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

[PToadstool]

Okay, so we are just forcing everyone to switch over to a significantly worse and more time consuming system? The rewards system is the reason that I joined public mobile. Will be switching over my family's accounts when the change starts.

[colleeno]

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@eyes wrote:

Giving their marketing strategy  some credit maybe they calculated the  probability of  the number of favourable outcomes that by far may exceed the negatives.

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I agree. I’m sure most PM subscribers are silent and won’t bother to comment. This thread is nearing 1400 comments but that doesn’t mean 1400 people have something to say; there are many users here who have commented 20+ times. When the changeover in May comes, some customers will stay and some will leave. Telus is betting that most will stay and they’re probably correct. And this change in rewards won’t affect anyone who subscribed after January 2022 so it doesn’t matter to them.

My 5th anniversary with PM is coming up in May. Am I happy with the change in Rewards? NO. Am I going to move to a different provider? NO. My $34/month 50GB Canada-US Plan is perfect for me. 

[Michael6666]

Yeah, it's always hard to calculate these things though.

I still remember when the ad got the 15$ plan was actually 13$ with an asterix for autopay. Talk about a change in marketing! 

[Lucmar]

This is absolutely horrible!! I signed up with PM to obtain the loyalty, referral and autopay rewards and now they are being taken away. Just like a typical corporation always making changes for the worst. I will be filing a complaint with the CRTC today and come May if they change us over I will be finding another provider. I'm really disappointed in you PM! 

[Kydd]

Oh yes my bad I forgot about taxes 

[mikasik2]

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@Canadian_Man wrote:

How do I launch a compliant? 

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https://www.ccts-cprst.ca/for-consumers/complaints/complaint-form/

[mikasik2]

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@Kydd wrote:

So basically $50 less each year for each pm legacy account 🤔 

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Closer to $100 after tax

[Kydd]

So basically $50 less each year for each pm legacy account 🤔 

[Canadian_Man]

How do I launch a compliant? 

[Kydd]

They want to make more money. You'll be surprised how much people still never herd of PM , if they did they think the service is trash .

[ill_will]

I could not agree more!  How do they think it's OK to just strip loyalty rewards with no recognition?!?!

Like many, if I don't see 50 points in my account, I will be seeking a different provider. 

Shame on you, Public Mobile. 

[SeniorCitizen]

The best way to reciprocate is to hit Telus’s wallet. 
Stop getting referrals. 
Think about it. 

[gilnockie1957]

I have been with PM since 2015. They obviously do not understand the basics of finance. Right now I likely pay less per month than they would like and consider that a loss whereas my money “contributes “ to their fixed costs. When I leave, they will be in a worse position than if I stayed. It’s a lot more expensive to get a customer than it is to keep a customer. I I think they would have been better off limiting the discount as opposed to eliminating it. I brought a number of people to PM and expect they will switch to another carrier when I do (in May). Going to start my research today!! 

[Wolfcore]

Exactly this.

I personally don't care about the autopay, because they did not make a promise when it comes to autopay (as far as I've been able to find). But with the loyalty rewards, and the referral rewards, we have written evidence of them promising that these would stick around as long as you remained a customer with PM, so it's a clear example of bait and switch.

As you've said, referrals are basically the same, so that's fine. But the new $10/year "loyalty reward" is nowhere near similar to the old one. 

[RetiredGuy1]

The switch from $2 autopay to 5% of the plan cost is more fair in my opinion. The referral reward is pretty much the same although not automatically applied each month is a step back in terms of customer service. The real impact is losing the loyalty reward of up to $5 a month for long-term customers ($60 a year) to only $10 a year. My question to PM is why the all-or-nothing approach with this forced rewards program change? A compromise would have seen old rewards program customers grandfathered protected for loyalty rewards while the autopay and referrals rewards switched to the newer program.

[Wolfcore]

Well, we know that it's not affecting them very much, considering they just posted one of their highest yearly earnings on record.

[Rikusk]

As soon as they make the change i will be moving away. The sad Bonus data offer that expires is also really hurtful for me in a way I cant even explain. 

[Patrick_PM]

With the point system, Public Mobile is hoping people will forget to redeem the points they have earned.

With the old credit system, this is automatically done for the clients. So all credits earned are actually used.

Mind you, the point system is also less generous with rewards too.

[Canadian_Man]

WOW I am disappointed this feels like a bad move

I will be shopping elsewhere  

[Frank_M]

So many posts being removed, gives me no option but to open more similar topics on social media and possibly even launch a website. This is laughable, how can so many posts be deleted, how can public even know the outcry when everything gets removed.

The only choice we have is to start somewhere else and talk about this uncensored.

[Kydd]

I hope not! There's a saying all good things must come to an end 

[Kydd]

Well said . That's the bigger picture. I have family in Russia when they told me what they paying and what they are getting in comparison to what we pay in Canada you will consider Canada a 3rd world country interms of telecommunications 

[Kydd]

If you find any better deal please let us know . We are consumer we shouldn't be loyal to any Company!!

[Bastian_Vaughan]

Little bit out of context and also not. I brought 6 years ago a prepaid card from Germany to Canada. In those 6 years I needed to top up the card once to not loose the number. If you don't top up you're still reachable. Since day one when I brought this card to Canada I have Wifi calling on this card. For 6 years on a prepaid card. No monthly subscription. You top it up with like 15 euros and you use it when you need it. No monthly charges, no deactivation. 

Plans like what we can get here now, was already standard years ago elsewhere.

Comparing now, to the Canadian market, Canada is at least 10 years behind in terms of service and charging money, compared to the European market.

And to top that, there is now blacklist/whitelist. No matter if your phone is worth $50 or $2000, no matter if Samsung or DingDong LTD from main China,... Volte and VoWifi will always work, same for 5G. 

There's a lot to do here in Canada to keep up with the rest of the world. 

[steve443]

What a stupid move.  My wife and I will be shopping around for new plans.

[Kydd]

Oh wow I didn't know they censored us here if we mention other carriers, that's a shame 

[public_999]

https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/telus-reports-operational-and-financial-results-for-fourth-qua...

[ninjastar]

Free int'l wifi calling? Whatsapp and anything similar does that. You don't need a phone plan.

[eJonavin]

What I've noticed during the past year's Black Friday and Boxing Day deals is that there were some more appealing options out there but with our old rewards program, the extra $7 discount may it unattractive to go elsewhere.  If I look back in the context without the old rewards, for sure I would've been better off at any of the other brands including Freedom, Fido, Virgin, etc...

[public_999]

I should clarify...you can use wifi calling while traveling internationally to call and text back to Canada free of charge.  I think you know who....can't say because posts are being censored