Autopay failed and self serve is down

[dianecreative]

How do I get my phone working? Self-serve at first showed a blank for the amount due, and said that the balance was adequate when i clicked pay. Now the whole self serve website is down. Phone doesn't work. No answer from tech support. (This situation is unacceptable.) 

[HALIMACS]

@DonaldB 

You may wish to try rebooting your phone or resetting network connections.

Otherwise,  contact Public Mobile moderators, who are people who work for public mobile.

Good luck!!!

To contact a moderator, there are 2 methods:

1. Use the ticketing system for a faster response time. Click here and type moderator assistance, then select account-related issue, then select you need a human now.  Follow the prompts to submit a ticket,  or, 
2. Send a private message to the moderator by clicking here  You’ll need to be logged into your Community account for the link to work.

Watch for their response in your Community private mailbox which will be indicated by a number on the small envelope icon to the left of your Community avatar.

[lindabkai]

Thanks! I really appreciate all your help.

[DonaldB]

EDIT. I called *611 and my payment was acknowledged using my registered credit card. You must pay the FULL AMOUNT plus the GST or it will not acknowledge your payment. *611 does not acknowledge your referral credits. Then you must process your payment on the web site to re-activate your service. Your Account will then show zero balance and status as active. It is very sluggish its response. 

[softech]

@DonaldB , you know there is none.  This is the reason for cheaper plans here.

[DonaldB]

Then how do I speak to a live operator? There isn't a customer service telephone number I can call on the web site.

[computergeek541]

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@DonaldB wrote:

That is an unacceptable solution. Why is the customer paying a fee for Public's incompetency in regards to their payment system not functioning? I renewed my card credit prior to my previous billing and now the system is not accepting my credit card even though I updated it. If you are a Mayor / Maire and your solution for customers to buy an online credit for which they have to pay a fee then you are a part of the problem and not the answer. 

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Community mayors are customers. They do not work for Public Mobile. If a customer wants to try to ask Public Mobile for a credit to compensate for any such voucher purchase fees, that might be worth a try.  However, in the meanwhile, most people would consider getting the service up and working and then worry about the rest later. 

[DonaldB]

That is an unacceptable solution. Why is the customer paying a fee for Public's incompetency in regards to their payment system not functioning? I renewed my card credit prior to my previous billing and now the system is not accepting my credit card even though I updated it. If you are a Mayor / Maire and your solution for customers to buy an online credit for which they have to pay a fee then you are a part of the problem and not the answer. 

[cellphoneuser1]

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@lindabkai wrote:

Thanks for the solution. It definitely worked. I still don't get how they can charge me the full $15 when they've also credited my account with a $2 autopay rebate. I guess we'll find out next month!

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They only charge what you tell it for a manual payment. Remember that there's tax.

[lindabkai]

Thanks for the solution. It definitely worked. I still don't get how they can charge me the full $15 when they've also credited my account with a $2 autopay rebate. I guess we'll find out next month!

[darlicious]

As per my post on the other autopay failure thread....

While it is unacceptable to have autopay fail and to have a larger autopay failure affecting many more customers happening along with issues with the ability to log in to self serve is a larger disaster! Inundating the moderators ( on a statutory holiday no less!) with requests will certainly slow down wait times. Affected customers can try to log into their self serve accounts. If they are unable to do this then a payment thru 611 should activate your service again.

1. Credit cards on file can be used for payments via 611 but the 4 digit pin code is required to access and authorize credit card charges of pre-selected amounts only.
2. Voucher payments can be made via 611. Once dialed and connected Press ( 1 ) then ( 1 ) again. Enter the 12 digit pin code from the voucher. Once successfully entered the account will immediately reactivate and service will resume.
3. Remember not all vouchers are immediately valid after purchase. Vouchers purchased from 7/11, London Drugs, SDM and Shell stations are all immediately valid and loadable onto your account via 611 so can be done "in-store" after purchase.
4. Real time payments by giving your phone number to the clerk are available at Canadian Tire gas bars ( not in store at customer service those vouchers have delayed validity) and Mobil gas stations for a $1 RTP fee.
5. Instant top ups are available at some retailers ( east of the Rockies?) at retailers such as SDM but I have no knowledge to impart on these payments.
6. Online payments can be made thru recharge.com or ding.com for a small fee. They may take up to 3 hours to register in your account.

Further community member contributed info on vouchers can be found in the voucher catalogue....

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Paying-for-your-service/Voucher-Catalogue/m-p/479165#...

For additional help if you are able to access your account but are getting error messages or other issues adding a payment via credit card follow these instructions :

Spoiler

Follow this method when making a manual payment/adding a card to the account....only use the emboldened portion of the instructions if the payment card is already on file.

1. Reboot your device.
2. Clear your browser, use secret/incognito mode in firefox, chrome or safari.
3. Choose replace card rather than remove card.
4. Copy your address from your billing statement.
5. Add your apt/unit/suite # to the street address. ie. 101-123 1ST AVE W, CITY, PROV.
6. Do not put a space in the postal code. X0X0X0 not X0X 0X0.
7. USE ALL CAPS if necessary.
8. Do not use autofill. Type everything manually.

Once you successfully update your card do not attempt your payment immediately. Log out/in then go to make a payment to pay for your renewal. Otherwise if you were not suspended I would recommend a $1 test payment. Follow my further instructions for a successful payment to unsuspend your account.

Do not try more than two attempts at adding a card or payments ( successful or not) or you will continue to get this message. Wait at least 1 hour to try a third time another hour for your 5th try....and so on....and do not make more than 4 unsuccessful tries with the same card in a 24 hour period or you will trigger a fraud alert lock out requiring assistance from the moderators.

Go to make a payment. Choose the "other amount" option and add $1 more than the amount owing and submit the payment. If that is successful go back to your overview page and if it does not say active  click on the reactivate button. If that works log out and reboot. If that does not work and your payment is in your balance rather than showing $1 then go to the usage or plans page. Click on lost/stolen and suspend your service. Log out/in. Resume your service. Your balance should now be $1. Log out and reboot

[darlicious]

@jch54  @AnneMac 

I suggest you start looking for a new provider because pm cannot 100% guarantee that autopay won't fail. While this was an extremely unusual system failure....autopay failures do occur on occasion. Our best estimate since pm doesnt release subscriber numbers ( approximately 2,000,000 accounts have been created since inception) but based on a subscribership of 300,000 (its probably at least 3× that) there is a 0.03% chance of an autopay failure occuring on any given month. As such pm can only given a 99.97% chance of it not occurring....and however it may happen when subscribed to a prepaid service provider if they don't recieve payment your services will stop. A post paid account will ensure non payment of the bill will immediately result in loss of services.

[Dunkman]

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@Tulahb wrote:

My account keeps logging me out... so I guess I have no choice but to wait for the moderators to respond and tell me what to do. This is such a bizarre and unprofessional situation!

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@Tulahb 

Due to more volume of customers access self service account, it is even slower than usual.  Hopefully, moderators will respond soon.  If not, you can try later this evening when it is hopefully less busier.

Have you tried calling 611 on your phone to load funds?  You will need to know your 4 digit PIN number that you picked when you first activated your account  

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Self-Serve/611-IVR-Menu-System/m-p/289352

[cellphoneuser1]

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@Tulahb wrote:

My account keeps logging me out... so I guess I have no choice but to wait for the moderators to respond and tell me what to do. This is such a bizarre and unprofessional situation!

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Buy a voucher from a store or ding.com. Add it from 611. You won't need to get into self serve.

[Tulahb]

My account keeps logging me out... so I guess I have no choice but to wait for the moderators to respond and tell me what to do. This is such a bizarre and unprofessional situation!

[AnneMac]

Posting on behalf of my elderly mother here, as she is not strong with this sort of environment. Her cell service (with autopay) was suspended today, even though autopay usually charged her card on the 3rd or 4th. A manual payment was made on the account, and it is back on as a consequence, but really, how can this happen? This is her primary phone service, which frankly was improperly suspended. I think I will need to explore other providers for her, unless Public communicates with all affected customers directly to explain and assure that the problem has been fixed.

[jch54]

PS - if this kind of thing happens again I'll be looking for another carrier!

[jch54]

It is unacceptable that customers set up autopayment, then have their phone and data services disconnected when the autopayments are not processed through no fault of the customers.  PM needs to communicate with (and apologize to!) all of us whose phone and data services were disconnected, even though they had made advance autopay arrangements!  I've had some bad service from other carriers in the past, but never had my services disconnected due to an error on the carrier's part.  

[darlicious]

@Kay-Oss 

Thanks for that very informative feedback as to not having to use your pin # to make a payment using your credit card. I'm not sure if pm has lifted this requirement for suspended accounts in light of the current autopay system failure or if your many attempts at guessing your pin triggered another glitch? Calling 611 I was asked for the pin#....but I do not have a suspended account or amount "due" since I have a positive balance on my account. But I am happy you were able to pay for your plan and renew your service.

[Kay-Oss]

@esjliv  

and @dianecreative I had similar problems today, but now I am back up and running.

 My biggest issue is that I did not keep my account P.I.N in a special place (whoops) but I kept trying via my account on the website and by calling 611. Each time with 611 I would choose the option to pay with my preregistered credit card and it would ask for my pin, I entered many different pins that I'd used over the years with other accounts (not just phone) and none worked. Then about 20 minutes ago I gave it another try, it did not ask me for a P.I.N. just if I'd like to pay the amount owing with the pre-registered credit card. Hell ya! It told me the balance, I agreed, no pin necessary, and service is back, my account online shows me once again in good standing with all the elements that it had before this mess happened. Keep trying, and thank-you to @esjliv !!! 

[dianecreative]

working now. this experience was not convenient 

[dabr]

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@dianecreative wrote:

ok, but in the meantime the phone line is down. downtime is unusual for any cellular provider. 

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@dianecreative   You could purchase a voucher and upload funds via 611.  These can be purchased online at recharge.com as well as the places I mentioned earlier.  Online purchase will charge a small fee for the convenience.

Edit:  good to hear it's all sorted! 😊

[dianecreative]

self serve has now completed the payment, thanks for the responses! telus/public definitely owes us a free day of cellular service 

[karatefeet · Accepted solution]

If you can get back into self service. Make manual payment for the amount outstanding. Choose Other Amount and enter the amount outstanding, don’t choose Amount due. This worked for me rather than waiting for the mods to fix it. This affected 2 of my lines and I agree it’s unacceptable. 

[esjliv]

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@dianecreative wrote:

ok, but in the meantime the phone line is down. downtime is unusual for any cellular provider. 

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@dianecreative I understand, and that would suck. If it is any comfort, you are not alone in that today!

Sorry, that is probably not very comforting. 😑

[dianecreative]

ok, but in the meantime the phone line is down. downtime is unusual for any cellular provider. 

[esjliv]

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@dianecreative wrote:

611 wont accept PIN. ticket was just created 20 minutes ago.

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@dianecreative ,

FYI - The PIN it is asking for is your Account PIN, note this is different than your Voicemail PIN. 

Are you sure you are entering your Account PIN correctly?

It probably was texted to you when you activated.

If you cannot remember it or find it you can ask the Moderators what it is or reset it with them.

[dabr]

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@dianecreative wrote:

mods are not responding

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@dianecreative   Response time to hear back from mods usually takes between 2-48 hours and since many other customers are also experiencing this issue, you probably won't hear back for a little while as all tickets are queued.

[dianecreative]

611 wont accept PIN. ticket was just created 20 minutes ago.

[esjliv]

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@dianecreative wrote:

neither work

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@dianecreative  what happens when you call 611?

Give the Mods some time. I am sure they are busy today. When did you submit your ticket?

[dianecreative]

mods are not responding