A letter from Dave on the infamous $40 for 4GB price change

[Dave_M]

Hey Community,

I am writing to you today to let you know that we will not be moving forward with a price increase on the infamous “$40 for 4GB” plan ($120 90-day Province-Wide Talk + Text + 12GB Data), contrary to the SMS that customers on that plan received yesterday.

After sending out an offer to select customers, we heard your feedback loud and clear: we said no surprises, and we surprised you. While all good things must come to an end at some point – that point is not today. As a brand, we have always been proud of our transparency, and of our commitment to our customers. We are sincerely sorry for any frustration caused and we want you to know that this has been a learning experience for us all.

We have been reminded that you, our customers, are vocal and passionate. We’ve seen how much some of you love Public Mobile and we’ve also seen how many of you like the added value that our sister brand, Koodo, has to offer. To that end, we are happy to say that the Koodo offer that our Public customers on the “$40 for 4GB” plan received still remains available for anyone who wishes to take advantage of it.

Thank you for your continued support,

Dave

[ponghenr]

They referred to the price change as infamous, not the plan.

"the infamous $40 for 4GB price change"

[JackL]

I am satisfied as long as no price change, no QoS change and keep everything the same.

But I would still keep a record of the promotion post just incase something else happen in the future.

[MK78]

---

@Ludditewrote:

---

---

I think that reference is to pricing, not rewards.

---

Which is what I think will get neutered next, either limited or taken away completely, to make it less attractive to stay with PM.

[shovas]

Yay! Congratulations Public Mobile for backtracking a really problematic change! Please keep things as they are! We're on Public Mobile because you're different!

[iSilenT]

Good, I wouldn't left public mobile. 

[katcaalim]

New SIM in store from Koodo is 5$. I switched today after getting the text and I'll happily take the 40mth for 4gb since the 12gb over 90 days is similar for my needs. The 100$ credit on my new koodo Bill Is a bonus.

[Ku214]

Interesting the link is koodo....

[makkahn28]

HERE's my Opinion:

The BIG 3 should be REDUCED, KOODO, PM, and all the Sub-Brands of EACH Carrier becoming FULLY Independent, and ALL Spectrum in Gov Hands, SO that NO Carrier can Manipulate the situation, as this needs to be stopped.

We pay enough as it is, and get Little to show, and they raise fees to point where PPL are forced to pick what is more important

[pakmode]

And....I just received the text message:

Public Mobile here. We will not be moving forward with the March 20th price increase on your plan. See https://koo.do/CommunityUpdate for more details. We are happy to let you know that the Koodo offer remains available to you! You're included on the list for Public Mobile offers and deals. To be excluded, reply unsubscribe. Conditions apply.

[lexcyn]

So umm... what if we already went and ordered the plan through Koodo? Can we undo the switch? My plan still seems active and not ported so I'm assuming I can just cancel it?

[makkahn28]

MAYBE the CRTC/CCTS and Competition Bureau should consider launching the Impossible:

Forcing the BIG 3 to EITHER GIVE UP ALL of their Subsidiaries, OR, GIVE them FULL Autonomy WITHOUT ANY Interference

[Alert33]

Victory!

Public Mobile here. We will not be moving forward with the March 20th price increase on your plan. See https://koo.do/CommunityUpdate for more details. We are happy to let you know that the Koodo offer remains available to you! You're included on the list for Public Mobile offers and deals. To be excluded, reply unsubscribe. Conditions apply.

[MoraMan]

this was your warning folks. no surprise when it finally happens.

[ToniCipriani]

---

@saje_wardwrote:

If you didn't get the text, how do you know that you were affected. It was only the fall 2016 promo folks who were included.

---

@ToniCiprianiwrote:

---

@echasketchwrote:

Great, I literally just ported over to Koodo. Why wasn't this communicated via text if that was the contact method you chose to notify the price increase? 😞

---

Some of us never even got the initial text. I didn't officially found out until logging on to the self-serve, when someone mentioned the message there.

This whole thing is a complete sh1t show.

---

---

I AM one of the Fall 2016 people.

[Charanth182]

---

@Korthwrote:

Were this (aborted) PM plan migration and Koodo were really so bad?

---

I think people (myself included) are mostly mad about the language used, "for now" means its just buying time.

As for the Koodo plan. There was no loyalty ($1/year/month) and some of us are at a couple bucks there. There are no referals (I'm at zero but some are really high) there was no $2 auto renew. No Community bonuses.... all these things add up each month.

Biggest for many, overages charges at kodoo where PM doesn't allow overages.

Plus $15 activation for the SIM card. 

And i'm assuming Kodoo doesn't have other service charges related to post paid.... 

[makkahn28]

@Dave_M, @Shazia_K, @Mary_M, I believe that Public has personally been WAY TOO focused on the Plan Ready-Made, and all this nonsense, and I feel that the Brand is possibly Damaged, How can Telus do something so Callous, and put the PM Clients on the spot like that?

This kind of thing would be considered Unacceptable, Just hoping PM is NOT planning on ANYMORE Outrageous changes W/O at least Research, data to back up these changes, Feedback FROM The PM Clients, Etc.

I mean no disrespect, JUST that THIS whole fiasco has cost PM some integrity and that can have negative reflection on the Carrier as a Whole.

PLUS, THIS Koodo offer thing, it seems like Telus is sending Mixed signals, and also what the Telus Head had stated in an article, Sounds like they're planning on placing Public on a Tombstone, and that has got me Concerned, as I have the Plan I want, and Have had great faith in Prepaid, and feel Telus wants to Axe Prepaid and make things harder for PPL who Might not be able to afford a Postpaid with all these outrageous policy changes

[artekds]

---

@Dave_Mwrote:

After sending out an offer to select customers, we heard your feedback loud and clear: we said no surprises, and we surprised you. While all good things must come to an end at some point – that point is not today. As a brand, we have always been proud of our transparency, and of our commitment to our customers. We are sincerely sorry for any frustration caused and we want you to know that this has been a learning experience for us all.

Dave

---

Hi Dave 

              When will the Koodoo plan come to an end ?

[sanchom]

A mod just confirmed to me via private message:

"This means that as long as you are an active customer and you keep this plan, your plan price will remain at 120$. This is why we have decided to not go further with the price increase, as it would go against what was said."

[jpr3]

We basically have an oligopoly  in telecommunication in Canada now. 😞

In my hometown it is way different. You get 4GB data and 300 minutes per month for only $11. I admit it is more expensive to build infrastructure in Canada but the rate is ridiculously high for me.

[Luddite]

---

@Nebulawrote:

Wait is this real!?

SWEET!

"While all good things must come to an end at some point – that point is not today."

I guess that means our rewards are disappearing soon.

WHICH I don't mind as long as I get the flexibility of using my 12 GB over 90 days.

---

I think that reference is to pricing, not rewards.

[Charanth182]

---

@stonechuckerwrote:

@Dave_M, first of all, I want to say thank you for reversing this plan, as I just can not afford, or apply for your Koodo offer.  It is absolutely too much for a customer that doesn’t require items such as Canada wide calling, international txt is great, but again overkill unless you have an iPhone, and your prices at Public Mobile were great before, but the latest offerings, frankly stink.

Lets get get things fixed around here before you start doing these th8ngs to use.  We need reliable services, fix the glitches, and return to being the true value service you once were.

Stop forcing the Legacy Customers who remain..  They are folks who also deserve respect.

i am pleased that I will be able to retain my current service for a longer period of time... but you need to work on what you’re providing us.

---

I don't mean to be completley negative, but it seems obvious to me that we've reached the gutting portion of the Telus aquisition. If they wanted PM customers they would have kept them on PM and changed the service here. Instead they are trying to get us to switch to a different company but keep our money in the mother company. 

PM won't exist in a few years, writtings on the wall.

[Korth]

The prevailing attitude seems to be very confrontational and polarized ... very "us" vs "them" ... which I find kinda strange given that the whole purpose of this letter from PM is to provide transparency and concessions to (much dissatisfied) user feedback.  Though I admit I might not be so flippant if it was my own cellphone plan (and monthly bill) on the line.  I think it's still fair to say that PM's conduct has been a lot less impersonal and a lot more generous than what could be expected from any of the competition.

Were this (aborted) PM plan migration and Koodo were really so bad?

[saje_ward]

If you didn't get the text, how do you know that you were affected. It was only the fall 2016 promo folks who were included.

---

@ToniCiprianiwrote:

---

@echasketchwrote:

Great, I literally just ported over to Koodo. Why wasn't this communicated via text if that was the contact method you chose to notify the price increase? 😞

---

Some of us never even got the initial text. I didn't officially found out until logging on to the self-serve, when someone mentioned the message there.

This whole thing is a complete sh1t show.

---

[Luddite]

---

@MK78wrote:

So there will not be a price increase for the active users on the Fall2016 Promo?

---

Well to be precise not yet: "While all good things must come to an end at some point – that point is not today.".

[proto]

---

@ShawnC13wrote:

---

@protowrote:

Yes, this it totally agreeable. Telus / Koodo should be penalized and not Public Mobile. That's a clear violation of posting / promoting a competitor plan on Public Mobile.  

The only promo they should be posting is and should only be for the benefit of Public Mobile and it's user base.  None of those competitors offer a 90 day plan anyway.

Nobody jump ship.  Don't drink their kool-aid.  I feel sorry for those that unfortunate folks that unwillingly took their BS / FUD offer.

---

They are the same company so I am sure it wouldn't be considered competition as it is always mentioned as Sister provider

---

It's not the same company, but they may be owned by the same parent company.  Each corporation is a different company altogether.  They used "sister provider" to portray to PM customers to make people "feel" like they're getting the same thing. We shouldn't be blind sided to that.  Each company has their own set of rules, terms, agreements, etc.

[stonechucker]

@Dave_M, first of all, I want to say thank you for reversing this plan, as I just can not afford, or apply for your Koodo offer.  It is absolutely too much for a customer that doesn’t require items such as Canada wide calling, international txt is great, but again overkill unless you have an iPhone, and your prices at Public Mobile were great before, but the latest offerings, frankly stink.

Lets get get things fixed around here before you start doing these th8ngs to use.  We need reliable services, fix the glitches, and return to being the true value service you once were.

Stop forcing the Legacy Customers who remain..  They are folks who also deserve respect.

i am pleased that I will be able to retain my current service for a longer period of time... but you need to work on what you’re providing us.

[proto]

---

@89alucaswrote:

Dave, 

While I'm glad we're able to keep our plans (for now apparently), I'm sure that I speak for everyone when I say I hope a lesson was learned.

I understand it's unrealistic to think that I can hold on to this plan until I am 80 and still be paying $35 dollars a month. The economics of inflation go far beyond what I fully comprehend, but I get it. Things will continue to cost more money. And it's not necessarily the fact that you and telus were trying to raise the price. It's the sly,  underhanded way in which it was presented. Give people more time to prepare. Don't renew someone's contract 1 month before the switch will happen. If you need to raise prices, I think it's fair to do it gradually with inflation.

People love public mobile for the prepaid way it is run. I want to know that what I pay for is what I get to use. I don't want to be forced to another company like loads who will nickel and dime me for every little thing.  We want more choice in the wireless world we live in. Public mobile was something that tried to go against the corporate ways of telus, Bell, and Rogers. Companies that literally care about NOTHING else except their bottom lines. Making sure the CEO, CFO, CIO, CMO, and whatever other chief officers there are all had their bank accounts steadily climbing. Public mobile is a no frills, community based option for everyone who was sick of getting shafted over and over again.

So keep being different. Be the company everyone signed up for thought you would be.

Lucas

---

I wish the CCTS could have put a ban on any corporate entity taking over or buying out PM in the first place. That would have prevented this conflict of corporate interest.  It should be made illegal for corporations to buy out public communities. 🙂

[MVP]

---

@Balurwrote:

@MVP infamous doesn't mean "Not Famous" it means "Famous for a bad reason", similiar to notorous. It's infamous because they screwed up, and everyone knows about it and hates it.

---

🙂 I understand that. The price increase is certainly INfamous, but the plan itself is actually very famous now 🙂

[guinness22]

Thank you Dave. We are all basic income folks at Public . We not have free plans from employers. We are folks on 25k to 35 K a year trying to keep in contact with ours families. By cheap data and calls. Public mobile we depend on. We are a tiny portion of Telus customers. Think hard about that when u Increase prices 

[Charanth182]

---

@Dave_Mwrote:

While all good things must come to an end at some point – that point is not today. 

---

Seems like the end of good things is the end of trust with PM. @Dave_M care to speak to the infamous timing to the annoucement (just after renewal)? Or the fact that PM was actually founded as competition to the big three and now its just another cog? Or that the deal was touted as a "upgrade" yet there was nothing upgraded about it, we loose all perks with PM we've gotten.

I know you'll never read this @Dave_M and that very fact shows how far PM has gotten from what it was.