SIM Card - re shipping charges & shipping

[randis1]

Can you let me know the following:

1.  Which courrier company delivers the SIM card?

2.  What happens if you are not home when the delivery comes?

3.  Can I pick up the delivered item at the courrier's head office?

4.  If the SIM card is not compatible with my telephone, will the shipping charges be refunded?

Thanks for all the responses to the questions above.  I realize I have many but appeciate a response.

Randi

[silverferrari]

I ordered the SIM card last week and it was shipped via Canada Post Expedited Shipping. I received it in my mailbox within 1-2 business days! Once you activate and signup for Public Mobile service, email back rebate@publicmobile.ca and they will issue a refund of $11.30 back to your credit card, this is better than a credit in your account.

[Luddite]

You are correct. The sim card carries the phone number with it. When you use a friend's sim card you will be calling with their phone number. So if you ever get a new phone you just need to move the sim and service continues. 

[randis1]

Thanks for the information. I was actually going to ask the question, if I could try a person's sim card to see if it works with my cellular telephone but thought this would not be possible as I thought the sim card was linked to a telephone number..

I purchased the telephone at a store and therefore it is a non-issue regarding it blacklisted as stolen but appreciate this information anyway.

Thanks again for all the information.

Randi

[Luddite]

"should work" I think because the phone may be compatible but locked to another carrier or blacklisted as stolen.

I had a quick look but cannot find the detailed specifications. Sometimes world GSM phones with correct frequencies as this does "850/900/1800/1900 Mhz" (I found at http://www.a1toner.com/Product/291557/RCA-RLTP5044-BLACK-5andquot-Android-Dual-Core-Smartphone-With-... ) will still not function because they operate on 2G protocol and not 3G needed by PM.

Since you have the phone, might as well order a sim. You can test your phone for $11 by activate a PM sim on 10 day texting plan. Or perhaps you know someone with PM service who's sim you can try in the phone.

This is the detail you need to compare to a phones specs: http://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Getting-Started/How-do-I-know-if-my-phone-will-work-on...

[randis1]

Thanks srlawren for that quick response.  I also am happy to hear that PM is owed by Telus and I feel much more at ease dealing with this company now.

Thanks again for your help and information.  

Randi

[srlawren]

Hi @randis. Yes if it is unlocked and listed as compatible with Telus, you are golden. Sorry the site I normally get my info from (gsmarena.com) doesn't seem to have any specs for that model (nor did I know RCA made smartphones!), but I am confident you will be good to go.

[randis1]

Thanks srlawrence for the information.  

I purchased a telephone and it is unlocked. 

I did put in yesterday the IMEI1 number and it said the following;  Device should work on our network.   Because it said it 'should work' I was concerned it may not work.  I did look at the packaging and it said that it is Canada comptability all GSM networks including Telus, Rogers, and Bell.

I just was concerned that because it said "device should work' that perhaps it wasn't comptable.

The phone is a RCA - RLTP 5044.  Any insight whether it will be compatible with Public Mobile.

Much appreciated for all the help I am getting.

Randi

[srlawren]

@Luddite I believe @randis1 is worried if his or her phone will work on Public Mobile, more so than physical SIM card size, but that is a good note!

@randis1 further to @Scaredy's response to your 4th question--I'd still suggest you verify the specs of your phone manually, or list the phone info here and we can help.  The IMEI checker on Public's site sometimes, unfortunately, gives "false positivies" when it should not.  And the point about the phone needing to be carrier unlocked (OR, locked to Koodo/Telus) still stands, regardless of results in the IMEI checker (it has no way to know the carrier lock status of your phone based on just the IMEI).

[Luddite]

4. If you mean sim card size, the PM tri-sim fits every phone. Just punch out the size you need.

[Scaredy]

1. Purolator or Canada Post with priority service (I got mine by CP, but it sounds like they're primarily using Purolator).

2. Same thing that happens to any package you receive if you're not home. You'll get a card with where to pick it up. 

3. Couriers usually just leave a card with where to pick up.

4. Use the IMEI check on Public Mobile's webpage to check if your phone is compatible before ordering. That's the way to be safest.

[srlawren · Accepted solution]

Hi @randis1, welcome to the Public Mobile community!

For the first 3 questions, I'm going to refer you to this thread:  http://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Announcements/Canada-Post-Strike/m-p/57464.  Traditionally PM have used Canada Post, and offered free shipping (which would just go to your postal mail box), or expedited shipping for a fee, of which I'm not sure if it's treated like regular mail and left in your postal mailbox, or if you would get a pick up notice.  However, not too long ago, they switched to a courier due to the threat of a mail strike.  The current system is that you pay a small shipping amount of $10, and once you activate the SIM, you can email to receive that $10 back as credit to your account--I believe.  I have to admit I haven't paid a ton of attention to all the details in that thread I linked above, so please click it and have a look.

For question 4:  no.  PM is a pre-paid service and does not do refunds for unused service.  What I'd suggest is that you research your phone first to make sure it's compatible.  What you are looking for is a minimum of HSPA/UMTS 3G radio in the 850 and 1900 MHz frequencies.  If you want 4G LTE data above the slower 3G data, then you want to look for LTE band 4 at a minimum.  Your phone needs to either be carrier-unlocked, OR, locked to Telus or Koodo is fine (Telus owns and operates PM on their own network, along with Koodo).  If your phone was purchased from any other carrier, or as part of a 2/3 year contract with phone discount/subsidy, chances are it is locked to that carrier.

If you are at all in doubt, please let us know the brand and model (be as specific as possible on the model number), and we can help you determine compatibility.