two-factor authentication

[John_G1]

Is there any alternative to a text message with an authentication code, to verify our identity when we are logging into Public Mobile?

When one is outside North America, one cannot get text messages, so having another method of 2fA would be very helpful. How about an email address? I understand from other discussions here that setting up an authenticator app may be administratively difficult for Public Mobile - though I'm not sure why it would be. It's certainly not uncommon in other enterprises.

And if one lost one's phone when out of the country - which is not as rare as one would hope - then one is even more inconvenienced without another method of 2fA.

It seems to me that this should not still be a problem, years after people started to rely on 2fA. Maybe it isn't, but I have not found the solution here yet.  Guidance? Reactions?

Thanks

John G

[hairbag1]

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@John_G1 wrote:

I did not see anything on the Public Mobile site that would allow me to specify an email address for a 2FA message. That would be fine, I can get email anywhere in the world.

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You must set it up that way before going away as you won't get sms anywhere outside Canada (or Mx / US with correct plan). 

[John_G1]

All this seems like a royal PITA to figure out from abroad, given how hard anyone at PM can be to contact (in my experience from a few years ago). Wow! 

And it's hard to open a ticket with PM if one cannot log on for failure of the 2FA method. Sounds like the catch-22 of opening an account that I ran into a few years back.  So one is compelled to open a whole new community account, with some other email account - I guess most people(?) have more than one - and hope with fingers crossed that one does not need 2FA to open *that* one! 

[John_G1]

I did not see anything on the Public Mobile site that would allow me to specify an email address for a 2FA message. That would be fine, I can get email anywhere in the world.

[softech]

@John_G1 for security reasons, you will only be given the email or voice message choices if you have got the 2FA code via SMS once 

To get the alternate methods, click Didn't Receive Code or Resend Code on the 2FA screen

But if you don't see those choices, you will need to submit a ticket with Public Mobile Customer Support and they will sort it out.  

Please open ticket using Public Mobile Expert Messaging using your Community/EverSafe account.  Select Start a Chat to begin:
          https://expert-messaging.publicmobile.ca/guest/pre-chat
**You'll get email/SMS alert when agent replies. or monitor here: https://expert-messaging.publicmobile.ca/message-centre

** If you cannot receive 2FA code via SMS and unable to open ticket, please setup a new Community account using another email and DO NOT link a phone number to it.  You can then create an Expert Messaging ticket with this new account. 

[hairbag1]

@John_G1 

2FA to email is an option as long as you can receive emails where you are at.

[John_G1]

I am not seeing any alternative method of two-factor authentication to the text message to the phone. BUT if one is overseas where one cannot receive text messages generated in Canada, then one is out of luck if one wants to do anything to one's account. 

This is where an authenticator app - Google's or Samsung's, no doubt there are others - would come in very handy.

Or even a 2FA message to an email address, at least for the duration of the trip/holiday/absence.