US Roaming Addon

[Paulleewogg]

I'm looking at going down south for 3 weeks this spring and want to purchase 20 days worth of US talk & text roaming. 

1) I understand that for some reason, PM won't let me buy it all at once and insists I do it in 2, 10 day purchases, a minimum of 11 days apart, with 1 day being out of the loop. Am I correct on this or has this been fixed? Why multiple 10 day events, or longer periods cant be bought upfront is a bit puzzling. I see room for improvements here, PM...

2) Paying for it. Reading the instructions on buying it, it says I have to put funds in the account to purchase it. I'm set-up for autopay, do I still need to add in funds manually or will the system know enough to debit my credit card automagically since that's how I'm set-up?

3) How simple is it to actually buy? Is it going to take me half the morning to get it done thru the website? Im driving down to Florida alone, with wifi in my car thru OnStar, so I'll be stopping to buy it along the road once in the US. I hope it's a simple process as the longer it takes, the more time wasted and fewer miles driven.
I've read you cant buy it in advance, so in order to get my full 10 days out of it, if I dont want to buy it on the day I start my road trip, I have to purchase it a day early and lose a day of service, correct?
I see more room for improvements here, PM...

4) I've read stories on here of ppl buying the addon and it either not working or worse, they've had their accounts shut down. Can anyone who has used it recently verify that the roaming addon actually works and that I'm not just going to be buying more problems & headaches trying to get my phone reactivated out of country?

Thanks in advance...that's all I can think of for now.

[kselmak]

It's really beyond my comprehension why are they not allowed to offer the same services in Canada.

Don't get me wrong I love public mobile. But they offer different service it's calling over WiFi/data it's something else. It's a good companion to your cell service. Great fall back option.  In that sense they wouldn't really compete with public mobile.

But they would be very serious competitor to freephoneline/fongo

[Paulleewogg]

Canadian to boot! Even better!

[Anonymous]

 @Paulleewogg 

I was pleased and impressed how well it worked. And they're Canadian!

[Paulleewogg]

Tonight I downloaded & tried the TEXTNOW app that was suggested, both text & voice; incoming & outgoing. It worked very well. I have Blokada on my phone so that keeps the ads away. I hate to say this on PM's forum, but I think I've found the solution apart from their service. 

Had their options been more suitable up front, say a 30 day option or at least able to order back to back 10 day addons, with an option to order in advance and pick a start date, I probably wouldn't have posted my questions. Thanks to everyone who replied. Problem solved!

[Anonymous]

Last I checked, unofficially, you can receive calls and texts without an add-on in the states.

Then you call or text them back with TextNow when you find wifi somewhere. Or just stay on the phone. Texting you'll need to wait.

But calling is unofficial so it could change at any time without notice.

[kselmak]

@Paulleewogg 

You can also buy sim from TextNow and have unlimited talk and text in USA coast to coast. It will cost you 10 USD to get it. They sell data cheap too. 

It would be nice if public mobile had some more options, but I agree with them that doing nofrills domestic is a priority. Probably if they could they would have already done it, there was a pilot plan like that but it was pricy, you had to get it with the most expensive package (it was$60 and you would get $50 plan with unlimited roaming talk and text and 2g roaming data) 

[Jb456]

---

@Paulleewogg wrote:

Thanks to everyone who replied. Your a helpful bunch.

Glad to hear the phone addon works on a 24hr cycle. I'll probably purchase it at my first gas/coffee stop over the border.

JB456, & Kselmak, I'm going to look into TEXTNOW. Thanks for that tip and info. I wasn't aware there was an app that would give me incoming calls once set-up. 

I have Hangouts and have used it a few times for outgoing calls while travelling. I'm more concerned about receiving incoming calls. That TEXTNOW app might be what I'm looking for. I have an elderly parent in a nursing home who's getting frail. If something goes wrong they have to be able to get ahold of me reliably. 

As for texting, I mostly use Messenger when I'm away. All my closest contacts are on it and I let everyone important know they can only reach me via messenger for awhile, so that's not a huge issue. I have wifi in the car and at my destination, so I'm covered.

Again...thanks to everyone for all the info!

---

@Paulleewogg I think textnow might work for you and you can save a few dollars in add-ons. Considering you have wifi in car. 

I suggest you test it out at home.just download it..(make sure it's textnow as there are a few other apps like text me)....you'll be assigned a new number usually in your same area code you live or pretty close to it..

Try it out ...and if you like it you can give the number to every to reach you when you're in Florida..

Easiest way I can explain it is picture everything a cell phone plan does but it's FREE over wifi.

Out of curiosity where in Florida are you headed? I have a place in Pompano Beach.

[Paulleewogg]

Thanks to everyone who replied. Your a helpful bunch.

Glad to hear the phone addon works on a 24hr cycle. I'll probably purchase it at my first gas/coffee stop over the border.

JB456, & Kselmak, I'm going to look into TEXTNOW. Thanks for that tip and info. I wasn't aware there was an app that would give me incoming calls once set-up. 

I have Hangouts and have used it a few times for outgoing calls while travelling. I'm more concerned about receiving incoming calls. That TEXTNOW app might be what I'm looking for. I have an elderly parent in a nursing home who's getting frail. If something goes wrong they have to be able to get ahold of me reliably. 

As for texting, I mostly use Messenger when I'm away. All my closest contacts are on it and I let everyone important know they can only reach me via messenger for awhile, so that's not a huge issue. I have wifi in the car and at my destination, so I'm covered.

Again...thanks to everyone for all the info!

[Jb456]

@darlicious @Anonymous  good to know guys 👍 I guess things changed or new things implemented.. was going by past posts of people saying "buy at 10pm new day starts at midnight".. thanks for correcting me 🙂

@Paulleewogg follow @darlicious and @Anonymous  instructions on the timeing of the add-on

[kselmak]

Hi @Paulleewogg I second @Jb456 suggestion.

Great backup

Apparently while in USA you will be receiving texts, you just can't reply without add-on

Before leaving you could forward your calls to your allternative (TextNow) number. This way you don't miss a call or text.

If you want to call back from your number you can also setup hangouts with your public mobile number as calldisplay and use that one to call back. Too bad I don't know there option like that for sms.

If you do go with add-on, you can still setup forwarding the last day so that you don't miss any calls during 24 hour wait period.

Longer roaming packages and even plans including roaming seem to be in demand

[Anonymous]

 @Paulleewogg 

As a further update...it appears from a couple observations (mine included) that the roaming add-ons are in 24 hour increments. ie. buy it at that 10pm ET mentioned earlier and then it will expire at 10pm ET 10 days hence...not counting the _day_ you bought it...but the _time_ you bought it. The time you buy it is it point 0 then 10 - 24 hour periods.

Re-buying the same one may also have changed but we don't yet have concrete observations between 1 hour after up to overnight sometime.

Edit: ninja'd

[darlicious]

@Paulleewogg @Jb456  The US roaming add ons run on a 24 hr clock. So if it purchased at 9:15pm et it will expire 10 days later at 9:15 pm et. It will be available the next day for purchase. Possibly after midnite et or within 12 hours of its expiry. Recent testing by members using it in the US has determined this to be true.

[Jb456]

You may also want to consider TEXTNOW app... You get a Canadian number in your area to call Canada and USA for free as well as text messages.. people can call and text you and even leave you voicemail.... All you need is to be connected to wifi. When your not if someone calls said number they can leave you a voicemail that you will receive once you're on wifi or if they text it will come in once you're online.

[Jb456]

1- only 10 day packages sold (starts as soon as you buy)

It could take 24 hours from when it expires to add another add-on however you can contact moderators and see if they can push it through earlier.

Or by private message at link below

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437

2- guide to buy add on in two steps. Link below

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Plans-Add-Ons/HOWTO-Purchasing-Add-ons/td-p/198974

3-pretty simple to buy if you follow guide in #2... Yes it starts right away..so if you buy at 10pm est that is day one and day 2 starts at midnight..

4-.No issues buying add-on..worst that may happen is you will have to manually switch network in your phone settings from T-Mobile to At&t