Able to change plans lots? Need help ASAP please!!!!

[gapg2010]

Hi there!

My husband and I are with PM and convinced his parents to join as well. They go to Arizona for the winter every year so I have a question regarding their possible plan changes:

• If they sign up on X plan, how often can they change it?

• They're down there right now but they're back for 8 weeks at the end of November until early January and need a better plan for then. So basically I am going to sign them up ASAP with just the most basic plan they can get (as they're in the states and don't need their phones). Then, at the end of November, I need to change the plan so that they can use their phones while they're here. At the end of January, I need to change it back to a plan that is super low OR I've heard of just not renewing and not paying anything but then we have to make sure to put a plan on their phones before 90 days of the last day of active service - is that correct?
  • So hypothetically this is what I was thinking: sign them up on the most basic $10 plan that covers nothing until they're back at the end of November. 
  • At the end of November, change the plan to whatever their needs are on a 30 day plan and then another 30 day plan.
  • At the beginning of January, change them back on the $10 plan that covers nothing until they're back in the country later in the spring. 
    • OR not renew their plan and let it expire and just let the number sit there for a max of 90 days and then put them on whatever plan.

I need an answer on this ASAP as their plan renewal with Bell Mobility is November 2 and want to switch them over before then. 

Thank you!!!!

[will13am]

---

@wetcoaster wrote:

@will13amI think the OP wants to sign their relatives up for PM before their contract at Bell renews this Thursday. That's were the first text only plan starting tonight or tomorrow comes into the picture.

 @gapg2010, yes, you have got the idea. Keep in mind that the Bell account needs to be active if you want to port in that number.

---

Good point, I lost that one in the lights.  Well, then I guess signing up for a $20 basic text plan is required prior to November 2.  Then do an immediate plan change on November 21.  Seeing that there is only 2 days to go before the Bell plan is over, I would say that there might be insufficient time to get it done.  Bell has this way of doddling with porting on some accounts.  If the Bell plan is post paid month to month after November 2, I would let it renew if required.  How expensive can a day or two of extra service be?

[wetcoaster · Accepted solution]

@will13amI think the OP wants to sign their relatives up for PM before their contract at Bell renews this Thursday. That's were the first text only plan starting tonight or tomorrow comes into the picture.

 @gapg2010, yes, you have got the idea. Keep in mind that the Bell account needs to be active if you want to port in that number.

[will13am]

If they are coming back on November 21, I would sign up on November 21 or maybe a day earlier on whatever 30 day plan they need when here.  As for beyond January 22, you can take advantage of the 89 day dormancy period and on April 21, you can renew the 30 day plan or change to any plan you want.  If they are not back you can do the $20 text plan for 30 days.  Even if they show up part way through that text plan, you can do an immediate plan change to a more feature rich plan.  One thing you do need to keep in mind is that when an account is suspended/dormant, plan changes need to go through the moderator team.  Renewing the last selected plan can be done via self serve. 

[gapg2010]

Hey thanks for the reply!

I don't really need to future date plans though.. I can do it whenever for them. 

I guess what it comes down to is this:

-If they're prepaid plans and I purchase the $20 plan now for 30 days, should I not be able to change it at any time in between? I realize the $20 is paid and gone and would pay for the new plan change up front again for however long (the 2x30 days they're in the country for).

So from Nov 1-Nov 30 I would choose the $20 plan.

On Nov 22 they're back and would change their plan on Nov 21 to whatever plan they want for 30 days. Then, on Dec 22 renew that plan for another 30 days until Jan 22.

On Jan 22, i wouldn't renew and the number would just sit there for 89 days - so until April 21. Assuming they're back in the country somewhere around there, can I not change it to the $20 plan again or a real plan if they're back?

[will13am]

You can only future date one change.  That is about as far as you can take it.  That said, you can also take advantage of accounts being dormant for up to 89 days without impact.  The cheapest plan is 30 days, text only for $20.  I am not quite sure exactly how long the hiatus is down in the US.  Sandwiching a $20 30 day plan in between two x 89 days of dormancy will stretch greater than half a year.  That should be flexibility enough to minimize costs while out of the country.  That averages out to a little over $3 per month.  As for time in Canada, an immediate plan change can be used to secure the required service exactly when it is needed.  The only bit of inflexibility happens when going into the US.  As this is a prepaid service, it is not possible to stop a plan in mid stride as there are no refunds.  Using 30 day plans instead of 90 day plans will limit overhang.  Overall, this service can be made to work quite well for those spending lots of time out of the country.