Anyone else wish Public Mobile offered unlimited data at reduced speeds like Lucky?

[Poogzley]

I was looking at other companies plans and noticed this on the Lucky Mobile site.

Anyone else think this is an excellent idea that Public Mobile should implement?

[Kim1971kim]

That would be awesome!! 🙂

[tehowennathe]

PM could get unlimited data but don't think that will happen for a while. Having just looked at Koodo, Telus has yet to bring unlimited data to Koodo. They will get unlimited data before we see that at PM. 

[jonfirlotte]

That would be awesome, I think PM could get unlimited data one day but I wouldn't hold my breath. Fortunately I have access to wifi wherever I am.

[Korth]

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@BEER wrote:

Seriously? You believe that data actually costs more to the providers depending on the speed?

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Yes. It requires more active transmission power, for illustration consider how many hours or days your phone battery gets on low-usage or standby (or Airplane Mode) vs how many minutes or how few hours your phone battery gets while sustaining full hardware performance. Your device only transmits up to 150mW and has a fancy little ARM processor. Telus has to transmit from multiple directional base stations at up to 1500W each and dedicate some server time towards packet control for each connected user session. Their base station might serve roughly one third of all the phones in a municipality or other large radius. It's been cost-scaled to meet their expected demands. So suddenly allowing all of their customers high-speed Data (more radio traffic with higher power across a wider spectrum and more network servers) would definitely cost them more money. Evem if talking about, hypothetically, only 10% of Telus's ten million customers Canada-wide.

On the other side of the coin, however, are Bell/Virgin/Lucky and Rogers/Fido/Chatr and Shaw/Freedom/Wind - all providing "unlimited" Data in some throttled form or other, quite evidently not going broke because of it. Indeed, Bell and Telus share a nation-wide network on which Telus stuff provides (roughly) half of that "unlimited" Data so it's quite evident Telus ain't going broke either.

I think PM will (must) eventually match their competitors in this detail. But for now Telus is, as usual, trying to drive ARPU numbers up instead of driving subscriber numbers up (they seem to avoid it because more customers might be revenue-positive or even just revenue-neutral after operating expenses, overall, but it also means lower ARPU... a great worry and unforgivable offence to Telus's partners, investors, shareholders, and corporate bigwigs).

[jor123]

Lower speed means you can use less which is less strain on the cell site's resources at any given time..

[BEER]

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@Korth wrote:

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@DL888 wrote:

Hopefully it's coming soon. Finger crossed.

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I doubt it'll come to Public Mobile until it's deemed revenue-positive. As in, the math shows known cost of providing Unlimited/throttled Data is consistently less than the estimated cost of business being lost to Lucky (and to other competitors). The idea has already been implemented by Lucky and others so PM will eventually have to up their game (offer the same service or some other incentive) to remain attractive to the mercenary loyalties of value-brand customers.

128kbps works out to 56.25MB per hour - when allowed by otherwise idle network during low-demand periods, btw - so it's hardly going to break the bank.

But apparently enough people keep buying Data Add-ons at $30 per GB (or upgrading to heavier Data Plans) for PM to maintain their existing prices. 

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Seriously? You believe that data actually costs more to the providers depending on the speed? You think by throddeling  down from 4G to 3G saves them $$$ ??? 

[BEER]

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@kelvarnsen wrote:

Meh, I barely use the 1gb I have now on the $25 plan I have now. Not really interested in the cost of my plan going up just for more data I don't really need.

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Then drop down to the $15 that with auto pay gives 250 mb data.

[Korth]

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@DL888 wrote:

Hopefully it's coming soon. Finger crossed.

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I doubt it'll come to Public Mobile until it's deemed revenue-positive. As in, the math shows known cost of providing Unlimited/throttled Data is consistently less than the estimated cost of business being lost to Lucky (and to other competitors). The idea has already been implemented by Lucky and others so PM will eventually have to up their game (offer the same service or some other incentive) to remain attractive to the mercenary loyalties of value-brand customers.

128kbps works out to 56.25MB per hour - when allowed by otherwise idle network during low-demand periods, btw - so it's hardly going to break the bank.

But apparently enough people keep buying Data Add-ons at $30 per GB (or upgrading to heavier Data Plans) for PM to maintain their existing prices. 

[DL888]

Hopefully it's coming soon. Finger crossed.

[totalUser]

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@srlawren wrote:

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@totalUser wrote:

Who is offering 256 speed after the limit?

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@totalUser not sure, but the big 3 (Telus, Bell, Rogers) all have plans that offer 512Kbps (4x the 128Kbps speeds of Lucky and Chatr) after the full-speed portion.  These plans cost $75 a month mind you, but also give you 10GB of full-speed before the throttle, and unlimited talk and text.  

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@srlawren yup 75 is strap specially for those who don't use even 1g of data. 

[stonechucker]

If PM keeps screwing around with my renewals, I may leave for Freedom, 8GB package, as in my part of Ontario, they’re pretty good.  I’d also consider Koodo or Virgin, and possibly Fido.

However, right now I’m paying less than $20 for 90-days of the Fall 2016 Promo.  I’d be stupid to leave.

[gzluwl]

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@totalUser wrote:

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@DanielleMarie wrote:

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@gzluwl wrote:

Lucky does not have the $2 auto-pay discount. But I would pick unlimited data at reduced speeds over $2 auto-pay discount if I had to choose. However, other people may have different opinions.

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I am one of those other people! I would definitely rather save $2. But I picked the right plan for me and don't use all my data. If people are constantly using it all they should consider upgrading plans.

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Me too

This is where the add-on is really nice, if you are out of your data just last couple of days it's best to tough it out, but if you absolutely must have a bit of data, I would suggest getting that add-on, it could take you really far. I

they would make it a bit more affordable people would be getting it much more it makes sense to upgrade since it's about 10 per plan and gives much more data, where 30 gives you only 1g, so many would think ok it's 10 more but I don't have to think about it  if 1g add-on was 10 people would be buying it like Kleenex tissues, but there would be much less plan movements.

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Yes, if 1g add-on was $10 then it will be another story. But we can just hope.

[jor123]

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@tehowennathe wrote:

I rather save money here on PM but unlimited data would be nice. I live in Quebec where traveling in some areas you can only get English radio. Would love to be able to stream music in those areas worry free. I won't leave pm because their Canada US plan for me is needed with family in US. Though with sometimes traveling a few hours with only french radio could be boring. Hopefully one day it comes. Though I'm happy with my pm service.

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I wonder how well streaming audio would work at 128 kbps. 

[totalUser]

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@DanielleMarie wrote:

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@gzluwl wrote:

Lucky does not have the $2 auto-pay discount. But I would pick unlimited data at reduced speeds over $2 auto-pay discount if I had to choose. However, other people may have different opinions.

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I am one of those other people! I would definitely rather save $2. But I picked the right plan for me and don't use all my data. If people are constantly using it all they should consider upgrading plans.

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Me too

This is where the add-on is really nice, if you are out of your data just last couple of days it's best to tough it out, but if you absolutely must have a bit of data, I would suggest getting that add-on, it could take you really far. I

they would make it a bit more affordable people would be getting it much more it makes sense to upgrade since it's about 10 per plan and gives much more data, where 30 gives you only 1g, so many would think ok it's 10 more but I don't have to think about it  if 1g add-on was 10 people would be buying it like Kleenex tissues, but there would be much less plan movements.

[kelvarnsen]

Meh, I barely use the 1gb I have now on the $25 plan I have now. Not really interested in the cost of my plan going up just for more data I don't really need.

[tehowennathe]

I rather save money here on PM but unlimited data would be nice. I live in Quebec where traveling in some areas you can only get English radio. Would love to be able to stream music in those areas worry free. I won't leave pm because their Canada US plan for me is needed with family in US. Though with sometimes traveling a few hours with only french radio could be boring. Hopefully one day it comes. Though I'm happy with my pm service.

[DanielleMarie]

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@gzluwl wrote:

Lucky does not have the $2 auto-pay discount. But I would pick unlimited data at reduced speeds over $2 auto-pay discount if I had to choose. However, other people may have different opinions.

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I am one of those other people! I would definitely rather save $2. But I picked the right plan for me and don't use all my data. If people are constantly using it all they should consider upgrading plans.

[srlawren]

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@gzluwl wrote:

I am in for one for unlimited data at reduced speeds.

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@gzluwl currently, you'll have to look elsehwere for that.

[gzluwl]

Lucky does not have the $2 auto-pay discount. But I would pick unlimited data at reduced speeds over $2 auto-pay discount if I had to choose. However, other people may have different opinions.

[srlawren]

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@totalUser wrote:

Who is offering 256 speed after the limit?

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@totalUser not sure, but the big 3 (Telus, Bell, Rogers) all have plans that offer 512Kbps (4x the 128Kbps speeds of Lucky and Chatr) after the full-speed portion.  These plans cost $75 a month mind you, but also give you 10GB of full-speed before the throttle, and unlimited talk and text.  

[gzluwl]

I am in for one for unlimited data at reduced speeds.

[totalUser]

Who is offering 256 speed after the limit?

[Luddite]

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@Poogzley wrote:

I was looking at other companies plans and noticed this on the Lucky Mobile site.

Anyone else think this is an excellent idea that Public Mobile should implement?

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Big no thanks from me. Prefer better data buckets at normal data sppeds.

[brid0nca]

I did not bother waiting, I got a lucky Mobile SIM for $1 at eBay and got the $15 plan. The 500 MB/750 MB quota is a joke, but using with audio streaming, I use 400 MB a day, all under the 120 kps quota. If you only had $15 a month to speed on voice and data, this is, by far, the best solution.

[srlawren]

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@Dunkman wrote:

It would be a nice feature to have.  Just to check email, MMS texts, etc.  Lucky mobile has had this feature for a while.  Hopefully, Public Mobile will match it.  

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@Dunkman you can MMS even without any data left in your PM plan cycle.  FYI.

[Haiggy]

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@Poogzley wrote:

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@Haiggy A service pass is only required if you want more full speed data, if not the throttled data is unlimited and free, it would be enough for services like Email, iMessages, Line and more...

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Ah, thanks for that! I must have read it too quickly.

[Poogzley]

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@Haiggy wrote:

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@Poogzley wrote:

I was looking at other companies plans and noticed this on the Lucky Mobile site.

Anyone else think this is an excellent idea that Public Mobile should implement?

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This 'service pass' has a cost: https://www.luckymobile.ca/support/plans-add-ons/service-pass

Spoiler

What is a Service Pass?

Our Service Passes help you manage your spending. Choose a Service Pass to call, text, or use data outside your monthly Plan and Add-Ons.

If you try to call, text or use data and your activity is not included in your plan or Add-Ons, we will send you a text message with a link explaining your Service Pass options.

You can buy a Service Pass for calling (Canada-wide or international), texting, and data usage.

Service passes are either $3 or $5, and they expire after 30 days.

I don't know about you, but an early renewal with full 3G speed seems just as convenient.

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@Haiggy A service pass is only required if you want more full speed data, if not the throttled data is unlimited and free, it would be enough for services like Email, iMessages, Line and more...

[Haiggy]

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@Poogzley wrote:

I was looking at other companies plans and noticed this on the Lucky Mobile site.

Anyone else think this is an excellent idea that Public Mobile should implement?

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This 'service pass' has a cost: https://www.luckymobile.ca/support/plans-add-ons/service-pass

Spoiler

What is a Service Pass?

Our Service Passes help you manage your spending. Choose a Service Pass to call, text, or use data outside your monthly Plan and Add-Ons.

If you try to call, text or use data and your activity is not included in your plan or Add-Ons, we will send you a text message with a link explaining your Service Pass options.

You can buy a Service Pass for calling (Canada-wide or international), texting, and data usage.

Service passes are either $3 or $5, and they expire after 30 days.

I don't know about you, but an early renewal with full 3G speed seems just as convenient.

[Dunkman]

It would be a nice feature to have.  Just to check email, MMS texts, etc.  Lucky mobile has had this feature for a while.  Hopefully, Public Mobile will match it.