How to change from grandfathered to in-market? (Can't call *611)

[ottawa]

I wrote to the mods too but though I'd ask here. I'm on the grandfathered UL T&T + 1GB plan an am currently inactive. Want to reactivate but on an in-market plan. Can't  do it self-serve and not in PM coverage area to dial *611. How can I do this?

Thanks!

=aw

[ottawa]

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@Ludditewrote:

@ottawa If you periodically go away for extended periods

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Thanks, that's actually what I do. I like to say that while PM says "if you leave your account unpaid for 91 days we'll take away your number", I read it as "you can leave your account unpaid for 90 days without losing your number". 😉

The technique can cover up to almost 4 months potentially, since the traveller will typically be out of country for part of the last paid month (0-29 days, on average 15) then you get the 3 months. In the past I wanted to keep my $40 (then $43) plan so it was easy enough just to restart it self-serve.

But this year with the latest increase (supposedly for a call centre that I've never used), an in-market plan is actually slightly cheaper (potentially $47-$2-$3-$3=$39 for what I had grandfathered at $40->$43->$45?). The trouble for staying with PM is that having been forced to look around after the Feb increase was announced, I found I can switch to Videotron for more or less than $39, depending how many friends I can put on the plan and depending on handset compatibility, do I have to pay all lines and get from friends, etc.

So I decided to make the leap and switch to the $20 text-only in-market plan, since the one thing I know is that my grandfathered plan has been priced out of competitiveness. Happy bonus that my 180MB remaining Data Booster came with it.

Either I'll stick with PM and $8/mo discount, or I'll round up the friends and move to Videotron. PM is obviously less work. 🙂

Thanks to the PM mods for making this happen, and for making me see how much cheaper it is with the Rewards.

=aw

[srlawren]

@mimmo happens to the best of us 😉

[mimmo]

@srlawren thanks I think I read the orriginal post too fast.

[srlawren]

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@mimmowrote:

@ottawa  you should be able to let the phone expire for the 3 weeks you are not using it

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@mimmo this one was a problem of timing:  @ottawa was already suspended and nearing their 90 days of suspension.  So, they had no choice but to pick up 30 days on some sort of plan or they would have lost the phone number and account as of tomorrow. If they'd just waited until after the 3 weeks it would have been too late and would have needed to purchase a new SIM card and get a new phone number.

[Luddite]

@ottawa If you periodically go away for extended periods this post may be useful: https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Paying-for-your-service/Extended-Absence/m-p/142735#M... I have a friend who travels to Florida every year and uses these ideas.

[wetcoaster]

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@ottawawrote:

Got an email today from a different Mod and they have got me up and running again. Turned out I had $3/mo Community Reward in addition to the $3/mo Loyalty, so with Autopay I can deduct $8 from any quoted plan when I change after this month? Very nice.

Thanks every for your help.

=aw

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The loyalty and auto pay rewards you can count on.  Community rewards depend on your participation here.

[ottawa]

Got an email today from a different Mod and they have got me up and running again. Turned out I had $3/mo Community Reward in addition to the $3/mo Loyalty, so with Autopay I can deduct $8 from any quoted plan when I change after this month? Very nice.

Thanks every for your help.

=aw

[ottawa]

Thanks, makes sense I just don't want my thread to sit idle because Mod A stopped work for the day and has Tue & Wed off.

=aw

[Korth]

@ottawa

I'm not exactly sure how PM's staff handle these things internally.

But my understanding is that they have some sort of priority/queue system which keeps "in progress" customer support conversations on their desks until (one way or another) they clear them off.  And my understanding is that the PM mod staff is essentially interchangeable, the work falls onto whichever person is working that day.

[ottawa]

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I'd message the mods with all the necessary info right away!

2 days before cutoff, Easter long weekend, possible need for two-way dialog with the mods (which could span hours or even days) ... ticktock ticktock ... don't want to risk losing your phone number ... don't want to risk terminating your account, losing your accumulated Loyalty (and other) Rewards, deactivating your SIM card, etc.

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Thanks, I did hear back from a mod and sent the info requested. Should I send it to "all mods" in case he's finished for the day, or do the monitor each others' communications?

=aw

[ottawa]

I think I created this account in Nov 2014. I want to pay for just the one month because I don't know what I'll do after that. If I go no talk, unlimited text, no data, that could be $20 - $2 (autopay) - $3 (loyalty) = $15 + tax, could that be right?

The plan builder looks like it's $47 for what I have now (Canada-wide calling, text, 1GB of 4G) which could be $42 with discounts? Or am I misreading the discounts? That's not something I need until next month though, I can't use the PM line until end of April but want to keep my number alive.

Thanks!

=aw

[Korth]

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@ottawawrote:

Apr 4 is my lose-your-number date. If I had to I could renew on my grandfathered plan but I'm not going to use it for about 3 weeks so I'm planning to switch to text-only for $20 and then switch to a different in-market plan in a month.

I didn't provide all that info when I wrote the mods but I will do so now. Is it safe to do that 2 days before my drop-dead date, or do I need to phone? I'd prefer to go through mods but will phone if I have to.

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I'd message the mods with all the necessary info right away!

2 days before cutoff, Easter long weekend, possible need for two-way dialog with the mods (which could span hours or even days) ... ticktock ticktock ... don't want to risk losing your phone number ... don't want to risk terminating your account, losing your accumulated Loyalty (and other) Rewards, deactivating your SIM card, etc.

At the very least, you'll have submitted everything time/date stamped before the cutoff, it could make all the difference between keeping your number and losing it.

https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/bc/plans/25unlimitedtalk-text

[mimmo]

@ottawa  you should be able to let the phone expire for the 3 weeks you are not using it (phones can be inactive for a max of 90 days before becoming lost)  I believe (not sure) but the legasy plans shoudl be the same.

In you converstaion with the mods i would explain exatly what you are looking to do and they are pretty good at doing their best to help customers. 

[Anonymous]

@ottawa, mod response time is usually a few hours.  BTW, once you switch to an in market plan, you are eligible for loyalty rewards ($1/30 days for each year with PM), which should be at least $3/30 days for you.

[ottawa]

Thank you all. I am on a grandfathered call centre plan (their justification for raising the price every year, it seems). But the only number they presented was *611, even when I was logged in.

Apr 4 is my lose-your-number date. If I had to I could renew on my grandfathered plan but I'm not going to use it for about 3 weeks so I'm planning to switch to text-only for $20 and then switch to a different in-market plan in a month.

I didn't provide all that info when I wrote the mods but I will do so now. Is it safe to do that 2 days before my drop-dead date, or do I need to phone? I'd prefer to go through mods but will phone if I have to.

=aw

[Anonymous]

you need send a private message to @Moderator_Team.

In your message put it, please include.

- your account number

- your phone number 

- your account PIN

- Detailed explanation of specific your Plan change

Good Luck

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

@ottawa, you've already done it.  To change plans when current plan is suspended, you must contact mods.  If you are a legacy customer (with a plan that dates from Before Feb. 2015, you can call *611 OR 1-855-4PUBLIC.

[MoreYummy]

When did you cancel your service?  If 90 days or more they will delete it.  You have to start from beginning and choose new number etc.