Upcoming Changes to our Old Rewards Program

[J_PM]

Hey Community,

We have an important announcement to share with our subscribers who are currently enrolled in our old Rewards program.

We’re making changes to our rewards program and are sharing how these changes impact some of our subscribers. Starting in May, we’ll be retiring our old Rewards program and moving all subscribers to our Public Points™ program. 

We launched the Public Points™ program in January 2022 to provide our subscribers with more ways to earn and spend rewards, with greater flexibility. As part of our commitment to continuously evolve our products and services, it's time to retire our old Rewards program and shift our focus on enhancing our Points program.

To show our appreciation for your continued loyalty, subscribers on our old Rewards program will receive a special thank you. We'll send you a text message when it has been added to your account by March 31st. 

We’re excited to continue providing you, our valued subscribers, more opportunities to earn and spend rewards with Public Points™ moving forward.

To learn more about your move to Public Points, check out our FAQ here.

The Public Mobile Team

[Meow]

Of course your bill will go up. You will lose $1 for each year of loyalty and $2 for autopay (if you have one). Multiply that by 3 and I see $21 MORE every month (if all 3 people are 5 years with PM and have autopay).
If you have expensive plan you might benefit (a little) from 5% off from plan cost but not even close to $7 off/30 days.

[-Tim-]

Ya, I am really not onboard with this. I have been a customer for 5 years and I build up my credits to put towards my monthly bill. I currently have three accounts with you. One for me, one for my wife, and one for my daughter. If my bill goes up because of this I will be looking elsewhere for a better deal. This is definitely NOT cool!

[BeRad]

So much for loyalty! Been with PM since 2018 and have always been happy until today. I will be looking to port my number and take advantage of their offers after this blatant devaluation 

[canuckyyc]

That is exactly how public mobile was set up to work, you didn't need or never needed support, a community account needed to be created to "chat" on here. So they could be a long term customer who has never needed to chat or felt the need to interact on here.  

I rarely do it but my 4 accounts, 3 or 4 referrals are all going to look at this hard now. My $34 pays $28. The other $34 pays $24. The points system is not going to be close to that.  So you had loyal customers rewarded to push the service and sell the service and rewarded them for it then decide to pull the rug out from under them. The entire point of the system or rewards or points was due to the lower operating costs of not requiring a 24/7 call line etc. If that isnt the case, the pricing is no better than koodo/fido/fizz/freedom etc etc etc.  The PublicMobile brand is so unknown that even when I have a Telus EPP plan, they called to sell me a Telus phone plan and had no idea PublicMobile/Koodo/Telus  is the same company.

[ON4EKE_]

I totally agree. I referred seniors to PM and they in turn referred their kids and grandchildren, not only did they get an automated service, but referral credits to bring down their monthly bills automatically.

If PM goes ahead with this change, they'll be losing my business, my referrals and the cascade of their referrals.

Any recommendations on whether to file a complaint with CCTS or CRTC? 

[Boki]

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@Soon-ex-PM-user wrote:

Thanks.  So is it ok to contact CCTS ?  or not recommend to contact CCTS according to you, Oracle ? 

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Why would you contact cctc and whit what reason?
Private company can do whatever they want. Nobody promised you fantastic bonuses being thit publicmobile forever.

Business strategy changes. Great companies rise and fall. Remember Consumer Distributing? Future Shop? Reno Depot?

What are you going to say to cctc? public cjhanged rewards program from money to points? They are going to laugh at you and ask do yo uhave complain about their ser vice? are your calls cut off? not receiving all text? No? Then do not bother us...

[Kfckoko]

Looks like this is the end of the "PM Train" where we keep those we referred up to date with PM's latest and greatest offers.  I'm sure we're all going to find better value elsewhere now.

[Keico]

bad move PM. I will consider to other company if you change the old reward system.

[Timetripper]

Same here. I've built up a fair stash of both minutes and data over the last few years and will have to abandon them all when I move on to a new carrier. Just as a matter of principle I'm not willing to stick around what with the new points system being like a two day old stale donut and jacking my monthly bill up to almost double what it was with the old rewards system. To add insult to injury, a PM popup just hijacked my reply to your post and I had to start all over again. Definitely done with this whole lame organization. From there lame pop ups for likes on a post to the back stabbing new points system I won't miss any of this dogs breakfast that PM has become. It truly is a sad day for PM how some overpaid desk jockeys can torpedo a once viable carrier into oblivion in one fell swoop. Mic drop. 

[llq]

Sounds like PM is  putting the squeeze on us and trying to make it sound like it's better to move off the old rewards program. I didnt move to the points program when it was introduced for a reason. I will need to shop around and avoid the Telus brand. And how would I use more than 200GB of data in 5 months when i barely touched the Christmas data bundles that were handed out in the past...

[Mapleleafer]

This is a very bad move that Public Mobile will regret.  They are losing 3 legacy customers from my immediate family who also brought in a lot more family and friends via recommendation.  They will all be leaving now as well.

Without your old rewards system for us, there are a lot of better options out there.

I will also be filing a complaint with the CRTC and recommend everyone else does who was on the old rewards system.

This was complete smoke and mirrors from Public and it will be a shade of its former self.  They still have time to reverse this decision and I think it's in their best interest if they want to even stay above water after the fallout of this if they go through with it.

[EricinQc]

No. No, thank you. Not interested and not accepting this change.

I was not shopping around as I was a satisfied customer.

Do you want me to keep doing business with you? Your call.

[little_C]

I am so disappointed in Public Mobile. Before this, I had no hesitation recommending Public Mobile to friends looking to switch carriers. Now I can't see staying with a company that has no regard for customer loyalty, let alone recommending them. The "bonus" data that expires in 5 months is just a slap in the face.

[geeloo]

Folks,

PM had to walk back on a proposed price increase back in 2018 because enough people complained and got tons on negative publicity.

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Announcements/A-letter-from-Dave-on-the-infamous-40-f...

Maybe customers can still win out like last time?

[yelopage]

My response to this reward program change: I will port out my 4 lines from PM from the day I am moved to the new reward system.

[gates59]

I have been a long time subscriber but will be leaving now. What a joke. You will loose a lot of people because of this. 

[ON4EKE_]

I don't feel like a valued customer with this change. The bonus data means nothing! I was given extra data with a 30day expiry date a few months ago and I didn't even make a dent. I can barely use the 250MB on my $15/month plan. With the loyalty credits, autopayment, and referral bonuses, I was paying $3/month. After the change, my monthly bill increases 5x and will have to manually apply these points towards my bill... how is that showing you value loyal customers by making the process more convoluted? Not to mention being penalized for being a loyal customer.

All my referrals are seniors who needed my active involvement just to sign up for PM to replace their landlines.  Have you thought about those loyal customers who rely on automated services and predictable bills who aren't well versed with technology?

[public_999]

I upgraded from a $15 plan to a $40 plan a few days ago.  I just received the email and I'm only getting 5 gigs!!  Typical Public Mobile rollout!

[d3rdonnergott]

Didn't even know about Fizz. Thanks for the post! Probably going to try it out.

[emil579]

This is incredibly disappointing. The new points program very obviously does not allow subscribers to save as much money and looks terrible. We can't even use the "bonus" data. I'd like a $50 credit since that's approximately how much I'll be missing out on per year being forced into the new program. CCTS complaint here we come. 

[PopcornHead]

If you are going to file a CCTS complaint make sure you take the time to submit a ticket to a Customer Service Agent first to try and see what Public will do to try and resolve the issue. As part of the CCTS complaint process is you have to contact the provider first to give them a reasonable opportunity to resolve the conflict. Also, the more feedback they get directly and overwhelmed agents, hopefully more they realized they did not make a good choice.

https://www.ccts-cprst.ca/lessons-from-the-public-mobile-price-increase/

[Bryan5]

I’ve never even used the community section but this new change is so ridiculous I had to make my username to comment on this. 

I used maybe 5gb of my 40gb per month. 240gb as a “gift” that expires in 5 months in my situation is like saying “were giving you more air to breathe for 5 months and after that we’re going to take it back but were charging you 5 extra dollars per month indefinitely!!!” 

I held back on so many great Boxing Day offers from other carriers because I’ve had no issues with PM. Will be switching carriers ASAP.

[architect]

Time for me to move on to another provider 👎

[PopcornHead]

I am really disappointed in this change Public Mobile is forcing on to is long term loyal subscribers. I have been a big promoter for friends to try out Public and appreciated how they treated loyal customers previously. Yet in the last year with no bonus given at Christmas (like in previous years) and forcing customers to change from the original points plan it is making me to look at changing to another service. I will also be looking at getting all those I referred to the program to change as well. Public you will be losing a lot of loyal customers because of this change.

[Camera4617]

I never thought about filing a complaint against PM, as if I wasn't happy, I'd leave, but now after how they handled this forceful change of rewards, by removing optional bonus of month with PM * 1pt just a day before announcement, by giving us data that we cannot use as 'special bonus', I just filed a complaint to CCTS. This might not do anything, but I cannot just sit and do nothing while being treated as I (we) am.. I hope they will lose some money by this complaint, and even if not, at least I did something. Plus, will be looking or any better offer 'as a new customer' from any other providers.. Thank you PM

[Michael6666]

CCTS is the way to go.

Structure the request as a change to the original agreement where the discounts were progressive.

They promised 5$ off per month after 5 years and then pulled it away for some after not even reaching 5 years. Clear bait and switch if you ask me. It was a discount program that attracted many of us. 

I also asked for 50$ credit if there is no way the discounts will be reinstated.

At least it will give me a few months of credit if anything.

Public mobile, don't make forward looking promises! It's a disgusting business practice and my CCTS will hopefully, at minimum, cost you some time, money and effort to compensate my loss. 

My future provider, fizz, actually refers to never increasing plan rates in their contract as long as I don't change plan, now that's a refreshing way to do business. 

[Wolfcore]

Just remember, you're GOING TO LOVE PUBLIC POINTS! 🤣

[Salvo1]

There's your beautiful screen shot guys 30 gig gone in 150 days loyalty down the drain !!!!!!?

[Moppitt]

So, I will receive bonus data with new rewards program...unsure how much.  Its only good for 150 days and is only used when I've exhausted my already banked data, which makes it useless!  Very sneaky!  Let me use it first and it has value.  Useless perk.....

[fleety15]

Also disappointed with this news.  I have referred many family and friends to PM over the years.  For me the losing the autopay is a wash or close enough when I get the 5% back. And referrals are even between the two systems. 

The biggest problem for me is that since I am a loyal customer and have stayed with them for multiple years I am getting screwed over now.  I am at 4 years so now I am losing around $40/year on discounts. 

And a special thank you of extra data with an expiry date!!????  What gives I still have the bonus data from the christmas holiday gifts that they used to do.  Take that special data gift and keep it.  Give 100 - 200 points which would cover the cost of moving to the points program and would be something useful for me to have instead of something that I will never use and will just expire.  Or update your points program to actually reward members for staying with you. 

I found out about this from another PM customer who has received the text.  I haven't received an email or text yet from PM.  Says a lot that they are not really letting everyone know at once.  

Poor move PM.