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

[hTideGnow]

hi @RetiredGuy1 yes, there will be impact. This business model runs on word of month a d it won't be good for the next little while 

[public_999]

I can't believe he tried to upsell you!  

[RetiredGuy1]

Businesses also rely on having a good reputation and this change will impact PMs in a negative way

[mikasik2]

---

@will13am wrote:

---

@hTideGnow wrote:

hi @G_Pomzz business always find ways to cut cost and customers already suffer:(

---

Not to say that I agree with paying more as I am just as affected as the next customer, you do have to recognize that businesses operate on the profit motive in exchange for goods and services.  If you ran a business, could you operate it sustainably with a charity mindset?  With the massive inflation we have seen since the pandemic, the recent price cuts on the big gig plan offerings have been a breath of fresh air.  What is in your shopping basket that has not gone up in price significantly other than cellular service?  If people think the competition is not fierce, go check BCE's credit rating downgrade.  There is no better mechanism for price discovery than a barrier free open market.  If people think they can find better elsewhere, have at it.  After cycling through the stages of grief, I suspect many will come to the realization that things are not so bad here.  

---

Telus just reported record profits

[will13am]

---

@hTideGnow wrote:

hi @G_Pomzz business always find ways to cut cost and customers already suffer:(

---

Not to say that I agree with paying more as I am just as affected as the next customer, you do have to recognize that businesses operate on the profit motive in exchange for goods and services.  If you ran a business, could you operate it sustainably with a charity mindset?  With the massive inflation we have seen since the pandemic, the recent price cuts on the big gig plan offerings have been a breath of fresh air.  What is in your shopping basket that has not gone up in price significantly other than cellular service?  If people think the competition is not fierce, go check BCE's credit rating downgrade.  There is no better mechanism for price discovery than a barrier free open market.  If people think they can find better elsewhere, have at it.  After cycling through the stages of grief, I suspect many will come to the realization that things are not so bad here.  

[JennalynnFlesch]

PM's answer to my refusal to be moved to their new points program was this, followed by my answer; (I am filing with CCTS )

Hello there,

Thank you for your time and patience on this matter.

We totally understand your point, and we truly appreciate your loyalty and interest towards our reward program. We’re making these changes in an effort to ensure we’re providing the best possible value to our subscribers.

Now about opting out from the new migration isn't possible. The old rewards program is being retired to make way for the enhanced Public Points program, offering greater flexibility and new ways to earn and use your rewards.

We also reserve the right to process changes on our services, this can be found trough our terms and conditions 

We appreciate your time as client, investigating your account we found that your current base plan is for $25 1GB, unlimited calling and texting  in Canada, what we can do to help you is to help you getting a better base plan such as the $29 20GB at 4G speed, unlimited calling and texting in Canada.

Kind regards,

Danny

Customer Support Agent.

a moment ago

So your help is to charge me more?  Switch me to a more expensive plan?  No thank you.

[R2_D2s_BFF]

Like others, I am unhappy about being forced from the old rewards program to Public Points because Public Points isn't matching the old rewards program by offering the same value for each discount I currently receive. In addition, Public Mobile stated that they will not be forcing old rewards program users into using Public Points:

I am on a $34/month plan and receive $9.00 per month via the old rewards program:

By being forced into the Public Points program I will have the following billing:

Cost: $34/00 per month (pre-tax). I'll earn 5% of that amount back in points, 1.7, plus 2 points for referral bonus as long as my referrals remain a customer with Public Mobile. The new Public Points program will not reward me 2 points per month because of Pre-authorized payments or 5 points for Loyalty. However, I will receive 10 points annually = .833 points / month. In total, I can receive 4.53 points per month (average out across one year) vs. $9 per month in current savings. 

I haven't changed my plan and do not consent into paying more for the identical plan.

[Matty1234]

I agree that is their logic but it really doesn't make any sense to me. It's so much easier to retain a customer than it is to get new customers, it's baffling that they have decided to go through that process. 

I've got my fizz sim already, it was too late for my current billing cycle (starts today) but I've found a better priced plan that meets my needs. 

[hTideGnow]

hi @Aehmttw 

sorry, they are going to do it regardless. Nothing you can do

Some will give you hope and suggest you make complain , but it won't make them change the mind. Rewards is a perks and is offer extra by mobile carrier, they don't even have to offer it

[Aehmttw]

Or, how about we not do that? Cause the points program doesn't look that good honestly. I like the money I just auto get taken off my bill. 

[Soon-ex-PM-user]

Also inconvenience for us as we need to logon to use 15 points unlike the previous reward of automatic straight deduction.

lol like most people, I hardly ever logon to my account prior to the current fiasco.

[MajesticFluff]

It wouldn't be such a big deal if PM just made the points similar to the original deal. They said when we signed up that we would get 1$ off per year we were with them. Then it got capped at 5, now they are just removing it altogether... I would go use the points to save the money if they decided on that, but they are outright saying that we should all just accept a 3-5 dollar bump to our phone bill and calling it a good thing

[Jo_sh]

I am very disappointed by this forced change. The only reason to boast for PM was the old loyalty program, now there is no incentive for me to stick around. 

[G_Pomzz]

It's easy to see the plan is to drive away all the long term customers and then recruit new higher paying customers through a media blitz rather than referrals. The original owner/developers who built PM from the ground up through blood sweat and tears must be horrified! 

[eJonavin]

They also allowed carriers to be bought.  In the past few decades these are the independent that got bought up:

• Microcell Fido -> Rogers
• Clearnet/MIKE -> Telus
• Public Mobile -> Telus
• Mobilicity -> Rogers
• WIND/Freedom -> Shaw -> Videotron

Everything else is largely MVNO or flanker brands of the big 3. Those other brands just creates the illusion of competition

I'm leaving out smaller local players like Thunderbay, SaskTel, etc... but these were all independent carriers that got bought up by larger carriers. 

Even somewhat independent NVMOs like CityFone and Virgin Mobile was later acquired by their host carrier (Rogers and Bell respectively)

[hTideGnow]

hi @G_Pomzz business always find ways to cut cost and customers already suffer:(

[G_Pomzz]

It's going to lose them a lot more customers than the money they will save. Then again maybe the plan all along was to create a poison pill for PM and slowly kill it? Corporate greed at it's finest. 

[G_Pomzz]

One of those brilliant marketing moves, like when Coke decided to change their recipe. 

[G_Pomzz]

Of course not! It's a slap in the face to loyal customers. I'll be moving my two phones over to Freedom Mobile or Fonus.  The handwriting was on the wall once PM was taken over by Telus. 

[dariovitale]

Hi. Sorry, what is the $53.60 you are talking about?

[dariovitale]

FONUS USES STRICKLY ONLY  a data signal to make calls and texts along with their app. It's NOT a regular cell line like PM, Koodo, Telus and etc. I have contacted them. Therefore for starters its not easy for 911 calls. Plus not everyone likes or knows how to use data calling apps or eveb FB Messenger, Whatsapp, Snapchat and IG to call other people, especially elderly people. If you do a lot of calls, texts and messaging then the allotted data amount might start to go bit faster than thought. 

Plus compare all details of Fonus's plans and prices versus PM and ETC........they are not worth it, we have better deals. 

[RNk6xib2]

> For those interested, go here: www.ccts-cprst.ca/for-consumers/complaints/complaint-form/

I did that, thanks @JohnDoe3 

[hTideGnow]

hi @IWorkForRogers1 

which company?? Rogers??

[Kydd]

Excellent post .. 53.60 per year in these times is a lot especially when carbon tax is set to increase April 1st over 20% .. 

[hTideGnow]

hi @Metis from consumer points of view, yes it should.  The government allows more carriers multiple times but in the end they all cannot last and the Big 3 bought them all.  It's sad

[Geekedout]

This is a great idea!😀

[hTideGnow]

hi @TECHRANG3R actually PM was not the pioneer of this model.  UK's GiffGaff runs on the same model.  Sometimes I think PM just copied it

[Metis]

This is one GOOD reason why the big 3 need to be broken up. Customer service and loyalty mean nothing since companies can do what they want. This new program WILL increase my monthly rate. For the big 3 (Bell, Telus & Rogers) to claim that they are doing things to reduce monthly rates (and this new program does the exact opposite) shows that the words they speak are great fertilizer. Videotron is expanding world wide (through Freedom - which it owns). They may not have a loyalty program BUT they are INCREASING service while DECREASING prices. If Telus/Public/Koodo want to keep its customers, then leave current programs alone. As previously pointed out, it was customers that made Public and corporate greed that is destroying Public.

[TECHRANG3R]

When you think about it... It's kind of stupid and ironic!  This whole phone service was founded on the premise that the community is what supports the service.... Whether it's the advertising by word-of-mouth or ist support via the forums, and then some VP, Finance or Marketing guy decides they have a great idea to increase the profit margins by revamping the points system and squeezing the subscriber base for extra $$$!!! What did they think this community would do? SMH It's a community built on helping each other - not your paid employees!  You can 'try' to fool us but we are smarter than that and we will support each other to make our voice heard!  This community is awesome and it won't go down without a fight!  It's really kind of sad they didn't realize what they had built here.

[jtennyuk]

Thank you! Just submitted my complaint as well.