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Needs for visiting the US

nickyandjudy
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

Hi -- I'm going to be traveling in the US for a couple of weeks and would like to use my phone for both phone and texting. No data needed. What do i need to add to my plan? (I currently have Canada wide calls and unlimited international texts but i think that's if I'm in Canada). I'd like to be able to call & text people in the US while in the US and also call from the US to Canada. Do i need a different SIM card? (phone neophyte here :)) Thanks!!

 

 

13 REPLIES 13

darlicious
Mayor / Maire

@nickyandjudy 

To be prepared for any possibility ensure that you know your 4 digit account pin #. This way if you cannot access your self serve account you will be able to add funds and purchase US Roaming add ons via 611 or calling 1 855 4PUBLIC and enter your 10 digit phone number to access the 611/IVR system.

 

You may also want to download a voip provider app (such as textnow or fongo) and choose a Canadian phone number. You can use this as a back up to call and text for free on WiFi (or it also works on mobile data 0.5mb=1min/250mb=500min).

 

If you intend on sending MMS you will require mobile data so you may want to purchase the 10 day US Roaming bundle w/unlimited texts/talk and 250mb of data=$20. When it expires 240 hours later you will be able to immediately purchase the US Roaming talk+text bundle=$15 if needed. The same US Roaming add on or bundle cannot be purchased for 24 hours after expiry without contacting customer support to add it for you.

 

When you arrive in the US and you have added the US Roaming add on(s) make sure you:

 

  1. Reboot your phone.
  2. Enable roaming in your settings.
  3. Manually choose either at&t or T-Mobile.

 

Here is some additional info you may find helpful....

Spoiler
  1. While you have to have an active plan to purchase and use US roaming add ons the type of plan you have does not affect the roaming add ons features.
  2. US roaming add ons start the moment you confirm and submit your purchase in your self serve account and expire 240 hours later (10 days×24 hours).
  3. You can pre-load the funds needed to purchase the add ons in your self serve account so you only have to log in, select the US roaming add on and then confirm and submit your purchase.
  4. Wait til late as possible to purchase since they are immediately valid so on free wifi at the destination airport or stopping shortly before the border at mcd's or timmy's to buy the add on while on free wifi.
  5. If you are staying longer than 10 days you must wait a minimum of 24 hours to purchase the same US roaming add on or contact the customer support to add it before the waiting period ends.
  6. If you have two US roaming add ons with a talk feature that overlap the talk feature basically gets disabled. Avoid this....but you will have to get one removed by a customer support agent to get your calling feature back if this happens.
  7. After purchase reboot your phone and manually select either at&t or T-mobile to get better reception. Some areas have better coverage by either provider so when travelling around the US you will be better served by choosing the provider with better signal strength by locale.
  8. You will recieve incoming texts without any US roaming add ons. Adding the fongo app and textnow app for use on wifi are good to use for a back up plan.
  9. All US roaming add ons have either unlimted text, talk or both. Only data has limits depending on your purchase 250mb/500mb/1gb. Once the data is consumed it will just stop you could then purchase different roaming add on, wait 24 hr to buy or contact customer support to buy the same US roaming add on again. (* except talk as previously mentioned.)

Happy travels and Stay--Safe!

 

Please note currently due to the decommissioning of the 3G network in the US by pm's roaming partners at&t has already begun this process but as of March 3rd 2022 still has some areas that are still served by the 3G network. T-Mobile has an end date of July 1st 2022. This will affect the ability of pm customers to send and receive voice calls and emergency service such as 911 while in the US and using pm's US roaming add ons. The current work around is to download a voip app such as textnow or fongo for use while on wifi or mobile data for voice calls when in areas no longer served by the 3G network which will eventually include all areas served by at&t and T-Mobile.

 

 

 

 

To contact customer support : Submit a support ticket via SIMon the chat bot Click here 

 

Or if you cannot submit a ticket via SIMon then Click here   ....for additional member supplied info.

nickyandjudy
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

Thanks for the tip! Does it also take 24 hours for the first one to take effect or does that one happen right away?

JL9
Mayor / Maire

So if you are going for 2 weeks and want to use PMs US roaming Add ons, you'd have to buy 2 (unless you could go without the first few days) and if you want the second one to begin immediately, you'd have to contact a CSA through the avenues above to expedite that, otherwise there is a 24 period you'd have to wait before adding the same add on 

nickyandjudy
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

Thanks!

nickyandjudy
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

Thanks!!

dabr
Mayor / Maire

@nickyandjudy    Not sure this was answered earlier, but no you don't need a different SIM card if you are using the roaming options from PM.  That would only apply if you went with a local (US) service while you were in the US and the PM roaming options weren't adequate for your travel needs.

@nickyandjudy   the 10 Day US Roaming Talk / Text options are operational for 240 hours from the time you purchase. I suggest you load sufficient $$ in Available Funds to cover cost for the add-on you want. Then when you get to the first community in US...find a wifi spot like at Walmart or Starbucks. Most diners, motels and resorts have free wifi now, you might just have to ask for the password. Then, you can log in to your PM account and buy the roaming add-on you want. Restart the phone and you should be good to go for 10 days (240 hours).

edit....phonics !

nickyandjudy
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

Thanks so much! My phone is an iPhone 6s Plus.

@nickyandjudy 

Roaming allows PM customers to utilize the AT&T and T-Mobile towers based on the agreement between PM and the American cell carriers.

 

What make and model is your phone so we can help with the Cellular Network setting?

@nickyandjudy  - Roaming just means outside your normal service area. So Public Mobile inmarket plans are for use whilst you are in Canada.

And there are also regular addons you can purchase for other services (calling to other countries and such) for use whilst you are in Canada.

 

But, for services while you are in the USA you need ROAMING addons for service to work (incoming texts are the exception, as they currently work with any active Public Mobile plan while in the USA).

 

Note, ROAMING addons only last for 10 days once you successfully add them to your account. So only add them right before you go or when you are in the USA.

See the ROAMING addon options in your self serve account here: https://selfserve.publicmobile.ca/Overview/plan-and-Add-ons/ChangePlanLandingPage/?PageRedirect=Redi...

 

It may vary by model, but to change the cellular network:

  1. Navigate to your phone's Settings.
  2. Navigate to Cellular / Mobile networks
  3. Select Cellular Data Options / Network operators
  4. Select Cellular Data Network / un-select automatically and see providers listed
  5. Return to the previous screen. Your changes will be saved automatically.

nickyandjudy
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

Hi - Thanks for this! I hate to say it, but i'm such a neophyte that i don't actually know what roaming means? And how would i manual connect your Cellular Network to AT&T or T-Mobile? Thanks for your patience 🙂

 

BKNS27
Mayor / Maire

@nickyandjudy 

Yes, the International calling only works if you make a call from Canada.

You will need to purchase a US Roaming calling and texting for $15/10 days with the PM SIM in your phone.

Remember to manual connect your Cellular Network to AT&T or T-Mobile while you are down in the US.

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@nickyandjudy wrote:

Hi -- I'm going to be traveling in the US for a couple of weeks and would like to use my phone for both phone and texting. No data needed. What do i need to add to my plan? (I currently have Canada wide calls and unlimited international texts but i think that's if I'm in Canada). I'd like to be able to call & text people in the US while in the US and also call from the US to Canada. Do i need a different SIM card? (phone neophyte here :)) Thanks!!

 


Public Mobile offers service while roaming in the U.S. if you purchase a romaing add-on.  Please review the avaialble U.S. roaming add-ons at:   Plans (publicmobile.ca)

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