Guess What?! (Hint: We had to update our Terms of Service to do this)

[Brooke_C]

We’ve got another BIG and EXCITING announcement to make!

We will be launching US roaming in November this year! Many members have been patiently waiting for this to arrive and we are ecstatic to be making this announcement. Members like @robbytwotwo, @carloscmd, @ckndr47, @nishufan, @McLaren, @makkahn28, @imm1304, @Cookin, @srlawren and many more have been submitting or promoting ideas about US roaming on our Public Lab, saying things like:

“The plans offered here are great. I am waiting for some sort of roaming to be offered though...”

And

“First of all kudos to PM for such an amazing service...Now that we are growing, would love to see a ...”    

We would like to extend a huge thank you to those that submitted the idea and to those who supported the idea by giving it a bravo. We have listened to your feedback and recommendations, and are excited to be bringing this idea to life.  

Think about the convenience…the freedom… No longer will you need to purchase a different SIM card when you travel to the States. No longer will you need to travel to the States without any service at all. No longer will you have an excuse to not respond to your parents/ girlfriend/ boyfriend etc. (Whoops- that was a good thing.)

Anyway, we veered off topic just a tad. Soon you will be able to connect to AT&T and T-Mobile networks when you travel to the states. AT&T and T-Mobile’s coverage includes all 50 states, plus Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. So, whether you are travelling to the snow-capped mountains in Alaska or to Florida's sunny beaches, we will have you covered.

In order to roam, you will have the flexibility to choose 10 day Add-ons that include talk only, text only, data only or a bundle of all three services. We are still finalizing the Add- on price points and the exact launch date, so stay tuned for more information. We have also updated our Terms of Service to incorporate US roaming, so please be sure to read it here.

-Public Mobile Community Team

[kav2001c]

This needs to be implemented by Nov 24th if you want all the Black Friday shopppers to test it out 🙂

[kav2001c]

@Brooke_C just a question regarding the graphic, it seems to imply Alaskan roaming is included but not Hawaii?

[makkahn28]

Wondering: If PM has agreements with At&T and T-Mobile, what bout Verizon, Big names, better coverage, stable results

[slidebite]

This is great news! I just ordered my SIM card while I was on holidays in Hawaii and just now saw this after I opened my new account.

Look forward to it and please do your best to keep prices reasonable for casual users. The exorbinate roam packages from my old provider was one of the reasons I finally got tired of their BS after several years and left!

e: Also, an option for doing it via text would be handy. Sometimes I make day trips and don't plan it ahead of time so being able to do it right from my phone while in the states but before making a call would be super handy!

[makkahn28]

I think, if fee was, $15 for Unlim Tk + Txt and 500 MB, for 10 days, perhaps palatable at least.

$9-$12, somewhere between maybe the sweet spot.

I do hope, as a way of adding variety and long-term success, besides the 10 Day interval, maybe having a 60, 180, 360 Mins Add-On Roam, even if expiry is let's say, 60 or 90 Days

What you think, Add-On Tk Roam by Mins intervals, 60 Min, 30 Days to use or bye bye, 180 Mins, 60 days to use within or Bye Bye, 360 Mins, 90 Days within use or BYE BYE, would offer some flexibility ppl yearning for

2400 maybe a bit much, and finding sweet spot can be dicey.

Now, Txt, if Unlim, should be set by SET term, like 4 Day, 10 Day and 14 Day, simple

Data, well set Data up not as an Add-On normal, but like how PM has Fixed Term, so again 4, 10 and 14 Days, 500, 800 MB, and 1GB should be the set amounts, fair, and within some reason, and that must be the key, Fair, Within Reason, Sweet Spot, Dead On Point.

Price should be Fair, and if a Slight Pricey, well worth it. 

IF Fees were, like $20, or $25, well worth it

If $75, well, that maybe hard to process

If $30, then perhaps as far as I would push, There needs to be a Limit on what is Fair, Within Reason

[srlawren]

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@Brooke_C wrote:

All the US roaming add-ons will be 10 days. That 10 day period will begin upon paying for the Add-on and will be available for use for 10 consecutive days or until depletion. For example, if I paid for my US roaming Add-on today, September 23, and the plan had unlimited talk, text, and 500MB of data (don't infer too much), I would have those services until the end of October 2nd. If I used my 500 MB of data within the first day of travelling, because I love social media so much, then I would only have talk and text available for the rest of the trip. 

My reco: Wait to see our pricing before you worry too much about the rigidness of the 10 day plan. You may find that it could work to your advantage. There's also a bonus that if your first day starts on a Friday, like in my example, that you have two full weekends of coverage with one Add-on. 

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Hi @Brooke_C,

Thanks for the further information.  So if I'm reading you right, it's 10 consecutive days (or less for data if you use it all up in less time).  I'm dying to know the pricing, because this sounds like it will prevent me from using this feature for the majority of my trips to the USA, unless the total cost for those 10 days is under $10-15, which I suspect is unlikely.  Please don't keep us waiting too long! 

Cheers!

[sportymi]

Agree @geogolem

A one day add on will be a great option for people who take shorter trips!

Congrutulation to PM again for going the right direction!

[makkahn28]

This is how I felt when Roam was coming, Me as Baby Kitten with smile on me Whisker happy face lol

[geogolem]

Im excited for the ability to roam via Public Mobile... but like many other posters in this thread - I believe an add on that deducts a day upon connection to a US tower in a 24 hour period would be much more user-friendly.

It all depends how much the 10 day add on costs.. When I go to the states more often then not its a day trip... or on rare occasion a weekend trip.. but mostly a day trip... Im guessing it wouldnt be worth it for me to take advantage of Public Mobile's roaming offerings in this case...

If Public Mobile is going to only offer roaming options which take effect immediately upon purchase and expire a certain number of days later, why not have 1 day options then. 10 days will generally be too much if one is going to just waste the majority of the 10 days because they only took a day or couple days trip.

Anyway, just my 2 cents -- will have to wait and see what exactly is the offering and pricing!

[NDesai]

Well there are plenty who cross the border for few days. So buying 10days addon probably not worth it since they will not use about 70% of it. On the otherhand, like @makkahn28 mentioned, if you even connect once with us towrrs, count that as 1 day and leave rest to use later on. That is much better for both, those go on vacation and those who go for few days.

[ckl]

Wow, this was posted yesterday and there's already 5 pages of discussion... LOL.

I guess it really shows the importance of a US roaming addon. I'm all for it as well.

[daredogg]

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@ute1978 wrote:

Wow! $7 per day would be $70 on the 10-day-add-on. I hope, this is not what PM plans, as throwaway phones in the US are much cheaper and have more data included.

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@ute1978 I didn't mean to imply that the 10-day plan would be $70. I was merely referring to the price per day model, especially if you only needed US access for a day or two. It's sounding like the proposed 10-day add-on will be affordable enough, so it probably won't matter if you needed 1 day or 10. I look forward to the unveiling!

Bring on ROAM-vember!  

[IWIK]

This is great. Hope the prices are competitive

[makkahn28]

@Jeremy_M, awesome 

[makkahn28]

Just Curious, on these 2

Will the Roam be ONLY for the New Plans, OR Including the Old Legacy, like $19, $25, $40, $45 and $60 GF plans too? I really hope all can, My Ma has my $60 GF, My Father has $25 and Uncle with $19

The way the roaming set up is phenomenal.

Hopefully as time goes by, PM will have different Cycles for the Roam, 10 Days is OK, but only for ppl who work over there, or ppl on vacation primarily, and also, ppl on average cross 2-4 x a wk, for either Groceries, or a bite to eat, Target Shopping, etc. A bit shorter cycle as eventually maybe the sweet, UNLESS PM had the ability, like Rogers Roam from Home or that Telus thing, where when your cell interacts with US towers then that would count as Day used, which would be more fair, and yet not an unlimited time to use 10 days worth, like give ppl, 60 Days to use the 10 Days worth, or forfeit.

Also, for the 10 Day, ppl may ask, is it stackable, like ppl buying 2, for 20 Days, or only One at a Time?

They really need, as an eventual goal, not right now, but perhaps later on, a 2 or 4 Day Pass, so like have a 2 or 4, 10 and 14

Also, will MMS work same way, if ppl don't get Data plan? Just curious

[Jeremy_M]

@makkahn28

[makkahn28]

For name of this product, that would be the key

Roam Publicity

Roam Publicly

Roaminator

Public's Playroam

Public Roam

Public Roam Play

P.S.S. (Public Star Ship) Roam, Roaminator

Catchphrases that capture the spirit, essense, of this great experiment

[homer]

that would be convenient 😄 great work team! 

[makkahn28]

Hi. Thanks @Brooke_C for the clarification and Bravos 

Wonder, When its ready for launch, is it similar to how ppl use champagne to start maiden voyage of a Starship?

Would be great, to see @Jeremy_M saying, Take the second star to the right, and straight home till morning

Or, @Shazia_K saying, Warp speed now

Or, @Brooke_C saying, Take us out, 1/4 Impulse power

Or, Have the Retired  Reps, like @Mansi_G, or @Moid_I or all of them, inaugerate the Roaming with One great saying, Energize.

Miss them, @Mansi_G She especially, wonder if they say hello every now and then, wished they were on Community to see ho far  has grown, maybe not as fast as Khan Noonien Singh, but still, pretty fast nonetheless.

[nishufan]

Hi @Brooke_C

  Thank you for your sharing. 10 days is a long period for most people traveling to US. If PM can offer short period such as 1 day, 3 days , a week will be better. Thanks

[ute1978]

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@daredogg wrote:

This may have already been mentioned in this thread, but I'd imagine US roaming for PM would be similar to the Telus $7 per day add-on?

---

Wow! $7 per day would be $70 on the 10-day-add-on. I hope, this is not what PM plans, as throwaway phones in the US are much cheaper and have more data included.

[daredogg]

When I was considering switching carriers (tired of paying $160+ for two phones) I looked at WIND and some of the other "less expensive" carriers. The selling point for why I switched to PM was nationwide coverage without having to worry when it's "free" to use your phone. Having to be in your home zone to avoid additional charges just seemed tedious to me.

This may have already been mentioned in this thread, but I'd imagine US roaming for PM would be similar to the Telus $7 per day add-on? I like the daily add-on feature, especially for a quick shopping trip or a 2-3 day visit, instead of having to commit to 10-days or a full month. "Only pay for the services you want, for however long you want them", right?!

My last trip to Florida, I bought an AT&T "burner phone" when I landed, just in case of emergencies. It didn't even have data so it was useless for directions (bring on the paper maps!). I don't travel to the US often, but when I do, it's good to know I can now use my existing carrier.

THANKS Public Mobile for introducing this feature!

[Brooke_C]

Great questions! I am happy to see all the positive reactions.

All the US roaming add-ons will be 10 days. That 10 day period will begin upon paying for the Add-on and will be available for use for 10 consecutive days or until depletion. For example, if I paid for my US roaming Add-on today, September 23, and the plan had unlimited talk, text, and 500MB of data (don't infer too much), I would have those services until the end of October 2nd. If I used my 500 MB of data within the first day of travelling, because I love social media so much, then I would only have talk and text available for the rest of the trip. 

My reco: Wait to see our pricing before you worry too much about the rigidness of the 10 day plan. You may find that it could work to your advantage. There's also a bonus that if your first day starts on a Friday, like in my example, that you have two full weekends of coverage with one Add-on. 

That's all I can reveal right now! Looking forward to providing more concrete details as we get closer to the launch date. 

-Public Mobile Team

P.S. @makkahn28 great suggestions about Public Mobile roaming names! Keep the ideas coming.  

[brew99]

I had been thinking of switching for a few days now, and this announcement solidified the the deal.   Just switched from Koodo to PM last night, and it was painless (ported # in under a minute).

[Novaeddie]

Great news and yes, this is a game changer. I know quite a few people that were holding off making the switch due to the US roaming issue. Thanks PM!

[Rockdaddy22]

This really is a game changer for PM, it's looking less and less like a prepaid carrier every day. To me that's a good thing, we're getting the best of both worlds. Am I wrong or is PM a unique prepaid carrier they definitely seem unique to me, from pricing to plans, I don't think any prepaid carrier has anything similar.

[ute1978]

Wohoooo!

I can imagine, lots of members look like this.

[srlawren]

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@ryanwoo wrote:

This was the only problem bothered me when I signed in with PM, didn't expect we would get it so soon.😁

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@ryanwoo you're lucky--many of us have been waiting for this feature for months or even years!  🙂  I'd call it a "long overdue" and "very welcome" addition, rather than "so soon" 😉  

[Chaos_Scorpio]

COOOOOOL.

I Was wondering what I was going to have to do for a wedding I have to go to next september stateside... lol. Not anymore!

[TroyDaBes]

Interesting. This is pretty **bleep** nice