A letter from Dave on the recent changes

[Dave_M]

Hello Community,

The past week has been full of announcements and changes: we launched 3G speed plans, we made our SIM cards available at Walmart, we changed the pricing for 4G LTE plans, and we changed how our support model works. That’s a lot. I want to take the time to thank you for coming on this journey with us, for reading all about the changes, and for voicing your opinions (good and bad). I also want to take some time to share with all of you, the path of learning we have been on at Public Mobile, in hopes that it provides context to some of the changes you have seen.

Nearly two years ago, we defined what ‘doing wireless differently’ would look like, and we launched Public Mobile in beta. At the time, we had a grand vision of being a small niche brand that appealed to a very specific person - a ‘life hacker.’ Many of you joined us during that time and have been with us through the ups and downs (and we love you for it). Since then, we have learned a lot. We have learned about our competition, our industry, and most importantly, we have learned a lot about Canadians and how they use their wireless services.

Those learnings are what have brought us to today and to the changes you’re seeing now. We’re coming up with new ways to deliver more options for Canadians and new ways to remain competitive. Many of these decisions were challenging to make - change always is - but we believe they are the right things to do to continue to offer Canadians more choice and flexibility at great rates on Canada’s largest mobile network. And we believe we’re celebrating those changes by being transparent about it through our “Less for Less” campaign: managing expectations and making sure that customers know that they are trading some frills in favour of lower prices.

Today, I ask you to continue supporting us on this journey. If you have a plan you love, keep enjoying it. If you have a friend who wants a great network for less, tell them about us - why we’re great and why we are different. We aren’t for everyone, but we believe we are the right choice for a lot of Canadians. We are not who we were a few weeks ago, but we are proud of how we’ve evolved to keep up with the wireless needs of Canadians and hope you will join us on this path.

Sincerely,

Dave

[jeffster1970]

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@rob79 wrote:

What a load of PR crap.

How can you say "less for less" when the 4G plans now cost pretty much the same as they do from Koodo? Right now, I'm on a 1gb/month (3GB per billing cycle), province calling, texting, plan with PM. It was $111/90days when I signed up. It's now $150/month. Koodo offers 3GB (EDIT: per month, not per 90 days) of 4G data, AND nationwide calling for $65/month... $15 more per month for 3x the data, and nationwide calling... Not to mention they have actual customer support and a retail presence...

Then you offer a 3G plan (hahaha, it's 2017) with the same features as my (now grandfathered) 4G plan and it costs MORE than my grandfathered plan does.

It's obvious that the Telus overlords are screwing up a good thing. I'm sure Darren Entwistle will love his multi-million dollar bonus after driving loads of PM customers to Koodo or Telus proper... In the meantime, I'm shopping around. But considering how corrupt the Canadian telecom industry is, I'm probably stuck. Yay for me.

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Canadian telecom industry is the problem. And the outgoing CRTC Chairman (Mr. Blais) was trying to make things better, but I think the new person (Mr. Scott) is going to make things much worse, and my theory is this is why all this has happened, that is, the changes to plans everywhere. Mr. Scott is a former lobbiest for the telecom industry (Telus in fact), so I am guessing this is Telus' (PM) response to the new CRTC Chairman. 

Coincidence? I think not. 

Really the only hope we have, though perhaps far fetched, is that Shaw (Freedom) improves their network enough, and underprices their offerings in comparison to Rogers/Bell/Telus and shake up the industry a bit, much like T-Mobile did in the USA.  

One can dream. 

For now, as I mentioned before, I am very happy with the $120/90 days for 12GB plan. As long as I can keep it. Sucks though, looking at American prices, unlimited for $70 or so a month, with LTE speeds for the first 28GB. Like...wow. Canadians are being hosed. 

[Rockdaddy22]

For $3 more dollars a month you could've had 3gb extra a month. What a deal 🙂

[rob79]

What a load of PR crap.

How can you say "less for less" when the 4G plans now cost pretty much the same as they do from Koodo? Right now, I'm on a 1gb/month (3GB per billing cycle), province calling, texting, plan with PM. It was $111/90days when I signed up. It's now $150/month. Koodo offers 3GB (EDIT: per month, not per 90 days) of 4G data, AND nationwide calling for $65/month... $15 more per month for 3x the data, and nationwide calling... Not to mention they have actual customer support and a retail presence...

Then you offer a 3G plan (hahaha, it's 2017) with the same features as my (now grandfathered) 4G plan and it costs MORE than my grandfathered plan does.

It's obvious that the Telus overlords are screwing up a good thing. I'm sure Darren Entwistle will love his multi-million dollar bonus after driving loads of PM customers to Koodo or Telus proper... In the meantime, I'm shopping around. But considering how corrupt the Canadian telecom industry is, I'm probably stuck. Yay for me.

[will13am]

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@deltatux wrote:
I think people are forgetting that this is a reaction of Telus on the part of the CRTC consumer wireless code review where all phones must be sold unlocked by end of year (quite interesting this happens soon after the CRTC announcement eh?)

Think about how much money Telus would lose if more people started to buy phones outright & jumped over to Public Mobile at its basement prices. By raising the prices, it discourages people from jumping to a bargain basement pricing & use the increased rates new Public Mobile customers pay to essentially subsidize revenue lost on the Koodo & Telus end.

Dave's explanation doesn't actually explain anything really. They're essentially turning Public Mobile into Koodo without the call centre is all.

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Oh, I haven't forgotten.  Everytime the CRTC tries to gift the consumer something, the carriers rain on the parade.  Look what 2 year contracts got us.  It is rather surprising the response was so swift here.  It is still half a year away before we unlocked phones become the norm. 

[jawkneej]

🤣
Status quo.

[Smcanada99]

All that is great! But the prices for 4G plans are fairly close to a full service mobile brands like koodo and fido so how about world wide roaming and PM app and what do you say we cut the whole PM is less for less thing and get ride of the renewal challenges and technical issues with self managing accounts and get more resources like a call centre too!
I understand all the complaining about throttling LTE at lower prices may have caused the throttling to be abondaned along with economical pricing but now that the prices are relatively comparable I thought we get comparable service too for the new PM customers as they will not be paying far less than what they would pay at others with all that is mentioned.

[Smcanada99]

All that is great! But the prices for 4G plans are fairly close to a full service mobile brands like koodo and fido so how about world wide roaming and PM app and what do you say we cut the whole PM is less for less thing and get ride of the renewal challenges and technical issues with self managing accounts and get more resources like a call centre too!
I understand all the complaining about throttling LTE at lower prices may have caused the throttling to be abondaned along with economical pricing but now that the prices are relatively comparable I thought we get comparable service too for the new PM customers as they will not be paying far less than what they would pay at others with all that is mentioned.

[Alissa]

Thank you for sharing this. I am happy to be a part of the Public Mobile Network 🙂

[Vickel]

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@mtfolks wrote:
Huh. I think we need to be clear. The changes made would best be summarized as "less for more" seeing as how the rates have been jacked up, in most cases by a lot.

PM's prices are now in line with other providers that DO offer things like call centres, phone apps, kiosks, and stores for basically the same price.

You've basically killed any benefit to someone willing to give up those things in exchange for paying a lower price. Well done, folks.

Like most I will be keeping an eye on promos offered by other providers and switching out the four lines I brought over to you when it makes most sense to do so.

Can't express enough how disappointed I am in the lack of loyalty to its customers (who have also been your biggest supporters, recruiters, advertisers) that PM has shown through these changes.

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well said,

Cant recommend public mobile anymore with the recent price increase.

[deltatux]

I think people are forgetting that this is a reaction of Telus on the part of the CRTC consumer wireless code review where all phones must be sold unlocked by end of year (quite interesting this happens soon after the CRTC announcement eh?)

Think about how much money Telus would lose if more people started to buy phones outright & jumped over to Public Mobile at its basement prices. By raising the prices, it discourages people from jumping to a bargain basement pricing & use the increased rates new Public Mobile customers pay to essentially subsidize revenue lost on the Koodo & Telus end.

Dave's explanation doesn't actually explain anything really. They're essentially turning Public Mobile into Koodo without the call centre is all.

[sheytoon]

Good find @canucks4life!
Looks like Dave is a long time Telus employee focused on branding and pricing. Seems like a very deliberate move to increase revenues and ARPU.

[canucks4life]

https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjohnmaclean/

[Luddite]

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@CalvinW wrote:
Who the heck is Dave?

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Sr. Mgr at Public Mobile; not sure of his official title

[CalvinW]

Who the heck is Dave?

[Pier]

Ohhhh!! I assume Dave is celebrating alone since none of PM customers are among of the happier or who are celebrating now. We're not satisfied.... the new changes does everything but repulsing new customer from joining PM. Now, there is absolutely nothing interesting that can attract new clients.... keep it uppp.... many will leave or turn back. Hope change will come for good and not for less. 

We really wanna be part of the celebrating..... 

[905289]

The fact he even wrote a letter just says it all. To me it says "Hey, we know all of you are angry and that we must acknowledge you......but no we're not prepared to do anything about your concerns" Classic acknolwedge and ignore combo.

First you offer a great plan to only Freedom mobile customers. *Slap in face*

Second you offer 3G but throttled. *Punch in stomach"

Third you increase our rate insainly for LTE. *Kick in groin*

With the new changes in phone unlocking coming, I'm curious what the market will do when all providers must sell unlocked devices. 

[JackL]

@mimmo

Your promotion might have a period attached to it. For example 2nd line $5 discount only last for 24 months. In that case, I am totally fine with it, as long as it tells me right in the front when I order it.

[Rockdaddy22]

Amazing, makes me feel like a newcomer lol

[JAWS]

I'm with PM about 5 yrs. I travel a lot and I'm really happy with the PM receptions! 

[JAWS]

Well done🙄

[will13am]

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@ShawnC13 wrote:

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@Rockdaddy22 wrote:
Maybe those mods will work longer hours, costing more. Maybe they're getting raises. It'll streamline the process making it a better user experience.

Of course none of us like the price increases 😞

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@Rockdaddy22, I am hoping that longer available hours does happen for us out on the West Coast.  https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Public-Lab/Later-Mod-Hours/idi-p/171244

With this reconfiguration of the Support Structure.  As far as we know there has been no increase in actual people working for PM they are just being switched from social media to the Community.  This has actually decreased the options available for custmer service with an increase in price.

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@ShawnC13, I doubt the various customer service options led to a material effect on the service itself.  If anything, it caused customers to be confused and submit the same issue multiple times.  Now that the moderator team is focused on a single communication channel, there will be opportunity for split shifts and longer support hours. 

[BrrMcGrr]

@Dave_Mim sorry but this change is backwards. i can no longer promote or tell my friends to come to PM. this is the opposite of what PM stood for i feel. but business will push out what investers want. Telus probably wants profits over anything else. Very disappointed. You have lost my support. and if i find i need more data in the future as just days before i had been wanting to upgrade my plan, i will not now. i will just go else where.

My Rating 0.5 Stars out of 5 for this re-structure.

[jeffster1970]

I'll be happy as long as I can keep my plan...

I certainly don't mind hanging out around here on my spare time to help out if I can. Many better experts than me, of course, but I do like the whole concept, which is quite unique for a cellphone company. 

[Taekgun]

At the end of the day, a change to the number of mods, increased access to SIMs, single mode of support, etc... are all well and fine but if the experience doesn't change for new or existing members, then it's all for not.  Logic would dictate that an increase in prices should correlate to a better user experience  - do we get the service we expect for the price we pay.  I'm still hard pressed to see the value yet.... i guess time will tell.

[mimmo]

I dont mind the single support concept.

I think one of the main reasons for merging was to avoid people. Duplicating requests. Just like now we only tag mod team instead of the individual mods or tell people to private message instead of tagging.

The community should be the first and last area for support

[Luddite]

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@Rockdaddy22 wrote:
I can't argue with you there. They need the lowest prices in the industry to compete. They should have the lowest prices across the board compared to every other carrier.

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Not lowest everywhere, but lowest in their target categories. I don't see PM being the lowest offer for every service; data only plans for example seem very unlikely.

[ShawnC13]

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@Rockdaddy22 wrote:
Maybe those mods will work longer hours, costing more. Maybe they're getting raises. It'll streamline the process making it a better user experience.

Of course none of us like the price increases 😞

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@Rockdaddy22, I am hoping that longer available hours does happen for us out on the West Coast.  https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Public-Lab/Later-Mod-Hours/idi-p/171244

With this reconfiguration of the Support Structure.  As far as we know there has been no increase in actual people working for PM they are just being switched from social media to the Community.  This has actually decreased the options available for custmer service with an increase in price.

[mimmo]

My Wife was on virgin BYOD plan and virgin magically rased the rates $5/month from 38- 43 (or soemthing similar)  needess to say that is why I came to PM.  Am happy that we did.  

What the future holds not sure.   but even if PM raises the rates 5-10-15$  It will be hard to find a similar plan for the price even at teh increase prices.  but i am sure PM will loose the goodwill of its customers.

@JackL wrote:

@ShawnC13

I have been with Virgin Mobile for years before PM, I had good deal with them and they never increase price for existing customer during my service period. Sure every TOS mention it, but it gets down to if the company actually do it or not. Good point that legacy plan was offered by something else, now let's see how long would PM honor those 4GB promo plans without changing its price.

[Luddite]

@JackL Since fall 2014, there has been only one price increase for any existing customers who stayed on their "grandfathered" plan. This occurred this spring when the original Public Mobile customers (aka Legacy or Pioneer) were hit with $3/30 days; they still have call centre support.

As far as current pricing goes, only time will tell if it is too close to competitors' to be unattractive to new customers. PM has indicated its pricing will be adjusted as needed to be attractive against Canada wide offerings.

[Michael77]

Good point. 🙂