I don’t use Net 10 so I don’t know what your “terrible experience” is and it has nothing to do with my Tracfone experience which I have used for about three years. We dumped our contract phone services long ago as a huge rip-off. The Tracfones use the same towers as the big boys and the reception is perfect. I have talked to people in Europe and the conversation is crystal clear.
I don’t know what your beef is with Tracfone nor what kind of phone you have. I only have my own experience to draw on. I’m spending about $10 a month, as is my wife.
I have been very happy with my TracPhone as well. I buy minutes once a year, and usually get a free double of minutes. I don’t use it very much, which makes it super cheap. I spend around $100/year, I think. I’m not a cellphone ‘user.’ It’s for work and emergencies. But it works great where contract phones in my area have dropouts and low coverage areas.
My tracfone works great! It's dirt cheap, has a camera, the game Tetris (highly addicting), the ability to text. I haven't set up anything for internet capability; I just use everything else. It's the perfect emergency phone.