Disappointed.

[jkolbert]

I have been a customer for about a year and to be honest I am a bit disappointed in the lack of flexibilites in response to COVID-19.

I have had to wait on hold because a lot of services are backlogged which is fine, until for the first time ever where I run out of minutes.

WhatsApp is what I use to call friends or family, and I have a separate telephone for work.

It seems a bit insensitive on Public Mobile's part to not provide more flexibilities, such as minutes carrying over from month-to-month or something similar during this difficult time. I barely use my phone as is and to run out just by accessing essential services seems a bit sad.

[computergeek541]

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@reddysar7 wrote:

Try to approach online customer chat, I believe they can do some add ons to your account 

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I've said this a couple times earlier, but please note that online chat cannot help existing customers with issues.

[reddysar7]

Try to approach online customer chat, I believe they can do some add ons to your account 

[computergeek541]

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@AE_Collector wrote:

Another big discussion about calling government etc on limited minute plans back in April-May timeframe suggested most of these departments have 800 number access and I believe the consensus was that 800 # don't count against outgoing minutes. 

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The outgoing minutes not being used up when dialing a toll free number is one of those mysteries of Public Mobile. In the cell phone industry, toll free doesn't mean free. It only means no long distance charges. 

[AE_Collector]

Another big discussion about calling government etc on limited minute plans back in April-May timeframe suggested most of these departments have 800 number access and I believe the consensus was that 800 # don't count against outgoing minutes. $15 plan is a pretty rock bottom priced plan for what you get and has the option of 1c a minute ($5/500 minutes). If there was a $3/month plan that included 5 minutes of combined in/out calling should PM feel compelled to open it up to unlimited calling too? My point is there are lots of inexpensive solutions, companies don't have to give absolutely everything for free. Many of them are struggling as well. 

AE_Collector

[Korth]

@jkolbert 

Public Mobile gave (almost) everyone a free gift of 1000 minutes (and 5GB data) less than two months ago.

If you received this gift and already used it all up (and more) then perhaps you consistently use enough minutes to make upgrading to the $25 Unlimited Talk plan worthwhile.

Otherwise, the $5 500 minute Canada-wide Talk Add-on is a pretty good deal at 1 penny per minute.

Covid prompted PM to provide free US Roaming Add-ons for an indefinite duration. Because I guess being stuck on the other side of the border without working phone service would really suck.

I've seen reports on another forum suggesting PM (and other Canadian carriers) have accommodated some individuals affected by Covid crisis, apparently on a case-by-case basis. It doesn't hurt to ask them directly, as others have suggested above.

[mh1983]

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@mimmo wrote:

@jkolbert   you are on  a limited plan , minutes can be bought for $500 for $5 if you run out.  but there are other ways to make calls without using minutes.  voip apps like fongo  work great and work over data or wifi.

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Exactly. If not willing to change the existing plan, supplement it with a reasonable minutes add on that carries over until you use it up or use another VoIP app like Fongo (unlimited calls to real numbers in Canada).

[mimmo]

@jkolbert   you are on  a limited plan , minutes can be bought for $500 for $5 if you run out.  but there are other ways to make calls without using minutes.  voip apps like fongo  work great and work over data or wifi.

[mh1983]

In addition to add-ons (that have always carried over; that's how it works w/ prepaid, at least for this service), all but one plan has unlimited Canada-wide minutes starting at $25/every 30 days. Pretty reasonable in my books, COVID notwithstanding.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

 @jkolbert 

Are you aware of calling add-ons here? Particularly calling Canada? The $5 500 minute add-on is a great bargain for the limited minute plans like the current $15 100 minute plan or the old $10 50 minute plan.

Inside of your year here there have been a few gifts given to customers like last Xmas a 400 minute calling add-on that included Canada. Then this past summer for customers in BC and AB another 1000 minute Canada add-on.

These add-ons will take over an active call seamlessly when you run out of your plan minutes.

Edit: They also stay on your account until fully consumed. When you renew your plan then the plan minutes are used and the add-on steps back waiting until needed again.

Edit again: those "essential services"...were they toll free numbers?

[kb_mv]

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@jkolbert wrote:

I have been a customer for about a year and to be honest I am a bit disappointed in the lack of flexibilites in response to COVID-19.

I have had to wait on hold because a lot of services are backlogged which is fine, until for the first time ever where I run out of minutes.

WhatsApp is what I use to call friends or family, and I have a separate telephone for work.

It seems a bit insensitive on Public Mobile's part to not provide more flexibilities, such as minutes carrying over from month-to-month or something similar during this difficult time. I barely use my phone as is and to run out just by accessing essential services seems a bit sad.

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@jkolbert You should try contacting a moderator. I believe they have the authority to make one off adjustments to help people out in these trying times. Contact them and make your case. The worst they can do is say no. You can contact the mods one of 2 ways. Click the question mark bottom right of the browser as shown in the picture and open a ticket through the automated ticketing system;

or you can contact them through direct messaging at the following link (note this way may take longer for a response);

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

In either case you should receive a reply within 48 hours though typically they are much faster. Watch the envelope icon top right for a reply.