Text from Public saying my phone will not work after June 2023? ? reply from support requested

[bradC]

I got a very unwelcome text today: "Public Mobile here. Starting June 2023, some of the older phones on our network will no longer be able to send or receive group, photo and video multimedia messaging (MMS) due to a service update. You are being contacted because your device will no longer be able to send or receive MMS after this date. Voice, text and data will not be affected..."

And then it goes on to tell me I can either buy a new smartphone from Telus or leave.

My phone is a Moto E 2nd generation with 4G LTE.  Not exactly ancient and not 3G.  

So what gives with this planned obsolescence nonsense? Or was this message sent to me in error as somehow the system thought my phone was 3G?  The good rates are worthless if you force me to buy a new phone like this.

Would request a response from support please.

[dabr]

@bradC    Have the same phone (my first smartphone, lol) that is being used as a spare for an account that is only activated when needed.  Got that text, and I also thought mine was was released in 2016 (when it was purchased), so that's very disappointing that MMS will no longer be available on these older phones.

@softech   apparently internet browsing is unaffected, but it will impact group messaging and MMS.

[gpixel]

phones are super cheap nowadays. sell your old phone on Craigslist and purchase a new/used one. preferably a device that's volte capable since that will be the next announcement to tell customers to upgrade their devices. 

[bradC]

Yes, planned obsolescence by any other name I think.  They're not even trying to hide it since they included a Telus phones link in the text.  If I have to buy a new phone, it sure as heck won't be from the people making me buy a new phone!  Very frustrating that they think they're improving services when it means forcing some people to get rid of their existing phones and buy new ones!

[bradC]

Good questions, and I wonder the same!  Lucky that you made the cut and your device isn't affected.  I'm super frustrated about this change as I neither wanted nor needed to spend money on a new cell phone!  So my first thing will be to see if any other service provider will allow this model of phone to continue using MMS or whether it's really going to be across the board.  And if they will, then I'll see if their cheapest plan is hopefully not too much more than Public's cheapest plan, and if so I'll drop Public like a hot potato. Their low rates are completely useless if they erase it all by forcing people to spend money on a new phone that they wouldn't otherwise need to buy!  But, if no other service provider will work, then I guess I'll have no choice but to shell out for a new phone and stick with Public.  Either way, total nonsense! 

[sheytoon]

I don't think it is related to 3G spectrum shutdown, as that would impact voice. This seems to be a modernization of certain functions on the Telus core network. They appear to be getting rid of support for older protocols that are used for browsing and data connectivity.

[Pawprints1986]

Looks like I "made the cut" judging by the link shared in this thread. Odd since I'm pretty sure mine is 2016 release, but I'll take it 

I'm so curious on the behind the scenes reason though. To only effect MMS, or some cases MMS and browsing, or aka data. But texts and calls sound like they'd still work ... 

Are they killing certain data only 3g only bands? Is that even a thing in the first place? 

And devices not listed will still continue to work on 3g for mms and data for the time being after June it sounds like ? Or are they killing MMS and data for *all* devices, but making some use lte only vs wcdma and lte as is the case now?

I'm suprised if they're planning on getting rid of it in June, if it's still how every single public phone processes phone calls now

🤔

[bradC]

Interesting point yeah, wow that would make it even more useless.  Did you get that message too on your phone from them that I got today?  Super frustrating!

[bradC]

I think I would miss it yeah, because not only would it mean I could never send or receive a photo, but also, more importantly, couldn't send a receive a text over a certain number of characters (because then it converts to MMS format).  And being on the wordy side, that often happens for me, haha.  So might end up having to get a new one (or look at a different company for the provider).  I thought I'd be safe by having 4G but apparently not!

[gpixel]

g

[softech]

The Telus page title said "Multimedia messaging and browsing"

does that mean Internet browsing won't work either??

[dust2dust]

It's just interesting that it's MMS. Do you do much MMS-ing to miss this feature? I wonder why it's so different that it obsoletes out older phones. But as I said, this was a thing in the states with the stopping 3G. People had to get new phones. It also affected non-mobile cell devices.

[bradC]

Thanks everyone for your replies!!  It only let me accept 1 as the solution so I gave it to @dust2dust since they were first and they found the info for this specific phone (thanks for that; does make it sound like I'll really have no choice but to get a new phone if I want to use these "features" which I do).  Would have also liked to accept the solution from @Outdoorsman though because that was very useful also giving me a way to contact support (somehow I thought they read the messages on here since I thought one had written back to a question I'd had before, so I'm glad you let me know there's a better way to reach them directly; thanks!).  Thanks also to the others for your input @will13am @BKNS27 .  Mine is 4G LTE, rather than 3G which was why I thought I was still going to be fine with that for quite awhile to come, but apparently this service update will let me down, so either I'll have to switch to another provider entirely, or shell out for a new phone just because Public/Telus wants to "upgrade" and can't find a way to do it without making some phones useless.  If their technology was really improving then it would find a way to get better within the existing framework, making people get rid of perfectly good phones seems absurd. Super frustrating. 

[BKNS27]

@bradC 

I guess carriers are sending out notices to members earlier as 3G will end in Canada in 2025.

[will13am]

I did a search, the moto E release date is 2015.  I would say that is pretty old for technology. 

[dust2dust · Accepted solution]

https://www.telus.com/en/support/article/multimedia-messaging-browsing-services-update

The Moto E 2nd Gen is listed.

[Outdoorsman]

@bradC hi that is interesting first I heard of this,since we are all customers here we can only speculate on what this means try contacting a customer service agent to find out whats up somehow I doubt they know a lot about it themselves let us know what you find out

There are two ways to contact a customer service agent , open a ticket through Simon here https://publicmobile.ca

Or  private message them here

      https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user

[dust2dust]

This was all a big shamozzle in the states with the shutting down of 3G networks. I guess maybe things are starting to roll here.

Certainly maybe possibly they might have sent it to you erroneously (quelle surprise) but still, this is a thing.

But also interesting that they're talking about MMS only. I don't remember hearing about that. I wonder what's being made different that regular MMS will somehow stop working.

Maybe user @sheytoon might shed some light on what's going on on that front.

[bradC]

It was a text from "5129" same number I get a bunch of their other promo stuff from (refer-a-friend, etc.). There were 3 links fo "learn more about the service update here" and then a long Telus link, "to continue with group, photo and video messaging, check out our latest smartphones at", another Telus link, and "If you no longer wish to hear about Public Mobile, visit" and then a bit link. I tried phoning Telus Loyalty since they own Public and they're obviously going to benefit from Public forcing people to buy new phones from Telus (or elsewhere) to keep pace with the service updates, but they said Public is separate (though doesn't sound too separate to me), and so the only way to talk with support about this is online here. 

[dust2dust]

Wow. Interesting. Were there any links? Which number was it from? Or was it email (even though you said text)?