Text From PM About Changes To Manitoba Prepaid Network

[bluejaywpg]

I just received the following text now:

"Public Mobile here. As of March 16, 2021, our Prepaid network in Manitoba will be changing and select areas of Winnipeg and Brandon may experience reduced voice coverage. Data speeds will remain unaffected. In order to maintain the best voice coverage after March 16, 2021, changes will need to be made to your account. For more information, please call us at 1-866-975-3058. Free Public Mobile Msg"

Before I call this number, has anyone here heard anything related to this or what exactly this is about? What changes are we talking about???

[bluejaywpg]

Just a reminder to all Winnipeg & Brandon Manitoba based subscribers that these semi-mysterious changes to certain bands that *may* impact our voice service with PM take effect tomorrow. I have no idea what time of day (overnight?) that this is supposed to happen. Make sure to test your phone - call someone & see if it works. 

If it works (which I hope it does), I'll continue with Public Mobile. If not, I will heavily consider moving to another provider. Especially since my next payment is to happen on March 18.

[gpixel]

I honestly don't think volte is going to be much help.. I had volte when I was with virgin  and the phone would still switch to HSPA+ when I was at home. I think switching to lucky or chatr or a cellphone booster will be the better choices

the problem with switching now is you don't have anything to compare your previous service with. you won't know how much better or worse it was

[softech]

---

@toxicfire wrote:

The whole sending a text message with no information was very poor service and then providing a number to telus who has no idea whats going on lol.Like what. really.

Not sure if i want to go through the work to transfer over to a telus company. Maybe if credits could be transferred and kept then maybe 

---

Since PM is prepaid, I doubt you can transfer credit... but no harm to call.

Yes, the number to Telus is just hope you won't go to other providers..  But, if they want to keep your business, they should at least provide more information,  like a webpage with all the details, or a proper email

[toxicfire]

The whole sending a text message with no information was very poor service and then providing a number to telus who has no idea whats going on lol.Like what. really.

Not sure if i want to go through the work to transfer over to a telus company. Maybe if credits could be transferred and kept then maybe 

[computergeek541]

---

@Peggie99 wrote:

Has there been any update on this?

I'm still incredibly unclear as to what is happening with Public mobile service in Winnipeg and Brandon.

Looking for definitive/official answers from either Telus or Public Mobile and not finding them.

Honestly, it shouldn't be this difficult to get some official answers.

---

Some of the 3g/HSPA network that is required for voice calling at Public Mobile won't be available after the stated date. Telus's officical stance as been that prepaid customers should switch to Telus or Koodo postpaid plans and to upgrade to a VoLTE compatible device.

[Peggie99]

Has there been any update on this?

I'm still incredibly unclear as to what is happening with Public mobile service in Winnipeg and Brandon.

Looking for definitive/official answers from either Telus or Public Mobile and not finding them.

Honestly, it shouldn't be this difficult to get some official answers.

[bluejaywpg]

I will test & post too if I have issues after March 16. I don't do much calling but the calls I have are almost all at home. So as long as it works there, I should be OK. But I'll be curious to see what others say.

[pdunk]

Hi @nextbigthing ,

I had to provide my phone numbers and IMEI numbers to the Moderator Team to get the approved Koodo offer for me. I'd suggest reaching out to the Moderator Team as well.

[nextbigthing]

What is the "Koodo $15 migration plan" ?

[PMinfo]

@pdunk... Yes, I wasn't intending to migrate for the family member to a Telus affiliate but as you say, the migration deal was simply the best out there (@$15 level).  I'm not sure if this will change now that new subscribers seem to be facing price increases on prepaid but relieved to have locked in the Koodo post-paid rate before March 16.

I still can't believe the IMEI will be blocked forever on the Moto Power (too good of device and likely several with it).  I would keep "harassing" Telus to include the IMEI or provide some possible software update if required.

I simply got lucky by getting the Moto Fast a few months back on a Costco sale.  I really suggested the "Power" for the family member but they thought it was "overkill", lol.  Looks like their choice saved the migration deal in MB. 

Let's hope VoLTE will be solid in MB... I'll definitely post if it proves NOT to be!

[pdunk]

@PMinfo 

I bit the bullet and migrated both my PM lines to Koodo today. I went to Polo Park corporate and they tested both my devices with a Koodo SIM, neither displayed VoLTE when Koodo SIM was inserted. Long story short, I purchased the Moto G Fast for one line and kept my existing Moto G Power for the other (knowing it will not have any better reception on PM vs Koodo). Because the Koodo migration plans, particularly the migration plans for the $15 plan, was the unbeatable winner against all other comparable providers (vs Chatr, Lucky, PC, Zoomer), I went with the Koodo $15 migration plan. It's a trade of for reception on my Moto G Power, but I make it up for a much better plan. If that makes sense.

[Gene2u]

Yep, seeing that text message again brings back the annoyance all over again.  Vague and indifferent.  “Call this number, which unbeknownst to you is our sales line and transfer to a relatively expensive post-paid plan.  Oh, and our salespeople probably won’t know why you’ve been asked to call us.”

Thank you everyone on this thread for your knowledge and suggestions.  I’ve got a couple PC Mobile SIMs ordered from eBay, $2 each, but they’re full-sized and I’ll have to cut them down to nano size.  Then you guys discussed Zoomer Wireless which is also interesting, since I’m just about (gulp) 50.  I don’t need a new phone, so I’ll probably go with PC Mobile, but I’ll do a more thorough analysis soon

[kav2001c]

The text message

1 more month until change over

[bluejaywpg]

@AE_Collector Freedom Mobile / Shaw Mobile doesn't service Manitoba beyond their limited "nationwide" network so we won't be switching to them anytime soon since they only service parts of Ontario, Alberta, & BC with their "Freedom Network"..

[sheytoon]

@sherie_b I agree with everything @Dunkman said, and I would add: potential voice coverage issues will mainly affect indoor locations in Winnipeg and Brandon. Outdoor coverage won't be impacted much.

The frustrating part for a customer would be seeing signal bars of LTE, but not being able to make voice calls.

[AE_Collector]

@sherie_b 

My opinion... most likely you wont notice any difference particularly if you aren't comparing signal strength in one particular place that you spend lots of time in MB such as your work or residence location.

My thoughts have that been a company gets roasted for not keeping people up to date with any change that may affect their signal so in this case they announce that there are some network changes coming up that some might notice and they get roasted for that as well to the point that customers are bailing out. Sort of the “You can’t Win” scenario.

Granted, PM likely did a poor job of communicating the situation (I am not in MB so didn’t get any of the communications about this) but I’ve been here for over two years now and poor communications is a common thread here, nothing new. All part of the experience here as I like to say!

If you can wait until after March 16 I suspect many will report on line whether they notice any difference or not. People willingly flee to Shaw/Freedom cell service all the time where there is a well documented lower overall service level.

AE_Collector

[computergeek541]

---

@sherie_b wrote:

I am from Alberta. What will happen to my coverage when I travel to Manitoba?

---

You soon have worse coverage, at least for voice, because there wll be less HSPA coverage than before. Phone calls only work on the HSPA network at Public Mobile, and parts of that network are being taking away in parts of Manitoba.

[Dunkman]

---

@sherie_b wrote:

I am from Alberta. What will happen to my coverage when I travel to Manitoba?

---

@sherie_b 

In areas outside Winnipeg and Brandon, your coverage would remain the same.  Within those two centres, your talk/call quality may be affected depending on location within city.  It is hard to say for sure since the changes have not taken affect yet.  

[sherie_b]

I am from Alberta. What will happen to my coverage when I travel to Manitoba?

[gpixel]

@pdunk unless you live on the outskirts of those 1900mhz towers, I wouldn't worry so much about call quality. just wait for March 16. I think people are overreacting... if you have a good amount of rewards on your account and you don't want to switch providers, just purchase a cell phone booster with band 2(1900mhz)

[computergeek541]

---

@pdunk wrote:

@Peggie99 

Check out Zoomer - owned by Rogers: https://www.zoomerwireless.ca/promotion_offer/feb-2021

Promo ending Feb 28: $27 1GB UL T&T / $50 activation credit / $0 Moto G Fast.

Compared to the most equivalent Koodo migration offer, this has advantages considering the $50 activation credit + $0 phone + does not require a VoLTE device.

---

This is a very good example of Public Mobile having lost its competitve edge.  That same competitor also has a popular full LTE speed at plan for $36 that current Public Mobile plans don't even come close to touching.  Even offerings within the  Telus umbrella are often better with faster data, and often more of it.

[PMinfo]

@pdunk ... Ah...Ok...  I still think Telus is playing games here as I can't fathom that EVERYONE who has a Moto G Power (2020) will NEVER be able to access Telus VoLTE who want to migrate from a competing carrier.  This looks like pure IMEI blocking (blacklisting, essentially).

Dumb on Telus part for sure.  Perhaps they are just unduly punishing existing PM clients and think they will stay.  Don't know, but I certainly don't blame anyone for leaving the Telus system if your experience is going to be common.

For my family, the migration offer made sense (owning the Moto Fast) but like you, I had no intention of just "hoping" the 1900 exclusive band was going to work out on the existing PM system in MB come March 16.  I suspect many will (rely on hope) and it "may or may not" work out.  The problem is there may be an avalanche of porting (at the same time) which may prove to be a nightmare in itself for PM legacy customers.

[pdunk]

@PMinfo 

After speaking with and providing my Moto G Power IMEI to a Koodo rep, who checked with his back office support as well as his technical support, the answer came back - no, my VoLTE-capable device is not allowed to access VoLTE on the TELUS network. 

It's an awful experience and frankly is it even worth the risk to continue into the unknown with only 1900 and to know that TELUS/Koodo's dangling of the golden carrot does exist but only if I purchase a new phone. 

[PMinfo]

@pdunk ... I was checking on the Videotron (Que) site (for Moto Power) and the phone itself appears to have the VoLTE setting (at least the IMEI units they sell) and is VoLTE capable on the Videotron activation.  This is the device settings to check...

https://videotron.tmtx.ca/en/topic/moto_gpower/using_voice_over_lte_volte.html#step=5

If the phone itself is VoLTE capable than the real issue is whether Telus/Koodo will allow the IMEI to work on their network.

[pdunk]

@Peggie99 

Check out Zoomer - owned by Rogers: https://www.zoomerwireless.ca/promotion_offer/feb-2021

Promo ending Feb 28: $27 1GB UL T&T / $50 activation credit / $0 Moto G Fast.

Compared to the most equivalent Koodo migration offer, this has advantages considering the $50 activation credit + $0 phone + does not require a VoLTE device.

[_Daniel_]

just noticed the "promo churn" mention and wanted to point out that in my case there was no promo that brought me here, nor was there a promo that lead to my departure... i left with promos still available, and i came here because i wanted to switch from a teir plan to teir 3 and my partner had good experiences with telus reception.

perhaps an interesting tidbit is that i had a pm error in my favour... a second $25 free month credit had been applied to my account. and because i wanted a relationship built on fairness and honesty with PM, i sent a ticket to make them aware. in the end, they reclaimed all but $5 of that double bonus because they appreciated the fact i brought that to there attention.

if i would have felt a reciprocation of fairness and honesty with the whole "tower access dropping march 16, transfer yourself to a more expensive plan to not lose services" fiasco... i wouldn't have been inspired to shop around and transfer my services.

[PMinfo]

@pdunk... Comes as no surprise, Koodo wishes to make this more profitable for them,  My family member had the Moto G Fast already (Costco channel).  I checked the IMEI on the Koodo/Telus device listings and it is listed as "should work".  The IMEI range is the same as for Telus/Koodo sold units.  Motorola.ca lists Telus, Koodo as resellers for Moto G Fast.  I don't see Moto Power Telus/Koodo reseller listed at Motorola.ca.  If you go by the "official" Telus listing page, Moto Power does not show as one of the VoLTE devices.  

Telus "Official" list of VoLTE compatible devices:

https://www.telus.com/en/mb/support/article/how-to-use-volte 

Telus IMEI device compatibility check:

http://mobility.telus.com/en/MB/phones-and-devices/devicecompatibility.shtml 

In other posts, I remember some Moto Power owners not finding the IMEI listed with Telus/Koodo.  I would be skeptical if that means "it won't work", however there is no guarantee without the device listed.  I know Moto Power is sold through FM/Shaw, Videotron, Costco so this could be more of a "marketing block" than technical.  I can't be certain.

If you wish to switch to Koodo, I would ask to speak with Technical (likely through Telus channel).  Koodo Marketing / Activations is for sure going to tell you, you have to buy from them.

GL  

[pdunk]

@PMinfo 

I am talking to Koodo right now. I have a Moto G Power purchased outside Telus channels, and they are saying it's not compatible for VoLTE which is funny because it's of the same lineage as your Moto G Fast.

Anyways, I am being told in order to use VoLTE that I must purchase a Koodo device.

Out of the frying pan and into the fire. PM says go to Koodo, Koodo says you have to buy a phone. So while yes Koodo has VoLTE, it comes with a catch - you must buy a phone. 

[PMinfo]

@AE_Collector ...Confirm... yes PM to Post-Paid Koodo (via migration promo for MB).  This is not a SIM issue, it is a technical "network switching" issue on Koodo/Telus side.  No SIM change was required - just providing the PM SIM S/N (although one may run into a Koodo Front-end that will say different).  I will refer back to my persistence comment after discussing specifically with a knowledgeable activation Koodo CSR.

It's "amazing" what Telus can do when they wish.  New SIMs among Telus affiliates appear to be more a marketing ($10 up charge) than technical issue.   

[_Daniel_]

i sent a message to the mod team and they have confirmed my cc/autopay was removed when the account was closed (post port)... no billing should occur