking policy. Get unlocked sooner if you have a new phone

594 207 December 19, 2021 at 08:57 PM in Tech & Electronics (6)
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Last Edited by dimjim | Staff December 23, 2021 at 03:47 PM
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https://www.tfwunlockpolicy.com/wps/portal/home
It says:
For Customers with non-Apple devices: TracFone will provide an unlocking code to customers who request unlocking, provided they meet the following conditions:

If the TracFone device was activated with TracFone service prior to November 23, 2021, then the device must have been active on TracFone Service for no fewer than 12 months with Service Plans redeemed in no fewer than 12 months, and not have had their telephone number recycled or ported.
********* If the TracFone device was activated with new service on the Verizon network on or after November 23, 2021, then at least 60 days must have elapsed since the device was activated *********

Community Wiki

Last Edited by bluekiwi December 20, 2021 at 12:19 AM
Activated before Nov 23, 12 months service till unlock
Activated after Nov 23, 60 days service till unlock


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Joined Oct 2012
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> bubble2 619 Posts
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Rhilb11
12-20-2021 at 10:09 AM.
12-20-2021 at 10:09 AM.
I take it that you can activate the service, port out after a week, and still be able to unlock the phone after 60 days.

That would be really similar to what metro has except metro is 6 months.
3
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Joined Dec 2010
L3: Novice
> bubble2 373 Posts
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smergb
12-20-2021 at 11:35 AM.
12-20-2021 at 11:35 AM.
Did they acquire Straight Talk as part of this?
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Joined Jan 2009
L7: Teacher
> bubble2 2,295 Posts
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HunterGatherer
12-20-2021 at 11:37 AM.
12-20-2021 at 11:37 AM.
Quote from ddpp33 :
I don't see why it would. I mean they are literally forcing you to buy the year's service upfront which is what it took to get it unlocked previously.

Forcing you? To buy a year's worth of service for $40-$120 a year including a decent Android phone? I don't feel forced. I look forward to my annual renewal, and new phone. Every year, I get a better device, newer operating system, at a fixed annual rate. Gee, twist my arm again.
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Joined Feb 2015
L4: Apprentice
> bubble2 428 Posts
storytimeisover
12-20-2021 at 11:39 AM.
12-20-2021 at 11:39 AM.
There must be a catch. 👀

It's hard to believe that Tracfone (who is notorious for having fine print under their unlock policies) will really automatically unlock your phone automatically in 60 days.
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Joined Aug 2013
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 11,503 Posts
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oregon14
12-20-2021 at 11:42 AM.
12-20-2021 at 11:42 AM.
Quote from storytimeisover :
There must be a catch. 👀

It's hard to believe that Tracfone (who is notorious for having fine print under their unlock policies) will really automatically unlock your phone automatically in 60 days.
Because it's no longer Tracfone, it's now Verizon with their own policies.
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Joined Sep 2007
L3: Novice
> bubble2 189 Posts
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bfavre444
12-20-2021 at 12:13 PM.
12-20-2021 at 12:13 PM.
Quote from Ispend2much :
"For Customers with non-Apple devices"
That's the catch.
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Joined May 2016
L6: Expert
> bubble2 1,909 Posts
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ddpp33
12-20-2021 at 12:16 PM.
12-20-2021 at 12:16 PM.
Quote from HunterGatherer :
Forcing you? To buy a year's worth of service for $40-$120 a year including a decent Android phone? I don't feel forced. I look forward to my annual renewal, and new phone. Every year, I get a better device, newer operating system, at a fixed annual rate. Gee, twist my arm again.

Yeah, you can't get the deal without buying enough service time to unlock the phone whether this happened or not. You are forced to do so to get the free phone to begin with. You cannot get the deal with a plan that is less than year or without a plan. Forced is the right word to use as per the language whether you felt that way or not. You had no other choice, other than than to not get the deal at all.
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Joined May 2016
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> bubble2 1,909 Posts
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ddpp33
12-20-2021 at 12:24 PM.
12-20-2021 at 12:24 PM.
Quote from bfavre444 :
That's the catch.

Read the thread
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Joined Nov 2010
L2: Beginner
> bubble2 68 Posts
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r2r72
12-20-2021 at 02:17 PM.
12-20-2021 at 02:17 PM.
Straight Talk has the same policy. My guess this goes for all TF-owned brands:

https://www.straighttalk.com/supp...inPage_tc9
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Joined Sep 2020
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> bubble2 941 Posts
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BF_
12-20-2021 at 03:27 PM.
12-20-2021 at 03:27 PM.
Quote from whyzir :
The key words: "... Service Plans redeemed in no fewer than 12 months, and not have had their telephone number recycled or ported." When I called before 11/23/21 about unlocking my Moto G Power 2020 after it was activated more than a year ago with the original sim it came with, but only transferred a previous balance from another TF number (ebay pre-paid yearly plan), it did NOT count towards the 12 month unlock.
so, under your situation, when will TF actually unlock the phone? activated a Moto back in june and was planning to use a ebay prepaid plan like the $40 deal posted this week when june 2022 comes around. am I better buying a $20 1 month refill instead when time comes?
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Joined Nov 2017
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> bubble2 292 Posts
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DarthWoo
12-20-2021 at 04:17 PM.
12-20-2021 at 04:17 PM.
So supposing I bought my mother one of those $100 Samsung A51s for Christmas just to use as a WiFi device, but thought it might be nice to unlock it later so she can throw the SIM from her little Nokia in it and have everything in once place, what would be the cheapest option to get there?

I had considered buying the $40 year of service card from eBay that was posted a few weeks back before this change, but was told that that kind of card didn't count towards unlocking.
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Joined Mar 2005
L3: Novice
> bubble2 296 Posts
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narin
12-20-2021 at 07:35 PM.
12-20-2021 at 07:35 PM.
Quote from DarthWoo :
So supposing I bought my mother one of those $100 Samsung A51s for Christmas just to use as a WiFi device, but thought it might be nice to unlock it later so she can throw the SIM from her little Nokia in it and have everything in once place, what would be the cheapest option to get there?

I had considered buying the $40 year of service card from eBay that was posted a few weeks back before this change, but was told that that kind of card didn't count towards unlocking.

This. I'd like to know the cheapest route too.
Reply
Joined Dec 2006
L7: Teacher
> bubble2 2,788 Posts
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NE0tekk
12-20-2021 at 08:38 PM.
12-20-2021 at 08:38 PM.
I wonder if this applies to Total Wireless and Simple Mobile since they're under Tracfone's parent company as well?
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Joined Jun 2012
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> bubble2 823 Posts
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whyzir
12-21-2021 at 07:47 AM.
12-21-2021 at 07:47 AM.
Quote from BF_ :
so, under your situation, when will TF actually unlock the phone? activated a Moto back in june and was planning to use a ebay prepaid plan like the $40 deal posted this week when june 2022 comes around. am I better buying a $20 1 month refill instead when time comes?
The unlocking agent on the phone said I have to buy a year's service and then it'd be unlockable. So I plan to buy another ebay card & activate it, and transfer balance to it, when the Verizon one goes on sale again, I have until May 2022 to do this. Hopefully that will count, even though service is transferred onto a new sim. If not I'll just keep using the phone on TF Verizon until I get a new one in the future that qualifies for the newer shorter 60 day unlock time.

Quote from narin :
This. I'd like to know the cheapest route too.
If you activate a new TF locked phone after 11/23/2021, it qualifies for the 60 day unlock time. No need to have it activated for 365+ days (nor service paid requirement I hope).
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Joined Apr 2013
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> bubble2 1,500 Posts
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qqsubs
12-21-2021 at 07:48 AM.
12-21-2021 at 07:48 AM.
Sweet! Thanks OP. I bought an iPhone SE from them for $150 with the expectation I'll need to buy service for a year once activated. Now I can stop autopay after 2 months and switch to whatever. Also got $30 cashback from **frugal so overall turned out to be the best SE deal - $120 (net) for a Verizon iphone SE with unlock after 60 days of service at $20/month (2GB plan).
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