Text regarding $5/mo 3G usage price increase

[Sham_Madani]

Hello, I just received a message that I’m going to charge 5$ more because of my device that uses 3G, I’m not sure why because I’m using 5G data on my phone & I don’t really understand the extra charge!

[hTideGnow]

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@NT31 wrote:

Hi slusagam, thank you for the update. the volte list requires info about a specific phone which I still need to buy. I think giving me only 2 weeks notice is not enough. I am looking to buy either Nokia or Sonny Ericsson but it will take time. I think I will need to connect to customer service to  extend notice and get phone names specific to Public before I make a purchase. Thank you and have a wonderful day.

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hi @NT31 

make sure you buy a phone that is designed for Canada.  I am not Nokia and Sony still have phones really sold in Canada.

if you can get a hand to the IMEI when you buy, I would check using the IMEI checker to confirm first

[NT31]

Thank you Sansan, I am glad you mentioned March 27 deadline I thought the change needs to happen by June 2026, so I only got 2 weeks notice not enough to buy a new phone. I appreciate your comment so now I can breath easily. Have a wonderful day.

[NT31]

Hi slusagam, thank you for the update. the volte list requires info about a specific phone which I still need to buy. I think giving me only 2 weeks notice is not enough. I am looking to buy either Nokia or Sonny Ericsson but it will take time. I think I will need to connect to customer service to  extend notice and get phone names specific to Public before I make a purchase. Thank you and have a wonderful day.

[hTideGnow]

hi @Chris1985   S21U will work.  You don't have to move

@Chris1985  @Stephy3  since your phone should work here, you shouldn't need to pay the $5 surcharge.  Just open a ticket with PM support agent and confirm

submit a ticket with CS Agent using Chatbot here:       
            https://widget.telus.tiia.ai/publicmobile/publicmobile.html 
             Type the question "Submit ticket", Then click the following in order: "Contact Us" ,  "Other",  "Log In".  
             (If unable to receive 2FA SMS, click "Didn't Receive Code" or "Resend Code" and Select "Send Email")         
If any issue with ticket submission, you can submit  ticket by direct message:  
          https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437 

Remember CS_agent will reply to your Community inbox within 2 to 4 hours, please check your inbox here:
           https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/privatenotespage            

[Chris1985]

Same here. I have a s21 ultra. There's no chance I'm buying another phone just to save $5/month, I'll just switch carriers. Sad though, I've been with pm since 2017. 

[Tamarra]

Phone manufacturers have to pay Telus for access and which includes some software testing - so a Google search told me.

[Tamarra]

Yes, I see that phone manufacturers have to pay Telus for access and smaller manufacturers can't or won't do that. I'll see if any other carriers will. I like this phone.

[Sansan]

I believe that this phone will use 3G for calls. The Samsung that they supported in the past started with the s21 FE 5G and above. One way to test is to make an outgoing call and see what the indicator shows top right corner. 

You can submit a ticket through the chatbot and have them confirm for sure.

[Stephy3]

I just received the text about the 3G network change but when I input my IMEI number it says it is compatible with the VoLTE network and 5G.

How do I decifer if PM made a mistake or its not good when their checker says it is?

 

[slusagm]

@Tony67 do you aware this is not  a fees that only PM collects? Other providers have this fees too.  So, suggesting a complain would not get you anywhere 

[Tony67]

I got older phone...its LTE capable, but its not on their "approved" list, hence, "verboten".  Its a Mafia.  I suggest to make complaint with CCTS because it becomes an unfair billing issue, the CRTC because it is unfair tobe locking you out of LTE when you have a phone capable of it.  I am taking those actions as we speak....am fed up.

[slusagm]

@Tamarra Balckview phone is not really a Canadian phone.  It is not on PM's whitelist 

[Tamarra]

Black view Wave 8 with North American settings

[hTideGnow]

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@Tamarra wrote:

My subscription says I'm on 4G now, yet I'm getting the same message. My IMEI says not compatible with Telus VoLTE. Why?

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hi @Tamarra 

You might have a 4G/5G phone, and a 4G/5G plan and using 4G/LTE/5G for data,  and your phone might support VoLTE,  But PM has a VoLTE whitelist and only phones on the list can use VoLTE.   

Since you got that text, your phone likely is not on the VoLTE whitelist.  If that is the case,   while you are using 4G or LTE or 5G for data, when you are making calls, the system will ball back to 3G for voice calls. 

When the 3G network ends, you won't be able to use any network for calls with your current phone

So, what phone do you have?

[Tamarra]

My subscription says I'm on 4G now, yet I'm getting the same message. My IMEI says not compatible with Telus VoLTE. Why?

[hTideGnow]

hi @Anna_Yeonjun 

You might have a 4G/5G phone, and a 4G/5G plan and using 4G/LTE/5G for data,  and your phone might support VoLTE,  But PM has a VoLTE whitelist and only phones on the list can use VoLTE.   

Since you got that text, your phone likely is not on the VoLTE whitelist.  If that is the case,   while you are using 4G or LTE or 5G for data, when you are making calls, the system will ball back to 3G for voice calls. 

When the 3G network ends, you won't be able to use any network for calls with your current phone

So, what phone do you have? and which province?

check if your phone can use VoLTE using the IMEI checker here:
https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/get-help/articles/volte

[Anna_Yeonjun]

Hello,

I received txt message saying that because I'm on 3g network, there will be additional $5 charge. My phone is for 5g phone (samsung) so I'm not sure why Public says that I'm on 3g network.

Can Public mobile check and correct this? I check imei on Public mobile website and it says that my phone is 5g.

Thank you.

[hTideGnow]

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@packnetwork wrote:

Thanks, I was unaware of that. As well, I agree that in order to run a business they need revenue, BUT a 26% hit is over the top. 

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hi @packnetwork 

it is $5 for anyone's phone not compatible.  For $35 or $50 plans, the % is less.  Yes, for $18 or so, that is a steep increase.  I think their idea is to encourage people to upgrade their phones to compatible ones

[packnetwork]

Thanks, I was unaware of that. As well, I agree that in order to run a business they need revenue, BUT a 26% hit is over the top. 

[hTideGnow]

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@packnetwork wrote:

That's a 26% increase! Does anyone know if this increase was approved by the CRT

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hi @packnetwork 

yes, carriers are allowed to have this charge.  In fact, other have this fees as well, it is called "Legacy Network Usage Fees".  PM is not the only one charging.   And carriers are allowed to have price hike as long as they give you 30 days notice (if they cannot increase price, no one will run this business 🙂 )

[Sansan]

Your phone will work on Telus or probably Koodo for now until they also switch over. It will not work with PM after the change. 

Each company had their own list, and Public Mobile is more restricted.

[packnetwork]

That's a 26% increase! Does anyone know if this increase was approved by the CRT

[Ron_L]

I checked my phone IMEI on Public Mobile IMEI test and it says not compatible or unable to find a match.  Since Public Mobile doesn't actually have their own network but uses the Telus network I also checked my IMEI on the Telus website.  There it says that my phone is supported.  When I make a phone call It changes from LTE to 4G. It doesn't change to 3G.  Since the Telus network is what actually matters shouldn't their IMEI check be the definitive test?  Obviously my phone is going to continue to work after 3G is shut down.

[Jpshum5]

Unfortunately, it feels like it's just a matter of time. I moved from fido because they were doing that a year ago and now it's happening in PM and eventually all telecom carriers. Only Starlink may save us now.

[Tony67]

Definitely they got a list of whose naughty and nice....does it make sense if your phone HAS the capability....no, its likley one of those favoring someone or something because no one is watching too hard...

[slusagm]

@Tony67 

the complaint process won't help, you won't get anything out of it

Mobile providers are allowed to setup their network requirement.  There is no rule to force mobile provider to accept all phones and any phone to their network.  

And your phone might have VoLTE but it is not on PM's VoLTE whitelist.  So, if it is like that, your data might be using 4G or LTE or 5G , but calls will go back to 3G

confirm if your phone is on the whitelist by using the VoLTE checker at the bottom of this page:
https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/get-help/articles/volte

if it is not on it, then sorry, you need to pay the $5 for now until you get a new phone.  And yes, you still need a new phone as PM will close down the 3G network in March 2027 and you would have no voice calls then

[Sansan]

Make a call a check the status of the phone while in the call.

What does it say?

[hTideGnow]

hi @Tony67 

You might have a 4G or even 5G plan and using 4G/LTE/5G for data,  and your phone might support VoLTE,  But PM has a VoLTE whitelist and only phones on the list can use VoLTE.   

Since you got that text, your phone likely is not on the VoLTE whitelist.  If that is the case,   while you are using 4G or LTE or 5G for data, when you are making calls, the system will ball back to 3G for voice calls. 

When the 3G network ends, you won't be able to use any network for calls with your current phone

So, what phone do you have? and which province?

check if your phone can use VoLTE using the IMEI checker here:
https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/get-help/articles/volte

[Tony67]

Does anyone here have an actual LTE capable phone, but if being told that its 3G because it is being denied to ebe registered on their towers as an LTE. Then they send you a msg that you will be charged $5 more because they are phasing out 3G.  Well, i am preparing to go "upstairs" with this wiht a CCTS complaint process.

[waytay]

Maybe for others.  But Koodo and Telus accepts my wife's S10 phone -- but PM does not.  Makes me think PM is trying to drive customers back to parent Telus (or Koodo), or buy one of their over-priced new phones