Question ZTE cell phone questions

[cellhell]

03-26-2k25
Greetings all,
New here with a few questions. I am rather new to cell phones and new here also so,
if I mess up a bit, please pardon me..

I used to have a tracphone "account" and when they notified me that the current phone that I had would no longer be able to access their network (I think they were moving to 4 to 5 g), sent me the following phone:

ZTE ZFIVE C
Model # Z558V
ANDROID VERSION 7.1.1
There is no SIM card that I can determine and I have not signed up for any cell service....

I never used the previous phone (which was a Motorola) and, only used the picture taking ability....
Now-a-days, many sites require you to have a cell so, that leaves me out of accessibility with messages
like; "your device will not work on our site" or similar messages......

I figured out how to use this phone and took a few picts and am able to access the net......I watched a few utube vids and well, not impressed a whole lot...I saw the phones' page about upgrading/updating and a message came back;" no upgrades (in summary) or similar...One of the utube vids said I should have tried to update/upgrade before using same....SO, can this version of Android me updated?

ANY assistance would be appreciated...Thanks in advance

 

[notforhire]

welcome to AC. I didn't realize ZTE was still a thing. hopefully someone here can be helpful.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Wow, that's an eight year old phone -- it's unbelievable that any major company today is actually giving that out to people for any reason whatsoever.

ZTE is a budget Chinese manufacturer, and that's an ultra-budget phone, so I wouldn't have expected it to get any Android version upgrades at all. You're stuck with Android 7.1.1, and being that it's so old, you may find more and more issues with app compatibility.

 

[cellhell]

welcome to AC. I didn't realize ZTE was still a thing. hopefully someone here can be helpful.

Thanks for the reply....I know little about cell phones only that holding one against your hear radiates the brain cumulatively...Anyway, I would only make 1 or 2 calls per month and not a great loss to me...Will have to find a "usable" phone...

 

[cellhell]

Welcome to Android Central! Wow, that's an eight year old phone -- it's unbelievable that any major company today is actually giving that out to people for any reason whatsoever.

ZTE is a budget Chinese manufacturer, and that's an ultra-budget phone, so I wouldn't have expected it to get any Android version upgrades at all. You're stuck with Android 7.1.1, and being that it's so old, you may find more and more issues with app compatibility.

Thanks for the reply.....Yeah, that is TracPhone for ya!...They ripped me off of over 1,000 unused minutes...Will NEVER go back with them...May hunt for a cheap phone...

 

[cellhell]

Regarding the aforementioned phone---

Is it possible to erase or over-write the existing Android OS in this phone with either an updated version OR, a different OS altogether?

Possibly , download a file into my computer and then, download into the phone and not let the phone access "on line to do that download?

 

[B. Diddy]

The only way you can do that would be if someone developed a custom ROM for that specific model. You can check the forums at XDA-developers.com for that kind of thing, but I wouldn't get your hope up ...

 

[cellhell]

The only way you can do that would be if someone developed a custom ROM for that specific model. You can check the forums at XDA-developers.com for that kind of thing, but I wouldn't get your hope up ...

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thanks for the reply...I have nothing to lose I suppose...Been watching "cell" vids on Utube most of teh afternoon and getting more confused by the minute!...Been watching "tacking", and different vids locked-unlocked (huh??), ....Time to get the 2 tin cans with string in-between them!...Looking at different OS's, and a few "strange" ones that give relatively good privacy from "prying eyes"....