Add-on expired with little usage - regular data cannibalized instead

[Andy2201]

I was heading away on a trip last month and noticed that most of my 250MB data had been used. I had some days before my plan renewed and didn't want to be caught away with no data, so I purchased an add on of 200MB. When I purchased, it indicated that the add on was good for 30 days. The end of my regular payment/subscription cycle came and went with still quite some time left on the 30 day add on cycle remaining. I checked my account the other day and noticed once again I was almost out of regular data (?????), but there was 197MB of data left in my add on. All good, except the add on was about expire. As I purchased the add on last month I assumed that the data from the add on would be used up first, before eating into my regular subscription data. This seems not to be the case. Now I an left with 197MB of expired add on data, my regular subscription data is about to run out again and I have several days before my regular subscription cycle renews. So what am I to do? I guess the expectation from Public Mobile is for me to purchase another add on and pay yet more. It seems very unfair that my regular data was cannibalized before my last months add on data was used up. I am sure this is probably somewhere in the fine print, but nonetheless I find that very unfair. A response from the company/moderator would be appreciated.

[BrianHamilton]

There should be an update to the way data is used (since the data now has an expiration of 30 days).

The rule should simply be: "use whichever data expires first!" (whether that be plan data or add-on data, whichever expires first, should be used first)

example: new cycle begins, plan data is good for the next 30 days, however add-on from previous month, has 15 days left. Therefore use the data that expires in 15 days FIRST, then once that is used up, continue onto the plan data since that is good for 30 days.

seems pretty simple, hopefully PM can make it happen, since it's also common sense.

[Luddite]

@Andy2201  The priority of plan data over add ons creating even worse value now that add ons expire after 30 days has been raised by the Oracles. Makes reactivating one's current plan early likely better value.

[Andy2201]

Thanks to all for replying so quickly - I have contacted the  CS agent as suggested and see if anything is to be done about this.

[Nezgar]

Plan data is always consumed before add-on data.

In the days when data add-ons never expired, it was preferable for them not to be used until plan data was consumed first, and this is the way you could save your add-on data for future use.

However with the recent change to data add-ons having a 30 day expiry, the preference becomes skewed, as one may prefer the add-on data to be used first as in your case. There's currently no way to change this behaviour, so best you can do is voice your concern / suggestion with CS agents as @hTideGnow indicated in the mean time...

[dust2dust]

It's the sucky part of a limited time add-on. If you don't use it then it disappears. It's normal to use plan data first and then it can move on to any add-on data. But if there's no add-on data then data stops.
It appears that they may have extended the time limit to 60 days as reported by one customer. We're looking for some further corroboration from any other customer.

Is the expired one still showing? That's also interesting if it is.

[BKNS27]

@Andy2201 

This was a new to all members after the new website and app.

I would suggest you contact a CS_Agent by private messaging on the envelope icon on your computer.

[hTideGnow · Accepted solution]

HI @Andy2201 

yes, it is a unfair situation.  But you need to get your voice heard the right way

Please submit a ticket with PM Agent here , hope they can help:

         https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437