The Meaning of Life – Updated

Update:  Tracfone has responded to my e-mail, and I have to give them credit for quick answering. The issue, as they explain it, is two different double minutes plans, one for life and one for one year.  They believe I purchased the one year double minutes plan and I was sure I purchased double minutes for life (since I didn’t even know the other was an option.) Unfortunately I can’t find any documentation from when I bought it.  I’m pretty sure it was in an e-mail, which I lost a lot of upon switching computers. I do remember my husband and I both purchased double minutes at the same time and having much discussion beforehand about whether to spend the money, and clearly remember we believed we were purchasing double minutes for life.  It’s completely out of character for me to have spent so much money only for one year. I also remember my husband dropping his phone in a lake and then being informed his double minutes were only for the life of the original phone (my understanding) and not the life of him having *a* phone from them. Of course, me saying “I seem to remember…” is a far cry from having saved the receipt.  So if there’s a lesson in this, it’s the importance of saving receipts. 

Having looked at other cell phone plans, Tracfone is still the best option for me. I don’t use my phone that often.  I have it in case the school needs to reach me if one of my children is ill, or if my car breaks down.  Being able to purchase the minutes in advance and not worry about a monthly bill works for me.  I think I’ll pass on the double minutes card for now, though. Apparently, one of us – it could be either – has a history of doing that part wrong.

**

 

I discovered the meaning of life today.  It is one year.  Tracfone (you know, the cell phone company) explained it to me via e-mail.  When I bought double minutes for life, that was good for one year. If I want double minutes again this year I’m supposed to buy a second double minutes airtime card, for my second life presumedly. I don’t know if I’m required to create an avatar to use it.

I’m a bit stubborn about holding onto my first life, however, so I haven’t let the matter drop.  Here is the text of my response to their response:

Thank you for your prompt reply.

I thought that double minutes for life would mean the life of the phone, at least. If I had realized “life” was so fleeting, I would have adopted a Carpe Diem attitude and spent the money elsewhere. Please advise me where life is defined as one year in your fine print. 

I look forward to hearing back from you about a resolution of this issue within this lifetime.  In this case, lifetime means the next week.

Regards,

Harumph!

 

Author: thedamari

I live in Missouri, a more beautiful place than many realize. I love writing, reading, walking, bicycling, and making lists. I’ve written poetry since I was seven. A few years ago I branched out into short fiction and memoir pieces. I also perpetually have a novel in progress. My brain pursues ideas at a brisk pace, wandering all over the map. This blog represents one of my efforts to keep up with it.

9 thoughts on “The Meaning of Life – Updated”

  1. Very nicely done. I enjoy sending nasty messages to phone companies too (and I don’t even have a phone). There is just something about them….

    10% off phone cards for you at my store in appreciation of your funny post!

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  2. Long time tracfone user here. What are you talking about? DMFL means “for the life of the phone”. Can you please publish that e-mail where they say that DMFL is good for only one year?

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  3. I’ve dealt with TracFone before. They originally had double minutes for 1-year, and I bought the double minutes for 1-year card. Then they switched to double minutes for life. After more than 2 years, I was still getting double minutes on the phone.

    I suspect incompetencem, though filing fraud charges with the FCC never hurts when it comes to the phone company.

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    1. Hi Andy,

      Thanks for the info. See my update. It’s possible I bought the one-year plan, thinking I was buying double minutes for life. I did not realize there was a one-year double minutes plan.

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  4. Did Tracfone make any effort to correct the “misunderstanding”? If they believed in customer service, I would think, that they would have made some sort of conciliatory gesture.

    Years ago, we had a Sprint plan. We bought the plan since it offered a $100 rebate on a new phone after two years of service. I saved the coupon of the offer. Needless to say when the two year period was up we were provided with a variety of excuses; that there was no record of us signing up for the rebate, that the rebate program had been discontinued, and the incredible lame “the rebate check is in the mail”. Somehow the check never arrived. As a result of this incident and others we dropped Sprint. Sprint Bad.

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  5. Do you know for certain that your Double Minute feature has expired? It could be just a uninformed rep you got there saying that. Regular DMFL cards are for the life of the phone, and yes if you get it lost or damaged it goes away with it.

    I just became aware of the other old “annual” Double Minute cards but on those the word “life” is nowhere to be seen.

    If you recall buying a DM “for life” card, most probably you did and rest assured that the phone won’t lose that feature. You’ll prove that next time you refill. Good Luck

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