topic Re: How long does the sim card last if you don't top up? in Get Support

How long does the sim card last if you don't top up?

Michelyne — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 07:34:34 GMT

We will be travelling for a bit and I'd like to know how long the 'life' of the sim card will last before we need to top up before it is no longer a valid sim chip. We've been using the sim for a year now, but if we don't top up for say 10 months, will the sim chip still be valid when we go to use it (and top up again) in 10 months' time? Thanks

Re: How long does the sim card last if you don't top up?

softech — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 20:35:36 GMT

not your SIM card.. but your PM account

if you don't pay when a new cycle comes. you have 90 days to reactivate the plan or the phone number will be gone forever.

Re: How long does the sim card last if you don't top up?

Michelyne — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 20:34:37 GMT

Ah ok, thanks so much, that's what I needed to know. Appreciate your time.

Re: How long does the sim card last if you don't top up?

softech — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 20:36:18 GMT

@Michelyne

there are ways to keep the accounts.

Option A: easier but pricier

of course, you can change your plan to $15 and just keep paying every month by Autopay

Option B:

Another trickier way.. but cheaper is..

1. change the plan to $15 plan and choose change at next cycle

2. remove Autopay but keep the credit card there. and make sure you don't have fund in Available fund

3. let it expire at the end of this cycle. The account goes to suspension. At the 85th day of the suspension, pay once ($15) and reactivate the account

4. the account will work for another 30 days. Then let it expires

5. Now, we go back to step 3 and 4.. repeat this until you are back

Whether you choose option A (keep paying ) or B, you have to make sure Autopay doesn't fail.

If you choose Option B.. you have to do it right and not miss the payment. Do it on 85th day.. make sure all good and payment goes through. In case CC fails, you still have 5 days to open mod to sort this out.

Re: How long does the sim card last if you don't top up?

Anonymous — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 20:38:45 GMT

@Michelyne : If you do let the account fully deactivate (not just suspend) then the SIM will also become dead/garbage.

To keep your account alive you could pay every ~4 months. Then your account is active for 30 days and then you let it suspend for ~3 months. Then pay again. But don't wait all the way to the end of that ~4 months in case there's a problem of any sort. Pay up again on say day 115. Put it in your calendar.

Re: How long does the sim card last if you don't top up?

hTideGnow — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 20:43:37 GMT

@Michelyne other than the way to keep the numbers above, there is other way., a bit more trouble but will only cost you around $25.. (+$10 or free..)

Port the number to Fongo, a VoIP provider for $25. You download the app and you can receive and all anywhere in the world using the app

When you come back, you can reactivate with PM and port the number back into PM. However, you do need a new SIM card which cost you $10. BUT, some local kiosk give it to you for free if you activate with them. Get a friend referral and you save another $10. If you are lucky and you catch a PM promotion, you might get another month free. So, it's not too bad a choice.

Re: How long does the sim card last if you don't top up?

Michelyne — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 20:46:29 GMT

That's brilliant. Thanks so much for this advice. I'm not looking to be dodgey and cheap, but I also don't want to waste $$ for a service I can't use abroad. It's about keeping the phone number 'alive' so we can use it when we return. I appreciate these extra thoughts with Option B. It seems logical. So I keep my card attached to the account, but let the money run to $0.00 and then sometime before the 90th day lock and load $15 for the lowest plan and then repeat. Great Idea! Thank you!

Re: How long does the sim card last if you don't top up?

softech — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 20:50:27 GMT

@Michelyne yes. if you choose to do Option B, make sure you try it no later than 85th day. Make sure you go to My Account and confirm the status is Active again. If for whatever reason, payment didn't go through or it went through but the service still showing suspended , you need to open a ticket with Mod to sort it out. By doing it on the 85th day, it gives you enough time to sort things out just in case.

Re: How long does the sim card last if you don't top up?

Michelyne — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 20:50:44 GMT

I have heard about apps like this, but the premise is that you have to leave your phone in Canada and have it plugged in all the time. We won't have that option unfortuantely as we need our phones with us, and we don't want to leave our phone with anyone to babysit for us to make sure it stays 'on' for the whole time. But, I appreciate this line of thinking. If we were only going away for a month or two, that would work.

Re: How long does the sim card last if you don't top up?

Michelyne — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 20:51:36 GMT

Excellent suggestion, I will most likely do it earlier than day 85, knowing me.....

Thank you!

Re: How long does the sim card last if you don't top up?

softech — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 20:57:10 GMT

@Michelyne no, the app idea suggested by @hTideGnow is to install the app you cell phone.. no need to leave the phone in Canada. You can bring it with you around the world.. no need to plug in at home. It's best for people who want to be able to receive calls overseas and make free phone calls back to Canada.

The 85 days trick is good, less porting back and forth. 🙂

Re: How long does the sim card last if you don't top up?

darlicious — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 20:57:00 GMT

@Michelyne

When traveling for an extended period you must pay and reactivate your plan before 90 days is up. Preferably around day 85 so you have a few days to sort out any issues that may arise. Once your 30 days of service are up you allow it to suspend and you have another 90 days til you have to pay again and renew your service.

If you don't have a grandfathered plan that you want to keep then you change your plan to the $15 plan for those 30 day cycles that you need to renew and keep the account, sim card and phone number.

There are two ways to suspend your service. If you do not have a balance that is more than your plan amount you can remove autopay and allow your service to suspend due to non payment. You will lose your $2 autopay reward. Or you can suspend your service via the lost/stolen feature in your account.

If you suspend via lost/stolen before midnite eastern you will retain voicemail service but your rewards will not apply. However after you renew before the 90 days are up you can then contact the moderators to have them applied to your account balance manually.
If you suspend after midnite eastern after waiting for your rewards to apply (15-30min later) you will have the rewards available for your renewal in the next 90 days but no voicemail.

By suspending and renewing every 85-90 days you will pay about $60 (4×$15) minus any rewards for keeping your phone number/account for about a year ( 350-360 days.)

Re: How long does the sim card last if you don't top up?

Anonymous — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 20:58:19 GMT

@Michelyne : You could put the SIM into an old phone.

But I used my phone as a webcam for while when I was away for a couple weeks keeping an eye on a thermometer of all things to make sure my house wasn't freezing due to a new heat pump I had installed.

So...I used one of those light timers and plugged the phone into it and set it to be on for a couple hours and then let the battery run when not on. I had a webcam. The phone stayed on the whole time. All good.

Re: How long does the sim card last if you don't top up?

Michelyne — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 21:02:39 GMT

That sounds like a great solution. Thanks for these tips!

Re: How long does the sim card last if you don't top up?

helenhelen — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 04:34:09 GMT

Does doing option B mess up your credit rating though?

Re: How long does the sim card last if you don't top up?

helenhelen — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 04:35:46 GMT

Is Fongo only usable if you have an internet connection though? Also, is it $25 in total (unlimited use)?

Re: How long does the sim card last if you don't top up?

Anonymous — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 04:36:12 GMT

@helenhelen : This place is prepaid...there's no credit involved.

Re: How long does the sim card last if you don't top up?

computergeek541 — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 04:37:08 GMT

@helenhelen wrote:
Does doing option B mess up your credit rating though?

No credit checks are done. Also, you don't owe anyting if you don't renew the plan.

Re: How long does the sim card last if you don't top up?

helenhelen — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 04:39:28 GMT

If it is suspended, you get to keep the reward dollars on your account? I'm only paying $5 (for my $30 plan) due to referrals, etc. Would hate to lose it!

Re: How long does the sim card last if you don't top up?

computergeek541 — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 04:44:06 GMT

@helenhelen wrote:
If it is suspended, you get to keep the reward dollars on your account? I'm only paying $5 (for my $30 plan) due to referrals, etc. Would hate to lose it!

You get to keep them. However, rewards aren't paid out while your account is in suspension.