topic Re: 3G Plan but LTE Service in Get Support

3G Plan but LTE Service

NathanCarroll — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 08:40:53 GMT

Hi!

I am new to Public Mobile, and happy with my plan and how everything has tranferred over.

My only question is that I am paying for a 3G plan, however the icon at the top of my phone is still saying LTE when I am out of WIFI. Do I need to be concerned about this?

Thanks!

Nathan

Re: 3G Plan but LTE Service

srlawren — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 22:49:34 GMT

@NathanCarroll wrote:
Do I need to be concerned about this?

@NathanCarroll welcome! And no, you don't. Public Mobile's "3G" plans are using LTE, but it is "throttled" down to "3G-like" speeds of 3Mbps. Relax, all's good.

Re: 3G Plan but LTE Service

NathanCarroll — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 22:53:36 GMT

thank you!

Re: 3G Plan but LTE Service

Sharry19 — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 22:57:00 GMT

Hi @NathanCarroll nothing to worry, it's all good with your plan.

Good thing about PM it is a Pre-paid service so whatever you pay upfront you will get service for that only, there is no worry about extra bills or hidden charges.

*** Please note: I am not a Moderator ***

Re: 3G Plan but LTE Service

srlawren — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 23:29:53 GMT

@NathanCarroll wrote:
thank you!

@NathanCarroll no problem. You're definitely not the first with this question, and sadly you won't be the last. I personally hate that they named these plans "3G", since it causes this type of confusion repeatedly. The community would love to see Public Mobile adopt different terminology (such as "LTE Lite") for less confusion, but alas this request has fallen on deaf ears so far.

@Alan_K @Brooke_C just tagging you again so that you don't forget how confusing your "3G" plans are to new customers.

Re: 3G Plan but LTE Service

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 23:34:50 GMT

Oh @srlawren, your optimism is a sight to behold. But the ears have been deaf all this time even with your italicized again.

It's all about marketing, marketing, marketing. Them's're the buzzwords in use.

Re: 3G Plan but LTE Service

srlawren — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 00:41:10 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Oh @srlawren, your optimism is a sight to behold. But the ears have been deaf all this time even with your italicized again.
It's all about marketing, marketing, marketing. Them's're the buzzwords in use.

@Anonymous but....how can "3G" be considered a buzzword in 2019? Maybe in 2009 when Telus and Bell first launched HSPA, but not a decade later. Okay maybe "lite" isn't super-splashy but you think they'd want to trumpet the fact that it's it's still LTE with it's lower latency, faster upload speeds (most real-world HSPA+ testing I do comes out under the 3Mbps throttled rate of PM's "3G" data plans) and just...newer technology at least. Not to mention reduction of confusion.

Or how about renaming the current "LTE" plans to "Full-speed LTE" and the current "3G" plans to "LTE Lite", or really anything else with LTE in the name and some indication that it's not as fast as the other one. 🙂

Re: 3G Plan but LTE Service

stonechucker — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 00:46:43 GMT

I’d personally think Throttled LTE speeds describes a 3G speed plan Better than what Public Mobile calls them.

ive been saying throttled LTE more an more, trying to reverse the confusion.

Re: 3G Plan but LTE Service

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 00:53:50 GMT

@srlawren , @stonechucker

Hey I'm not saying I disagree. I like the sounds of LTE Lite.

But this marketing and naming and terminology has been around this long that I admire your stick-to-it-ive-ness to keep on it 🙂

Re: 3G Plan but LTE Service

srlawren — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 01:02:57 GMT

@stonechucker to me, "throttled" has more negative connotation than "lite". Or go with what the home ISPs seem to use which is a speed rating. "LTE 3.0" for the LTE plans and err what's the theoretical max for 4G LTE with CA? Like, "LTE 400" or something for the full-speed plans. Nah, that's probably silly.

@Anonymous wrote:

But this marketing and naming and terminology has been around this long that I admire your stick-to-it-ive-ness to keep on it 🙂

I know I know... keep doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results... I guess I figured if I can annoy them enough by tagging them every time I see someone get confused by this, maybe they will come to their senses. But I'd best take my own usual advice and "not hold my breath while I wait".