UPDATE: Changes to Our In-Market Plans

[Melinda_H]

Hey Community, 

Public Mobile is making a few refreshes to our rate plans. We will be discontinuing some plans in favour of re-introducing ones that we know our customers love.

Effective April 9th, 2021, we will be discontinuing the Province-wide rate plan suite. This comes as a result of listening to feedback from our customers on how we’re doing.  We want to keep making adjustments to plans that make sense, and re-evaluate the ones that aren’t working as well.  

At the same time, we are making some changes to our existing in-market plans:  re-introducing $15 Canada-wide calling plans, increasing the data offered on $35 and $50 plans and discontinuing the Province-wide as well as our $45 rate plan.

We are committed to continue testing new offers and make adjustments that will give our customers options with flexibility and good value in the future. 

See below for more details on our refreshed rate plan line-up:

Public Mobile Plan Suite
Monthly Rate	Canada-wide Minutes	Data Included + Autopay Bonus
$15	100 Minutes	250MB
$25	Unlimited	1GB
$35	Unlimited	3GB
$40	Unlimited	5GB
$50	Unlimited CAN & US	10.5GB

How to change your plan: 

1. Log in on Self Serve
2. Go to “Plan and Add-ons”
3. Select “Change Plan”
4. Select your preferred plan. You will have the option of changing your plan immediately or upon the next renewal date.

To learn more about Public Mobile plans, click here.

- The Public Mobile Team

[darlicious]

$15 plan's 100 outgoing minutes metering (What counts and doesn't count?)

Repost for tagging purposes....

For the $15 plan please note the following......

• Incoming calling is unlimited.
• Calls to your voicemail from your phone are metered.
• Calls forwarded to your voicemail are not metered even though they appear as outgoing.
• Call forwarding to other phone numbers are not metered.
• Calls to North American toll free numbers are not metered. Nor are most international toll free numbers but require the requisite long distance add on that is metered.
• If you are not in the eastern time zone you can distinguish between forwarded incoming calls to voicemail and calls initiated from your phone to voicemail by the timestamp. Calls from your phone will be in local time while incoming will be timestamped in eastern time.
• Calls are are rounded up to the nearest minute and include the ring time of about 7 seconds (depending on the recipient phone). So generally 53 seconds is rounded "up" to the "nearest" minute=2 min. 52 seconds is rounded "down"=1 min. Or a call that is 5:52min=6min and a call that is 5:53min=7min. As the average ring time (for pm at least) is 7 sec. 5:53+0:07=6min rounded up to 7min or 5:52+0:07=5:59min=6min rounded "down". (Rounded "up" and "down" terms used when assuming all answered calls start at 1 minute of usage.)
• Calls to 611 and 911 are not metered.
• If you do not live in the eastern time zone your plan renewal still occurs in that time zone. If you live in bc your minute and data counter rolls over at 9pm pacific on "Day 30". If you use data between 9pm and midnight pacific on "Day 30" this will also affect the accuracy of your phone's data tracker.
• Downloading a voip provider app like fongo or textnow to use on wifi (or mobile data/0.5mb=1min) can be used to check your voicemail (Dial your phone #. Once connected press "*" and enter your voicemail PIN # to access your voicemail services.) Or use for calls you may be put on hold for to save outgoing minute usage. They also offer free long distance to many North American destinations.
• This post by @kselmak explains how to use fongo's call transfer feature to make "free" outgoing calls that will show your pm phone number for caller ID. https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Get-Support/Made-a-call-while-at-home-on-wifi-no-minu...
• Supplement your $15 plan's 100 outgoing minutes by purchasing the $5/500 minute Canada wide calling add on. It's a one time purchase that does not expire instead it rolls over every 30 days until completely consumed.
• You will recieve an SMS text message from 611 telling "you have 10 minutes remaining" in your outgoing plan minutes. If you have the $5/500min add on or the "more is merrier" 500 international long distance minutes (holiday gift) you will seamlessly transition to using those minutes. Otherwise your call will stop working (drop) once your 100 outgoing minutes are exhausted.
• If you run out of outgoing minutes and have no other calling minute add ons on your account and you attempt a phone call. Remain on the call thru the entire message telling you that you have run out and to call *611 to add minutes**. When the message finishes do not hang up but rather press "*" and your call may ring thru and connect. Sometimes this will take up to 4 attempts to ring thru but so far it has worked.....and worth trying if you have no other option to make an outgoing call. 🤫
• **The $5/500min add on is not available for purchase on the 611/IVR system.

[AE_Collector]

Yes there are sooo many variables in doing a comparison like this. Sometimes you can find a scenario that looks good for the unexpected provider and as long as it is still available AND it is the perfect plan for the person...grab it! I know the PM $35 plan has seen some improvements lately but until recently it was arguably “the worst deal” that PM offered. 

AE_Collector

[gpixel]

@Pawprints1986 

yeah, I think many customers have been moving to these third tier brands and this is their way of trying fight it. 

I'm wondering if this will give the customer the ability to move up and down plans, instead of being locked into the contract plan for the whole term?

the offer I was comparing was a $0 tab(Koodo pays $600) then I think it was $30+/- monthly plus your plan amount. this offer has been discontinued now. 

if we compare the Koodo tab plus option. we pay $608 upfront then $792 for the tab. for a total of $1400. without the promo saving $600 public becomes the cheaper option again!

Koodo/2 years

$1400.00+12.5%tax=$1575.00 (s21)

$45/3gb+12.5%tax=$1215.00

=$2790.00

Public/2 years

$979.99+12.5%tax=$1102.50 (s21 on sale Samsung website)

$33/3gb+12.5%tax=$482.65(13 renewals)

                                  =$432.00(12 renewals/1yr loyalty)

=$2022.65

=$767.35 savings

buying from Samsung and using Koodo

$2790.00 - $2317.50 = $472.50

[Pawprints1986]

@gpixel wow, so actually in koodos case at least right now, they're getting the device for free... I don't know if it's a sale? But I feel like you at least used to have to add $10 on top of the base plan price to get even the cheapest tab, making her cost actually 45, normally, for the first however many months then 35 or byod prices after that

In this case, if it's not just a sale, they might want to lower their "bring your own device" prices... The whole point of doing that vs getting new device is saving money per month, or at least it used to be 🤷🤷 they're likely losing customers to places like here as a result lol

[Korth]

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@Pawprints1986 wrote:

But I wonder, could we all still skate by on the $80+ people who never check around for other deals? 

---

A lot of people do buy the high-end plans. Because it's a flat expense which "guarantees" maximum reliability with minimum hassles. Not worth paying a few dollars less if that buys a whole bunch of hidden issues or tradeoffs. Government mentality. Corporate mentality. Business-owner mentality.

I don't think Public Mobile has as many customers as it used to.

But regardless of the numbers ... the carrier (Telus) makes money from user telemetry and tracking and datamining. For invading and selling their customers' "privacy". The data brokers pay big bucks for reliable, accurate, recent information. I suspect that the carriers could indeed offer "free" mobile service to everyone and still make profit - if we're not at that point yet then we will be soon.

[hTideGnow]

True.  PM is not that cheapest in all situation.  PM is strong (competitive) on only  low cost plans and people would save a lot if you need very little data and only need an entry to mid level phones, or if you have already paid off a nice new phone 

If you use a lot of data, need to buy great phone, I dun think PM is a place for you. 

Of course, PM is good as this is prepaid, no contract,  you don't have to worry about breaking the contract.  No surprise billing.  (The Big 3 actually earn a lot  from overage, late fee etc)

Also keep in mind, many of the active members here are paying $0 to only half their monthly fee because of all the rewards  maybe that makes up 5% of PM users ??

[gpixel]

@Pawprints1986 

I just did a calculation for my sister. and purchasing a new phone and plan is cheaper than buying a new phone and going with a third tier provider. I did this with an s21 5g. and Koodo wins by over $200 in savings. I think it was the $45/3gb vs $33/3gb. 

factoring all the glitches, slow internet, etc. Koodo wins by a long shot

[Pawprints1986]

@AE_Collector you do make a great point! Lol... But I wonder, could we all still skate by on the $80+ people who never check around for other deals? 

Hmmm.... 🤔😁

[AE_Collector]

@Pawprints1986 

Until the second week after PM becomes free and all the $80/month Telus customers have become $0/month PM customers.

AE_Collector

[Pawprints1986]

@Korth true... But with their main brand starting at like $80+ and enough people still paying that, they could probably provide PM services completely free except the sim card and still be profiting lol

[Korth]

Public Mobile is certainly more "friendly" and attractive than the other providers in certain ways - cheap plans and prices, no service charges, Rewards/discounts, free gifts, etc.

But in the end they're a business. Owned by a bigger business. They're not going to put too much enthusiasm into rushing their own customers to pay even less.

[AE_Collector]

@BlueB 

Good synopsis, I agree. Yes many complain about not being automatically upgraded to newer improved plans. But we have all seen some downgrades to plans as well unless we’ve only been here for just a couple or three months and they leave us on the old better plan through that as well. So we can’t have it both ways.

AE_Collector

[BlueB]

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@Stevieee wrote:

so if we are already on the $35 plan will it auto bump up to 3gb from 2.5gb on our auto py plan 

---

Like others have said, this is a manual process.  Here's another way to think of plan updates and changes from Public Mobile:

Plans and their features will change depending on what the business asks for them, whether in response to the market, planning for the future, internal business/finances, etc.  These changes could add features, add+remove different features, remove features altogether, change pricing, or a mix of anything.

They allow people who have bought in to a certain plan to keep/grandfather that plan.  If they force people to change into a "new" plan, it may appear like an Upgrade to some, but may appear like a Downgrade to others.

So, to keep things simple, they've allowed us to grandfather (keep) existing plans and change into the "new/updated" plan as we choose.  However, once we change into a new/updated plan, we can't switch back if it's no longer available.

In this case, it makes sense to upgrade people automatically, but often this may not be the case.  Glad you caught it though and able to upgrade, even if manually.  A similar thing happened to me!  🙂

[softech]

@Stevieee no, they don't "auto-upgrade". you need to explicitly change your plan to the current $35.  Best to choose change in the next cycle.

[darlicious]

@Stevieee 

No...you should schedule a plan change on next renewal.

[Stevieee]

so if we are already on the $35 plan will it auto bump up to 3gb from 2.5gb on our auto py plan 

[darlicious]

I just had a moderator confirm that those customers on the $35/2.5gb and $50/8.5gb "quebec" plan with the $5 discount will lose the discount if they change plans to the updated $35/3gb and $50/10.5gb plans. May be worthwhile to keep the discounted $35($30)/2.5gb plan but an extra 2gb of data for the $50 plan holds better value than the $5 discount. It's too bad pm won't allow a plan change to the updated versions and keep the discount. C'est la vie!

[darlicious]

@cbenny13 

Lol....it was that lack of any service while camping that prompted a switch to pm from freedom while in town to resupply the liquor reserves and fresh bread quota.

[cbenny13]

This really is the most cost-effective carrier. Really happy to have you for my service.

[cbenny13]

Freedom Mobile coverage isn't as good in my understanding? Public mobile uses the same towers as Telus, which means it's great coverage! Necessary for camping and trips!!

[computergeek541]

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@electrical2771 wrote:

Just for comparison with U.S. cellular offerings......... is there now or has there ever been a plan with the U.S. providers were they actually offered only state-wide calling and out of state calls would be considered long-distance? To my knowledge this has never existed in the U.S. but I could be wrong? Please elaborate.

---

I can't give an example of a state-wide plan but i can say for sure that many used to have local calling plans. This means that some calls within the same state would have extra long dsitance charges.

[electrical2771]

Just for comparison with U.S. cellular offerings......... is there now or has there ever been a plan with the U.S. providers were they actually offered only state-wide calling and out of state calls would be considered long-distance? To my knowledge this has never existed in the U.S. but I could be wrong? Please elaborate.

[pm-smayer97]

@treefrog   Have you considered using the RSS trick in the following post?

How to get notified of ANY New Promos, Announcements, System Outages, etc

Signing up this way you will never miss another one of these types of announcements.

[dabr]

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@treefrog wrote:

@dabr 

Thanks for tagging me in this thread and I have now scheduled a plan change to the Canada wide plan. So it didn't make that much of a difference having the province wide plan but I did get a free $5 for 500 minutes add-on out of it so I guess I'm up from the whole experience.

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@treefrog    Happy to hear it all worked out and in the process, of not getting the expected scheduled plan change, you benefited with a nice little bonus...quite rightly so!  😊

[hTideGnow]

@Camera4617  yes.. on a second tab.. obviously it's not a money making plan and they try to hide it  😂

[treefrog]

@dabr 

Thanks for tagging me in this thread and I have now scheduled a plan change to the Canada wide plan. So it didn't make that much of a difference having the province wide plan but I did get a free $5 for 500 minutes add-on out of it so I guess I'm up from the whole experience.

[Camera4617]

@Anonymous  I didn't see it ($15 plan) either.  🙂

[Korth]

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@ShawnC13 wrote:
It is the customer's responsibility to see what is currently offered and if something would be better for them.  

---

Public Mobile seems to have no problem sending Koodo and Telus offers to targeted customers.

[Anonymous]

 @hTideGnow : click talk/text tab.

[hTideGnow]

 I went to their site and only see $25..  maybe I have to look further