Who Owns Tracfone & What Network Do They Use?

Tracfone is one of the most recognizable names in the prepaid mobile market, offering affordable and flexible plans to millions of users across the United States. Known for its no-contract approach and wide availability in retail stores, Tracfone has become a go-to option for budget-conscious consumers and those seeking straightforward mobile service.

Understanding who owns Tracfone and the network it operates on can provide valuable insight into the carrier’s reliability, coverage, and overall value. Ownership often influences a carrier’s business practices, while the network determines the quality of service customers can expect. In this article, we’ll explore Tracfone’s ownership, its network partnerships, and what makes it a compelling choice for prepaid mobile users.

Who Owns Tracfone?

Tracfone is owned by Verizon Communications, one of the largest telecommunications companies in the United States. Verizon acquired Tracfone in November 2021 in a deal valued at approximately $6.9 billion, solidifying its position as a leader in the prepaid wireless market. This acquisition brought Tracfone under the same umbrella as Verizon’s other services, allowing the company to expand its reach to a broader audience of budget-conscious consumers.

Before Verizon’s acquisition, Tracfone was owned by América Móvil, a Mexico-based telecommunications giant. América Móvil is one of the largest telecom providers in the world, serving millions of customers across Latin America and beyond. Under América Móvil’s ownership, Tracfone became a dominant force in the U.S. prepaid market, known for its affordability and flexibility.

With Verizon now at the helm, Tracfone benefits from the resources and infrastructure of one of the most reliable networks in the country. This ownership transition has positioned Tracfone to continue serving its existing customer base while also appealing to new users looking for a combination of affordability and high-quality service.

What Network Does Tracfone Use?

Tracfone operates on the Verizon network, offering its customers access to one of the most reliable and extensive networks in the United States. Before its acquisition by Verizon, Tracfone utilized a multi-network approach, partnering with major carriers such as AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon to provide coverage. However, following the 2021 acquisition, Tracfone transitioned to exclusively using Verizon’s network for new customers.

Verizon’s network is renowned for its wide-reaching coverage, particularly in rural and suburban areas, as well as its strong performance in urban centers. According to industry reports, Verizon consistently ranks as one of the top carriers for reliability, call quality, and data speeds. Tracfone customers now benefit from this same high-quality network, ensuring excellent service for calls, texts, and data.

Existing Tracfone customers who activated their service before the Verizon acquisition may still be using other networks, such as AT&T or T-Mobile, depending on their device and location. However, Verizon is actively encouraging these users to migrate to its network by offering incentives such as free SIM cards and device upgrades.

With Verizon’s robust 4G LTE and expanding 5G network, Tracfone customers can enjoy seamless connectivity and faster data speeds. This network partnership makes Tracfone an appealing option for users who want reliable service without the premium price tag of traditional Verizon plans.

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:
  
  • 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.

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 Plans & Pricing

Tracfone offers a wide variety of plans designed to cater to different usage needs, from light users who rarely pick up their phones to those who need a reliable second line. With options ranging from monthly to multi-month prepaid plans, Tracfone stands out for its flexibility and affordability. Instead of detailing all 20+ plans, we’ll break them down into two main categories: Monthly Plans and Multi-Month Plans.

Tracfone Monthly Plans

Tracfone’s monthly plans focus on unlimited talk and text with varying amounts of high-speed data. These plans are ideal for users who prefer a straightforward, predictable billing cycle.

Highlights of Monthly Plans:

• Unlimited Talk & Text with 1 GB of Data: $15/month
• Unlimited Talk & Text with 10 GB of Data: $30/month
• Unlimited Talk & Text with 20 GB of Data: $40/month

These plans are great for those who need consistent connectivity without breaking the bank. Data speeds are capped at 4G LTE or 5G (depending on your area), with an option to purchase additional data if needed.

Tracfone’s Multi-Month Contract Savings on Monthly Plans

One of Tracfone’s standout features is its ability to offer savings when users opt for multi-month contracts on their monthly plans. This is an excellent option for users who want the convenience of a traditional monthly plan but are willing to commit to multiple months in advance to save money.

Tracfone allows customers to prepay for 3, 6, or 12 months of service at a discounted rate compared to paying month-to-month. These savings can be particularly appealing for budget-conscious users or those who prefer the simplicity of not having to manage a monthly bill.

Examples of Multi-Month Savings

Here’s a look at how the savings stack up when you commit to longer terms with Tracfone’s popular monthly plans:

• Unlimited Talk & Text with 1 GB of Data:
  
  • 1 Month: $15
  • 3 Months: $41 ($13/month)
  • 12 Months: $144 ($12/month)
• Unlimited Talk & Text with 10 GB of Data:
  
  • 1 Month: $30
  • 3 Months: $81($27/month)
  • 12 Months: $288 ($24/month)
• Unlimited Talk & Text with 20 GB of Data:
  
  • 1 Month: $40
  • 3 Months: $108 ($36/month)
  • 12 Months: $384 ($32/month)

Tracfone Multi-Month Plans

Tracfone’s multi-month plans are perfect for users who want to pay upfront for longer coverage periods. These plans typically include a set number of minutes, texts, and data, making them especially appealing for light users or those who don’t want to worry about monthly bills.

Examples of Multi-Month Plans:

• 60-Day Plan: 500 minutes, 500 texts, 500 MB of data for $25
• 90-Day Plan: 750 minutes, 1,000 texts, 1 GB of data for $35
• 365-Day Plan: 1,500 minutes, 1,500 texts, 1.5 GB of data for $125

Multi-month plans include rollover for unused minutes and data, ensuring you don’t lose what you’ve already paid for. Add-ons are available for users who run out of minutes or data before their plan renews.

Unique Features of Tracfone Plans

1. Rollover Minutes and Data: Unlike many carriers, Tracfone allows unused minutes, texts, and data to roll over to the next cycle as long as your service remains active.
2. Pay-As-You-Go Flexibility: Users can purchase individual minutes, texts, or data to customize their plans further.
3. Long-Term Affordability: Multi-month and annual plans are significantly cheaper for users who need minimal usage, making Tracfone a great option for seniors or as a backup line.

Tracfone’s diverse plan options ensure there’s something for everyone, from casual users to those looking for long-term, cost-effective solutions.

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: Key Takeaways

Tracfone stands out as a versatile and budget-friendly option in the crowded mobile carrier market. Owned by Verizon, Tracfone benefits from access to one of the most reliable networks in the United States, ensuring excellent coverage and dependable service for its users. With its wide range of plans, from affordable monthly options to unique multi-month offerings, Tracfone caters to a variety of users, including light phone users, seniors, and those looking for a reliable backup line.

The carrier’s flexible pay-as-you-go structure, rollover perks, and multi-month savings provide exceptional value, especially for those who want to save money without sacrificing quality. Whether you need a basic plan for occasional use or a more robust package for everyday connectivity, Tracfone delivers a solution tailored to your needs.

In summary, Tracfone’s combination of affordability, flexibility, and reliability makes it an excellent choice for anyone seeking a no-frills mobile experience.

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