Verizon is one of the most popular and well-known cell phone providers in the country, and has several companies it owns, but have you been wondering: does Verizon own Tracfone?
Well, continue reading to find out the answer, and I’ll tell you everything else I’ve discovered along the way!
Does Verizon Own Tracfone In [currentyear]?
Verizon acquired Tracfone in a deal with America Movil, worth over $6 billion in cash and stock options in [currentyear]. Furthermore, Verizon also acquired all of the Tracfone prepaid brands, such as Simple Mobile, Walmart Family Mobile, Straight Talk, and Lifeline. This acquisition comes after a long-term partnership between Tracfone and Verizon.
Do you want to know more about Verizon and Tracfone, such as if Tracfone is as good as Verizon? Well, keep reading below to find out all of the specific details and more!
Is Tracfone Better Than Verizon?
Tracfone is not better than Verizon, since Tracfone was an MVNO, but 13 million Tracfone subscribers used the Verizon network.
However, with Verizon acquiring Tracfone, it’s going to enhance the low-cost prepaid Tracfone services and options for customers.
Customers that have Tracfone are going to be able to use the Verizon technology, innovation, and plans that Verizon offers its customers.
Additionally, Tracfone users will now have international calling benefits that Verizon has been giving its customers.
Therefore, while Tracfone is not better than Verizon, the new acquisition is going to enhance Tracfone and bring it more in line with Verizon.
Is Tracfone Cheaper Than Verizon?
Tracfone is substantially cheaper than Verizon, but that comes with many limitations, including a lack of services and perks.
For example, you can get 30 minutes of talk for $10, which gives you 30 days of service, or you can get bigger plans that cost $125 for 1,500 texts, talk, and a year of service.
Tracfone offers numerous cell phone plans that give you the ability to spend as little or as much money as you want, whereas Verizon’s cheapest Unlimited plan is $70 per month.
Do Verizon Stores Sell Tracfone?
At this time, Verizon stores are not selling Tracfone, but Verizon has access to the 90,000 retail locations where Tracfone devices and services are offered.
Will Tracfone Customers Need a Contract with Verizon?
It appears that Verizon is going to keep Tracfone a separate entity for now, so that means you can still purchase prepaid plans and not have to get into a contract with Verizon.
However, because the acquisition recently occurred, there could be changes to this in the future where Verizon will require a contract with previous Tracfone customers.
It’s too early to say at this point whether or not Verizon will get rid of the prepaid plans available with Tracfone, so stay tuned for future updates!
What Cell Tower Does Tracfone Use?
Tracfone uses Verizon cell towers with over 13 million of the 21 million Tracfone customers running off of them, but the company also has used AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint.
However, since Verizon has acquired Tracfone, the cell towers that will be utilized from now on will be exclusively Verizon, since Tracfone will be using the Verizon network alone.
Also, there will be 8 million customers of Tracfone that will need to transition to the Verizon network, which should be a process happening in the next several months.
Is Tracfone Being Discontinued?
At this time, it’s hard to say whether or not Verizon will discontinue Tracfone in the future, but as of now, Tracfone and its family of brands are still functional and operational.
Furthermore, Verizon appears to be keeping this low-cost option around for low-income people, and hasn’t mentioned that it will be discontinued anytime soon.
Who Is Verizon’s Parent Company?
Verizon Communications, which was formed in 2000 after Bell Atlantic Corporation and GTE Corporation merged, is Verizon’s parent company.
Therefore, Verizon Wireless is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Verizon Communications.
Does Tracfone Have the Same Coverage as Verizon?
Tracfone does have the same coverage as Verizon, especially now that Verizon has acquired Tracfone and the family of brands underneath Tracfone.
Furthermore, if you have a Tracfone device, you’ll be able to use the Verizon 4G LTE network, as well as the Verizon 5G network.
Unfortunately, both Tracfone and Verizon had decided to discontinue 3G service and the 3G network, so anyone with a 3G device will need an upgrade to continue getting Verizon coverage.
However, before the acquisition, Tracfone didn’t have the same coverage as Verizon across the board, since Tracfone was an MVNO and also ran off of T-Mobile, Sprint, and AT&T.
Can Tracfone Owners Keep Their Devices with Verizon?
If you have a Tracfone and are running off of Verizon’s network already, as more than 13 million of the 21 million users currently do, then you don’t have to worry about switching your device.
Furthermore, there should be no impact to your service or with your device because of Verizon acquiring Tracfone, as long as you’re running on a 4G LTE device.
However, if you have a device through Tracfone, and run off of one of the other networks, Verizon will allow you to upgrade your device.
A device upgrade may need to be done to be compatible with the Verizon network, but Verizon will let you know if you’re one of those affected.
To learn more about Verizon, you can also read our posts on whether or not Verizon owns T-Mobile, if Verizon owns US Cellular, and if Verizon owns Visible.
Conclusion
Verizon has acquired Tracfone and the family of Tracfone brands, and also acquired SafeLink and Total Wireless as part of this deal.
However, at this time, Verizon is keeping Tracfone as a separate entity, but will bring better service, innovation, technology, and coverage to the 21 million Tracfone customers.
