topic Re: Incoming calls to voicemail cost minutes? in Get Support

Incoming calls to voicemail cost minutes?

9R3W4L — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 15:25:35 GMT

For my mom's phone ($10 plan - 50 mins / 50 text), I disabled the voicemail so nobody can leave the message by following steps from one of the other posts on this forum just to save her calling minutes, and voicemail was almost useless for her anyways. So the question is when the incoming calls are forwarded to voicemail, which is disabled anyways and the caller can not leave a message, does this still cost her minutes from her allotted minutes? If so, what is the solution other than switching to $15 plan, which allows unlimited incoming calls.

Re: Incoming calls to voicemail cost minutes?

BearFBI — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 16:50:18 GMT

@9R3W4L If you disabled voicemail the call shouldn't go to anything if not picked up. I think your fine. It wont use any minutes because there is no voicemails to listen too. Even with voicemail on still no minutes would be consumed endless you were to play the message. Voicemails only use minutes when your retrieving the message on your phone. Stay with the 10$ plan because they dont even offer it anymore. If you need more minutes you could buy an 500Min addon for 5 dollars.

Stay safe!

Re: Incoming calls to voicemail cost minutes?

iliketotalk — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 16:46:07 GMT

@9R3W4L Hi no minutes are only charged for voicemail when you call to retrieve a message on the 15 or $10 plan

Re: Incoming calls to voicemail cost minutes?

geopublic — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 16:47:21 GMT

@9R3W4L My understanding is that leaving a voicemail does not count as minutes for any PM plan. It's when you retrieve the VM from your device that counts towards your minutes.

Re: Incoming calls to voicemail cost minutes?

gblackma — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 16:53:43 GMT

It shouldn't @9R3W4L , see link https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/on/get-help/articles/limited-talk-and-text-plans

I think That @Anonymous and @darlicious has the same plan as you do, and would be better suited to answer this query. Or you can post the details of the plan. Stay safe.

Re: Incoming calls to voicemail cost minutes?

Anonymous — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 16:52:42 GMT

@gblackma

No minutes consumed.

@9R3W4L : Even a caller actually leaving a message doesn't consume minutes as mentioned.

Re: Incoming calls to voicemail cost minutes?

popping — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 16:52:35 GMT

@9R3W4L wrote:
For my mom's phone ($10 plan - 50 mins / 50 text), I disabled the voicemail so nobody can leave the message by following steps from one of the other posts on this forum just to save her calling minutes, and voicemail was almost useless for her anyways. So the question is when the incoming calls are forwarded to voicemail, which is disabled anyways and the caller can not leave a message, does this still cost her minutes from her allotted minutes? If so, what is the solution other than switching to $15 plan, which allows unlimited incoming calls.

Leaving voicemail by caller will not use her plan minutes. No need to switch to $15 plan if she uses less than 50 minutes per 30 days.

Re: Incoming calls to voicemail cost minutes?

9R3W4L — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 16:55:53 GMT

Hi All, thanks for the replies. I just call my moms number from another number. PM is still logging that incoming call minutes. So, I can only interpret this as using the minutes. charge says $0.00 but that probably because total usage is still below 50 mins.

Re: Incoming calls to voicemail cost minutes?

hairbag1 — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 16:59:14 GMT

@9R3W4L wrote:
For my mom's phone ($10 plan - 50 mins / 50 text), I disabled the voicemail so nobody can leave the message by following steps from one of the other posts on this forum just to save her calling minutes, and voicemail was almost useless for her anyways. So the question is when the incoming calls are forwarded to voicemail, which is disabled anyways and the caller can not leave a message, does this still cost her minutes from her allotted minutes? If so, what is the solution other than switching to $15 plan, which allows unlimited incoming calls.

The $10 plan is a great plan for very light usage. Lots of people want this option returned to the menu. If I had it, I'd augment it with the 500 minutes of Canada wide calling add-on for $5. If you don't use the add-on minutes they just keep rolling over until they do get used...even if it takes several months or longer.

As long as your regular plan stays active...pay the $5 once and you get 500 minutes of calling that doesn't expire...good deal.

Re: Incoming calls to voicemail cost minutes?

BearFBI — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 16:58:48 GMT

@9R3W4L wrote:
Hi All, thanks for the replies. I just call my moms number from another number. PM is still logging that incoming call minutes. So, I can only interpret this as using the minutes. charge says $0.00 but that probably because total usage is still below 50 mins.

@9R3W4L Did you play the message? If you did then it would be logged as minutes. Also aren't incoming calls free on 10$ Plan? If its being logged as minutes then forget about it. Just disable voicemail and try that. It shouldn't be logged.

Re: Incoming calls to voicemail cost minutes?

Anonymous — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 16:59:30 GMT

@BearFBI wrote:
@9R3W4LAlso aren't incoming calls free on 10$ Plan?

No. It's 50 minutes total.

Re: Incoming calls to voicemail cost minutes?

Anonymous — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 17:01:37 GMT

@9R3W4L wrote:

Hi All, thanks for the replies. I just call my moms number from another number. PM is still logging that incoming call minutes. So, I can only interpret this as using the minutes. charge says $0.00 but that probably because total usage is still below 50 mins.

All activity gets logged in the details. What matters is the counter on the front page. Calling the number from a different phone and not answering it and getting to voicemail will not consume minutes. Then press * etc.

Re: Incoming calls to voicemail cost minutes?

9R3W4L — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 17:02:11 GMT

No voicemail is disabled. I did not play this message as there is no message to play anyways.

Re: Incoming calls to voicemail cost minutes?

9R3W4L — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 17:24:15 GMT

@Anonymous whats the pulse rate for PM? every call is charged at 60sec? If so, you are right. the minutes on the overview page didn't change. 👍

Re: Incoming calls to voicemail cost minutes?

dabr — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 17:33:46 GMT

@9R3W4L wrote:
@Anonymous whats the pulse rate for PM? every call is charged at 60sec? If so, you are right. the minutes on the overview page didn't change. 👍

Unfortunately, yes all calls are rounded up to the nearest minute, but OTH PM has a very cheap 500 minutes add on to supplement limited minute plans. It's worth buying it just in case the plan minutes ever get used before renewal cycle.

Re: Incoming calls to voicemail cost minutes?

Triguy — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 17:47:38 GMT

Voicemail requires you to have talk included in your plan, as accessing voicemail will use plan minutes.

https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/bc/get-help/articles/set-up-voicemail

Re: Incoming calls to voicemail cost minutes?

gblackma — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 19:34:28 GMT

IImI'm on the $15 plan @9R3W4L depending on how tech savvy your mom is, to save more, add the TextNow voip app and use it via Wifi to make / receive / send calls and texts in Canada and to the United States for free. You can also use it as I do to check my voicemail from my own phone without using the minutes from the PM plan. Simply dial your PM phone number - reject the call when it rings (this sends the call to voicemail) - press the * key to allow you to enter your password. - enter - and you are in your voicemail account - Hang up when you are finished. No minutes used.

Re: Incoming calls to voicemail cost minutes?

Nezgar — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 19:48:47 GMT

All conditional call forwarding does not consume minutes, even though they show in the call detail logs. All three conditional call forward settings are directed to voicemail by default, but can be changed. There is no indication of which calls do and do not consume minutes on the usage page. You can only determine by comparing the minutes remaining before/after a call.