Data renewal?

[Szaa]

Hello, first some information, then my question.

Typically when i get to the last day of my plan, i use up most, if not all, of my remaining data and then just shut off my mobile data entirely until the next morning, so that my data counters (phone settings, as well as glasswire) can start off the month fresh at 0GB used.

This month i went overboard a bit on video watching, but had enough points to grab another 1gb add-on so didn't worry about it. I did the same last month and had some of that 1GB left, but knew I'd use 2GB easy in two days so grabbed another. (Which is why my screenshot will show it's 30/60 days remaining until it expires) 

However i just logged into the app to see how much of that 1GB is remaining and see that I'm now more than 140MB into my 40GB of data, but the plan doesn't renew until tomorrow and indeed the $50 to up i added yesterday is still in 'funds available'. I quite wanted to burn up that data add-on today so that i wouldn't have to remember to use it up at the end of October so that it doesn't go to waste.

Anyway, i guess my perfectly succinct question is: wut?

Bonus question: when does renewal actually happen? I'm sure it's at midnight, but in which timezone?

 

 

[maximum_gato]

@Szaa 

A little bit of unlucky timing along with some restrictions on what you can manage in your account during your renewal. The only way you can get out of your current plan renewing after midnight eastern is to cause your plan payment to fail. If you rely on autopay to renew your services every 30 days you can put a hold on your payment card. Once your services are suspended you can remove the hold and log into your self serve account. Choose your new plan and make an immediate plan change. Pay "now" for the new plan and you will be reactivated on the new plan.

If your self serve account balance is equal to or exceeds your current plan amount then your only option to change plans after midnight eastern but before renewal payment debits are applied would be suspending via lost/stolen. This prevents all payments from occurring in the account. You would have to wait until renewals are finished (earliest 6am eastern til late as noon eastern). Then unsuspend via lost/stolen and proceed to making an immediate plan change as above.

The same procedure applies when wanting to change plans while suspended and reactivating.

[gpixel]

@Szaa 

your account already renewed on Oct 1 at 1:00am that's why you can't schedule the plan change. if the account renews at 1:00am that would mean you live further east of Ontario. 

ie if I had the same renewal date as you my account would renew on sep.30 at 9:00pm

[Szaa]

So i queued the subscription change right after i replied to your post, but it apparently just didn't work. I was able to select the plan but it didn't appear in cart and then the $45 option was no longer visible to me.

All in all, a very strange experience that makes little sense to me. They gave me the data a day early so i got a data add-on for no reason. My data quota has reset now though so i guess it evens out?🤷‍♂️

[maximum_gato]

@Szaa 

Check your payment history for the time that your plan amount was taken for renewal? Since it was today/tonight you could always contact customer support and ask if they will switch you to the new plan? The renewal dates are still confusing in self serve they may grant your request based on that fact alone....YMMV of course but it can't hurt to ask?

[Szaa]

I'll probably go for the 50 for $55 but it'll wait till next month because ... well

 Edit: No wait. You're right lol i glossed over that it was the same amount of data 5 bucks cheaper. ❤️

[maximum_gato]

@Szaa 

If your renewal is tonight you still have time to schedule a change plan on next renewal to the $45/40gb plan? That should also take care of your data usage issue. Your data counter should reset at midnight eastern....but it will reset again at the time that your new plan amount payment is debited from your account at 2am eastern (if renewals are running on time.....if they are late then anytime up until noon eastern is possible.)  3 hours and counting...

[DennyCrane]

@Szaa Not to worry. That phone looks like it has a max LTE speed of 150Mbps, and PM's LTE network is capable or more than that. I.e. even on the 4G network you'd still benefit from higher speed on a 5G plan. And speed aside, you still benefit from more data witt the 5G plans.

[Szaa]

Ah, i was concerned that if i switched to a 5g plan my data might not work and then I'd have to endure the inevitable "well do you have a 5g phone?" and somehow visible-through-text eye rolls that would then occur. 😛

[DennyCrane]

@Szaa You don't necessarily need a 5G phone to benefit from faster speeds offered by the 5G plans. 

[Szaa]

Thank you for the timezone information! I'm an hour ahead of that, so 1:01AM for me. 

As far as browser cache, i typically use the app (which I'm aware it's just a wrapper for the website anyway) but i logged in through a browser in private browsing mode and it still shows that the 1GB data reward i redeemed so that i would have data today is no longer being used (stays at 1.07GB remaining even after watching several YouTube videos) and that I'm somehow using next month's data already.

@Chalupa_Batman i don't have a 5g phone, so i didn't get a 5g plan, and any data gift from Christmas would have been used up by now. I have a hand-me-down Galaxy A5 (2017) because i don't upgrade until the old phone doesn't work anymore. (i had an S3 right up until i adopted the A5 lol)

[DennyCrane]

@Szaa If you're regularily using your full 40GB, have you considered spending another $5 for an additional 10GB + unlimited data at reduced speed? Or the same for $5 less than you're paying now if you prepay for 90 days.

Or 60GB of Can/US data for $55 on a 90 day subscription?

 

[hTideGnow]

HI @Szaa 

bonus question answer, renewal time is 12:01 EST  tonight, but usually it takes couple hours for the renewal to complete

your usage issue is because of cache, browser cache.  Please use Incognit/Private/Secret mode on your browser and check again

[dust2dust]

Click all the little spinner refresh icons you can find. By the looks of those dates your plan won't renew until overnight tonight. Counters will reset at midnight eastern. Services should continue to work. In the early hours eastern in the morning it should take the payment and it should all be good to go.

[Chalupa_Batman]

Hi @Szaa 

If you have one of the 5G plans you may have unlimited data at 512kbps after your allotted amount. Also, if you don't have a 5G plan with unlimited data, take a peek at your add ons. You may have a Christmas data gift from last year you didn't use up that was used.

I'd highly recommend changing to a 5G unlimited data plan to save money.