Does TracFone Have Good Coverage? All You Need to Know Before You Sign Up

TracFone is a Verizon-owned MVNO that sells discounted phone plans operating on all three U.S. cellular networks. Now that TracFone phones work on 5G networks, they provide lightning-fast coverage on the fastest network in the area. This phone company is all about customers who value affordable prices over unlimited data. 

It is absolutely worth your while to check out the market, see what the providers offer, and pick the best choice. When paying for a cell phone plan, it is imperative to check out the coverage and ensure it is strong in your area. This article will tell you everything you need to know about TracFone’s coverage and their cell phone plans. 

TracFone Coverage

TracFone uses all three networks to provide near-national coverage. As an MVNO, TracFone does not have a network of its own; instead, it rents bandwidth from Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T’s network to its customers. That means you get almost the same coverage and data speeds that, say, Verizon’s customers do at a fraction of the price. As an MVNO, TracFone users have less stable data speeds, and no TracFone plan has unlimited high-speed data. Let’s dive into all the major wireless networks that TracFone users leverage for awesome high-speed coverage. 

Verizon’s Nationwide Networks

Verizon has three active networks. 

• 4G LTE Network: Verizon's 4G LTE network is widely regarded as one of the largest and most reliable networks in the country. It offers strong coverage and fast speeds for data, voice, and text services.
• 5G Network: Verizon's 5G network has been expanding rapidly across the country. There are two types of 5G networks Verizon operates:some text
  • 5G Nationwide: This network uses dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS) technology, which allows Verizon to use the same spectrum for both 4G LTE and 5G services, providing widespread 5G coverage.
  • 5G Ultra Wideband: This is Verizon's high-speed 5G network that uses mmWave and C-band spectrum. It offers ultra-fast speeds and low latency but has more limited coverage compared to the Nationwide network. It's primarily available in urban areas and specific venues.

T-Mobile’s Nationwide Networks

T-Mobile also has three active networks. 

• 4G LTE Network: T-Mobile's 4G LTE network provides widespread coverage across the country. It offers reliable data, voice, and text services.
• 5G Network: T-Mobile has been expanding its 5G network rapidly and is known for its extensive coverage and high speeds. There are several components to T-Mobile's 5G network:some text
  • 5G Extended Range: This network utilizes the 600 MHz band, providing broad coverage across the country. It offers fast data speeds and improved indoor coverage.
  • 5G Ultra Capacity: This is T-Mobile's high-speed 5G network that uses mid-band spectrum (such as 2.5 GHz) and mmWave spectrum in certain areas. It provides very fast speeds and low latency, mainly in urban and suburban areas.

AT&T’s Nationwide Networks

AT&T has two active networks. US Cellular prioritizes its own network for service, but they seamlessly transfer your device to AT&T’s networks when 

• 4G LTE: AT&T operates a nationwide 4G LTE network, which provides high-speed data services to its customers.
• 5G: AT&T also offers 5G service in many areas. The company uses both sub-6 GHz and millimeter wave spectrum bands to provide fast and efficient 5G service.

TracFone Plans

TracFone offers a tremendous amount of cell phone plans. They have various kinds of plans, often offering a limited number of texts/minutes/data over a long period of time. This can be incredibly affordable for people who very rarely use their phones or people who need a second number for work. We will not highlight every cell phone plan that TracFone offers because, well, they have 20 plans. Rather, we will break down their offerings into monthly and multi-month plans. Let’s get into it. 

TracFone Monthly Plans

Tracfone’s monthly plans offer unlimited talk and text with low high-speed data allocations. These plans are great for regular low-data users, as they follow a pretty standard procedure. You pay every month, you can buy multiple months at a time for a discount, and they are priced fairly competitively with other low-data MVNOs. 

TracFone Multi-Month Refill

Outside of their contracted monthly plans, TracFone offers plans that last for 60 and 90 days, with the option to auto-refill. These options offer plans with limited talk, text, and data as well as add-ons to give additional minutes to your plan, so if you are using a limited plan and run out of minutes right before a big conference call, you can auto-refill to rejuvenate your stores. They even have multi-month plans that stick around for an entire year! 

Right now, Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network is available in hundreds of select areas, including parts of Los Angeles, Denver, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Boston, New York, Atlanta, Miami, Philadelphia, and more. T-Mobile and AT&T have also laid down exceptional 5G coverage throughout the nation, making the combination of these networks absolutely unstoppable. 

TracFone has great coverage. Customers have the same access to high-speed data as major wireless customers as long as there is no congestion in their area. Unfortunately, the same places where major networks have deployed 5G networks are the places where TracFone’s data is slowed down the most. Let’s break down how data deprioritization affects TracFone’s coverage.

Data Deprioritization

As an MVNO, TracFone customers receive data slowdowns whenever there is congestion on the network to ensure that the major wireless customers in that area have high-speed data as long as possible. There are, in general, three tiers of data priority. The three-tier data priority breakdown is as follows: 

• Tier 1 Data has the maximum data speeds at all times. If tier-one data is ever slowed down, it means there are no customers on the network that have access to high-speed data. This may occur at sporting events, concerts, or other large congregations of people
• Tier 2 Data retains maximum speeds after MVNO customers have their data slowed down. This is excellent in all but the busiest occasions where MVNO customers are slowed down but get slowed down before tier-one data is slowed down. This tier of data keeps high speeds in almost all situations, but you may notice slowdowns in bigger cities where there are a lot of residents and commuters. 
• Tier 3 Data, or MVNO data, is always the first tier of data to receive slowdowns. TracFone utilizes MVNO data and is an excellent way to use Verizon’s network with affordable plan pricing. 

TracFone users have high-speed data whenever there isn’t congestion in Verizon’s network. Unfortunately, this is hard to predict. Festivals, concerts, and sporting events are common times when a lot of congestion hits the area. If you’ve ever been to a football game and tried to access your phone for just about anything, we are certain that you’ve seen what it feels like to try to use data with congestion. 

At maximum congestion, no one can load anything on their device, but major wireless customers have high-speed data in most instances. If you don’t sign a device or plan contract, users can test TracFone for a couple of months to gauge how well the service works for them. 

TracFone At a Glance

TracFone offers a full suite of phenomenal deals that attract customers who want a no-contract plan that’s very affordable while not providing a ton of data. TracFone rents bandwidth on all three major networks and their phones are designed to switch between the networks behind the scenes to ensure you have the fastest data wherever you are. This gives all TracFone’s customers access to high-speed nationwide coverage at a fraction of the usual cost. Their plans come at a variety of price points, and they offer bulk purchases at better rates (up to a year at a time) for customers who know how much talk, text, and data they need. 

What Sets TracFone Apart? 

The unbelievably affordable plans are what sets TracFone apart, and that, coupled with their no-contract plans, make it a compelling MVNO for people who don’t use their phones a lot when out and about. They don’t have any new-customer deals, but TracFone offers an excellent rewards program for its customers, further lowering the overall cost of this service. It is so incredibly affordable. The average monthly phone bill of U.S. citizens is over $125 a month. That’s so much! TracFone’s most expensive plan is a big $30 a month. There are countless ways, as a TracFone customer, to bring your monthly and yearly phone bill way down. 

MVNOs offer excellent, affordable service, and TracFone goes one step further with a phenomenal set of available plans. 

What Kinds of Plans does TracFone offer?

TracFone offers a wide variety of plans at different price points and different prepaid lengths. The way that their plans work is that, unless you have an unlimited one, you receive an amount of talk, text, and data that lasts for the duration of the plan. One, two, three, and twelve-month plans are available on their website, offering lots of different plans at different price points. The way TracFone works allows customers to add on texts and minutes whenever they need it. This lets you start low with a super-cheap plan and add on whatever you need at fair price points. The add-ons are more expensive than regular plans, but since so many of them are just minutes and texts they remain well-priced overall. 

What Network does TracFone Use?

TracFone runs on every major network. Sounds pretty good, yeah? Believe it. TracFone rents bandwidth from every network so TracFone’s coverage is nationwide and their phones are configured to jump from network to network so their plans always run on the fastest network. 

Can You Bring Your Own Cell Phone?

Yes! If your device is compatible and unlocked you can activate it with one of their SIM cards, pick a plan, and you are good to go! 

TracFone Services & Features

TracFone offers a surprising variety of services and features with their phone plans, the best of which is their rewards program! Rewards programs are surprisingly uncommon among cell phone carriers, and TracFone’s is pretty simple. As you use their service you accumulate rewards points that are used to purchase plans. In short, all users get a free month of service every now and again. Outside of that their plans do not come with a wide variety of extras, but the low cost of each makes up for the lack of bells and whistles that often accompany the highest tier of major wireless network plans. 

TracFone vs. Competitors

TracFone vs. Verizon

Verizon is the clear winner when it comes to data speeds and plan add-ons, but their plans come at a serious premium. Their plans all run significantly higher prices. If you are willing to weather periods of low-data speeds due to high-volume use, TracFone is the big winner. One major plus of using Verizon, however, is that they have unlimited plans. If you use a significant amount of data on a normal day, TracFone’s plans will not cover your data use. In that case, Verizon is the big winner. 

TracFone vs. Visible Wireless

Visible uses Verizon’s network and its chief difference from TracFone is they only offer two unlimited plans (a basic and a premium). They come with unlimited high-speed data and are priced competitively with other unlimited MVNO plans while much cheaper than Verizon’s options. If you know you want an unlimited plan, Visible Wireless has the edge, but if you are interested in the ability to switch to low-data plans then TracFone is the way to go. 

TracFone vs. Spectrum Mobile

Spectrum Mobile also runs on Verizon’s network, but they come with one big catch. Only Spectrum Internet users have access to their mobile coverage. That being said, their mobile and internet bundle is a fantastic deal, and if you have Spectrum Internet we recommend switching to Spectrum Mobile as well. Their unlimited plan is competitively priced and lets you get a big discount on your internet service as well. Unfortunately, Spectrum Internet is only offered in a few spots in this country, and if you don’t live in one of those spots, well, TracFone is the way to go! 

TracFone Customer Service

TracFone has excellent customer support and their chat is available at all times on their website. 

What Customers Have to Say About TracFone

“I am not a person like you see walking down the road staring at my cell phone. I use a cell phone very little so I don't need one of those $1000 cell phones. I have been using Tracfone for 12 years now and it is just what I need. They have never failed me and I plan on using them for a long time.” - Gene. (via Consumer Affairs)

“This is a reseller of AT&T service so it's very good service. BUT... When you switch or update your cell phone you start over. They say they carry over your minutes but it NEVER works out that way. Your data resets to ZERO. So you have to start over and if you have bought a yearly plan then you just have to buy it again. But it still is the cheapest yearly plan I have found.” - Michael. (via Consumer Affairs)

“Both my wife and I have used them for many years. I'm able to roll over unused minutes and sometimes my wife does have to buy more data, but their pricing on a one-year plan for people who don't spend their entire life on phones is extremely affordable with a one-year plan. We average less than $10/month for each line.” - William. (via Consumer Affairs)

TracFone FAQ

What is my phone’s IMEI number?

Your IMEI number is a string of 15 digits that identifies your wireless device. It is important when you are interested in bringing your phone to a new carrier like TracFone because, with that number, you are able to check if your phone is eligible for a switch and whether or not it will work on TracFone’s network. 

How do I decide what plan is right for me?

TracFone customers have the ability to switch their plan from the available options at any time, so if you choose the wrong plan in the beginning, it is easy to switch after that! If you aren’t sure how much data you need, we recommend starting with one of the monthly unlimited talk and text plans and watching your phone usage over a month or two. From there, you should have a much better idea about how much data you need and can decide on the right plan from there. 

Does TracFone have shared or family plans?

TracFone does not have shared or family plans. They do allow multi-line plans to pick and choose plans based on each line. If you use a lot of data but another line in your plan does not, you can each have your own plan that matches your data usage, saving money on your phone bill. 

Does TracFone have good coverage? 

Heck yeah, it does! TracFone leverages every major wireless network to provide fantastic coverage across the continental United States.