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

[JDBlue1966]

Have a suggestion for you. One that might make most customers more content. Plus save you loosing many present loyal customers, and future ones.

I suggest you let customers keep the rewards they have gained over the years. Then increase the plans everyone is on by $1. You would probably make more revenue, plus keep everyone generally satisfied. 

[Wolfcore]

Yeah, I've been over that message about 70 times in this thread haha.

Is it what it is. At this point, It doesn't even matter whether they are legally allowed to do it or not, this goes beyond that now. Just like in 2018, they were "legally" allowed to do what they did, but they still reversed their decision, because enough people spoke out and CCTS complaints were costing them heavily (and a false advertising suit was filed, from my recollection).

Regardless of whether that line means what you think it means ("change" is quite vague), they still blatantly lied in the previous sentences, and used what some would consider absolute false advertising (I've seen false advertising cases won on far less). Consumers don't like being outright lied to, and now they're speaking their mind (as they should).

There are consequences for actions, and if PM wants to lie to their customers that blatantly (and hide behind their "legal" ToS), that's cool. But now they'll have to deal with the consequences of making false statements to their customers, and what comes with that is the destruction of their reputation, a loss of current and future customers, as well as a ton of money that'll have to be paid to CCTS. Will all of these things be offset by the money they save by removing these rewards? Guess we'll find out.

[RetiredGuy1]

@Public_Cust_17 

Oh, I’m with you my friend. You’ve provided an excellent template and I will use the gist of it to send my own email. I too would encourage others to follow suit - it costs nothing but just a few minutes to cut-and-paste, perhaps tweak a bit, and hit send!

[JDBlue1966]

I kept your content 99.9% didn’t see any reason to word it different. Lets hope other do the same. 

[Public_Cust_17]

@RetiredGuy1  Standard disclaimer... I may go down, but I'm not going down without a fight!! 😂 🤣 😋

[Public_Cust_17]

@JDBlue1966  yeah, I actually made a couple of small changes to the version I posted before I sent it as well.  Cheers I hope they get a gazillion emails.. lol

[RetiredGuy1]

@Wolfcore 

Please don’t shoot the messenger here but this is at the bottom of that page:

Other Reward Rules

• Public Mobile reserves the right to change all Rewards at its sole discretion and without advance notice.

[RetiredGuy1]

@hTideGnow 

Perhaps generally speaking, some plans have come down in price when taking a multi-year snapshot. Of course, as a general statement, most would agree a lot were outrageously expensive back then so they really had no choice but to rein in some control on price points.

I’m referring to current market conditions. For, example PM’s recent promo of $34 for 50 GB 5G Can-US has ended and was effectively replaced with the current $39 for 60 GB 5G Can-US. So, in that example the price increased. This example is what I mean by the perception of better value (oh look, for only $5 I get 10 GB more). This is the approach PM (and all others really) are taking to capitalize on the FOMO attitude of customers while, at the same time, increase their ARPU.

[hTideGnow]

---

@JennalynnFlesch wrote:

To let everyone on Legacy know, in the article by PM here; https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/bc/get-help/articles/move-to-public-points  they say we will NOT lose our rewards from the old program.  Here is the snipet from the article; 

'Any credits earned up to May, 2024 will remain on your account and be applied to your future bills'!!!!!  This clearly states that any rewards you currently have MUST BE HONORED!

LET'S HOLD THEM TO THIS!  

---

Sorry @JennalynnFlesch    that line just meant the rewards you earned and already added to your account as Available Funds will not be gone.  The way to earn rewards will be charge and there will no more Loyalty rewards or autopay rewards.  

[hTideGnow]

---

@ejc wrote:

The new points program seems to be much less rewarding than the old program. With the old program, I get a $9 discount every month, while the new program only provides me with a $3 discount. Is there any way to opt out of the new points program?

---

HI @ejc  you don't want to opt out the points program, PM will have only 1 rewards system when May comes.  Opt out the only rewards would mean you don't even get the $3 off from Friend referral (btw, they will be paid in points first, collect 15 points to redeem $15)., and on this new system, at least you also get 10 points for anniversary 

We don't like it, the old rewards system will be gone, but still with the Public Points and don't opt out

[JDBlue1966]

Sent mine. I just copied yours and made a slight change. 

[JDBlue1966]

I will send one as well

[Public_Cust_17]

@JDBlue1966  I REALLY DO encourage everyone that's P!SSED off about this cash grab to email the committee at INDU@parl.gc.ca   🙂   Mine is sent!

[JDBlue1966]

Excellent! Well done.

[Grinch]

---

@marcnoel wrote:

It's not perceived value for me.  It's real.

At my previous work location, I had access to ShawOpen for free Wi-Fi.  Now I do not.  I was getting ready to move into another unit in my building, where I could get ShawOpen again, so I limped along on the $ 15.00 plan.  Then, it turned out that I can't have the unit.  It is much cheaper for me to get the $ 34.00 50 GB plan, which goes with me, vs. paying for internet service I lose as soon as I leave the area.

---

So I assume wherever you move to, you are out of range of Shaw Open (now shows as Rogers Open)?

Just as an added bit of information both Shaw or Rogers “home Internet” customers have free access to * Open. There are different set ups for Android and iPhones to auto logon. I believe iPhones are set up on the Rogers site using the iPhone MacNumber. I bought a few phones and they were still active as I guess a lot of people forget to remove when selling their phone. Auto login is very handy. 

For iPhone See here. 
https://support.shaw.ca/t5/internet-articles/how-to-add-a-device-to-shaw-go-wifi/ta-p/6280

Telus hotspots aren’t as abundant and if there is an auto logon…..I haven’t  figured it out🤔🤔

[Public_Cust_17]

@Wolfcore  That is Perfect! I can get a much better quality image to attach to my email and hopefully somebody actually reads it once I've sent it. I'd love to see them get inundated with emails along the same lines.. I mean they are the ones looking into these companies!  That email is publicly accessible on this link so it's not like it's a super secret and everyone can have access to it.  https://www.ourcommons.ca/Committees/en/INDU/Contact

[Wolfcore]

You can also include things like this for example:

This was on the back of every sim card (and pretty much written everywhere else too). Their wording for referrals clearly states that they'll take $1 off your payment every 30 days as long as you remain a customer, but this is no longer true either. Sure, they're giving you $1 in points, but you can't use that dollar on your bill every month. Instead, you need to collect 15 of them before you're able to take off a single cent. This could take months, depending on how many referrals you have.

[Wolfcore]

@Public_Cust_17 @Handy1 

I just took the screenshot from a page on this very website. I have it archived here just in case they try editing the original:

https://web.archive.org/web/20240310024729/https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Knowledge-...

[ejc]

The new points program seems to be much less rewarding than the old program. With the old program, I get a $9 discount every month, while the new program only provides me with a $3 discount. Is there any way to opt out of the new points program?

[Public_Cust_17]

@Wolfcore  do you have that Legacy rewards image in a little higher quality? I'd like to include it in my email to the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology.  I'd also encourage any and all that might be inclined to feel free to copy my submission and send it with your name as well.  Cheers

[marcnoel]

It's not perceived value for me.  It's real.

At my previous work location, I had access to ShawOpen for free Wi-Fi.  Now I do not.  I was getting ready to move into another unit in my building, where I could get ShawOpen again, so I limped along on the $ 15.00 plan.  Then, it turned out that I can't have the unit.  It is much cheaper for me to get the $ 34.00 50 GB plan, which goes with me, vs. paying for internet service I lose as soon as I leave the area.

[Handy1]

@Public_Cust_17  No sorry that’s the only image I have . And that’s compliments of @Wolfcore 

[Public_Cust_17]

@RetiredGuy1  Preach! Suspiciously the plans I might've considered are not available... I don't need the data, I'd probably be fine with 1 gb since I've been doing just fine with 250 mb and a couple of reward gb's to buffer any over usage I might've had. Funny enough only a 3g plan has that and that plan actually costs $1 more than the promo 4g plan with 4gb of data.. Horse feathers!  lol

[kb_mv]

---

@JennalynnFlesch wrote:

To let everyone on Legacy know, in the article by PM here; https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/bc/get-help/articles/move-to-public-points  they say we will NOT lose our rewards from the old program.  Here is the snipet from the article; 

'Any credits earned up to May, 2024 will remain on your account and be applied to your future bills'!!!!!  This clearly states that any rewards you currently have MUST BE HONORED!

LET'S HOLD THEM TO THIS!  

---

@JennalynnFlesch I don't want to rain on your parade (or maybe I am just misunderstanding what you wrote and we are saying the same thing) but that reads that any legacy rewards I earn up until May 1 will remain in the account as funds available and used to pay the next renewal. There are people that have large balances of funds available as they had large numbers of referrals. For them this means they will continue to draw down the funds available to pay their plan until they are all gone. It doesn't mean that we get to stay on the legacy reward program ad infinitum.

[hTideGnow]

---

@RetiredGuy1 wrote:

---

---

But price is not really coming down - its that perceived value is going up. PM, like all telecoms, use ARPU (average revenue per user) as the key metric. So, they change plans by adding more data at the same price points. 

---

HI @RetiredGuy1 Price came down.  It is not the added data makes it look like it is down

You might not been following the price closely and you don't know.  Let me give you solid examples

PM offers $60 Canada-US plan  for 15GB or $70 for 20GB.   But last Feb,  $34 already give you 50GB Canada-US plan.  So, the same price who was on the $60 plan can pay a lot less for the same plan with more data as bonus

Another example, $35 only got you 3GB  early 2023, then in March, $30 got you 3GB.  Mid 2023, PM starts offer some existing subscribers $24 - 4GB plan or $26 15GB plan., or you can still get $29 - 20GB plan.  So, it is not more data, but price drops as well

[Public_Cust_17]

@JennalynnFlesch  weasel wording.. "Any credits earned up to May 2024 will remain on your account"  the problem is after May you won't be earning any credits but yeah those earned before that will be applied to your future bills..   🙁

[JennalynnFlesch]

To let everyone on Legacy know, in the article by PM here; https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/bc/get-help/articles/move-to-public-points  they say we will NOT lose our rewards from the old program.  Here is the snipet from the article; 

'Any credits earned up to May, 2024 will remain on your account and be applied to your future bills'!!!!!  This clearly states that any rewards you currently have MUST BE HONORED!

LET'S HOLD THEM TO THIS!  

[RetiredGuy1]

---

@hTideGnow wrote:

hi @Hollister but you cannot deny price really comes down , and down a lot. $35 used to be just 3GB and now it gives you Canada-US plan for 20GB or so

---

But price is not really coming down - its that perceived value is going up. PM, like all telecoms, use ARPU (average revenue per user) as the key metric. So, they change plans by adding more data at the same price points. I say “perceived” because people jump at the chance of feeling they’re getting more for the same cost. In reality, most users don’t use all the data allotted and all telecoms know this. Its no coincidence the two 4G plans ($24/4G and $29/20GB) are not available to existing users right now. You’re either stuck at 5G with at least 50GB or downgrade to 3G plans. Without a 5G capable phone but still wanting relatively good data speeds, neither option appeals to me and I suspect many others as well.

[marcnoel]

In 2018, with PM, you could get 4 GB for $ 40.00/month.  Now, you can get 50 GB plus unlimited throttled for $ 34.00.  Offerings have gone up, and prices have gone down.

Fizz, for example, has a $ 34.00 50 GB 4G plan (not unlimited throttled).  Independent of the Beta test half-price offer right now, which can disappear any time, it would take almost 27 months to earn $ 1.00 off per month there (you have to spend $ 900.00 to reach that level, which I assume is pre-taxes).  Staying with PM, and getting $ 10.00 a year plus $ 1.70/month back, with no referrals, you'd save ~$ 68.00 in that time.  No matter where you go from PM, you will still have to start at the bottom.  If you can get something for referrals immediately, all the better, but, as stated before, if you go to another carrier, and then encounter reception or coverage problems, the referrals may not thank you.

[Public_Cust_17]

I love the quote by Entwistle.. https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/telecom-ceos-appear-before-federal-committee-tell-mps-prices-are-coming-... 

I'm planning on sending the following to said committee but won't hold my breath.

To: The Standing Committee on Industry and Technology (E-mail: INDU@parl.gc.ca)

Subject: Effective price increase caused by the cancellation of customer rewards

After reading today (March 18, 2024) on BNN Bloomberg the results of a meeting between your committee and the Telecom CEO’s where “Entwistle said he was confident Canadians would see price declines but could not discuss specifics about price setting.” I would like to point out that the Telus low-cost flanker brand Public Mobile has just announced the cancellation of their “legacy rewards” plans for existing customers that joined prior to a new rewards system being implemented. It was stated at the introduction of the new rewards system that legacy customers were not required to join and could remain on their existing rewards program.

The CRTC mandates that there be low-cost and occasional-use wireless service plans and the Public Mobile lower cost plans will be hit the worse with effective price increases up to $7 month ($2 for auto-pay and maximum $5 loyalty) rewards to be replaced by the new rewards which offer a 5% of the bill reward and a yearly points equivalent of $10. For the most vulnerable (seniors and financially burdened) of the customers on the low-cost plans and specifically on the lowest cost plan @$15/30 days this will have a net effect of increasing their yearly costs by up to $65/yr before taxes ($7x12 less $0.75*12+$10). This is equivalent to a price increase of 67% once both reward systems have been taken into consideration.

I would like to point out that this is a blatant cash grab on these most vulnerable customers and would like to have you question Mr. Entwistle regarding the decision about this change. Although the plan price has not changed the effective cost is going to see a dramatic change with this removal of the legacy rewards systems that built the pre-paid providers customer base.

I thank you in advance for your attention to my submission and look forward to hearing any news regarding the outcome of such questions.

Kind Regards,

My name and email to be here

The following information regarding the legacy rewards system has recently been removed from the Public Mobiles website.