Transferring from Freedom Mobile - contract is not up yet.

[canadianerk]

Hi -- so bear with me, I'm a newly-minted adult and trying to figure out how this all works. Usually quite tech savvy, but am a tad confused.

My phone number is currently under my mom's name, at Freedom Mobile. I manage it as an authorized user. The contract as of tomorrow, will have 1 month left. to take advantage of that "second month free" promotion, I intend to transfer to a Public Mobile account under my own name, before the contract is up and pay the roughly ~$20 left on the device's tab. 

I've read these articles:

How to choose your Phone Number (publicmobile.ca)

Solved: How do I move my cell phone number to Public Mobil... - Community (publicmobile.ca)

This is a quote from the first link:

• If you don’t want to wait, you can select a new number when activating, and transfer your old number later.

My questions are:
1) I ran a compatibility check, and my BYO phone is compatible with most of Telus' network, except B13 (700C) and B29 (700DE) LTE bands. Are they prominent enough for me to be concerned, considering it's compatible with all 3G and 8/10 of Telus' 4G/LTE bands?

2) It seems like it will be easier to transfer the number after activation (and guarantees that I get the holiday offer credited to my account by December 25th?) what are the steps? 

3) Based on all the information above, is there anything I need to be aware of before attempting a transfer of my number to Public Mobile?

Finally, I understand that the referral gives the new and referring customer $12/year -- I got a few DMs offering me to use their codes, but I want to give the credit to someone who actually... needs it and who isn't jumping all over me. I get that y'all have a financial incentive to reply, and to be the account credited with referring me... but that has me a tad concerned with the community, as this is the primary place to get support. Don't like the vibe of being seen as a dollar sign. 

[Nezgar]

@canadianerk 

Check with your previous provider, but CRTC rules technically require a device subsidy to be $0 "before" 24 months, so really after 23 months (starting in month 24) you may already be contract/subsidy free. With Rogers they charge you 1 month ahead all the time, so the device becomes paid as of the next billing date prior to your hardware renewal date.

[Brginter91]

Don't feel pressured to get into publicmobile because of the flash sale. They happen quite often. Usually on the weekends or holidays... There is usually some sort or promotion going on. I've seen about 3 flash sales since joining 2 months ago.

I've helped port over about 5 numbers so far, both on and off contract. Even had a phone with $230 dollars left on the contract and it was still worth porting over to PM, despite having to pay for rest of the phone on the next bill. 

You shouldn't have any issues porting over right away. And there might be more savings and less hassle porting the number when you sign up for PM, rather than paying 2 phone bills at the same time.

[saeliux]

Well, i wouldn't say i want to transfer to leave you lol

I said I have been using this number as my own for a year now, not my mom. Easy transfer but I had to answer a bunch of questions and have my mom there.

I did the transfer, waited few days and switched to koodo.

Hope it works out. I just contacted PM to do the change of ownership on one of my accounts too, I hope it is easier than bell. 

[JK8]

@canadianerk 

FYI,

Porting Your Number Into Public Mobile

If you are porting your number into Public Mobile, for additional security, your previous service provider may also send an SMS text to validate the transfer. Follow the instructions in the message within 90 minutes to approve the number transfer.If you have missed the 90 minute window to respond, we will send you an SMS with instructions on how to re-initiate the transfer by calling our Porting team.The SMS will read as follows:Public Mobile Msg: The request to move your phone number to Public Mobile has timed out. Don't worry, you can easily re-initiate the transfer. Please call our Porting Team at 1** to authorize your number transfer

Tips:

• Keep the old account's device on with the SIM card inside to receive the validation message. If that’s not possible, please ensure you can access the SIM from a different device.
• Be sure to check all texts that could go to any other members on the old account and any junk or spam folders.

[canadianerk]

hey @saeliux - thanks for your reply.

Re: transferring - I hope to avoid the issue because the wording of PM's "authorized account holder", which I am, for my number. I can't currently make it my own at Freedom because of my current lack of a credit score. And explaining that I need them to do it so I can leave Freedom might not go over too well 😜 -- regardless, I'll figure it out when I begin that transfer process.

It does seem to be easier to be done post-activation, so I'll probably be back with another post in a few days, if I run into any issues. If I don't - all the better. So long as the fee isn't above $10, I won't mind too much.

[canadianerk]

@Luddite  thanks for the correction -- even more reason for me to be more selective with whose code I choose. thank you!

[saeliux]

You should contact someone who was helpful to you in the forum to request a referral code.

I am not sure if you will be able to transfer the account to your name though. You might end up transfering to PM with your mom's name and then do an account change later. I had the same problem but I think I decided not to do it for some reason I cannot remember. (i think PM was going to charge me an extra fee, but i dont quite recall). You might need to ask, otherwise, you need to change it in Freedom side, then transfer to PM (depends if Freedom charges for this service).

I tried to transfer ownership twice. My number was my mom's when it was with bell, they didn't charge me extra for the change, but I recall some other company was charging so I didnt do it. 

[Luddite]

@canadianerk  RE: "Finally, I understand that the referral gives the new and referring customer $12/year ".

When you activate your account using a referral code you will get a one time credit of $10, the owner of the referral code gets $1/month as long as your account is active.

Once you have activated an account you will have a referral code to share.

[canadianerk]

@kb_mv  I will do that, thank you, on both counts. 

Thank you for your reply, and enjoy the rest of your Monday!

[canadianerk]

Thanks for the kind reply, @jlarocque96 

Re: Porting. I do have exactly one month left, so it's about $24 to buy my device out of the tab - but the potential savings with PM as a student, is too much to pass up. The flash sale is what has lead me to cancelling early, as it essentially pays me to leave my more expensive contract.

Re: Data speed. I checked out all the flanker brands, and the choice was between speed (no 4G+ Data speeds) or risk of overage fees + credit check (I don't have a credit file yet, I haven't had my first credit card for more than a month or two). 
don't know how long I intend to stay with PM, but the situation I'm in right now makes me both quite aware that I'm kissing 30+ MBPS with Freedom goodbye, for 3 max -- the savings to me are worth it right now, as a future University student and as a broke kid amidst a pandemic. When I have a credit file I can be confident in, I'll be able to reassess and move on, or stay -- because boy Telus, those rewards are tempting.

Re: Codes - Yeah, I'm the same -- don't know anyone in my social circles w PM. I hope that my experience is more pleasant in the future. Your reply is certainly off to a good start. 

[kb_mv]

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@canadianerk wrote:

Finally, I understand that the referral gives the new and referring customer $12/year -- I got a few DMs offering me to use their codes, but I want to give the credit to someone who actually... needs it and who isn't jumping all over me. I get that y'all have a financial incentive to reply, and to be the account credited with referring me... but that has me a tad concerned with the community, as this is the primary place to get support. Don't like the vibe of being seen as a dollar sign. 

---

@canadianerk 

People should not be contacting you with a code unsolicited. Select report on bottom left of message, type unsolicited referral code and submit. Then delete the message.

When I joined up I hung out on the forums prior to activating. I found someone that was present and pleasant, helping others and contacted them via PM and asked for their referral code.

[jlarocque96 · Accepted solution]

@canadianerk Hey Fellow Canadian.

My phone number is currently under my mom's name, at Freedom Mobile. I manage it as an authorized user. The contract as of tomorrow, will have 1 month left. to take advantage of that "second month free" promotion, I intend to transfer to a Public Mobile account under my own name, before the contract is up and pay the roughly ~$20 left on the device's tab. 

I've read these articles:

How to choose your Phone Number (publicmobile.ca)

Solved: How do I move my cell phone number to Public Mobil... - Community (publicmobile.ca)

This is a quote from the first link:

• If you don’t want to wait, you can select a new number when activating, and transfer your old number later.

My questions are:
1) I ran a compatibility check, and my BYO phone is compatible with most of Telus' network, except B13 (700C) and B29 (700DE) LTE bands. Are they prominent enough for me to be concerned, considering it's compatible with all 3G and 8/10 of Telus' 4G/LTE bands?

No concern here. You should be compatible.

2) It seems like it will be easier to transfer the number after activation (and guarantees that I get the holiday offer credited to my account by December 25th?) what are the steps? 

From your above concern, since your plan is up at the end of the month automatically when you port the number over as an authorized user, freedom mobile will get the request and automatically cancel your "contract" if you were in a two year contract you will have to pay whatever is left in the contract " amount owing on the phone"

If you owe nothing you will just be paying the month fee, they may even refund it to you if you call and ask. So I wouldn't be worried about selecting port and existing number. Worst that can happen is that Freedom Denys the port request and you will have to transfer it later. You will get the flash sale either way!

3) Based on all the information above, is there anything I need to be aware of before attempting a transfer of my number to Public Mobile?

When activate your card, it will likely still say 4g LTE. You are connected to the 4G LTE network but your speeds will be throttled to 3mbps.

Finally, I understand that the referral gives the new and referring customer $12/year -- I got a few DMs offering me to use their codes, but I want to give the credit to someone who actually... needs it and who isn't jumping all over me. I get that y'all have a financial incentive to reply, and to be the account credited with referring me... but that has me a tad concerned with the community, as this is the primary place to get support. Don't like the vibe of being seen as a dollar sign. 

As far as codes go, just try to find a friend that has a code! 

I didn't know anyone (in my social circle) on public mobile otherwise I would have used theirs. Totally know what you mean about the Dollar signs in peoples eyes. There are people here for the money, but the truth is we all save by being with Public Mobile. 

Welcome!!!