So here’s an update on Verizon’s acquisition of Tracfone and its other brands. As revealed by BestMVNO, customers will no longer be allowed to activate Tracfone service under the networks of AT&T or T-Mobile after June 30th.
This information comes from Straight Talk customers who shared the text messages they received on Reddit. The message says that Straight Talk will “soon interrupt an outgoing call (excluding 911 calls) to make you aware that you can move your Straight Talk service to our Verizon network and be provided a FREE SIM along with a FREE month of service.”
Only Straight Talk customers who aren’t on a Verizon plan will be affected by this. Unfortunately, BestMVNO raises a fair point in this.
When Verizon was trying to get regulatory approval for the acquisition, it promised “to provide resold voice and data services consistent with the terms of those agreements for at least 2 years after the transaction closes. Verizon also commits to negotiate in good faith with an MNO to extend the terms of Tracfone’s existing MVNO agreements for up to 3 years after the transaction closes if doing so would be necessary to avoid service disruption to a significant number of Tracfone customers.”
Basically, Verizon promised that the customers of Tracfone (and its brands) had at least until November 2023 to continue using the network of their choice. Another promise that Verizon made in its letter to the FCC is that it would be extending agreements up until 2024 “to avoid service disruption.”
With the text message being circulated to customers, many can’t help but feel like they are being forced to change networks prematurely.
Source: BestMVNO
