03-06-2024
11:07 AM
- last edited on
03-09-2024
12:32 PM
by
ShawnC13
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
03-25-2024 12:35 PM
@SeniorCitizen They also have postpaid plans on their 4G LTE network that could save you even more money. I'd suggest you look at their coverage map and see if you'd even have 5G available as well as consider the actual amount of data that you would typically use. Do you stream movies or game on your phone, listen to music or are you just using it to check the weather, text/email and maybe connect to your car for driving directions? Just some thoughts for you to consider as their $29 plan with 20GB/month of data might work for you or maybe even the $24 plan with 4GB/month would suffice. Cheers 🙂
03-25-2024 12:33 PM
If you can tell me exactly how many referrals you have, and what number your loyalty reward is currently at ($5 off per month?), I can tell you exactly how much you'll be paying compared to the old system.
03-25-2024 12:31 PM
If you don't mind paying in lump-sums, the Freedom yearly plans are much better and cheaper than that $15 plan.
03-25-2024 12:31 PM
I migrated to the $29/20GB per month. I was getting $34/20GB per month on that quarterly cycle. So they are letting people take that base rate it looks like. I am going to laugh if my bill without cash rebate is more then before. I suspect It will be very close lol. Exodus incoming. April May June is going to be a blood bath. I suspect they will have Koodo and Telus dominant offers..
03-25-2024 12:25 PM
Thanks, I know. I don't care, I use 2-3 Gb per month but like the security of extra and was willing to pay 34$ for the 50gb US that I go once a year on vacation. But now, I'm gone. fizz is cheaper and better for me than the points system. The only reason I'm holding on is a decision reversal in may, we'll see.
Otherwise, as I've stated, 2/3 of my plans are leaving, only the 15$ is staying until something better comes along.
03-25-2024 12:10 PM - edited 03-25-2024 12:11 PM
This is on their home page, it's their more heavily advertised plan right now. It's available to all as far as I know. If you look at their plans, it's the $39 plan, and then they apply a $5 digital discount to it.
03-25-2024 12:06 PM
Same with me. When I started with PM, it was because it was the cheapest, plus got rewards. Never even looked anywhere else. Now in surprised that there are better plans out there.
03-25-2024 11:57 AM
Is this a good deal. I had one pop up yesterday for Kelowna residents only and can’t find again.
03-25-2024 11:56 AM
@JDBlue1966 I'd definitely say they've done me a favour... I've learned a LOT in the last couple of weeks and was not even remotely considering jumping ship. For 6 years I haven't even looked at anyone else and would've just continued on without searching out any new information.. so thanks for that PM!
03-25-2024 11:38 AM
@Michael6666 wrote:I said I wasn't coming back but just noticed the 29$ for 20gb is available in my account. Must be an error by public Mobile (I'm in QC).
If anyone wants a cheaper plan until the may switch, I just downgraded to spend the minimum possible for my needs.
To be clear, I'm not monitoring this thread, just wanted to give the info.
FYI, if you downgrade your plan, you will lose the data add on bonus that Public mobile offered for the migration.
$29 plan may keep some legacy customers on the $35+ plans with Public mobile.
03-25-2024 11:36 AM - edited 03-25-2024 11:37 AM
@sa7375 I'd be fine staying with PM as well but I don't see them coming close to matching the deal or even caring to try for that matter. As a light user on the $15 with 6 years of PM loyalty it's only going to be a bit more per month than what I'm currently paying to switch to the yearly $119 plan that I'm looking at .. Starting in May, PM will be charging me $47.46 more a year (including "bonuses" and taxes) for a significantly inferior plan.. I'm not an accountant but this seems like a no-brainer... 😉
03-25-2024 11:33 AM
Of course it's all bull. They have the infrastructure in place already, but they also see the writing on the wall, and want to make as much money as they can, before they're eventually forced to plateau and offer truly unlimited plans (the same way as ISP's eventually had to do).
To accomplish this, they just go up in increments for years, and at a very slow pace. The throttled data is also one of these intermediary tactics. Their main goal now, is to move everybody away from those lower-cost plans, and probably never introduce them again (will probably pay their buddy politicians to help with this too).
They gotta increase data allotments every year (due to natural shifts, and competition), but they also know that the vast majority of people will never use all of this data, so it puts them in a tricky situation. They know that, realistically, the average person doesn't even use over 10gb (and probably never will), yet they keep offering more, in hopes that some people bite on these more expensive plans and then they can keep them there. Because they know ultimately (very soon), everything will be unlimited anyway.
The future of telecom will definitely be very interesting. When everything is fully unlimited, they'll have to fallback on selling other things. You'll probably see home internet selling propped up a lot more, and tv services. Probably make extra profits from those, and also the selling of phones.
03-25-2024 11:28 AM
@dariovitale I'm actually okay with it since I'm an extremely light user (I've come to learn) and would be unlikely to need it. It's nice to know I'd have access to something that they wouldn't try to rob me blind for using it. Cheers & thanks for your insights on here. 🙂
03-25-2024 11:14 AM
For light users, don’t think you can beat this. Guess you could say PM have done lots of us a favour.
03-25-2024 11:10 AM
As a 5 year PM customer and using the $15 plan, I would like to thank PM for their 'gift' of 5GB data... As a light user I am often in a wifi zone and don't need a lot of data. Now with the '150 day data "gift" ' I have been trying my best to use it up and not have wifi on just to see what I really need/use in the way of data.
What I have discovered is my 'future' provider Freedom and their $119 plan with 15GB will really suit me just fine and cheaper too then what I will pay here after May. Heck, I might even treat myself and buy the 30gb plan for a little more. I am in the freedom native zone 99.8% of the time plus someone to talk with on the phone if I need account help... either way I get unlimited calling ( don't have that now) and lots of data I will likely not use but one never knows. On the bright side the expiring 'gift' to me maybe the gift that keeps on giving by me 'giving' my loyalty and money to someone else and not PM or the Telus family of businesses !!
03-25-2024 11:00 AM - edited 03-25-2024 11:01 AM
@Michael6666 wrote:I said I wasn't coming back but just noticed the 29$ for 20gb is available in my account. Must be an error by public Mobile (I'm in QC).
If anyone wants a cheaper plan until the may switch, I just downgraded to spend the minimum possible for my needs.
@Michael6666 Not a mistake, PM has removed the new activations only so this is open to all. Should be interesting to see the comments. A lot of people were calling for this.
03-25-2024 10:59 AM - edited 03-25-2024 10:59 AM
I said I wasn't coming back but just noticed the 29$ for 20gb is available in my account. Must be an error by public Mobile (I'm in QC).
If anyone wants a cheaper plan until the may switch, I just downgraded to spend the minimum possible for my needs.
To be clear, I'm not monitoring this thread, just wanted to give the info.
03-25-2024 10:48 AM
Think it would take me 200yrs. Just hope enough leave them and it backfires on them.
03-25-2024 10:43 AM
Total BULL if you ask me, way to go to screw over your loyal customers! The data is useless would take me 100 years to use up that nevermind 3 months
03-25-2024 10:40 AM
IN REFERENCE TO MY COMMENTS POSTED in this wonderful national group chat with fellow Canadians...........please read my comments, they come from knowledge, experience and tip hints as well those from others. Whether on a single service basis or prices being offered for Home alarm, home internet, tv and single / family cell plan bundles and crunching the final numbers make the jump if it financially benefits.
As I have mentioned in my previous comments I have closed my PM account and moved my cell to the rest of the 5 I have with Telus at $20 a month for each line with 50gb data CAN-US full roaming package. So, that said, my pm account is cancelled and so will be my community page. Was nice chatting with you all. Take care.
03-25-2024 10:34 AM
@dariovitale said:
And to add that there have been news articles that came out within the last 3yrs saying 3G was being phased out completely in the U.S. by Dec 30th, 2023 and in Canada Dec 30th 2025
Yes, older phones that still work in Canada on the 3G network will no longer work in the USA. That's one of the reasons I upgraded to a 5G phone. I'm in the USA a lot.
03-25-2024 10:33 AM
Not having political debate in this thread.
03-25-2024 10:27 AM
Its always about their wallets, not customers and loyalty to customers.
03-25-2024 10:26 AM
And to add that there have been news articles that came out within the last 3yrs saying 3G was being phased out completely in the U.S. by Dec 30th, 2023 and in Canada Dec 30th 2025. Now in the states I believe they went through with it. But here in Canada when I sent messages to PM agents multiple times a year ago about the 3G stories they with mixed answers with "there is no industry 3g phase out planned" and "No phase out that we know of yet".
03-25-2024 10:17 AM
I was 7.5yrs with PM on the old legacy rewards program. Was getting, with autopay and loyalty $9 off every month. $9 x 12 = $108. With the new points program, let alone the hassle to login and apply my points, total a year ine would be lucky to get back $20 total. Its a **bleep** over for old and new customers. Customers are much smarters and these pm agents and management foolishingly keep trying to convince us its great. However, still might stick around if PM offers them a plan that is better than the competition is offering. Some will move if they have better bundle deals being thrown at them..............In my case, I am a old and current ADT Alarm customer. Telus bought them years ago. In November '23 Telus offered me a alarm and 5 cell line family bundle package. $20 a month for alarm, $20 a month per cell line with 50gb unlimited data, Can-US calling with free call, text and data roaming in the U.S. per cell line. IT WAS a no brainer. And even though Telus owns PM with their current massive customer piss off decision I made the decision to shut my PM account 2 days ago and transfer my PM cell to my Telus family bundle. Then in 2yrs I will be researching the market again with my experience having worked 20yrs with the telco companies as my corporate client accounts.
03-25-2024 10:09 AM - edited 03-25-2024 10:10 AM
Given the themes that have emerged in the forum and an observed increase in new posters (perhaps struggling to understand the negative feedback), or potential new customers hearing about this negative feedback elsewhere, the following could serve as an updated FAQ regarding the change in rewards programs:
Q. If a customer has been with PM for 5 or more years, they had received $60 per year as a loyalty reward. A newer customer (since Jan 2022) has received 10 points or the equivalent $10 per year. Now, regardless of how long one has been a customer, everyone gets the equivalent of $10 per year. Is that a consistent approach to recognize loyalty?
A. No, but we don’t care
Q. Previously, a customer could have their rewards applied directly to their monthly bill. Now, a customer needs to accumulate 15 points ($15) to apply against their bill and must remember to do so and log into their account themselves to make it happen? Is that an improvement in client service?
A. No, but we don’t care. We’re hoping customers will accumulate 15 points ($15) and perhaps forget to log into their account to apply it themselves. Then, if they decide to leave to one of our competitors, we save money.
Q. Customers on the 3G plans could be described as light data users interested in a very basic plan. Customers on a 4G plan want a moderate amount of data and may not have a 5G-enabled phone. Customers on a 5G plan, for whatever their individual reasons are, are paying the most to PM. However, currently your 4G plans are for new customers only. Could you explain your rationale behind this?
A. By removing the previous loyalty rewards offered, those on a 3G plan will be paying more and are not likely to move up to 4G (or 5G) as they’re light data users. Those on a 4G plan will be paying more and are not likely to move down to 3G because they’re moderate data users or to move up to 5G as those plans cost even more. Those on a 5G plan will be paying more and the temptation to move down to a 4G plan will not realize the actual savings by comparing costs since the removal of loyalty rewards effectively removed the “discounting” of plan prices. So, our rationale is we make more money regardless of our customers profile.
Q. There was a previously-offered bonus for joining the new points system which provided 1 point for every month a customer has been with PM. That has since been rescinded. A new bonus has been given which offers additional data (amount dependent on subscribed plan) that expires in 150 days and is only available if a customer doesn’t move to a lower-priced plan. For those who don’t use their plan-allotted data or wish to optimize the use of the bonus data by moving to a plan that offers less data, is there really any benefit to this “gift”?
A. No, but we don’t care
03-25-2024 09:56 AM
In Canada thats been around for years......its their way of saying "you'll be throttled down to 512kbps". There has to come a day these companies need to stop there current data practices and come up with FULL SPEED unlimited data plans just like home internet plans cause there is no valide excuse. They do it in other parts of the world.
03-25-2024 09:52 AM
For example, if your unlimited plan has 100gb its 100gb at full speed. Then after that they throttle the speed down to 512kbps slower than turtle speed. BUT the data bonus they are giving is added to the 100gb at full speed.
03-25-2024 09:03 AM
@Public_Cust_17 That is exactly where I stand, though I haven't moved yet along with my three family accounts. I would like to continue with PM so long as they offered something similar in pricing to the Freedom Mobile's Annual Plan of $119.
@Public_Cust_17 wrote:@sa7375 I hadn't really thought of that as I rarely check my rear-view mirror once I've decided to move on but since you asked, yes if I'm able to still sign on here and post an update I will. 🙂
03-25-2024 08:58 AM
@fixin At one time, and that is about 5 years back, Freedom did not enjoy a good reputation for the quality of their calls, though it must have improved over the years. Also, because their $119 plan offers VoLTE, the quality of their calls within the GTA should compare favorably with other established providers. Any comments?
@fixin wrote:@sa7375 - Probably to not entice customers because the $15/month plan is $180 annually.
Freedom does seem like the #1 provider for annual plans, despite that they don't have the ability for all Canadians to have it yet for their MVNO service.
$99/year talk & text = $8.25/month.
$119/year talk, text, 15GB = $9.92/month.
$149/year talk, text, 30GB = $12.42/month.
Those plans are crazy cheap (If you live in the Freedom Coverage.)