U.S. Roaming has arrived!

[Brooke_C]

Hey Community!

We are ecstatic to announce that after months of planning and hard work, U.S. Roaming has launched! With Black Friday around the corner, we think the timing is pretty great.  It’s also news you can share with your friends to increase your referral rewards.  Remember - our $40/ 4GB promo plan ends November 20^th. We’re glad we pulled this off just in the nick of time!

Here’s how the U.S. Roaming Add-ons work:

• All U.S. Roaming Add-Ons will last 10 days. This 10 day period will begin upon payment of the Add-on and will end 10 days after this date.
• You can choose an Add-On with just one of the services or a combination. We want to ensure that you only pay for what you need. Keeping this in mind, we are offering a range of U.S. Roaming Add-Ons, all with great value. For example, the U.S. Talk, Text and Data Bundle works out to just $2/ day for the 10 day period!

U.S. Roaming 10 Day Add-Ons	Details	Price
U.S. Talk Only	·         Unlimited Canada Wide & U.S. talk	$8
U.S. Text Only*	·         Unlimited global text	$8
U.S. Data Only	·         250 MB data	$10
	·         500MB data	$15
	·         1GB data	$20
U.S. Talk and Text Bundle*	·         Unlimited Canada Wide & U.S. talk ·         Unlimited global text ·         No data	$15
U.S. Talk ,Text, Data Bundle*	·         Unlimited Canada Wide & U.S. talk ·         Unlimited global text ·         250MB data	$20

*Picture and video messaging are not available, but coming soon! Please note that you need a U.S. roaming data plan in order to receive picture and video messaging.

We’ve partnered with AT&T and T-Mobile to provide you with fantastic coverage.

Your U.S. coverage will include 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 Hawaii’s sunny beaches, we will have you covered. For more details, check out our coverage map here.

Getting U.S. Roaming is easy!

You can purchase the U.S. roaming Add-Ons by either using your online Self Serve account or the automated phone system.

• Self Serve account: You will be able to purchase the Add-On in your Self Serve account at publicmobile.ca. After logging in, just select the U.S. roaming Add-On you want, make the payment, and then it will be ready to use.
• Automated phone system: You can also purchase your U.S. roaming Add-On using the automated phone system by dialling 1-855-4PUBLIC, and following the prompts.

With this exciting announcement, we have put together some anticipated FAQs. If you have any other questions, please post them below.

-Public Mobile Community team

U.S. Roaming FAQs

 1. What happens after my 10-day U.S. Roaming Add-On expires?

10 days after you purchase your U.S. roaming Add-On, it will automatically expire. If you need another Add-On, you can purchase it the same way you did originally, by using your Self Serve account or calling our automated phone system at 1-855-4PUBLIC. 

 2. I need more than 1GB of data while roaming. What do I do?

Not a problem. You can buy more than one U.S. Roaming Data Add-On if you find you need more data.

 3. Can I roam while I am in countries, other that the U.S.?

No. At this time, we only offer roaming in the U.S.

 4. I can’t see the U.S. Roaming bundle Add-Ons. What do I do?

If you are experiencing issues seeing the U.S. Talk and Text Bundle or the U.S. Talk, Text, Data Bundle when you are in Self Serve or during the activation portal, be sure to clear your cache /cookies in your browser. Once you do this, you’ll be able to see them!

 5. I am a Legacy customer and don’t have a Self Serve account. How do I buy an Add-On?

You can purchase an Add-On through our automated phone system by dialing 1-855-4PUBLIC. As a Legacy customer, you are also able to purchase the Add-On by calling into our call centre. Remember, you are able to create your own Self Serve account at any time, if you would like to. 

 6. Why is *611 not working while I am in the U.S.?

We’re working on this! Dialing *611 is not available now, but will be coming soon. In the meantime, you can dial 1-855-4PUBLIC instead.

 7. The U.S. Add-On prices in the French automated phone system do not match what is displayed on the French website. What’s up with that?

The U.S. Roaming Add-On prices are only stated incorrectly in our French automated phone system. But, don’t worry, when you select the Add-On you want, the correct price will be charged to your account.

 8. I am a Legacy customer on a $19 plan and, when I try to add the U.S. Roaming Add-Ons, I get an error message.

Legacy customers on the $19 plan are not eligible for U.S. Roaming Add-Ons. To take advantage of the roaming options, you will need to change your plan.

[ckl]

This is awesome! Prices are reasonable!

A quick suggestion. I think maybe you'd make more money if you had a single day pass to the US as a lot of people just go across the border for a single day shopping trip. So if it was $20/10 days for talk, text, and data, that would work out to be $2/day. I wouldn't mind paying $5/day for the same thing if I could purchase a 1 day addon. Or something like that.

[Tvisforme]

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@daredogg wrote:

@Tvisforme I hear what you're saying about more data... but I wonder something?!  If you're making that many trips to the US, you'd think you'd have a SIM card from a US carrier that you just pop into your phone? I know if I were regularly visiting, that's what I'd do, as in the long run it'll save you more money, give you more data, and you can tap into the higher LTE speeds.

---

I don't recall saying anything about multiple trips to the US... one trip or many, Wind's deal is significantly cheaper than Public's for what you get. I'm optimistically hoping that Public's "US Roaming 2.0" will revise and reprice their offering to improve the value. Losing the 10-day expiry for data would be a great first step, as would offering discounts for extended periods. T-Mobile offers a package specifically tailored to tourists that gives you three weeks of coverage, unlimited global SMS, 1000 minutes of US talk, and 2GB of LTE data (with unlimited 2G data after that) for $US30.

EDIT: corrected US talk time to 1000 minutes (wrote 100 by mistake) 

[Jeremy_M]

Thanks for pointing out the issue with our IVR @imm1304 @oshax 🙂 Our teams are looking into it.

Cheers,

Jeremy

[daredogg]

@Tvisforme I hear what you're saying about more data... but I wonder something?!  If you're making that many trips to the US, you'd think you'd have a SIM card from a US carrier that you just pop into your phone? I know if I were regularly visiting, that's what I'd do, as in the long run it'll save you more money, give you more data, and you can tap into the higher LTE speeds.

[daredogg]

Thanks for the clarification @imm1304. I'm sure as people start to use the service, we'll get the whole understanding of how it all works. Once the *611 is working as expected, I wonder if dialing that will work if your add-on has expired? Either way, sounds like you can call the toll free from anywhere, and if it uses the same cc registered for autopay, then that's awfully convenient!

Sounds exciting! I look forwarding to hearing people's experiences with using the US add-ons.

[shrimpdude]

Can we assume that the data addons are 4G LTE?

[Tvisforme]

Thanks for adding these options, they appear to be better than the Telus/Bell/Rogers roaming. Unfortunately, they pale in comparison to Wind's US roaming plan, which is $15/month for talk, SMS, and 1GB of full-speed data (with unlimited capped speed data). By comparison, the same price only gets you 10 days of voice/SMS (with no data) on Public.

Public's data speed and coverage are clearly superior to Wind's current network in Canada, hence our decision to move to Public. However, given the great promotional plan for domestic use, hopefully there will be significant revisions in the (near) future to better optimize Public's US roaming plans.

[imm1304]

@daredogg,

This is what I understood:  the toll free number will work from any other phone.. i.e. hotel room, payphone, etc.  It will ask for your public mobile phone number and allow you to purchase the US roaming add-on of your choice using a pre-registered payment method (credit card, debit visa). So no payment info can be added or edited but existing payment method can be used.  

Also, once implemented in very near future, the *611 will be a free call too while roaming.  

There is also the option to go with wifi and sign into selfserve from your phone and buy the add-ons.

[daredogg]

@splendor903 @imm1304 

With no add-on... then I suppose that means once you connect with a Canadian cell tower again, you'll receive all the texts sent to you while in the US. It's sorta like shutting off your phone... you receive nothing until it's powered up again.

[shrimpdude]

Some pretty great options here!

I'd say the only advantage Roam has over this is shorter term trips and the ability to get a local number.

[daredogg]

---

U.S. Roaming FAQs

1. What happens after my 10-day U.S. Roaming Add-On expires?

10 days after you purchase your U.S. roaming Add-On, it will automatically expire. If you need another Add-On, you can purchase it the same way you did originally, by using your Self Serve account or calling our automated phone system at 1-855-4PUBLIC.  

---

I suppose if you let your add-on expire while in the US, you're not going to be able to call the automatic phone system or have any data to log into self-serve! 

[Shazia_K]

@splendor903, 

@imm1304 is right, nothing incoming will function if no roaming package is active. 😉

Thanks,

Shazia

[imm1304]

@splendor903, I believe the incoming text function will not work if no US roaming text add-on was purchased. 

@Brooke_C and/or @Shazia_K can comment to confirm this.  Thanks. 

[imm1304]

@jimmyche, the US roaming data is purchased separately and does not come out of your existing plan's data allowance.  

1GB US roaming expires in 10 days whether used or not.  1GB Canadian add-on never expires until used up.  

[splendor903]

If Roaming add on for USTalk only is added on (and not texts), what about receiving texts? I understand that we can't text back but what about receiving texts?

[ute1978]

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@jimmyche wrote:

Also, It's kinda funny that US roaming 1 GB cheaper than Canadian Add on 1 GB.

---

US roaming 1GB is for 10 days and PM 1GB add on will roll over until used up.

[TroyDaBes]

Nice. This is a great addition.

[jimmyche]

@Brooke_C

Let say I buy the US data roaming add on.
Does that also count towards my local data capacity?

Also, It's kinda funny that US roaming 1 GB cheaper than Canadian Add on 1 GB.

[imm1304]

@oshax, I just tried *611 from Toronto and was able to repeat the same experience as you.

Its definitely down.. possibly going through upgrade to incorporate options for the US roaming add-ons.  I know it was working until recently when I last checked it a month ago.  

[Chaos_Scorpio]

---

@XJin wrote:

The coverage map has not updated, only shows Canada for me.

---

@XJin - choose US in the drop down. shows for me

[Chaos_Scorpio]

phew! this came before my planned trip to the states .... ... in September 2017... lol (then I am getting the heck out of that place with Trump on board), going for a wedding. 

[mikefradette]

Thanks PM!

[oshax]

To be clear.

I called within Canada in my home province.

I got to the service.

I entered in my phone number to access the account.

The system didn't respond.

*611 did even worse.

It said "Welcome to public mobile"  there is a long pause and then says "you seem to be having difficulties... good bye"

[imm1304]

Thanks for bringing that to attention @oshax.  Not sure if the toll-free number has been set up just to work while roaming because its a temporary measure in place until *611 starts working while roaming.

From within Canada, *611 automated system is supposed to be working and can be used to purchase add-ons.  

Also, signing into selfserve from anywhere would be my preferred choice.  

[oshax]

It's competitive for a 10 day period, but I can't tell you the last time I went on a 10 day vacation, IF EVER in my 40 years of life.

EDIT:  After looking again, the rates are competitive and affordable.

THANKS PUBLIC MOBLE!

I would like to see some other choices besides 10 day windows... maybe someday soon 🙂

[oshax]

Called 1855-4public.

Does this Automated service actually work?

I pressed 1 for english, then I entered my 10 digit number when prompted. 

They system then said.  You seem to be having difficulties.... Goodbye.

[imm1304]

@25jai, I think they must have agreements for specific regions with each and combine to provide seamless coverage no matter where we go within the US-roaming covered areas.  

[imm1304]

Congrats @Brooke_C and the team on successful launch of these awesome new US roaming add-ons.  I am excited to try them out in near future.  

[jagpalmalik55]

Very exciting news, making PM more attractive and creditable.

[outdoorsaddix]

I love these new add-ons! Going to Vegas in March and this is going to be so much cheaper than using Roam!

I will probably couple 1 GB of data with the Calling for $28 and just use iMessage and Whatsapp for text.