Tracfone. Tell me your experience

I own my own business and often travel to TN to "go to market". And believe it or not, at 41, I've never had a cell phone. I LOVE the age of technology, I love anything computerized. But I've always despised phones for some reason. So a cell phone was never on my wish list...until the last couple of years.

My van is now 10 years old and I worry about breaking down. So the only reason I wanted a cell phone was in case of emergencies. I couldn't bring myself to pay $40 a month for a phone I wouldn't use.

Then I discovered Tracphone. I checked them out online on Sat. and for $20, I got a new phone AND 60 minutes! No monthly fees, no contracts to sign. I just buy prepaid minutes when I need them. 60 minutes will last me 2 or 3 months I'm sure.

So now that I've leaped into the fire, does anyone wanna tell me the pros and cons of Tracfone? I got my phone today and have it all set up with minutes and phone numbers of friends and relatives. What do I need to know about using the service? Do you get good service? Or are there a lot of out of service areas? According to their map, the places I travel to are all within my area, so no roaming charges.

Do you like tracfone? Why or why not? If I decide to go with a "real" cell phone service, can I use this phone if I go to Alltel or Verizon or someone?

NancyAnn