07-13-201702:57 PM - last edited on 12-07-201710:55 AM by Brooke_C
Hey Community!
We’re happy to announce that we’ve added 3G data options to our offerings in order to give you more choice. Our vision has always been to do wireless differently and that translates into our commitment to always offer you the most choice and flexibility in your plans.
You’ll now be able to build plans with either 3G or 4G LTE data speeds on Canada’s largest mobile network.
Along with launching new 3G data options, we're offering you bonus 3G data for a limited time when you activate on a 90-day plan. During this promotional period, we're featuring three amazing plans:
Length
Talk
Text
Data at 3G Speed**
Price
90-Day Plan
Unlimited Province-Wide Talk
Unlimited Global Text
12GB + 6GB Bonus Data
= 6GB / 30 days
$150
= $50 / 30 days*
90-Day Plan
Unlimited Province-Wide Talk
Unlimited Global Text
6GB + 6GB Bonus Data
= 4GB / 30 days
$129
= $43 / 30 days*
90-Day Plan
Unlimited Province-Wide Talk
Unlimited Global Text
3GB + 3GB Bonus Data
= 2GB / 30 days
$120
= $40 / 30 days*
*Prices include $2 Reward per 30 days when you register with AutoPay on a 90-day plan.
There are plenty more plan options to explore, so feel free to play around with the new calculator to find a combination that’s right for you!
Interested? Here’s how to score one of these deals.
First, you’ll need a SIM card. You can order one here or visit a participating Walmart or WOW! mobile boutique to purchase. Once you have your SIM card in hand, follow these easy steps:
After you’ve entered your information and selected a phone number or ported over your number from another provider, you’ll be prompted to choose a plan. Select the following combination to score one of our limited time offers:
90-day pass
Unlimited Province-Wide Talk
Unlimited Global Text
Your desired data allotment:
○ 3 + 3GB BONUS at 3G Speed /90 days = 2GB / 30 days
○ 6 + 6GB BONUS at 3G Speed /90 days = 4GB / 30 days
○ 12 + 6GB BONUS at 3G Speed /90 days = 6GB / 30 days
Select your payment method (don’t forget to sign up for AutoPay to receive the $2 Reward / 30 days) and finalize the rest of the activation process.
Things to know
This promotional bonus data offer is only for a limited time.
Once an end date is communicated, it is the last day you can activate on our promotional plans. The promotion will not be honoured after the communicated end date for any SIM cards that have not been activated by the deadline. This includes SIM cards that have been purchased online and have not yet arrived or been activated.
What’s the difference between 3G and 4G LTE?** Good question.
3G is a great option if you mostly use data to check Facebook, respond to emails or browse the web, but you may experience a slight reduction in picture quality and some buffering when viewing videos. 4G LTE is our fastest data option. If you’re looking to do all the above, plus stream HD videos and consume dynamic content, like Snapchat or Instagram stories, without compromising on image quality or a seamless video experience, 4G LTE is our recommended data speed for you!
Check out this video below to better visualize the difference:
**Plans with 4G LTE data can access maximum LTE download speeds (manufacturer rated at up to 750 Mbps; expected average speeds 12-200 Mbps). Plans with 3G data may reach download speeds of up to 3 Mbps, with the coverage and reliability of the LTE network. Speed and signal strength may vary with your device, configuration, Internet traffic, environmental conditions, applicable network management and other factors. For a description of Public Mobile’s network management practices, please see https://www.publicmobile.ca/pdfs/Wireless_Video_Experience_Optimization.pdf. Compatible device required.
Are you a current Public Mobile customer?
If you’re already a customer (joined prior to the 3G launch), this change will not affect your current plan. Looking to change your current plan? No problem - use the Self Serve portal to make plan changes for your next renewal date, but keep in mind: once changes have been made, you will not be able to switch back to your current plan at a later date if it’s no longer available. View our Service Terms for more details.
You’ll also notice that we have removed and grandfathered the 10-day plan. We did this in order to refocus our resources and stay focused on what our customers want.
@kav2001c Koodo has had QC promo plans on and off (with a couple week break in between every time) pretty much all year, this year. So I wouldn't look at "They don't currently have a promo plan going on" as any indication that they've given up doing promo plans entirely. Mid-summer is almost always a terrible time for plans.
Speaking of - they just brought the promo plans back. 🙂 $49 for 6GB LTE data.
@geologyking most of them were not long term clients
When Telus took over they more than doubled some of the plan prices (they also stripped away multiple features, eg long distance which is a shell of what it used to be)
Remember Public was the *only* carrier to ever offer *real* unlimited data
Wind, Mobilicity, and big3 (when they actually offered it) all had caps and throttling
I actually agree with you that Telus is in the process of aligning Public to compete directly with Chatr & leaving Koodo to take on Fido/Virgin
As for price increases or plan changes every carrier does this
@kav2001c Koodo has had QC promo plans on and off (with a couple week break in between every time) pretty much all year, this year. So I wouldn't look at "They don't currently have a promo plan going on" as any indication that they've given up doing promo plans entirely. Mid-summer is almost always a terrible time for plans.
Speaking of - they just brought the promo plans back. 🙂 $49 for 6GB LTE data.
@Michael77 all we can go on is PM's previous history of handling grandfathered plans... And that history is a pretty positive one, compared to other carriers. The recent $3 increase for the pioneer plans is really the only recent notable increase, and they also offered to let those customers migrate to Koodo and keep their same price/plan. They're really just trying to force people out of those plans so they can shutter the call center for good.
I don't think PM is likely to be increasing prices for existing plans any time soon - particularly the $40/4GB promo plan, since they literally JUST finished a promo offering that plan. It would be the most decision EVER to raise plan prices for those people any time soon, since they literally just signed up.
Obviously nothing is guaranteed, but I would be *very* surprised if PM raises prices any time sooner than a year, at the very minimum. They know very well that everybody who signed up, only did so because of the killer price of that plan. Raising prices on grandfathered plans would result in a mass migration.
I guess if Pubic Mobile decided to raise our prices then we would leave to a different mobile phone company. I was a Freedom Mobile customer for almost 7 years. I left for the $40/$38-12gig LTE promotion. I just hope Public Mobile understands that people switched because of the price, plan, promotion and network. I would not have left for anything less. Personally, I was only paying $35 per month. Freedom Mobile even gave me an extra $10 discount ($25 for 6 months) to keep my business. I also had to pay off a really large phone tab. I took a loss in the hopes of gaining a better network for the price Public Mobile offered me.
I really hope Public Mobile does not increase our plan prices. It would feel like they played a trick on all of the Freedom Mobile customers. It would be really bad for business.
I am crossing my fingers and hoping they understand. My hope is to be a loyal long term customer of Public Mobile.
@kav2001c Because people are smelling the changes that are to come. I asked in another thread if anyone could remember anything approaching 40+% plan increases before and no one, long time or new users, were able to point to such increases in the past.
This, to me, signals a fundamental shift in how PM plans to do business. I would be very surprised if there aren't big changes to grandfathered plans, a la big increases(either one time or spread out) or some folding of PM and movement of users somewhere else, or some Chatr like morphing of PM.
I'm not a prophet, but I think the writing's on the wall and I regret coming over so late...
No, I didn't have LTE plan yet in my PM plan. I only had talk/text on a promo for 75 per 90 days and wanted to add internet when my current plan with current provider was about to expire. But now I have locked in a PM plan with a very nice number (!!!) but when I will add internet, I'll have to pay the same reate as I currently do with my Telus Business Plan.
If you would have offered real 3g speed which is officially between 21 - 42Mbps, then I could live with it, since that's still fast enough. But now you've capped it on 2.5Mbps which is only 314 kb per second, and that's even not real 3g, but actually 2.5g the oldfashioned GPRS. So, could PM increase the 3g speed to real 3g speed? That would take a lot of criticizing away and maybe prevent many from leaving PM (again). PM has tried to gain Freedom customers, but this move could turn things the other way around.
Actually, 2.5 Mbps falls well within the technical definition of 3G (the IMT-2000 standard).
If you would have offered real 3g speed which is officially between 21 - 42Mbps, then I could live with it, since that's still fast enough. But now you've capped it on 2.5Mbps which is only 314 kb per second, and that's even not real 3g, but actually 2.5g the oldfashioned GPRS. So, could PM increase the 3g speed to real 3g speed? That would take a lot of criticizing away and maybe prevent many from leaving PM (again). PM has tried to gain Freedom customers, but this move could turn things the other way around.
@kav2001c Koodo has had QC promo plans on and off (with a couple week break in between every time) pretty much all year, this year. So I wouldn't look at "They don't currently have a promo plan going on" as any indication that they've given up doing promo plans entirely. Mid-summer is almost always a terrible time for plans.
@kav2001c QC plans have only been gone a couple weeks, at most, and that's just the normal mid-summer slump. I'll be *very* surprised if there aren't more promo plans showing up for back to school (and Black Friday, and Boxing Day, etc).
I think it would be good for all of us to remember that the cellular market is a dynamic market and prices change regularly. So let's see what happens in the next couple months.
Oh and don't forget they throttle video, have extra hidden fees, and most plans do not even allow tethering (although I beleive new one does)
The "$40 average" plan they advertise is if you get 4+ lines (and even in that scenario, if you need 4+ lines I can show you a legit Telus plan that costs less, and even includes US roaming)
@kav2001c I've been testing out the 3G a little, unfortunately sometimes I'm getting around 1.8mbps. I think the extra .5 could help a little, but of course not a deal breaker. I wish they'd at least match chatter at 3 or beat them at 3.5mbps
Hey hey now lol I use vouchers, but also have many credit cards 🤑
The best way to pay for PM is by using CanadianTire gift cards that you can get on sale %10 off from time to time. Use a great cashback card to buy the gift cards. Then use the discounted gift cards to pay for pm vouchers at CanadianTire gas bar 😘
As part of the NAFTA renegotiation, the US have put in their list that their mobile service providers to be able to expand to Canada. Now what's our incentive (as citizens) to try to put pressure on our government to block this? Prices in the US have slowly come down in the last 10 years, while ours kept going up.
Chatr REQUIRES a credit card on file to get bonus data; many subscribers do not use credit cards (even here look at all voucher questions) as low cost wireless attracts a different crowd
Chatr has basic voice mail, Public has enhanced
Chatr is crippled by zones, Public works everywhere cross Canada
Public has add-ons that do not expire & better roaming options
#2 - Just try calling Chatr
I have an account with them (grandfather Mobilicity plan which is way better than anything they offer today)
30+ minute hold times are the norm
#3 - Technically true but I doubt you will notice a difference. Speeds are close enough that it is irrelevant
#4 - Data Zones are VERY small, so not really unlimited. Plus Chatr will automatically charge overages if you have a balance in account
#5 - Chatr wins more retail locations (again inside the zones, try getting a SIM in outer areas)
#6 - Depends on plan, but price wise you can easily include a Public Long Distance Booster for same costs (esp if no credit card since Chatr plans take big spike in costs then)
#7 - And Chatr requires credit card payments every month to get same plan
Here is what's wrong with the 3g plans 1. Price - same as chatr 2. No call center for same chatr price 3. Throttled to 2.5mbps compared to chatr throttled to 3mbps 4. No unlimited data compared to chatr - public cuts off while chatr slows down to 64kbps 5. No retail presence - and no, selling Sims from Walmart don't count. Chatr has reps. 6. Province wide talk vs Canada wide and US talk 7. Require 90 days to get the $50 price per month
The ONLY advantage Public Mobile has over chatr is that it is not zoned.
So who exactly is public mobile competing with now?
@Luddite its funny so many people were so against 3 year terms (in old days cell company had CHOICE 1, 2, OR 3 year terms. Most clients took 3 years because they wanted more hardware subsidy off phone.
Now those same customers are getting forced 2 year contracts and having to pay all kinds of extra tab fees which make cost today alot higher than in past
Unlocking fees are same
Yes they banned unlocking fees
But only an idiot thinks the value assigned to phone will remain the same (already every carrier sells phone for more money than the unlocked phone)
All this will do is add an extra $50 to cost of handsets or add some sort of processing / activation fee increase to all carriers
