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Upcoming Changes to our Old Rewards Program

J_PM
Public Mobile
Public Mobile

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

5,540 REPLIES 5,540

JDBlue1966
Model Citizen / Citoyen Modèle

I will send one as well

Public_Cust_17
Model Citizen / Citoyen Modèle

@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
Model Citizen / Citoyen Modèle

Excellent! Well done.

Grinch
Model Citizen / Citoyen Modèle

@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
Model Citizen / Citoyen Modèle

@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
Deputy Mayor / Adjoint au Maire

You can also include things like this for example:

Untitled.png

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
Deputy Mayor / Adjoint au Maire

@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
Great Neighbour / Super Voisin

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
Model Citizen / Citoyen Modèle

@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
Model Citizen / Citoyen Modèle

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.

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

Public_Cust_17
Model Citizen / Citoyen Modèle

@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


@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; 

JennalynnFlesch_0-1710793932822.png

'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.


@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
Model Citizen / Citoyen Modèle

@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
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

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; 

JennalynnFlesch_0-1710793932822.png

'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
Town Hero / Héro de la Ville

@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
Model Citizen / Citoyen Modèle

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
Model Citizen / Citoyen Modèle

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.

Public_Cust_17_1-1710792644430.png

 

jimbobs2023
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

@Cellguy wrote:

All I can see is my monthly bill increasing. If your points program was any good, everyone would have switched by now. Now you are forcing this program on everyone.


Which makes me suspect that this is all about getting rid of low revenue accounts. Their bottom line appears to be "we're switching and that's it. Take it or leave, we don't really care".  They appear to be completely ignoring the harm done to the Telus brand, never mind Public Mobile and Koodoo.

Public_Cust_17
Model Citizen / Citoyen Modèle

@Handy1  do you have a better quality version of the legacy Loyalty Rewards picture?

_ToxicFire_
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

wow this thread had blown up haha. The new points system is crap i have new lines on it and dislike it alot. What public mobile should do if they must keep the new point system is keep loyalty going so every year thats another point per month. auto pay 2 points each month OR even 1 point per month on auto pay.

Loyalty should not just be thrown away. Honestly my new lines are on the new point system and i knew then when opening them up this year HOWEVER losing it on other accounts sucks and instead of staying with just a couple accounts ill move all 4.

Cellguy
Great Neighbour / Super Voisin

All I can see is my monthly bill increasing. If your points program was any good, everyone would have switched by now. Now you are forcing this program on everyone.

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

Hollister
Deputy Mayor / Adjoint au Maire

Wireless prices are going down, telecom CEOs insist to MPs

https://globalnews.ca/news/10367756/bell-rogers-telus-ceos-wireless-pricing-committee/

PCIrish
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

"right trick"??  Freudian slip, me thinks!!🤣

byebye
Great Neighbour / Super Voisin

Yup, you’re probably right. They’re more or less just profiting off of people who aren’t going to check the changes right away and hope they can siphon out some money off of the brand that was built over the years. Very greasy of them 

PCIrish
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

Well said!  I couldn't have put that more clearly.  However, I still stand by my hypothesis that the plan is to eventually shutter and do away with Public Mobile completely.  So sad!  The poor customer service reps won't even hear the "bullet' coming!

byebye
Great Neighbour / Super Voisin

look up freedom mobile. better data and cheaper than what we’re paying. can’t believe they’re just throwing away so many customers like this 🤡

HI @byebye 

yes , on one like this .  I am paying $7 more for each account I have  😞

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