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How to keep public mobile account active?

Godking
Great Neighbour / Super Voisin

I'm moved from Can to USA. How do i keep it active? I'm be using this phone much, but I won't the plan to be active and don't want lose my rewards. 

When it says you have 90 days of suspension. So does that mean I can pay every 90 days the $15 plan to keep it active?

And also can I also buy add ons to keep it active as well? Therefore I don't pay the $15 plan just buy add ons instead.

Thanks for thereplies!! Edit: I'll be moving to the US permantely but I will be visiting Canada from time to time to visit family. 

19 REPLIES 19


@Godking wrote:

Ok so Canadian numbers only work on Fongo to be ported in?? 


@Godking   Yup. Fongo .

Godking
Great Neighbour / Super Voisin

Ok so Canadian numbers only work on Fongo to be ported in?? 

@BKNS27- Someone likes to play in semantics. No gold, just semantics. The "question" they posed was a challenge question which is a form of correction. They could have looked it up before asking. Then they come back with their proof of their challenge to prove their correcting question.

Then they be all grand and lovely. I totally agree with helping and sharing. I try to all the time. Just that the member has shown to be ultra-sensitive to being corrected in the past. So I called it out.

@softech 

All is good. I rather have the OP get the correct information. Edited my post.

 

thanks for understanding. @BKNS27 

Just to be clear,  I wasn't trying to correct you.  I have doubt myself, so I asked Then I found the answer and was trying to share.  That's what the community about, help and share   (just that someone misunderstood and thought he found gold. 🤣)

@softech 

Thanks for the catch! 


@LitlLdy wrote:

@softech , at one point I was thinking of porting my Lucky Mobile # to Fongo unfortunately but it is not eligible due to I do not live in an eligible area! 😕

The list below indicates places where phone numbers can be transferred / ported to the Fongo Network.

If you are still unsure if your number can be transferred, you can find out by clicking here.

If we currently cannot transfer your number to the Fongo network, we recommend that you get a Fongo number from a nearby area.

JUMP TO:  Alberta | British Columbia | Manitoba | Nova Scotia | Ontario | Quebec | Saskatchewan


Yes, it's a thing. I've encountered the same hurdle.


@Yummy wrote:

 

If you permanently moved to USA what is the point of having Canadian number? 


Obviously the OP has not checked back in to provide more informtation, but I didn't see a "permanently" in their post... It might be a time limited move? They might have family here and intend to use the number when visiting? Most likely: 2FA from Canadian institutions...

Unfortunately there's no perfect solution for the later. If you stay with PM you need to maintain a plan to receive 2FA SMS. Shouldn't need a roaming add-on for just receiving SMS, but the US is the only place outside of Canada where PM connects to the network.

A lot of institutions refuse to send 2FA SMS to numbers they recognize as being with a VoIP carrier. SpeakOut (the cheapest physical SIM at $25/365days) only works in Canada. etc (Over at RFD I've read about Freedom prepaid options in the $100/$130 range per year, but I have not looked into it recently.)


@dust2dust wrote:

@LitlLdy- That's because TextNow on their sim service is only for the US. No one can port numbers to another country. TextNow app in Canada can port out but not in...to Canada.

As a side question and I don't remember if I already asked this...you can use your US TextNow on wifi here right? Cell data also? Or just wifi?


@dust2dust , I know. Wishful thinking 😕 Funny part is I have a Canadian # on my TextNow app! Even though I can’t port my Canadian # to it I would still like to have a SIM Card for it but couldn’t activate it here in Canada anyways! 😕  Will see when I am back in USA again!

I need to look the rest of that info up again! I can’t remember!

@LitlLdy- That's because TextNow on their sim service is only for the US. No one can port numbers to another country. TextNow app in Canada can port out but not in...to Canada.

As a side question and I don't remember if I already asked this...you can use your US TextNow on wifi here right? Cell data also? Or just wifi?

@LitlLdy  Google Voice is the BEST!! I got one, too 

and too bad, they don't take Canadian number, they are not even giving out to Canadian (unless you subscribe to some google service)


@softech wrote:

@LitlLdy 

I have a number ported into Fongo already.  Service is just ok, but it is free, what more can you ask

For voice quality, TextNow is much batter, but too bad TextNow does not take Canadian number for porting in

In case you need it in the future, there is a also Numberbarn service which strictly for parking the number there. 


@softech , I have Fongo, I just can’t port my Lucky Mobile # to it due to I do not live in an eligible area according to the Fongo instructions 😕! I was just sharing info that in order to port ones number to it the number needs to come from am eligible area! Sorry for the misunderstanding. 

I have TextNow which I have to agree the voice quality is much better but neither from what I see my number can’t be ported to that either! 😕

Edit: I forgot about Numberbarn!

@LitlLdy 

I have a number ported into Fongo already.  Service is just ok, but it is free, what more can you ask

For voice quality, TextNow is much batter, but too bad TextNow does not take Canadian number for porting in

In case you need it in the future, there is a also Numberbarn service which strictly for parking the number there. 

@softech , at one point I was thinking of porting my Lucky Mobile # to Fongo unfortunately but it is not eligible due to I do not live in an eligible area! 😕

The list below indicates places where phone numbers can be transferred / ported to the Fongo Network.

If you are still unsure if your number can be transferred, you can find out by clicking here.

If we currently cannot transfer your number to the Fongo network, we recommend that you get a Fongo number from a nearby area.

JUMP TO:  Alberta | British Columbia | Manitoba | Nova Scotia | Ontario | Quebec | Saskatchewan

@BKNS27  you sure you can port your Canadian phone number to TextNow?  

Add: this is what I found

https://www.textnow.com/blog/textnow-101-porting

First: You need to have a US number. Sorry, Canada and the rest of the world, we can only port numbers that are currently with US carriers.

 

softech
Oracle
Oracle

@Godking  Generally speaking YES

Here is what you can do (assuming your Available fund = $0)

  1.  First, change plan to $15 plan (to reduce the cost to keep you number)
  2.  Then disable "Subscribed" from Payment page->Manage Subsribed
  3.  On the next renewal date, since pre-authorized payment is disabled, it won't be renewed.   
          Make note of that day 1 of the suspension date
  4.  VERY IMPORTANT.   Come back at around 85th days after the first date of the suspension to make a manual payment to renew the account for 30 days.  You have changed to $15 plan, so, it will just cost you $15 for those 30 days.  After you make the payment, make sure you see clearly that the account status is changed to ACTIVE.  If not, you will either have to open ticket with PM support or come and seek help here
  5.  Make note of that date, again, the account will be active for 30 days only and will be suspended again after the 30 days.  Make note of the date it got suspended again
  6.  As autopay is disabled, it won't renew after those 30 days.
      If you still not back to Canada by the end of that 90 days, then come back NO LATER than 85th date and repeat from step 4 again

 

But something to consider,

  1. When are you planning to come back?
  2. does it worth to pay $15 every 115 days for the rewards?, that is close to $50/year

A cheaper way to keep the phone number, but not the rewards is to port the line to a VoIP provider like Fongo

It is around $25 to port in.  When you are back in Canada, just port the number back to a mobile provider.  Porting out from Fongo is free if you stayed with them for over 90 days

Advantage

  • Just $25 , no more
  • you can keep using the number on the App even when you are in US (but keep note Fongo won't receive too many System text, receiving people's text are ok)

 

BKNS27
Mayor / Maire

@Godking 

Yes, you need to keep up with your monthly payment to keep your number. 
Add-on in your account will not keep your number.

You can pick a USA number from TextNow and get their SIM (no wifi required) for free calling and texting in Canada and the USA. 

I have the TextNow SIM in my phone while in the USA and calling & texting my spouse while in business in the USA.

They will only ship the SIM to a USA address and pay with a USA CC or PayPal.

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Yummy
Mayor / Maire

Correct. If you pay around 85th day your plan will be reactivated and become suspended again on next renewal due to no pay. Then you have again 85-ish days to pay for a month.

You cannot use Only add-ons without having Active plan (renewed every 30 days).

If you permanently moved to USA what is the point of having Canadian number? You cannot use PM services in USA - or better to say you CAN but it will cost you arm and leg with US add-ons.

Handy1
Mayor / Maire

@Godking  Yes just make sure you reacative around the 85 day to be safe then turn auto pay off and on like this 

Turn  auto pay  off 3 easy clicks

Handy1_0-1685723786921.png

 

Or if you know the 4 digit PIN number

*611    

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