Call minutes deducted for checking voicemail even using another phone

[Williamlu1166]

I'm using the $15 plan. If I use another phone to dial 647-580-4001 and check my voicemail, I found that minutes got deducted. Is't right?

[Patchio]

@Nezgar 
Here’s a data point for you.

I called my PM cell number from a VOIP phone number and left a voicemail message. My PM account currently does NOT have VoLTE activated yet (i.e., my calls will drop to 3G even when it starts off with LTE indicator on), and it does NOT consume any of the available minutes left in my $15 plan.

I have checked my usage history multiple times and tapped the refresh icon at the bottom just to ensure I was getting up to date information. 

If this is indeed another hiccup caused by the VoLTE rollout, I hope PM figures out how to resolve this issue quickly because a lot of users on the limited minute plans are going to be negatively affected by this. 

[Nezgar]

Just to add to this thread - I tested calling my OWN PM phone number from my home (landline) phone, and merely letting the call go unanswered and then to voicemail resulted in a consumption of minutes from my plan. This means anyone even leaving voicemail will consume my minutes, even if its a junk/spam caller. This was definitely not the behaviour in the past.

Maybe related to the VoLTE transition (I have VoLTE service). Has anyone brought this up with CS Agents already? Can anyone else who has not been activated for VoLTE yet confirm if they see this behaviour or not?

[dust2dust]

Alright then. That seems to be a call forwarding problem. When a call comes in and goes to voicemail, that's actually call forwarding to the voicemail system which is why you see the 4001 number in your details. But this is not supposed to consume minutes.

Can you go in to settings general about and see if any updates show up.

Can you do reset network settings. I'm on mobile without references and am not an iphone user and don't remember the directions.

I also wonder if the call forwarding could be set to your number rather than the 4001 number. That's a dial code that I don't have handy either. Then to see if it takes minutes.

If these 3 ideas still take minutes then I'm out of ideas. Since no one else is involved here with more ideas all this time then I would direct you to support to re-provision the account.

I'm much more clear now with all the testing though. I wasn't clear previously.

Thanks for your patience with all the testing. If support does something and it works properly then I would ask them to "credit" you back all these testing minutes.

Adding- figures I would think of something else. Can you swap sims around? Put the PM sim in the Moto and put the Speakout sim in the iphone and then call your PM number from the iphone and let it ring through to voicemail and check the counters.

[Williamlu1166]

@dust2dust Hi, I did:

          all dials from Phone2 all get to the voicemail greeting

          a. dialed the 4001 from the normal dialer, no mins added.

          b. dialed the 4001 from TextNow, no mins added.

          c. dialed PM number from the normal dialer, mins added.

          d. dialed PM number from TextNow, mins added.

          I did these steps twice and got the same results. Also, in steps c and d, I dialed PM numbers but shows the    4001 number on the View Usage History page OutgoingCall, not PM numbers.

[hTideGnow]

Hi @Williamlu1166   for all of us on $15 plan, calling voicemail from anywhere other than your own PM phone is free, won't use your 100 minutes outgoing 

I think if you are really really certain PM  is deducting the minutes ever you call and check voicemail from another phone, simply submit a ticket with PM agent.  You have a new account, it is possible PM didn't setup the account properly

[dust2dust]

Ok now we have some clearer parameters. So the iphone with PM (Phone 1) is the account where you seem to be saying you see minutes get added.

From the Moto with Speakout (Phone 2), dial the 4001 number from your normal dialer app, not TextNow, and enter the PM phone number and listen to your voicemail greeting - does that add minutes to that front page counter on PM?...not Speakout, I don't care about Speakout consumption for all this. Of course click the refresh icon lower down before dialing and after hanging up. Give the after hang up a moment or two.

If you like, do the same with TextNow on Phone 2 and tell us about any PM counter minutes. Not TextNow minutes either. We're just looking at PM.

These two tests should not add any minutes to the PM counter minutes.

And again, we're not talking about the usage details, just the main page counter. (although these tests should not show up at all anyway)

Then from Phone 2, dial your PM number from the normal dialer (not the 4001 and not TextNow) and let it ring. Do you eventually get to your voicemail greeting? If so then listen to it and hang up. Any minutes on the PM counter? Same refresh icon again before and after.

Then again call the PM number using TextNow from Phone 2. Any minutes?

These tests should also not add minutes.

I would have to defer to other iphone experts for any oddities that the iphone might be up to if they would like to add any input on that front.

Please follow through with the answers to all the questions in this. There are several.

[Williamlu1166]

@dust2dust Hi, I have two cell phones. Phone 1. iPhone 8 plus with PM; Phone 2. Motorola g play with 7-11 Speakout. I don't have a landline. Phone 1 doesn't have TextNow; Phone 2 has TextNow. There is no dual SIM being used for both.

[dust2dust]

I'm thinking there's some general confusion on what the testing is trying to accomplish.

How many physical phones do you have access to that are either a landline or a cell phone?

How many of those phones have dual sim and both are being used?

How many of those phones have TextNow?

Maybe you could write something like this which are just examples of possibilities:

Phone 1 - dual sim cell phone one with Public - phone has TextNow - this cell phone account is the one seeing additional minutes

Phone 1 - dual sim cell phone other with esim with Lucky - but phone still has TextNow

Phone 2 - cell phone with Speakout - does not have TextNow

Phone 3 - cell phone with another Public - does not have TextNow

Phone 4 - real actual physical landline

Phone 5 - landline that uses a cell connection

Or whatever you have.

The testing is trying to narrow down where and how exactly these reported minutes are being used. I continue to be incredulous that minutes are somehow being used mysteriously/erroneously.

[Williamlu1166]

@dust2dust Hi, I call the 4001 number. Before and after calling, I look at how many mins used from my account page. That's why I know the mins deducted. Also, the 4001 number shows up on the View Usage History page. I tried turning on cell data and using TextNow to call the 4001 number from my own PM phone, no deduction.

[dust2dust]

I continue to be amazed. This makes no sense. When you say you call the PM voicemail, do you mean the 4001 number? Or your phone number?

When you say deducted, again, are you sure you're looking at the front main page and clicking on the spinner refresh icon before and after these test calls? We are not talking about the usage details. Although calling the 4001 number certainly should not show up in the account usage details when called from a different service.

So were you also able to try turning on cell data and using TextNow to call the 4001 number and see if anything gets deducted?

You click on the refresh icon underneath this list. This shows all 100 minutes have been used with 0 mins left. Hopefully yours is still green after all this testing. You click, see the number, make the test call, click again and see the number:

[Williamlu1166]

@dust2dust @Wrote: 

It makes no sense that TextNow is somehow using the cell system. They can link texting and be the texting app (which I don't do on my TextNow) but I wonder if that also links the calling. It would then happily oblige. How about the other way..turn on cell data (if you don't mind using a small amount of data to test...which you've been using minutes to do these tests) then use TextNow and see if it uses the internet connection that way and not cell minutes.

I'm thinking this is more of a TextNow thing and not the service here.

@dust2dust Hi, my another cell phone has no data(7-11Speakout). I connect to WiFi calling my PM voicemail from TextNow, deducted.In the opposite, 7-11 won’t deduct the minutes.

[dust2dust]

It makes no sense that TextNow is somehow using the cell system. They can link texting and be the texting app (which I don't do on my TextNow) but I wonder if that also links the calling. It would then happily oblige. How about the other way..turn on cell data (if you don't mind using a small amount of data to test...which you've been using minutes to do these tests) then use TextNow and see if it uses the internet connection that way and not cell minutes.

I'm thinking this is more of a TextNow thing and not the service here.

[Williamlu1166]

@softech @wrote: 

 did you open ticket with PM support yet?

It is certain calling from other account shouldn't consume your minutes.  See what they say and if they can reset the account and make it right

@softech no yet, I’m going to.

[softech]

@Williamlu1166   did you open ticket with PM support yet?

It is certain calling from other account shouldn't consume your minutes.  See what they say and if they can reset the account and make it right

[Williamlu1166]

@dust2dust wrote:Did you try my airplane mode suggestion? I think we're all astounded that your minutes are being used.

@dust2dust Hi, I tried airplane mode today, no deduction. Airplane mode off, calling 647-580-4001 from TextNow or my own number from TextNow, both are deducted.

[Williamlu1166]

@Nezgar wrote:

Do you have another phone you can try calling from? I know sometimes multiple iPhones/iPads/MacBooks connected to the same Apple ID can make a call out of a completely separate device over the local area network....

It would seem to me the call is somehow actually going out via your public mobile cell phone... How about if you completely turn off your public mobile phone or put it in airplane mode and test again?

@Nezgar Hi, I tried these today: 1. completely turn off; 2. airplane mode, both no deduction.

[dust2dust]

Did you try my airplane mode suggestion? I think we're all astounded that your minutes are being used.

[Williamlu1166]

@softech wrote:

instsead of calling 647-580-4001 from TextNow, did you try to call your own number from TextNow? When you hear your voice greeting, just press *.  Call this way and see if the minutes got deducted

@softech I just tried, deducted.

[softech]

HI @Williamlu1166 

instsead of calling 647-580-4001 from TextNow, did you try to call your own number from TextNow? When you hear your voice greeting, just press *.  Call this way and see if the minutes got deducted

[esjliv]

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@Williamlu1166 wrote:

@Nezgar I have been with PM for less than a month, My plan is $15.

Thanks for your help.

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@Williamlu1166 - i recall another member expressing this exact same issue, but I don't believe they ever came back to verify.

I would like to know if something is 'off' with some newer activations on the limited calling plan. Please advise what a CSA responds back to you with.

[dust2dust]

Go in to airplane mode, turn on wifi, try TextNow to that voicemail access number. See if the minute counter changes before and after the call clicking the spinner refresh icon.

[Williamlu1166]

@Nezgar I have been with PM for less than a month, My plan is $15.

Thanks for your help.

[Nezgar]

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@Williamlu1166 wrote:

I don't have a landline, I use a cellphone and use TextNow to make phone calls. Every time deducted.

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If you are using TextNow on the same phone, maybe somehow it's using the phones dialer... But I'd still try from some other line still other than TextNow.

How long have you been with Public Mobile, and which plan are you on? If you have the old $10 plan (now $13) which would deduct minutes for incoming calls, possibly even to voicemail? There was a shortlived $15 plan that also didn't include minutes about 4 years ago, which was quietly replaced with the current version that does. If you have either of those old plans, you could schedule a plan change to the current $15 plan...

Also, there are many other voicemail access numbers across Canada, you can try some of the other numbers to see if they behave the same for you: https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Get-Support/Updated-list-of-Voicemail-Access-Numbers/...6

[Williamlu1166]

@Nezgar wrote:

So I just tested this myself.... before anything else I logged into my account and confirmed i had:

5.00 mins used

95 mins left

Then I placed a call to 647-580-4001 from my home phone/landline. Chose english, entered my mailbox number (my phone number), * and entered my PIN, and heard it indicate that I have no messages.

I then refreshed my the my-account page, and:

5.00 mins used

95 mins left

.... Number of minutes used/remaining has not changed.

Also, since the call from my home/landline was directly to 647-580-4001, and not my cell phone number there is also no log of this call in the usage history.

I'm curious if you can repeat this specific test to confirm for yourself.

@Nezgar I don't have a landline, I use a cellphone and use TextNow to make phone calls. Every time deducted.

[Nezgar]

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@Williamlu1166 wrote:

every time I dialed 647-580-4001 from another phone shows on the "my account" page Usage History Outgoing call. Outgoing call deducts minutes from my plan. 

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Do you have another phone you can try calling from? I know sometimes multiple iPhones/iPads/MacBooks connected to the same Apple ID can make a call out of a completely separate device over the local area network....

It would seem to me the call is somehow actually going out via your public mobile cell phone... How about if you completely turn off your public mobile phone or put it in airplane mode and test again?

[Williamlu1166]

@Nezgar wrote:

You should only be deducted minutes if you call that number from your own phone. Make sure to use the little circle arrow to refresh the minutes usage in the my account/self-serve site before and after your next attempt to confirm. It's likely the usage was delayed, and the minutes were actually deducted from another call.

Otherwise, if you are just looking at the call history, any entries on that page don't give any indication of which calls did or didn't use minutes as well.

@Nezgar every time I dialed 647-580-4001 from another phone shows on the "my account" page Usage History Outgoing call. Outgoing call deducts minutes from my plan. 

[Nezgar]

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@Williamlu1166 wrote:

@Nezgar wrote:  are you actually seeing a reduction in available minutes on the "my account" page, or just seeing line entries on the usage page? Entries on the usage page don't necessarily mean minutes were consumed.

@Nezgar I see a deduction in available minutes on the "my account" page.

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So I just tested this myself.... before anything else I logged into my account and confirmed i had:

5.00 mins used

95 mins left

Then I placed a call to 647-580-4001 from my home phone/landline. Chose english, entered my mailbox number (my phone number), * and entered my PIN, and heard it indicate that I have no messages.

I then refreshed my the my-account page, and:

5.00 mins used

95 mins left

.... Number of minutes used/remaining has not changed.

Also, since the call from my home/landline was directly to 647-580-4001, and not my cell phone number there is also no log of this call in the usage history.

I'm curious if you can repeat this specific test to confirm for yourself.

[Williamlu1166]

@Nezgar wrote:  are you actually seeing a reduction in available minutes on the "my account" page, or just seeing line entries on the usage page? Entries on the usage page don't necessarily mean minutes were consumed.

@Nezgar I see a deduction in available minutes on the "my account" page.

[softech]

@Williamlu1166

 we are pretty sure calling VM from another phone won't count. 

But if your are certain PM didn't do it correctly, open ticket with PM and ask them to investigate

Please open ticket with PM support using Chatbot:

1. Please open ticket via Chatbot (need access to My Account): At https://publicmobile.ca/chatbot.

Start by typing "Submit a ticket", then click "Contact Us", Then click "Other", then click "Click here to submit a ticket ↗" 

2. If you have trouble with Chatbot or you don't have access to My Account: Private message CS Agent at: 

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

**Monitor your Community inbox (envelope icon on the top right) after the ticket is opened.  CS Agent will reply to you there

[Williamlu1166]

@softech wrote:

you sure PM deducts the minute?  

Please note that if you call from another phone to your voicemail, the call will show up on your Usage history but it does not mean it got counted.  All calls will show up on your Usage history but not all of them will be counted against your minute bucket

@softech  for sure.