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

[Luddite]

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@makkahn28wrote:

@Luddite, do you think Public created the Biggest Blunder?

@makkahn28 Nope, not the biggest blunder. That occurred when the "beta" testing phase was closed prematurely so PM could grow faster. Most of the bugs from then are still around with several new ones (likely) triggered by overloaded systems - fall 2016 promo for example. In fact thinking back, which is not necessarily accurate at my age, bugs seems to multiply during promos. I recall @imm1304 and I both suggesting PM growth should be fueled by referrals and great pricing. Nostalgia - curse and a blessing.

[Korth]

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@makkahn28wrote:

do you think Public created the Biggest Blunder?

IF that Promo, they said AS LONG AS No Changes are made, You can KEEP with NO increase in Fee, Did Public Break the Golden Rule?

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Already answered in the opening letter: "... we heard your feedback loud and clear: we said no surprises, and we surprised you ..."

And already "discussed" in detail over the dozen pages which followed.

[makkahn28]

@Luddite, do you think Public created the Biggest Blunder?

IF that Promo, they said AS LONG AS No Changes are made, You can KEEP with NO increase in Fee, Did Public Break the Golden Rule?

[Luddite]

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@pizzawrote:

Ugh can I also just complain for a second that my 90-day plan had JUST renewed? Like it doesn't renew again until May -- I would have lost 2/3 of my 90-day plan if I had switched ugh ugh ugh 

/rant

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If you are interested in the Koodo deal except for this issue. Why not reurn to that Koodo kiosk with your patient polite persistent persona. Explain your situation and ask for whatever consideration they will provide. There's been the odd report of some kiosks offering a credit in addition the $100, though that may have been for people with Available Funds.

[spaceman]

Thanks.

Like others suggested, a second text was helpful. But I am still concerned for the future. It doesn't look great on PM as a company. I was in the process of moving my whole family to PM, now unfortunately it looks like I myself might not be here in the longrun. What a shame.

[pizza]

Thanks for the information @Korth and @wetcoaster! I appreciate it. 

I sent them a message (and was definitely polite!) just in case something can be done. I know they're busy so it's fine that I probably won't hear back for a bit. 

Thanks for your help!

[torontokris]

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@pizzawrote:

Ugh can I also just complain for a second that my 90-day plan had JUST renewed? Like it doesn't renew again until May -- I would have lost 2/3 of my 90-day plan if I had switched ugh ugh ugh 

What a poor implementation. Thank goodness it wasn't pushed forward, but GEEZ, I hope they learn from this. 

/rant

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That was *part* of the outrage that people just renewed for 3 months and then an offer comes. So you couldn't even go to Rogers/freedom or you'd loose 3 months of paid service.

[wetcoaster]

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@pizzawrote:

@Korth - It's been a while since I've participated in the community forums. How do I message the mods? You're right that it wouldn't hurt to at least ask.

I definitely don't want to cause a ruckus at a Koodo kiosk -- the poor people that work at the kiosk don't need me throwing a fit at them, it wasn't their fault anyway that Public Mobile left so much time between sending their decision then reversing their decision. 

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@pizza

It's unlikely that Public Mobile moderators can do anything about a Koodo SIM... But it doesn't hurt to ask politely. (They work on a first come first serve basis and I think they are rather busy these days - so it might take a bit to get a reply.)

Use this link to send a private message to the @Moderator_Team, include all relevant information in your message, such as account number, phone number, PIN, detailed problem description.

More information on contacting the mods: https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Knowledge-Base/Updated-Contacting-our-Community-Moder...

[Korth]

@pizza

From your user profile you can send a private message to (at)Moderator_Team ... I think it just gets queued to whichever poor unfortunate happens to be on shift at the time.

(Don't tell them I sent you.)

[pizza]

Ugh can I also just complain for a second that my 90-day plan had JUST renewed? Like it doesn't renew again until May -- I would have lost 2/3 of my 90-day plan if I had switched ugh ugh ugh 

What a poor implementation. Thank goodness it wasn't pushed forward, but GEEZ, I hope they learn from this. 

/rant

[Michael77]

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@will13amwrote:

I am going to take some risks with this post but I have to call it as I see it.  The current rules was not the desire of the carriers or the CRTC.  It was totally caused by customer desire to have access to hardware at greater than 3 year frequency.  People have to understand that when new policies are developed, it's not a one sided affair.  Input has to come from both sides.  As a result, you don't always get what you want.  The cure can in some ways be worse than the disease.  Bottom line is the consumer apparently won and we have this new system where contracts are built around hardware upgrades every 2 years with terms on how remaining balance is reduced.  Those who want zero dollar up front iPhones and Galaxy phones, stand up and give yourselves a big Pat on the back.  

I have always advocated buying service and hardware separately and I will always do so.  This is just like how we buy cars, the fuel and the periodic service.  Why should cellar be any different.  

As for staying or leaving, I don't know that this episode has caused any changes to this service after the price increase was taken off the table.  Public Mobile has always had the legal right to increase prices.  The fact that they backed down says our voices do matter.  Rest assured any future changes will be much more customer friendly.  If this is reassuring enough, then stay.  If not, then go.  However it must be recognized that Koodo is bound by the same wireless code.  Koodo customers are in the same boat as we are.  One last thing, if you do leave, you will have essentially played right into telus' hands. 

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Hi @will13am,

The only way this plays into Telus' hands is if you go to Koodo or Telus.  If customers leave to one of the other providers then this will hurt Telus' bottom line, especially if people leave on mass.

[Luddite]

@will13am Not sure folks who move are "playing into Telus hands", but do agree next offer will be friendlier. Unless this scheme was dreamed up by Koodo as revenge for those promos it is linked somehow to Telus' strategic direction. Otherwise, there is no point in offering the (essentially) same price point at a higher operating cost division.

[pizza]

@Korth - It's been a while since I've participated in the community forums. How do I message the mods? You're right that it wouldn't hurt to at least ask.

I definitely don't want to cause a ruckus at a Koodo kiosk -- the poor people that work at the kiosk don't need me throwing a fit at them, it wasn't their fault anyway that Public Mobile left so much time between sending their decision then reversing their decision. 

[Luddite]

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@pizzawrote:

@Luddite

It can't be returned -- I was told that when buying it, unfortunately. 

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**bleep**. So now you are stuck deciding whether to take that loss, or whatever loss you'd have taking the Koodo offer. 

I have referral who is jumping ship on Mar 8, a couple of days before his next renewal. Not a bad offer if you can do that.

[will13am]

I am going to take some risks with this post but I have to call it as I see it.  The current rules was not the desire of the carriers or the CRTC.  It was totally caused by customer desire to have access to hardware at greater than 3 year frequency.  People have to understand that when new policies are developed, it's not a one sided affair.  Input has to come from both sides.  As a result, you don't always get what you want.  The cure can in some ways be worse than the disease.  Bottom line is the consumer apparently won and we have this new system where contracts are built around hardware upgrades every 2 years with terms on how remaining balance is reduced.  Those who want zero dollar up front iPhones and Galaxy phones, stand up and give yourselves a big Pat on the back.  

I have always advocated buying service and hardware separately and I will always do so.  This is just like how we buy cars, the fuel and the periodic service.  Why should cellar be any different.  

As for staying or leaving, I don't know that this episode has caused any changes to this service after the price increase was taken off the table.  Public Mobile has always had the legal right to increase prices.  The fact that they backed down says our voices do matter.  Rest assured any future changes will be much more customer friendly.  If this is reassuring enough, then stay.  If not, then go.  However it must be recognized that Koodo is bound by the same wireless code.  Koodo customers are in the same boat as we are.  One last thing, if you do leave, you will have essentially played right into telus' hands. 

[Korth]

@Shutdown

I'd message the mods, they probably can't do anything but it doesn't hurt to ask, they might credit your account or something.

Otherwise you're the proud new owner of a Koodo SIM card, lol ...

The CRTC Wireless Code suggests that you (the Humble Canadian Consumer) should be able to return everything for everything (to the Evil Wireless Provider) without any penalty of any kind within 15 days.  But the legal language is of course stupidly overprecise in certain details and stupidly ambiguous in others, I'm uncertain whether SIM cards can be un-purchased.

But I suspect that if you report to the Koodo kiosk and be a stinker about it then they'll probably be happy to pay your $17 back to get rid of you, lol, although again it doesn't hurt to ask so you should remain polite until they they become unpolite.

At worst you might be able to sell it on craigslist for ten bucks or just give it to a friend.

[pizza]

@Luddite

It can't be returned -- I was told that when buying it, unfortunately. 

[Luddite]

@pizza Try returning your unopened SIM for a refund at a Koodo kiosk?

[pizza]

I guess I could. Maybe I should read through the 56+ pages of comments on this thread. I don't want to miss the deal with Koodo if PM just plans on increasing their price in the near future.

What a poor situation. I was with Koodo for *years* before reluctantly switching to PM when they had this deal, and all of the sudden I'm being told to move back? What a mess.

[Shutdown]

You could try to sell the sim to someone else?

[pizza]

Hey!

So, I went out and bought a Koodo sim card the day I got the message, because, well, I didn't want to have to pay an extra $10/month.

Am I just out the $17+ I paid for the sim, since Public Mobile reversed their decision? I can't return it to Koodo. Should I just switch to Koodo, because it looks like the price will be increasing at some point anyway?

What should I do here? 

[Korth]

The threads are mixed up because they're actually a variety of semi-related threads which have been merged, lol.  There were too many overlapping (and unproductive) discussions with too many redundant repetitions and half-sided discussions.

[Kattz]

You're right. I didn't read you're whole thread. The threads are starting to get mixed up in my inbox at this point. 

I think that one of the reasons people are so upset is that Telus and their flanker brands, have been the better companies to deal with up to this point. I fully expect Bell or Rogers to pull something like this off. Telus, Koodo and Public Mobile were our last refuge. Everyone does have some sort of nightmare story with a cell phone company and they're all going to come out now. 

[Korth]

@Kattz

If you've read my previous posts you'd note that I agree PM (and Koodo) should be held to account for misleading/deceptive marketing.

Yes, my position is biased, I do support PM - voluntarily, not as a shill - because my experience as a PM customer has (almost) always been positive.  That being said, I'm trying to argue without bias and keep separate issues compartmentalized.  I'm frustrated that so many people here can't understand that because they're (rightfully) angry enough to condemn something doesn't mean they should rampantly condemn everything.  Too many tangential issues are being tangled up to fuel the rage.

The last page of posts alone has attacked the faults of the service model used by PM.  And the faults of the service model not used by PM.  And the faults of the CRTC (CCTS).  And the faults of wireless companies in general.  And asserted that all these faults (and more) are caused by PM.

I get that PM broke a promise, lied (perhaps opportunistically, perhaps premeditated).  That a bunch of customers got screwed, some left PM (or will be leaving PM) and won't be coming back, while those who remain feel betrayed and suspicious of PM's motives.  That's a real and serious issue.  But it's not the source of all evil in the industry, in Telus, in other carriers - those sorts of things are all separate issues which shouldn't continue to cloud the real issue.

[Kattz]

<Big Sigh>

Because we were told that we could keep this promotion as long as we were customers. 

Have we all become so used to being ripped off by big companies no one actually thinks that they should be held to their word?  I'm not accusing you of being a shill but PM does have people in this forum trying to convince everyone that they have the right to get away with this. People were lured away from Freedom just 7 months ago for this plan. 

[Korth]

@jfmartel

But all of the major carriers "promise" the same.  They each offer their own short-term prepaid options to those who are interested.  At generally worse pricing and with more restrictions than the long-term contracts they also offer.

[jfmartel]

Well PM promised both! Freedom to shop around and price locked.

[Korth]

So ... enjoying the freedom to keep looking for a better deal (ie, abandon your agreement with the carrier) while also enjoying the security of locking the carrier into your agreement (ie, they're stuck with you until you choose to abandon them).

Total freedom vs total security.  There are upsides and downsides to short-term vs long-term, but you can't simultaneously be entitled to both.

[jfmartel]

It works both ways. Found a better deal elsewhere... but hey you're locked to another one.

PB offered "No surprise" as you could get the deal as long as you renew. That's a contract.

[torontokris]

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@Korthwrote:

I have to ask ... why don't those people who want the assurance of long-term stability sign onto long-term contracts?  Pay-As-You-Go offers no such assurances.

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@Korth@ @  Because CRTC did away with long term contracts. Actually they did away with contracts totally (unless you have a phone subsidy then up to 2 years from that tab) . Another move by CRTC to help but wireless companies now use it to their advantage