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Re: Renewal reminder text messages

JudeAtude
Great Neighbour / Super Voisin

I have always gotten 2 text messages from #611 to remind me that my plan (pay as you go) is about to expire. One text 3 days prior and another text the day before expiry. This month I did not get any reminder text messages. I woke up to a text this morning from #611 telling me that my plan did not renew because no payment was received. I did not submit my payment voucher because I did not receive any reminder text messages. I rely on those reminder text messages from #611. Why did I not get any and how do I make sure I get them back again?

18 REPLIES 18

jpxo
Great Neighbour / Super Voisin

I searched for this topic to see if anyone else was experiencing this. I'm on autopay but the messages help me keep track of when my data limits reset. I'm fairly disappointed in the community for just saying "use a different method" rather than addressing the root of the question -- why did those messages suddenly stop working?

 

The last reminder message I got was Dec 29 for my Jan 1 renewal. Did not get a reminder for my Jan 31 renewal, nor one for tomorrow's Mar 2 renewal. Of course I can track my renewal date in other ways (and I do), but having a service the worked every month for 3 years suddenly stop without any notice is confusing. And making it my fault for "relying on 3rd party notifications rather than putting it in my calendar" is very disingenuous of posters here. Just saying.

 

Anyways, thank you to OP for making this post. I came here to see if anyone was having the issue and I see it isn't just me. No, it's not a problem with my setup because I haven't changed anything and I still get my monthly "thank you for your payment" messages. I wonder if these messages will make a comeback or if they're permanently disabled now as some cost-cutting measure. Would be nice to get official word from PM if so.

@Irene01- Go buy one of those visa gift cards and buy some stuff and use it all and in the meantime register it in your account and turn on autopay. Bam 2 bucks. Spend all the gift card money elsewhere. Leave it at zero. Keep paying however you like and you'll still get the $2.

I could even give you the particulars of one if you like. I think another customer here offers the same thing.

Irene01
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

Good points, but not being on Auto Pay is worth more to me than $2 per month savings. I think I've been with Public Mobile since 2012 or so, before they were acquired by Telus. I did try some competitors, but came back over six years ago, because I like the flexibilty and the coverage.

@Irene01   Yes, it's unfortunate the payment heads up text from PM  can sometimes go MIA, but you might just want to set up a reminder on your calendar so that you don't forget to make a payment since the renewal cycles are every 30 days and do not fall the on the same date of each month.

 

BTW, I notice you have been a community member since 2016 and if you've a PM customer as long and haven't set up autopay, then you have been losing $2 autopay discount every payment cycle.  You can still opt to pay with a voucher every month, however, it might be a good idea to register a payment card on the account which can be CC or Visa Debit or even a prepaid Visa with $0 balance, as long as you top up before your renewal date.  Then you will qualify for the additional $2 autopay discount, unless, of course, you have switched over to the new Public Points rewards (hopefully, not) and are advised not to switch since the old rewards are now grandfathered and no  longer offered for new activations.

 

edit:  @Irene01   BTW, you should be able to add payment vouchers by dialing 611 on your phone if you ever run into a problem trying to login to the self serve account.

Irene01
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

Sorry, I meant to say that it's more difficult to pay online *without* being on Auto-Pay.

Irene01
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

I didn't get my reminders today either, after getting them for about ten years. This could have put me in some danger, not having access to phone service when I thought I did. (Yes, I know 911 is free.) I do not like auto-pay and the ability to choose to pay monthly, not automatically, is a big reason I stay with Public Mobile. I'm hoping this was just a glitch. But I've noticed in recent months that it's getting more difficult to make an online payment with being on Auto-Pay. I think that the parent company Telus might be behind this as a deliberate strategy to lock in customers. Customers really should have been reminded if the reminders were going to disappear. It would be good to see an official response.

Community_QA
Model Citizen / Citoyen Modèle

I still getting mine

 

you sure you didn't block PM's shortcode?

 

umnikke8
Model Citizen / Citoyen Modèle

Adding my me too, the notice of payment due message didn't arrive for me either.

dabr
Mayor / Maire

@JudeAtude   Same here, at least two accounts didn't receive the heads up payment due text over the last couple of weeks but both did receive the TY for payment text.  Then again, PM's texts have never been 100% reliable, so definitely you want to keep track on any upcoming payments by making a note on a calendar (device or other).

dust2dust
Mayor / Maire

I have a dual-sim phone with 2 Public accounts. I'm a data hoarder. I went back a few months. Both sims got the heads up text. They renew one day apart so it's easy enough to follow. The last renewal, the second account did not get that text. So hmm...

But I agree, set a calendar reminder and make the payment.

How long have you been here? Over a year? If more than a year then why don't you have at least a visa gift card registered?


@JudeAtude wrote:

Yes, as I said, I received one this morning telling me that my plan did not renew due to insufficient funds in my account.


@JudeAtude  - right, okay, than the number is not blocked and messages are still coming in.

Quite frankly, there are so many texts from 611 around renewal time, I normally ignore them all.

 

So this morning you had no services due to nonpayment? Did you get the payment made and reactivate services okay?

 

There is also no harm in loading up vouchers days or weeks or longer ahead of renewal. The funds just stay there for future renewals anyhow.

 

Tsawwassen
Model Citizen / Citoyen Modèle

Just pay and be done with it.

WolverineCaz
Model Citizen / Citoyen Modèle

If it's a montly thing, I would make myself a reminder on the calendar on my phone, in case the same situation arise in the next months to come. 

Meow
Mayor / Maire

I would suggest you start relying on your phone's calendar and set up reminder there instead of relying on somebody else.

I did not receive SMS for PM either but my personal reminder was working perfectly. Just keep phone charged and on during the day...

JudeAtude
Great Neighbour / Super Voisin

Yes, as I said, I received one this morning telling me that my plan did not renew due to insufficient funds in my account.

Handy1
Mayor / Maire

@JudeAtude  I to somtimes get text remind of bill coming due a day or two before hand and other times not , not sure there a rhyme or reason for this 


@JudeAtude wrote:

I have always gotten 2 text messages from #611 to remind me that my plan (pay as you go) is about to expire. One text 3 days prior and another text the day before expiry. This month I did not get any reminder text messages. I woke up to a text this morning from #611 telling me that my plan did not renew because no payment was received. I did not submit my payment voucher because I did not receive any reminder text messages. I rely on those reminder text messages from #611. Why did I not get any and how do I make sure I get them back again?


If you check your archive and spam folders, is there a conversatin there from 611?  Also ensure that 611 hasn't been accidently added to the blocked list.

esjliv
Mayor / Maire

@JudeAtude wrote:

I have always gotten 2 text messages from #611 to remind me that my plan (pay as you go) is about to expire. One text 3 days prior and another text the day before expiry. This month I did not get any reminder text messages. I woke up to a text this morning from #611 telling me that my plan did not renew because no payment was received. I did not submit my payment voucher because I did not receive any reminder text messages. I rely on those reminder text messages from #611. Why did I not get any and how do I make sure I get them back again?


@JudeAtude - the messages are a good guide for when your plan is coming due to renew, but I wouldn't put all my faith in the messages being 100% reliable.

I'd suggest you set a calendar reminder each time you need to make a payment.

 

Are you receiving any texts from 611/public?

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