NOW LIVE: Improvements to the Get Started Page

[Brooke_C]

Hey Community,

We’re happy to share that this week we’ll be making some improvements to our Get Started webpage. These changes continue our journey to make your experience as clear and simple as possible!

Here is what’s new :

• Updated Phone Compatibility Checker: Checking your phone’s compatibility with our network is now more accurate than ever

• We’re updating the database we use to confirm whether your device is compatible with our network, providing you with more reliable results.
• Like in the past version, it will be a 2-step process where you can check network compatibility, as well as if your phone is marked as lost or stolen. This makes sure you join us without a hitch!
• We’ve partnered with willmyphonework.net  to make this improvement and, as a result, the new compatibility checker offers tons of phone brands and models that you can choose from. If you by chance can’t find your make and/ or model, provide feedback directly here.

• New Store Locator Map: Finding the nearest Public Mobile retailer and payment voucher locations by you is easier

• Now, you can find the store nearest to you under the ‘Buy a Public Mobile SIM card’ step. Simply enter your address, city or postal code, and select ‘Search’.
• Looking for a store that sells payment vouchers or instant top ups? Scroll down to the bottom of this page, select payment vouchers, click on the company’s logo and it will take you to their store locator to find the one nearest you.
• We recommend that you call the store in advance of  driving to a payment voucher location. Each store is responsible for their own availability, and it’s better to be safe than sorry!

• Introducing Store Feedback Capability: Providing feedback on your store experience is simpler than ever  

• We love hearing your feedback and take what you share to heart. As we continued to launch in more retail locations, we saw an increasing amount of feedback on your store experiences.
• Now, you can leave a review of your store experience by selecting ‘Find a Store’ under step 2 on the Get Started  page or by selecting the option in the footer of our website. You can also access it here.

Let us know what you think by commenting below!

-Public Mobile Community Team  

[Griffyn]

Thanks for the info, abTest...especially the part about the $2/month not being included in the $15 monthly fee!  

When I was at Walmart, the rep did ask me to sign in using my email address but for some reason, it didn't work.  I just tried to do it again and again, it didn't work.  I needed to give PM my email address in order to ask questions in the Community forums. I can't remember what password I used cause I only had to enter it once so I clicked on Forgot My Password.  Then I got a message that said my email address wasn't recognized.  Since I'm getting emails at that address from PM, any idea why it would tell me that?  I only have one email address.

Since my contract with Bell isn't up yet, I will not only owe them my monthly fee, I will also have to pay off the remaining cost of the phone.  So I will still be getting a bill from them after June 12th.  Can I switch over on the 13th anyway or will PM not be able to pull my current phone number if I still owe money?

Thanks again.

[Anonymous]

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@Griffyn wrote:

Hello again.  I took my phone to Walmart, they said it's compatible.  While I was there, I bought a PM SIM card and gave them my demographic and financial information.  The  salesperson also had me fill out most of the Account Setup. Under Set Up Your Self-Serve Account, I didn't complete steps 1-3 but he had me put in a 4 digit pin in step 4.    

So here is another slew of questions...my statement period with Bell ends on June 12th so I would like to start with Public Mobile on the 13th.  Is that possible to make a seamless transition?  Since I'm still with Bell, I left my Bell SIM card in the phone.  Should I go to Need To Create An Account? on the 13th after I've switched out the SIM cards?  Under verify your phone number, is that the temporary one the salesperson gave me?  The salesperson asked me which plan I wanted.  I told him the $15 plan and that I would like to set up the autopay using my credit card in order to get the $2 off per month.  He said the $15 plan already included that and the plan I chose was actually $17...is that true?

Thanks for your help...and your patience!

---

@Griffyn- A couple of things off the top of my head:

1- The auto pay IS NOT already included in the $15.  With auto-pay, it will be $13.

2- It seems like the Walmart rep already set up your plan.  That is, you are already paying for your $15 (-2) plan.  You can switch over as soon as you want.  If your Bell plan is post-paid, Bell should give you a refund (if it is due).

3- You should already have a self serve account created.  If they asked for  an email, and had you enter a password.  If not, you can create it yourself from the PM main page.

[Griffyn]

Hello again.  I took my phone to Walmart, they said it's compatible.  While I was there, I bought a PM SIM card and gave them my demographic and financial information.  The  salesperson also had me fill out most of the Account Setup. Under Set Up Your Self-Serve Account, I didn't complete steps 1-3 but he had me put in a 4 digit pin in step 4.    

So here is another slew of questions...my statement period with Bell ends on June 12th so I would like to start with Public Mobile on the 13th.  Is that possible to make a seamless transition?  Since I'm still with Bell, I left my Bell SIM card in the phone.  Should I go to Need To Create An Account? on the 13th after I've switched out the SIM cards?  Under verify your phone number, is that the temporary one the salesperson gave me?  The salesperson asked me which plan I wanted.  I told him the $15 plan and that I would like to set up the autopay using my credit card in order to get the $2 off per month.  He said the $15 plan already included that and the plan I chose was actually $17...is that true?

Thanks for your help...and your patience!

[Anonymous]

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@Griffyn wrote:

Hi z10user4...no other subnumber on my contract...is there someplace I can access it on the phone itself?  I have no idea if it's a Canadian market phone.  I would be surprised if it wasn't compatible but I don't want to buy another phone if it isn't.  I just bought this one in January.  Thanks for replying.

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Settings/About Phone should have more detailed model information.

Has it been working so far somewhere?

[Griffyn]

Hi z10user4...no other subnumber on my contract...is there someplace I can access it on the phone itself?  I have no idea if it's a Canadian market phone.  I would be surprised if it wasn't compatible but I don't want to buy another phone if it isn't.  I just bought this one in January.  Thanks for replying.

[Anonymous]

 @Griffyn 

So it's the Samsung J3 (2018). Was it originally a Canadian-market phone? Do you have a sub-model number?

I would be pretty certain it'll work. You don't _have_ to do the compatibility check to activate. It's not a required step. It's really more for your heads-up to know in advance with a level of certainty that it *should* work.

[Griffyn]

Thanks trishe....I'm trying to sign up with PM and the first step is to check for compatibility. So the first time I tried to check, my phone was still locked (I know nothing about cell phones).  I had Bell unlock it and tried again...same answer.  Then I came here to the forums to find out why the check couldn't be done.  That's when I started to get frustrated.  It seems a lot of people had the same problem but no where could I find an answer to the question...how do we now verify that our phone will work with the network?  So I joined PM in order to ask.  I was told to take the phone to Walmart to get them to do the check...which I can do, but not today cause there isn't one around the corner.  That's why I then asked if there was another site where I could check it on-line.

Thanks for your response, trishe!

[trishe]

Hi Griff

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@Griffyn wrote:

This is so very confusing!  I might have to change my mind about joining PM!  The question I need to have answered is "Why do I keep getting a message stating that the network can not check the compatibility of my unlocked Samsung J3 (2018) at this time??".

Sorry to hijack this thread...I didn't know what else to do to ask a question!

---

Hi Griffin. I d k why you are getting that message but another way to check the comparability is at any local Walmart.  The staff at different locations who helped me were very knowledgeable.  We seem to rely on technology too much & forget the skills of hands on human touch.  

Did you request an online search of your phone's comparability with this network for the computer to randomly send you that message repeatedly.  I'm sorry to hear that this happened to you. 

[Griffyn]

Thanks for the prompt response, GinYVR.  I'm currently with Bell, not Telus.  Are you saying if I take my phone to Walmart, they can check the compatibility (I don't know what Wow! is).  So there is no way to check it on-line?  I went to the link in this thread but my exact Samsung J3 (2018) wasn't listed.

Thanks again.

[GinYVR]

@Griffyn It is probably some programming bug. Which end? Public Mobile or Willmyphonework.net? who knows.

Since your phone is relatively new, if your phone works with Telus it will work fine. Have you thought of going to places like Wow! or Walmart to see if they have sim cards so you can do a test right there?

[Anonymous]

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@Griffyn wrote:

This is so very confusing!  I might have to change my mind about joining PM!  The question I need to have answered is "Why do I keep getting a message stating that the network can not check the compatibility of my unlocked Samsung J3 (2018) at this time??".

Sorry to hijack this thread...I didn't know what else to do to ask a question!

---

If it's a Canadian version then it'll work here.

Keep asking questions. Lotsa help here.

[Griffyn]

This is so very confusing!  I might have to change my mind about joining PM!  The question I need to have answered is "Why do I keep getting a message stating that the network can not check the compatibility of my unlocked Samsung J3 (2018) at this time??".

Sorry to hijack this thread...I didn't know what else to do to ask a question!

[pm-smayer97]

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@pm-smayer97 wrote:

Still fails to provide option to enter postal code UNLESS you accept to share your location. That is a fail for privacy!

Plus, some may not be interested in looking for one near where they are anyway, so sharing current location is meaningless.

Still, a step in the right direction. But PM, please fix this.

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The OP was just edited but not sure what was updated. 

The store lookup still fails for the same reason above. So this has not been fixed yet.

[pm-smayer97]

Still fails to provide option to enter postal code UNLESS you accept to share your location. That is a fail for privacy!

Plus, some may not be interested in looking for one near where they are anyway, so sharing current location is meaningless.

Still, a step in the right direction. But PM, please fix this.

[trishe]

If an app is created I hope it's not like Facebook draining battery & memory working in the background whether you want it to or not

[MeganBeaton1]

Great news with the links to locations.

[tanadongell]

aye thats geat. for everyone new joining the community, i think there should be a little more help. it was a little confusing on how to start

[Grace2019]

I am glad to see more PM ad on local skytrain in Vancouver.  

[yilin123456732]

Sounds great!

The only feedback/concern I would have is to create an app to make our lives easier!

Cheers and thanks.

[srlawren]

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@danhawkins2 wrote:

@Brooke_C 

Hi Brooke - relatively new to Public Mobile in terms of getting help; wasn't sure how else to post, so just replying here to this thread.  My Data is no longer working - phone calls and texts are fine.  I tried to check on My Account page and see what my data usage was but no info was displayed on that page.  

Thanks 

---

@danhawkins2 Dan, that means you have used up all your available plan data.  Once it is used up, it no longer shows up on the Overview page unfortunately.  The community has asked Public Mobile to change this since at least 2016 with no sign of it ever changing.  Unfortunately it causes confusion like this.  @Alan_K this continues to confuse your customers.  Please, fix this as soon as possible.

[danhawkins2]

@Brooke_C 

Hi Brooke - relatively new to Public Mobile in terms of getting help; wasn't sure how else to post, so just replying here to this thread.  My Data is no longer working - phone calls and texts are fine.  I tried to check on My Account page and see what my data usage was but no info was displayed on that page.  

Thanks 

[c70nut]

Overall a good development,  not sure the purpose of leaving reviews if they aren't available to be read (?)

[Wisedawg]

This is a great improvement, especially for new comers to Public Mobile. That way they know where they can go and who has great service.

[Bailey12]

This is great news! 

[Ice1]

Great, thanks for improving every day and in every way 

[Patrick_R]

Wow interesting reply 2x I was replying to the sim card and most stores like Mobile Shop, Wal-Mart.

[computergeek541]

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@Patrick_R wrote:

Maybe they get a referal for activating thus giving free sim.

Must be new cause most here had to buy a sim card for 10.00

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@Patrick_R , I would suggest to please quote the message that you are replying to, or mention the name of that person's reply.  It's very difficult to know which message you are responding to.  I am going to assume that you are talking about stores sometimes not charging for the sim card.

It's not impossible that the store employee could be doing something like that to get referrals. However, that's something that they could probably get fired for.

I would say that the more likely scenario has that person receiving comission for performing this activation. This would explain the push for wanting the customer to activate there, and for the inclusion of the sim card sometimes for free.

[Patrick_R]

Maybe they get a referal for activating thus giving free sim.

Must be new cause most here had to buy a sim card for 10.00

[trishe]

My friends I recommended & I were pleasantly surprised to find out that there was no charge for the SIM upon activation at our local Walmart. It may be a temporary offer of Public Mobile but the staff there were efficient kind & knowledgeable. Our pre owned phones worked without a comparability check.  I hope your getting started page might help more with people who are newer to phones in general as some do not access internet ever may require a grandchild or someone to communicate for them. Hopefully in future your cellular phone service might have an old fashioned telephone operator for assistance especially for newbies or even oldies. 

[Patrick_R]

Me too that be great

You think they might with the rollout of kiosk's?