How long does the sim card last if you don't top up?

[Michelyne]

We will be travelling for a bit and I'd like to know how long the 'life' of the sim card will last before we need to top up before it is no longer a valid sim chip. We've been using the sim for a year now, but if we don't top up for say 10 months, will the sim chip still be valid when we go to use it (and top up again) in 10 months' time? Thanks

[darlicious]

@helenhelen 

I personally would not remove autopay. Suspending via lost/stolen is the safer option. However in your circumstance if you are only paying $5 a month why risk it to save $5 a month? Your better option would be to download fongo. Before you leave you call forward your pm phone number to your fongo number. You remove the sim card and leave it in Canada somewhere safe.

Now anyone who calls your pm number will be forwarded to your fongo number. Fongo works on both wifi and mobile data (0.5mb=1min/250mb=500min). Most countries offer cheap sim card plans with plenty of data. Once you have mobile data you essentially have your pm phone service with you. You just can't recieve your pm texts. Get a textnow number for free texting/calling on wifi.

[darlicious]

@computergeek541 

Rewards are earned based on your previous month's service. If you suspend via lost/stolen before midnight the rewards are not applied. Those rewards have still been earned just not awarded. You are unable to use them to renew your plan but they can be applied manually. It does not matter when you suspend the account you have already paid for the 30 day plan that you are earning the rewards for.

[computergeek541]

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@Anonymous wrote:

4. pay in enough funds to cover plan cost and it reactivates - no rewards convert - It's at this point that the latest rewards showing in the rewards area can be asked for.

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Yes, but at that point, the customer would have already received rewards for a renewal that never took place. I suppose that the way you look at this can depend on if you see the rewards as being credits for completing a plan billing cycle or if it's for successfully renewing.  In either scenario, I would not understand why the customer would receive rewards manually credited.

[Anonymous]

 @computergeek541 : Maybe I don't have the whole flow right but as I understand it...

1. natural suspension - rewards get added to Available Funds and if less than plan cost it suspends.

2.1 self-suspend before midnight ET of last day - no rewards convert.

2.2 self-suspend after midnight and before 2am ET or so - rewards get added but it respects the suspend and doesn't renew.

2.3 Resume - if enough Available Funds then it renews

4. pay in enough funds to cover plan cost and it reactivates - no rewards convert - It's at this point that the latest rewards showing in the rewards area can be asked for.

That's how I understand it.

[computergeek541]

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@Anonymous wrote:

 @helenhelen : What's in Available Funds stays if less than your plan cost.

If you were referred then who referred you will lose the dollar from you suspending.

The rewards only get converted to Available Funds at a normal renewal. When you reactivate, you'll need to pay in the right amount to get your Available Funds up to cover the plan cost. Then you could ask the moderators to convert what rewards you have.

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There shouldn't be a need to ask the moderators to credt the reward amounts for the renewal that is done when the plan is reactivated. For the missed plan renewal date, rewards gets added to the account before the renewal happens. Otherwise, the payment system wouldn't now how much to charge sometimes several hours later. This means that some of those credis in the rewards will sit in the account balance until the next renewal as long as long as the account balance after that reward payout is less than the plan fee.

[Anonymous]

 @helenhelen : What's in Available Funds stays if less than your plan cost. Edit: or if you self-suspend.

If you were referred then who referred you will lose the dollar from you suspending.

The rewards only get converted to Available Funds at a normal renewal. When you reactivate, you'll need to pay in the right amount to get your Available Funds up to cover the plan cost. Then you could ask the moderators to convert what rewards you have.

[computergeek541]

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@helenhelen wrote:

If it is suspended, you get to keep the reward dollars on your account? I'm only paying $5 (for my $30 plan) due to referrals, etc. Would hate to lose it!

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You get to keep them. However, rewards aren't paid out while your account is in suspension.

[helenhelen]

If it is suspended, you get to keep the reward dollars on your account? I'm only paying $5 (for my $30 plan) due to referrals, etc. Would hate to lose it!

[computergeek541]

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@helenhelen wrote:

Does doing option B mess up your credit rating though?

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No credit checks are done. Also, you don't owe anyting if you don't renew the plan.

[Anonymous]

 @helenhelen : This place is prepaid...there's no credit involved.

[helenhelen]

Is Fongo only usable if you have an internet connection though? Also, is it $25 in total (unlimited use)?

[helenhelen]

Does doing option B mess up your credit rating though?

[Michelyne]

That sounds like a great solution. Thanks for these tips!

[Anonymous]

 @Michelyne : You could put the SIM into an old phone.

But I used my phone as a webcam for while when I was away for a couple weeks keeping an eye on a thermometer of all things to make sure my house wasn't freezing due to a new heat pump I had installed.

So...I used one of those light timers and plugged the phone into it and set it to be on for a couple hours and then let the battery run when not on. I had a webcam. The phone stayed on the whole time. All good.

[darlicious]

@Michelyne 

When traveling for an extended period you must pay and reactivate your plan before 90 days is up. Preferably around day 85 so you have a few days to sort out any issues that may arise. Once your 30 days of service are up you allow it to suspend and you have another 90 days til you have to pay again and renew your service.

If you don't have a grandfathered plan that you want to keep then you change your plan to the $15 plan for those 30 day cycles that you need to renew and keep the account, sim card and phone number.

There are two ways to suspend your service. If you do not have a balance that is more than your plan amount you can remove autopay and allow your service to suspend due to non payment. You will lose your $2 autopay reward. Or you can suspend your service via the lost/stolen feature in your account.

1. If you suspend via lost/stolen before midnite eastern you will retain voicemail service but your rewards will not apply. However after you renew before the 90 days are up you can then contact the moderators to have them applied to your account balance manually.
2. If you suspend after midnite eastern after waiting for your rewards to apply (15-30min later) you will have the rewards available for your renewal in the next 90 days but no voicemail.

By suspending and renewing every 85-90 days you will pay about $60 (4×$15) minus any rewards for keeping your phone number/account for about a year ( 350-360 days.)

[softech]

@Michelyne  no, the app idea suggested by @hTideGnow  is to install the app you cell phone.. no need to leave the phone in Canada.  You can bring it with you around the world.. no need to plug in at home.  It's best for people who want to be able to receive calls overseas and make free phone calls back to Canada.

The 85 days trick is good, less porting back and forth. 🙂

[Michelyne]

Excellent suggestion, I will most likely do it earlier than day 85, knowing me.....

Thank you!

[Michelyne]

I have heard about apps like this, but the premise is that you have to leave your phone in Canada and have it plugged in all the time. We won't have that option unfortuantely as we need our phones with us, and we don't want to leave our phone with anyone to babysit for us to make sure it stays 'on' for the whole time. But, I appreciate this line of thinking. If we were only going away for a month or two, that would work.

[softech]

@Michelyne  yes.  if you choose to do Option B, make sure you try it no later than 85th day.  Make sure you go to My Account and confirm the status is Active again.  If for whatever reason, payment didn't go through or it went through but the service still showing suspended , you need to open a ticket with Mod to sort it out.  By doing it on the 85th day, it gives you enough time to sort things out just in case.

[Michelyne]

That's brilliant. Thanks so much for this advice. I'm not looking to be dodgey and cheap, but I also don't want to waste $$ for a service I can't use abroad. It's about keeping the phone number 'alive' so we can use it when we return. I appreciate these extra thoughts with Option B. It seems logical.  So I keep my card attached to the account, but let the money run to $0.00 and then sometime before the 90th day lock and load $15 for the lowest plan and then repeat. Great Idea! Thank you!

[hTideGnow]

@Michelyne  other than the way  to keep the numbers above,   there is other way., a bit more trouble but will only cost you around $25.. (+$10 or free..)

Port the number to Fongo, a VoIP provider for $25.   You download the app and you can receive and all anywhere in the world using the app

When you come back, you can reactivate with PM and port the number back into PM.  However, you do need a new SIM card which cost you $10.  BUT, some local kiosk give it to you for free if you activate with them.  Get a friend referral and you save another $10.  If you are lucky and you catch a PM promotion, you might get another month free.  So, it's not too bad a choice.  

[Anonymous]

 @Michelyne : If you do let the account fully deactivate (not just suspend) then the SIM will also become dead/garbage.

To keep your account alive you could pay every ~4 months. Then your account is active for 30 days and then you let it suspend for ~3 months. Then pay again. But don't wait all the way to the end of that ~4 months in case there's a problem of any sort. Pay up again on say day 115. Put it in your calendar.

[softech]

@Michelyne 

there are ways to keep the accounts. 

Option A: easier but pricier

of course, you can change your plan to $15 and just keep paying every month by Autopay

Option B: 

Another trickier way.. but cheaper is..

1. change the plan to $15 plan and choose change at next cycle

2. remove Autopay but keep the credit card there.  and make sure you don't have fund in Available fund

3. let it expire at the end of this cycle.  The account goes to suspension.  At the 85th day of the suspension, pay once ($15) and reactivate the account

4. the account will work for another 30 days.   Then let it expires

5.  Now, we go back to step 3 and 4.. repeat this until you are back

Whether you choose option A (keep paying ) or B, you have to make sure Autopay doesn't fail.  

If you choose Option B.. you have to do it right and not miss the payment.  Do it on 85th day.. make sure all good and payment goes through.  In case CC fails, you still have 5 days to open mod to sort this out.

[Michelyne]

Ah ok, thanks so much, that's what I needed to know. Appreciate your time.

[softech]

not your SIM card.. but your PM account

if you don't pay when a new cycle comes.  you have 90 days to reactivate the plan or the phone number will be gone forever.