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

[RetiredGuy1]

Two companies approach to make a win-back offer:

Public Mobile: one-time 15 points ($15)

Freedom Mobile: $29 (after digital discount) 50 GB 5G unlimited Canada/US plan with guaranteed price freeze promise (this represents $5 off each month of a currently-featured plan)

[RetiredGuy1]

[jimbobs2023]

---

@RNk6xib2 wrote:

---

@Y4J259 wrote:

I filed a complaint with CCTS April 4. April 8 PM objected. April 16 CCTS objected to the objection. 

So now what? Do I wait for PM to reach out and resolve? Do I need to initiate? 

---

I've been told by email that someone from CCTS will reach out to me and start the process over 2 weeks ago. I'm still waiting. My understanding (and I'm not certain this is true) is that we need to keep our PM account open, paying the difference until PM + CCTS case is figured out. If we close our account now the contract we have with PM is closed and the case is resolve with CCTS.

I'm keeping my PM account at least one billing period of the new points so I at least have something the CCTS can help with. Again, I don't know if this is the right thing, I cant get a straight answer from anyone. I'd be more then happy to pay $6/30 days for SMS/MMS only which is basically what I'm doing now. Fizz is $9/month for the same. I have a simcard I just dont know what to do. Do I wait for CCTS or just jump ship and never pay telus again? ugh.

---

Keep annoying PM by constantly messaging them.  If they behave like they have been up to now, they'll offer you a $30 credit with no conditions attached.  I've been offered one and accepted it so will get almost 3 free months as a result. From other posts, I know others have been offered it as well.

[RNk6xib2]

If it was per month that'd be almost as good as my current PM plan and I'd switch today... However, it's $130/year, meaning it's going on a 20% interest credit card (costing more) and I'll pay it off as fast as I can. If I had more notice it wouldn't be so rough but I don't..... I can save, that's not a problem, it's just where does the money come from. Rent, Bus, Hydro, Internet, Cell, Grocery. Take your pick. I've gotten rid of basically everything and I find free activities to keep me sane. PM can feel free to confirm this but my phone is a Nexus 5 that I've had since 2017.

I've been applying to jobs, I've had interviews but come offer time It's not more then I'm making now so it's not worth it. I like my job and the people I work with are awesome. I just don't make enough and I'm really trying to avoid taking a weekend job.

[Wolfcore]

Oh yeah, for sure. I chose to only add things related to this legacy-removal decision. If not, there would be a bunch more things I could have added. They've just done so many things to screw over customers recently.

[EdN]

Wolfcore, that is a very good summary of all the ways Public Mobile has disappointed/shafted the loyal customers in the past 6 months or so.

 I would also like to add they implemented a 30 day expiry for the data add-ons (formerly no expiry until all used up)

I think they also eliminated the 2023 holiday bonus (or put an expiry on it)

[Wolfcore]

You should look into Freedom's yearly plans. They have 3 of them, and they sound like they'd probably meet your needs:

1. $8.25/month - Unlimited talk/incoming text
2. $9.90/month - Unlimited talk/text + 1.25GB/month
3. $12.40/month - Unlimited talk/text + 2.50GB/Month

[Wolfcore]

Yup, they've decided to essentially slap their customers in their faces:

1. First they removed the 1-point/month for every month you've been with PM, reward (just before making this announcement).
2. Then they made the announcement, thus breaking their word about how people can keep these rewards for as long as their accounts remained active.
3. Then they said that this was being done to bring customers more value (an outright lie).
4. Then they offered people free data buckets as compensation for their loyalty, even though they know people don't need these data buckets, as 99% of people have plans that meet their needs already. On top of this, they attach an expiry date for this data.
5. Then, when people went to complain, they selectively compromised with only certain customers, by giving them free months of service, free data, as well as some free points, but chose to give others nothing.
6. Then when others went to complain, they were asked if they'd like to be removed from rewards program altogether, thus attempting to reward people even less (shameless).
7. Then, in the end, once customers decided to finally leave, they sent them winback messages, offering them a one-time 15-point ($15) reward lol

It's just sad at this point. 

[RNk6xib2]

---

@eyes wrote:

Since the cost to hang on is so minimal after applying rewards —hang in there and see what happens. 

---

For you, the cost may be "minimal". For me and others like me, the additional cost is not "minimal" and it's a bit frustrating that you'd assume it is.

I work full time but I NEED a strict budget due to the cost of everything. The reason I'm with PM is for the cheap plan. If I'm spending $10 more every 30 days then that $10 is coming from something else, likely my grocery budget. I already live paycheque to paycheque, I'm not able to save any money. Credit Card debit is looking like my only option if things continue to get more expensive.

Cant get a 2nd job without a phone number, Can't login to FORCED 2fa sms sites like my bank without a phone number. This is the Position PM is putting me in and they know it, no one can get by without a phone number and they're hitting the guys on the cheapest plan the hardest.

$15 every 30 days is more expensive then $15 every month. Meaning any other provider that does monthly billing with the "same" plan is cheaper and where I'll have to go.

[RetiredGuy1]

@RNk6xib2  Here is a link that provides an overview of the CCTS complaint process:

https://www.ccts-cprst.ca/for-consumers/complaints/complaints-process-explained/

Step 2: Initial Referral includes:

Note: If any part of your complaint is about unpaid charges, your service provider must stop trying to collect these charges until your complaint is closed. You must pay charges that are not related to your complaint.

[eyes]

Since the cost to hang on is so minimal after applying rewards —hang in there and see what happens. 

[RNk6xib2]

---

@Y4J259 wrote:

I filed a complaint with CCTS April 4. April 8 PM objected. April 16 CCTS objected to the objection. 

So now what? Do I wait for PM to reach out and resolve? Do I need to initiate? 

---

I've been told by email that someone from CCTS will reach out to me and start the process over 2 weeks ago. I'm still waiting. My understanding (and I'm not certain this is true) is that we need to keep our PM account open, paying the difference until PM + CCTS case is figured out. If we close our account now the contract we have with PM is closed and the case is resolve with CCTS.

I'm keeping my PM account at least one billing period of the new points so I at least have something the CCTS can help with. Again, I don't know if this is the right thing, I cant get a straight answer from anyone. I'd be more then happy to pay $6/30 days for SMS/MMS only which is basically what I'm doing now. Fizz is $9/month for the same. I have a simcard I just dont know what to do. Do I wait for CCTS or just jump ship and never pay telus again? ugh.

[eyes]

Wise move not to engage and just let it go . Rest assured that there is absolutely no problem in members of your family having separate community accounts each tied in to active separate plans and sharing the same WIFI IP so as not to waste their data. There is no need and is not at all dumb to not mask your IP because they are doing nothing wrong. 

[El_Gato]

Ok thanks for explaining. 

[Y4J259]

I filed a complaint with CCTS April 4. April 8 PM objected. April 16 CCTS objected to the objection. 

So now what? Do I wait for PM to reach out and resolve? Do I need to initiate? 

[fixin1]

@El_Gato - Also forgot to say that bell can sometimes have better plans on postpaid - up to 2gbps or 250mbps (250mbps is no hotspot on bell, 2gbps 5G+ is hotspot available.) Public has hotspot for all plans.

[Wolfcore]

I did not say that it's "illegal", not even close. Please go back and read what I wrote. I even asked the question of whether or not it's against the rules, and said if it wasn't, then I believe that it should be. You're also wrong about what I'm referring to, I'm not talking about "managing accounts", I'm talking about secretly posting under two community usernames while being the same person, or more specifically, using those two accounts to interact within the same conversations. I was just stating how problematic that is, because for one, I don't believe there's any good reason why anybody should be doing that period, but also, it allows for the rewards system to be cheated and abused.

[El_Gato]

---

@Michael6666 wrote:

Well that's it! My last managed account is ported. So two old referrals remain until I convert them as well.. 

Goodbye beautiful community! 

---

Hi - I'm a bit confused when you say that you manage  multiple accounts - we have only 2 PM accounts but each has a separate email and I think must have a separate credit card. -- Also another member wolfcore posted that it's illegal to have 2 accounts on the same home network. I of course don't believe that but he did post something to that effect.

[El_Gato]

---

@fixin1 wrote:

@El_Gato - Bell prepaid does not compare to the tier three of the big three prepaid providers - Public Mobile, Lucky Mobile & Chatr Wireless.

Public has for $40 75GB while bell has it for $60/month (Not including bonus data)

Oh and forgot to say that PM is at 5G 250mbps speeds compared to the 150mbps of the LTE / 4G plan on bell.

---

Thank you - Wasn't aware that PM  at 250 Mbps is that much faster then Bell's 150 Mbps - So just maybe PM plans are best.

[fixin1]

@El_Gato - Bell prepaid does not compare to the tier three of the big three prepaid providers - Public Mobile, Lucky Mobile & Chatr Wireless.

Public has for $40 75GB while bell has it for $60/month (Not including bonus data)

Oh and forgot to say that PM is at 5G 250mbps speeds compared to the 150mbps of the LTE / 4G plan on bell.

[El_Gato]

---

@hTideGnow wrote:

---

@ATHENS wrote:

CS agent may have given me wrong information but I think one should proceed with caution and confirm with CS before changing plans-  Cut and pasting CS reply to my question of switching plans >>>>>>>>>If you change your plan, regardless if it upgrade (higher value) or downgrade (lower value) you will lose the bonus data acorded for the  switch to Public Points program.

---

HI @ATHENS 

confusing.  FAQ clearly said downgrade only

---

Are you sure - don't want to make a mistake because of advise that I will regret later. 

[El_Gato]

---

@Dbray43 wrote:

With the change in rewards and asking us to accept huge increases monthly due to broken promises, we have moved both of our long term accounts today away from pm to a company using the same tower network at a price very close to what we paid pm before the increase.  Perhaps we will be back again.. but with no loyalty to long term customers, the only thing Telus and pm will understand is a vote via our wallet.   Wish you all the best.   Goodbye! 

---

Bell prepaid?

[fixin1]

@Dbray43 - I didn't know that at all. No Name's fine print said that no MMS. But their FAQ changed from the $0.50 MMS charge to having no word of that at all.

[EdN]

PUBLIC MOBILE SURVEY: Is there anything else that you would like to share with us about your experience with Public Mobile?

Here's a former customer's response to the survey regarding their departure from Public Mobile 

"Public Mobile thought removing $84 a year worth of legacy rewards was a good idea and replace with only $10. Now, Public Mobile has lost $408 a year from my one account (ported out) and $240 from my other account (lowered plan). Removing $74 worth of credits lost you $648. Was it worth it?"

Page 3

https://forums.redflagdeals.com/public-mobile-winback-get-15-points-coming-back-public-mobile-lol-26...

[mojorising]

---

@eyes wrote:

---

@mojorising wrote:

LOL So my post was deleted. To whoever deleted it, please do me a favor and delete my profile while you're at it. I requested this to a CS Agent and the response was "we can't". If you can delete posts, you can delete a profile.

Simple.

Please and thank you.

---

I know that it's frustrating BUT Yup they can't or just won't delete community profiles - many of us had to set up new profiles during the switch to their EverSafe security system. At the start of their switch sometimes each time you tried to connect another community account was created -- that in turn led to problems and accusations of having multiple accounts. Since the community accounts are tied to our plans it beyond me as to why they don't delete accounts that are no longer associated with paid active plans.. 

---

I guess for those of us who have moved on have to be in PM purgatory as punishment for doing so.

[fixin1]

@mojorising - Look here to see if the automod rejections did the job: https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/premod/moderationitemspage/tab/rejected

[eyes]

---

@mojorising wrote:

LOL So my post was deleted. To whoever deleted it, please do me a favor and delete my profile while you're at it. I requested this to a CS Agent and the response was "we can't". If you can delete posts, you can delete a profile.

Simple.

Please and thank you.

---

I know that it's frustrating BUT Yup they can't or just won't delete community profiles - many of us had to set up new profiles during the switch to their EverSafe security system. At the start of their switch sometimes each time you tried to connect another community account was created -- that in turn led to problems and accusations of having multiple accounts. Since the community accounts are tied to our plans it beyond me as to why they don't delete accounts that are no longer associated with paid active plans.. 

[mojorising]

LOL So my post was deleted. To whoever deleted it, please do me a favor and delete my profile while you're at it. I requested this to a CS Agent and the response was "we can't". If you can delete posts, you can delete a profile.

Simple.

Please and thank you.

[EdN]

Good one 👍🏻 TFF 🤣