Covid-19 crisis and data usage

[awoserra]

Hi,

I'd just like to ask if anyone at public mobile has thought about temporarily increasing data limits for plans during the Covid-19 crisis?

As I live in a rural location, cellular internet is all I have to stay connected to the information people need right now. I'm finding that staying informed about health announcements and keeping in touch with everyone is having an unusually high cost in data.

Perhaps even a promotion on data add-on's would be a timely and helpful thing to do for people having a tough time in the short-term?

I believe it would mean a lot to people.

[JoyLuck]

You can purchase 1 GB for $15 right now. Half price.

Unused portion rolls over.

[gblackma]

@awoserra what plan are you on? Have you considered a temporary move up to the $50 hybrid plan? You get 8.5 gigs of data with autopay and free calls to the US from within Canada. This plan

Here's an article on changing plans https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/on/get-help/articles/change-your-plan Stay safe.

[awoserra]

You can... although I just bought a second device, sim card and second plan...

The math: 60$ (blackberry from bestbuy outlet), $10 sim card and $50 plan = $120/additional 8.7GB and only 50$ for 8.7GB ongoing monthly...

Or you can pay $120 for only 8GB in data add-ons throughout a month - every single month. (Normally $240)

I just don't see the sense in pricing data add-ons so as to make it more reasonable to have a second phone and plan... do you?

[awoserra]

Further,

So I'm within 1 GB of expiring my *second* plan with my first plan roll-over date Friday.

(It's hard to even stay in a monthly budget of 17.4GB data, thank god for openbsd efficiency!)

The next problem I've experienced, is that trying to renew to the same plan *before* the plan expires (30 days) also proves problematic... interesting right?

Why's it so hard to spend $50/8.7GB data in a straight forward manner?

[gblackma]

@awoserra Telus currently has a $85 - 20 gig peace of mind plan  https://www.telus.com/en/mobility/new-at-telus This may be a better option for you. 

[awoserra]

Switching provider is not a sufficient solution for why we're getting gouged for data add-ons at public mobile, even when discounted 50%...

[ShawnC13]

---

@awoserra wrote:

Switching provider is not a sufficient solution for why we're getting gouged for data add-ons at public mobile, even when discounted 50%...

---

Public Mobile is obviously a provider that won't work for high quantity data users for that to economical you would need to step up to a different provider.  PM provides a great plan and price for some people.  Not all providers will work for all people.  If you are a heavy data consumer than a service provider switch is probably your best option.

[Luddite]

@awoserra There's no particular need to get a second plan just for more data. Any current plan can be renewed early by making a one time payment to increase Available Funds to the plan cost, then send a request to the moderators.

Of course, upgrading your current plan to the $50 one is the first move to make.

[will13am]

I have an opposite situation.  Since I am stuck at home and on WiFi, I actually need a lesser plan that what I currently have.  More than ever, I need my home internet to be up 100%.  The point is that while we hope our service providers to be benevolent, there is only so much they can do.  Because communications are an essential service, there are lots of men and women who are putting their life at greater risk to keep the network running smoothly.  For that we must be grateful.  I am anyway.