Pausing my plan for 1 year

[garygl]

Hi, I want to pause my subscription for 1 year as I will be travelling overseas (China) for working. I want to keep my number if possible. As far as I know, PM doesn't have service in China, so it looks like my only option is to pause or cancel it. PM seems to only allow a maximum of 90 days of suspended service. Does anyone know if I can pause it for 90 days, renew it for 1 month, then pause again for 90 days? For this to work, How do I change my current plan to the cheapest option? I can't seem to find anything below $30/month in "manage my subscription." What are some other options if I want to pause my plan for 1 year?

Thank you

[slusagm]

@Chalupa_Batman / @Joriel13 

You don't need to use the app weekly, there is no such rule for Fongo if you port in your number 

Fongo app can be used in China and hence you can still receive calls and text from friends while you are there.  I would say it is a better choice than to park the number somewhere that you cannot use 

[Chalupa_Batman]

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@slusagm wrote:

why not move your number to somewhere with free service and then come back and activate a line a year later

port to Fongo, only $25 for port in and free to port out after 3 months

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Just know @garygl , if you do something like this, you have to use the app weekly or so to keep it active. Also, it may not work in China. And finally, Fongo can terminate your account at any time. A risk if you wish to keep your number.

If you are going away for a year and want to keep your number, here is an option. https://www.numberbarn.com/ 

Then when you return, you can sign back up with Public Mobile on any plan you want as the old one will be gone. Then once you have a temporary phone number and everything works, you can port back your number you wanted to keep. Something worth looking at.

[slusagm]

why not move your number to somewhere with free service and then come back and activate a line a year later

port to Fongo, only $25 for port in and free to port out after 3 months

\

[softech]

@garygl 

yes, you can pause for 90 days and renew for 1 month and keep doing it that way

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 temporarily suspending the account and reactivate for 30 days before the 90 days deadline.

Here is what you can do:

1.  Optional step, you might want to change the plan to a cheaper one to cut down the cost.
   While this step might save you money, but please be aware that you might not be able to get back your current plan if that plan is no longer available when you are back.  If you are worried, or your current plan is already not available, skip this plan change step but you can still follow this pause subscription steps with higher cost
2.  If your Available funds = $0,  couple days before you want to stop the service, disable "Subscribed" from Payment page (Payment page, Managed Subscription, toggle off the "Subscribed" there 
   If you have some Available Funds, then mark your service as Lost-Stolen on the day you want to stop the service (Profile page, Report Lost/Stolen Phone)
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.
   If you have changed the plan on Step 1, it will just cost you the lower amount 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.  If your Available funds = $0 and Subscribed still disabled, 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.
   If you have Available Funds, you have to come back on the 29th or 30th days and mark the account Lost/Stolen 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.