Keeping phone number outside Canada

[Leuson]

Hello,

During the winter I am outside Canada. I would like to keep my phone number active,  since I return each summer.

What I need is something like the cheapest plan possible: one that would keep my account alive and not cost a lot of money.

What should I do? Thanks.

[FFL997599]

This is exactly what I am looking for. I plan to leave Canada for quite a while traveling all around and would like to keep my current number. The porting options I found are: numberbarn (usd$5+$2/month) , fongo ($25+0), speakout 7/11 ($0+$25/yr), and I'd definitely prefer to pay $5ish/month to PM to keep my number (maybe with text receiving service) instead of risking the manual payment every 85 days gone misshapen. Sometimes travelling just doesn't get internet, and reactivating/re-porting the number after returning is quite some hassle too. Oh btw the best parking deal I found is at VoIP.ms

Public mobile please seriously consider a parking plan to keep your customers!

[dust2dust]

$3.75 average per 30 days is not cheap enough? Ok maybe $3.91 if you restart on day 85.

[hTideGnow]

HI @Leuson 

sorry, $15 for 120 days is the minimum "parking" fees here  😞

[Leuson]

Thanks. I simply want to keep the account and number active while I'm away in the winter months. I realize that something like this is possible through PM's current offering.

But what I envisage would be a 'parking' plan (to borrow a term for the vehicle insurance industry). It would be the cheapest of all the plans and offer no services whatsoever: no data, no phone minutes. It would simply put one's account on hold (i.e. keep it active). The account could then be rendered fully active when one bought one of the other plans.

PM could put a limit on this, so that customers couldn't use the 'parking' option for hang on to numbers indefinitely.

[hTideGnow]

HI @dust2dust when  go back with tagging using a phone, it's funny and weird thing hard to get rid of some tag.  Using a computer has not such trouble.  

removed your name from earlier post.. finally  🙂

[dust2dust]

@hTideGnow- Not sure why I was tagged.

[hTideGnow]

HI @Leuson  

i think as @Handy1 pointed out, no carrier provides that "parking" feature for free.  PM has it for 90 days.  There is numberbarn to park the number, there are also VoIP app like Fongo to park the number, not free ($25 to port in).  And also, you gave up your current plan and rewards, and come back hoping for the same plan still here.   

[Leuson]

Kenneth, this 'parking' idea of precisely what I was hoping for. When I leave Canada in the winter, I switch my Canadian car insurance to 'parking'. (The vehicle sits under a pile of snow at a friend's all winter.) Then in the spring I simply switch back to 'comprehensive'. It just takes two emails a year. No muss, no fuss.

It would be nice if PM had something similar. As you say.

[hTideGnow]

HI  @Chalupa_Batman 

they already have that.. they have 90 days

and with phone numbers a limited resources, I think they can't let us keep it forever.  Also, PM rather us to keep the phone number by paying then by leaving it suspended.  🙂

[Leuson]

Okay, thanks for this. Lots of things to watch out for.

[Handy1]

@Chalupa_Batman  It a good idea but I don’t think any other carriers in Canada do this so no need to do it here at PM and here we can already suspend  service for 90 days and I’m not aware you can do that with the tier 1-2 carriers so in that regard PM already ahead of the curve 

[Chalupa_Batman]

On another note, Public Mobile really need to start thinking outside the box and start offering "Parking" services when their customers leave the country for an extended time. For a small fee of course. If they want to retain customers, this is a way to do it. Don't do this and they'll find their way to another service provider.

Why are we smarter than the folks who run Public Mobile???

[dust2dust]

If you're currently on a plan that is no longer offered and you like it then changing to the $15 plan would lose the ability to get it back. Even a plan you're looking at now may no longer be offered when you get back. Of course there could also be better plans.
Also, it's possible that making that payment may trigger on the subscribed toggle just because they like it that way. Be sure to check for that when you make that payment.

[Leuson]

That's good advice, Softec. The basic thing I'm trying to accomplish to be hang onto my PM account and number while I'm away from Canada. So I wouldn't want to return only to find my PM account was dead in the water.

In any case, I would have to look into this TextNow option before going with it. But from what you say, porting my number doesn't seem to be the way to go.

Thanks again.

[softech]

@Leuson with the porting out to TextNow, remember, once you ported out, your PM account is closed and you loss your rewards that you have cumulated.  When you come back to Canada, you will need to buy a new sim card and activate a new account.  It saves money for the time you are away, but you need to pay a little bit when you come back and start the rewards again.

But one thing, when you are away, you can still download VoIP app TextNow and just use that to make and receive free calls to Canada/US for free  using the app (you don't need to port your number, you can just pick a new phone number from TextNow)

[Leuson]

Many thanks, Softech. To you and to all the people who replied. Much appreciated!

[Leuson]

Now that's interesting, Kenneth.

I've never heard of such a beast. Thanks.

[softech]

HI @Leuson 

yes, Change plan still have option "Change Now" and "Change on Renewal"

When you want to change to $15 plan, do it before your trip and click "Change on Renewal".   And again, make note of the first date of the suspension and the 90 days after that, come back and resume the account around 85th day and not later, just in case

[Leuson]

Thanks again, Softech.

Just one more, if I may. It used to be that when you changed plans, you could choose between effecting the change immediately or at the end of current subscription period. Is this still the way things work?

Thanks.

[Chalupa_Batman]

If you plan to be outside Canada more than 90 days, the option of purchasing the cheapest plan possible which is $15 for 30 days then don't pay the next 2 months and continue this cycle till you come back to Canada. However, another way you can do this is to port your number to a VOIP app like TextNow which is free of charge. You just need to go on the app while on WiFi every few weeks and send a text message or make a call back to Canada over WiFi. Once again, it's free of charge. When you come back to Canada you port the number back at no charge. 🙂 

[softech]

@Leuson 

Yes turning off "Autopay" is now the same as turning off "Subscribed"

[Leuson]

Hello Handy1,

Many thanks. I see now that one disables autopay by turned off 'Subscribed'. Things have changed on the side, and thus I wasn't sure.

Merci.

[Leuson]

Hello Softec,

Thanks for these detailed instructions. With warnings!

I assume that turning 'Subscribed' off also disables autopay. That seems to follow from your reply, but I'd just like to be certain.

Thanks again.

[Leuson]

Hello Meow,

Thanks  for taking the time to reply. This is helpful, certainly.

How do I turn off autopay? I've found a thread on this on the site, but I can't find the appropriate buttons.

Thanks.

[Handy1]

@Leuson  You can change plan to the $15 plan and then turn off auto subscribe letting the account go into suspended state for 90 days before it closes for good , so on 85 day make manual payment for 30 days and turn off auto subscribe again for another 85 days and just rinse and repeat as long as you need 

Turn  auto pay  OFF/ON  3 easy clicks

Or if you know the 4 digit PIN number

*611    

[HALIMACS]

Great description @Meow !

Personally @Leuson I’d go with option 1 unless someone fits the bill for option 4.

[softech · Accepted solution]

@Leuson 

 this is what you need to do to keep alive the account:

 PM only allows the account to be suspended for 90 days or your account will be permanently closed and you will loss the number

So, your option is to temporary suspend the account and reactivate for 30 days before the 90 days deadline

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 (Payment page, Managed Subscription, toggle off the "Subscribed" there
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 can simply click "Pay Now and Resume Services" button and follow the step to make a manual payment.
   Since, you have changed to $15 plan, so, it will just cost you $15 for that 30 days cycle.  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 in the Community
   (Don't wait till the 89th or 90th days as My Account could be down for maintenance or payment could be an issue, you want to give yourself enough time to sort it out)
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 the Autopay toggle "Subscribed" is already toggled off,  it won't renew after that 30 days cycle.
   
   I hope you will be back by then. You just need to change the plan back to the one you want and then reactivate and remember to enable Autopay again (toggle  on "Subscribed")
   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

[hTideGnow]

HI @Leuson 

you can disable Autopay so PM suspends your service after this cycle.

Then a day or 2 before the 90 days after suspension,  make one payment to active for 30 days.  then it will be suspended after that 30 days. , repeat this until you are back

[Meow]

'Pause' your PM Plan.

Options are:

Change your plan to $15 Plan

1. Remove autopay. Your plan will be suspended on next renewal and will stay suspended up to 90 days. Login at around 85th day and pay manually for the next month. Let plan expire again; repeat. If plan is suspended beyond 90 days account will be closed, number lost.
2. Leave autopay and credit card; You will be charged every month $15+tax. Monitor account in case autopay fails to pay manually.
3. Load your account with enough funds to cover your absence. In that case even if autopay fails funds will be taken from your account and service will continue.
4. Lend your account to somebody else (friend/family). Leave autopay but change credit card info. Let them use your number for a year and after you get back just change credit card info and take your SIM back.