SIM Card is Updating .... ???

[sharonboutilier]

So this is the newest problem.

Phone locked up with this screen message.

You have to power off and on for it to leave.  But it comes back after a bit.

I've been having problems calling out. I would get the message, "You do not have Talk on this plan" but there is Unlimited Provincial.

First I was told it was a bug in the system and they would fix.  The service worked for a while, and now it is back!

This time PM tells me, you must upgrade your plan and add $5 to fix.

When I pressed about it, they said the Tech team needed to fix this and escalate it.

So, which is it?

Every time I try to get them to help, they ask for verification and I give it and they say sorry verification expired, please do it again.  And then they disappear.

Meanwhile, my mother (this is my mom's account) could not make her Medical Calls.  We had to make them.

This is NOT RIGHT.

And now this "Updating SIM" issue WHILE I'm waiting to PM to reply to me about the first issue.

IS this really how PM deals with this? especially when a senior and medical is involved?

[Anonymous]

 @sharonboutilier : If the "other replier" was directed at me...I have sympathized all along...the company absolutely should be putting this right. It was your repeatedly talking about morals and the difficulty this puts your mother in for communication. I simply said that the company does not know or need to be interested in how the service is being used or who is using it...they just need to deliver it...which they're not...which I've said all along.

[Luddite]

@sharonboutilier  Let's assume you will pitch PM for your mum's primary phone service. Then for the best ideas let us know:

• total acceptable cost/month
• if she has a stationary primary phone, do you want her to have a mobile phone for the times she's out, and as emegency back up?
• where does she/you live?
• does she have a wifi connection possible?

Lots of people willing to get you out of this mess permanently.

[darlicious]

@sharonboutilier 

Send a private message to @Catherine_T now before shes off for the weekend maybe she can intervene and give your case the attention it needs.

[sharonboutilier]

Thanks.

First, to the other replier -- my mom's case is not special. She just wants a service she can call out and reply on. Seriously, that's not a headache for a service provider.  Pay for Unlimited, not be asked to pay more to call local.

Don't tell a customer it's a bug, then when it happens again, tell them pay more, then disappear.

That's not my mother requiring special Tier 1 service. Period.

Hali - I'm actually trying an Alcatel flip now to see if the problem persist, just to be on the safe side.  I'm pretty handy technically. But thanks for the helps offer.

And that is how I verified with them, providing in the email to the Mods that personal info, and more, credit card info they wanted, etc...

And now nothing.

[darlicious]

@sharonboutilier 

Wow what a mess pm has made of your mom's service. It doesnt bode well for the new roll out of provincial plans. Here's a couple of suggestions to maybe make things a little less frustrating....

Put this in your next message this should keep you verified rather than the way you have to keep repeating it with tickets submitted thru simon......

1. Full name and address on account.
2. Email, phone # and pin #.

I suggest you write @Catherine_T and explain like you did here and your previous thread about pm not delivering your mom's services.....or service rather. Pretty simple phone service plain and simple. Its not up to you to pay extra for an add on its up to pm to add it for free to temporarily fix  their problem while the tech team works on the big fix......maybe this is getting caused by the return of the provincial calling plans?

What brand and model is hour moms flip phone maybe i can do a little trouble shooting on my alcatel one touch A392A?

[HALIMACS]

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@sharonboutilier wrote:

@HALIMACS

Hi, thanks. Yes, one family member not with PM is saying the same thing.

I got half my family to sign up - including 2 that required phone for medical calls.

Now, I'm looking around tonight for alternatives for mom and I.

I can not take this flakiness. 

I put up with some issues, but for someone needing to make and receive medical calls, and Public Mobile can not bother to pick up a phone to speak, or at least reply properly in email and say what's up.

I ever said, if you want a bigger plan purchase and it will fix it, say so, and let her decide.

All i get back is,  verification did not work (expired) please try again..... ..... .....

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Hi @sharonboutilier 

The verification process sucks.  I find it's best to use the Chatbot on the bottom right (although many scorn that) to ensure a Ticket Number is generated right away.

Anyway, loyalty to Public Mobile is one thing - making things easier for Mom is quite another thing.

I'm pretty certain even Public Mobile staff reading this thread might silently think you may be best served elsewhere on a 1st tier network (TELUS, Rogers, or Bell) for your Mom's mobile needs.

At the end of the day, Public Mobile fits a niche.  It's definitely not for everyone.  After reading through your experiences (this one & prior), I've decided to stop mentioning to my 70+ year old in-laws a possible switch to Public Mobile as they're looking to switch from their current 1st tier supplier.

[Luddite]

@sharonboutilier  Yes, if you cannot find a way for her to manage for a few days without service it's best to "cut bait and switch". As I noted in my post though, even landlines can be out of service for a few days, so without some backup the best you can achieve is phone/kiosk support she could reach with a neighbour's assistance.

If you're not looking for cellular service specifically, check out the Koodo home phone. Long term it's $20/month, so still cheaper than a Bell/Rogers landline. My daughter is very happy with this Koodo service compared with Bell, and Koodo does have call centre support.

[sharonboutilier]

I dont mind doing in store activating.  Actually how I did my first PM account.

They know who I am, I've verified 3 times, and I've dealt with them before for both senior family members.

[Anonymous]

Changing providers would mean acquiring a SIM, activating it would mean keeping the original SIM in and waiting for the transfer confirmation. Then swapping the SIM's somehow in the physical phone.

The extra trickiness for you currently is that you're not the account holder. It would have been better if you had "looked" like them from the start but you would still have needed all the right information.

[sharonboutilier]

@Luddite 

Thanks. My mom doesn't use tech of any kind. Phone is a simple Flip Phone.  I'm here so there is a back up phone... while I'm home and if not at work. But now this is what I do with my time.., trying to solve this.

Yes, she saves $5 with PM over a different provider, and I'm about $8 less, but now, it's not worth the risks and headache.

She paid this month,  for what?

Sorry you've had a similar time with your sister.

Honestly, I think the best answer is a more reliable Provider,  or at least one that shows a degree of sympathy.

[sharonboutilier]

@HALIMACS

Hi, thanks. Yes, one family member not with PM is saying the same thing.

I got half my family to sign up - including 2 that required phone for medical calls.

Now, I'm looking around tonight for alternatives for mom and I.

I can not take this flakiness. 

I put up with some issues, but for someone needing to make and receive medical calls, and Public Mobile can not bother to pick up a phone to speak, or at least reply properly in email and say what's up.

I ever said, if you want a bigger plan purchase and it will fix it, say so, and let her decide.

All i get back is,  verification did not work (expired) please try again..... ..... .....

[Luddite]

@sharonboutilier  Your situation is very difficult, especially if you are unable to go to your mother's place. It's an impossible situation unless you know someone who can assist your mother with another phone.

I've just been through similar difficulties with my sister who lives 2 hours away and had to borrow a neighbour's phone to call me. We were able to recover service with an old phone she had, but are still trying to work out a scheme to manage long term. Likely we will follow the ideas in the post below and get her set up with a TextNow account on her iPad.

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Getting-Started/100-SERVICE/m-p/183753/highlight/true... 

If your mum uses a tablet or computer with home wifi the ideas there may help. If you'd like to discuss some workarounds feel free to send me a private message.

[HALIMACS]

@sharonboutilier 

This may sound unhelpful, but I'm just going to offer it.

If the public mobile moderators cannot make this right for you - I would politely ask for a refund and move this service, which you rely on, to another provider who is not undergoing current changes to their plans and can answer your call or that has a store that you can go to.

Now public mobile may not like this response - but I'm just saying what I would do if I were in your situation and this service was for my mother's benefit.

C'mon Public Mobile, put someone on this!  

[sharonboutilier]

Yes, this is TWO issues now.

And it seems they are probably related.

[sharonboutilier]

Hi.  Thought I mentioned,  it's the Unlimited Provincial for $20

It is definitely not the phone.

PM has said first it was a bug, and would be fixed.  When it happened again they then said an add-on was required in order to talk.

This new one, "Updating Sim"  has been listed by other people too with new and old sims.

It can not be both way.

I am not the only person with these issues.

IT would be nice if PM would be straight and at least respond.

I have verified the account with them about 3 times now.

Am I myself am a Public Mobile user, so, they know me.

Seriously, this is crazy.

[Luddite]

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@LurganIeUk wrote:

Looks like this thread needs to be merged with other one that OP has started. 

@Luddite 

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@LurganIeUk  Diffrerent issue now.

[LurganIeUk]

Looks like this thread needs to be merged with other one that OP has started. 

@Luddite 

[Anonymous]

 @sharonboutilier : I sympathize but a provider has no clue or idea or need to know who is using the service and for what purpose. All they do is provide the service. Which you're having difficulty with. You were caught up with other similar customers in a large-scale plans update that returned provincial calling. You should NOT have to change plans...although that MAY be a quick fix.

[LurganIeUk]

I don't think you or your Mom are being steered. 

Reboot Phone with SIM

Reboot Phone with out SIM

Reset the phone to out of box and start over. 

It sounds more like a SIM or Phone problem....a problem that cannot be fixed buy upgrading. 

[JK8]

@sharonboutilier 

Can you please tell us what plan your mother is on?

[sharonboutilier]

Furthermore.... she has paid for a service this month that she was barely been able to use !

I simply ask Public Mobile... if this is all to steer her into upgrading (increasing) her plan, just freak'n say so so she can decide to stay or leave.

This is immoral at this point, since this involves a woman being able to make her medical calls or not.