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ZenMan · ‎11-15-2021

I upgraded my plan to the US unlimited text & minutes and 15gb of data. I am now in the US and have nothing - no data, no texts, no phone. Please help - paid $70 fo nothing so far!

computergeek541 · ‎01-02-2022

Moved:

darlicious · ‎11-16-2021

@Nezgar

Thank you....maybe I was thinking of text forwarding or something @mimmo had mentioned in passing. Needless to say the OP intends to suspend (or cancel?) once they reach Mexico so call forwarding wouldn't matter at that point anyways.

@ZenMan

I stand corrected. Mexican telcos probably have cheaper rates over all but you may want to check out mint mobile anyways while you are in the US. While their roaming flat rate charges for Canada and Mexico are reasonable for texts ($0.02/outgoing texts) and calls ($0.06/min) the data rates at $0.06/MB could add up quickly. Roaming top up balances do not expire and roll over each month.

https://www.imore.com/mint-mobile-international-plans

Nezgar · ‎11-16-2021

@darlicious wrote:
@ZenMan
Dang it....that was a bit of an expensive mistake. Here is info on US roaming options if you get a roaming add on with a talk feature then the call forwarding option mentioned below should work but perhaps @Nezgar can confirm for me.

Without personal experience and only going on gathered anecdoes of others, call forwarding can only be programmed while in Canada, and stops working if it ever registers on a U.S. network. If you had configured custom conditional call forwards, those also revert back to basic public mobile voicemail as soon as the phone registers on a U.S. network. You can also not program/change call forwarding while registered on a U.S. network.

If you need your phone to be forwarded while in the U.S., it basically has to be set while in Canada, and then the SIM removed from the phone, or be very diligent to keep phone in airplane mode for the full duration of the U.S. visit to keep the forwarding active....

darlicious · ‎11-16-2021

@ZenMan

Dang it....that was a bit of an expensive mistake. Here is info on US roaming options if you get a roaming add on with a talk feature then the call forwarding option mentioned below should work but perhaps @Nezgar can confirm for me.

Spoiler

Here is some info about US roaming add ons that should help you.....

While you have to have an active plan to purchase and use US roaming add ons the type of plan you have does not affect the roaming add ons features.
US roaming add ons start the moment you confirm and submit your purchase in your self serve account and expire 240 hours later (10 days×24 hours).
You can pre-load the funds needed to purchase the add ons in your self serve account so you only have to log in, select the US roaming add on and then confirm and submit your purchase.
Wait til late as possible to purchase since they are immediately valid so on free wifi at the destination airport or stopping shortly before the border at mcd's or timmy's to buy the add on while on free wifi.
If you are staying longer than 10 days you must wait a minimum of 24 hours to purchase the same US roaming add on or contact the moderators to add it before the waiting period ends.
If you have two US roaming add ons with a talk feature that overlap the talk feature basically gets disabled. Avoid this....but you will have to get one removed by a moderator to get your calling feature back if this happens.
After purchase reboot your phone and manually select either at&t or T-mobile to get better reception. Some areas have better coverage by either provider so when travelling around the US you will be better served by choosing the provider with better signal strength by locale.
You will recieve incoming texts without any US roaming add ons. Adding the fongo app and textnow app for use on wifi are good to use for a back up plan or you could call forward your pm phone # to your fongo # before you leave Canada and purchase just the US data roaming add on. Fongo also works on mobile data (1 min=0.5mb/100 min=50mb) so you could still recieve incoming pm texts, recieve incoming pm calls to your fongo #/app, outgoing calls from your fongo number and outgoing texts from textnow for free or small fee from fongo.
All US roaming add ons have either unlimted text, talk or both. Only data has limits depending on your purchase 250mb/500mb/1gb. Once the data is consumed it will just stop you could then purchase different roaming add on, wait 24 hr to buy or contact the moderator to buy the same US roaming add on again. (* except talk as previously mentioned.)

Here is some info about US roaming add ons that should help you..... While you have to have an active plan to purchase and use US roaming add ons the type of plan you have does not affect the roaming add ons features.US roaming add ons start the moment you confirm and submit your purchase in your self serve account and expire 240 hours later (10 days×24 hours).You can pre-load the funds needed to purchase the add ons in your self serve account so you only have to log in, select the US roaming add on and then confirm and submit your purchase.Wait til late as possible to purchase since they are immediately valid so on free wifi at the destination airport or stopping shortly before the border at mcd's or timmy's to buy the add on while on free wifi.If you are staying longer than 10 days you must wait a minimum of 24 hours to purchase the same US roaming add on or contact the moderators to add it before the waiting period ends.If you have two US roaming add ons with a talk feature that overlap the talk feature basically gets disabled. Avoid this....but you will have to get one removed by a moderator to get your calling feature back if this happens.After purchase reboot your phone and manually select either at&t or T-mobile to get better reception. Some areas have better coverage by either provider so when travelling around the US you will be better served by choosing the provider with better signal strength by locale.You will recieve incoming texts without any US roaming add ons. Adding the fongo app and textnow app for use on wifi are good to use for a back up plan or you could call forward your pm phone # to your fongo # before you leave Canada and purchase just the US data roaming add on. Fongo also works on mobile data (1 min=0.5mb/100 min=50mb) so you could still recieve incoming pm texts, recieve incoming pm calls to your fongo #/app, outgoing calls from your fongo number and outgoing texts from textnow for free or small fee from fongo.All US roaming add ons have either unlimted text, talk or both. Only data has limits depending on your purchase 250mb/500mb/1gb. Once the data is consumed it will just stop you could then purchase different roaming add on, wait 24 hr to buy or contact the moderator to buy the same US roaming add on again. (* except talk as previously mentioned.)

This is info on suspending your service.....

Spoiler

Options for your account and service....

You can turn off autopay and allow the account to suspend at the of your current 30 day cycle but this is your least advantageous option. Pay and reactivate by day 85 or so.
If you have an account balance that exceeds your plan amount then you need to suspend via the lost/stolen feature in your account before midnight eastern on the evening of your renewal. Then on day 85 or so resume your service to pay and reactivate.
Suspending via lost/stolen before midnight eastern will keep your voicemail active allowing you retrieve voicemail and any verification sent by phone calls. However your rewards will not be applied to your account. CSA contact after paying and reactivating is necessary to have the rewards applied manually.
Voicemail can be accessed by calling your pm number from a different phone by calling your phone # and pressing * once connected and entering your 4 digit voicemail pin #.
If you don't have an account balance or enough balance to cover your plan amount you can suspend via lost/stolen after midnight but before 2 am eastern on the day of your renewal. Once your rewards have been applied (usually by 12:15 am et) then suspend your account. Voicemail access will be lost.
Switching to the $15 plan with rewards helping to cover a partial or full amount of your plan allows you to call forward your pm number to your fongo number. Be sure to perform all call forwarding while in Canada. Now any incoming calling to your pm number will ring thru to your fongo number while on wifi or mobile data (w/a local or global sim card) You can access your fongo voicemail for all voicemail messages.

Most important mark on your calendar day 85 of your suspension and day 90. Do not forget when you must unsuspend your account via lost/stolen and/or pay and reactivate your service so you don't lose your phone number and account. Happy travels!

Options for your account and service.... You can turn off autopay and allow the account to suspend at the of your current 30 day cycle but this is your least advantageous option. Pay and reactivate by day 85 or so.If you have an account balance that exceeds your plan amount then you need to suspend via the lost/stolen feature in your account before midnight eastern on the evening of your renewal. Then on day 85 or so resume your service to pay and reactivate.Suspending via lost/stolen before midnight eastern will keep your voicemail active allowing you retrieve voicemail and any verification sent by phone calls. However your rewards will not be applied to your account. CSA contact after paying and reactivating is necessary to have the rewards applied manually.Voicemail can be accessed by calling your pm number from a different phone by calling your phone # and pressing * once connected and entering your 4 digit voicemail pin #.If you don't have an account balance or enough balance to cover your plan amount you can suspend via lost/stolen after midnight but before 2 am eastern on the day of your renewal. Once your rewards have been applied (usually by 12:15 am et) then suspend your account. Voicemail access will be lost.Switching to the $15 plan with rewards helping to cover a partial or full amount of your plan allows you to call forward your pm number to your fongo number. Be sure to perform all call forwarding while in Canada. Now any incoming calling to your pm number will ring thru to your fongo number while on wifi or mobile data (w/a local or global sim card) You can access your fongo voicemail for all voicemail messages.Most important mark on your calendar day 85 of your suspension and day 90. Do not forget when you must unsuspend your account via lost/stolen and/or pay and reactivate your service so you don't lose your phone number and account. Happy travels!

hairbag1 · ‎11-15-2021

@ZenMan...going to be in US for 2 or 3 weeks, consider getting a sim card and a cheap US plan for 30 days. Walmart has cheap pay-n-toss phones too.

Once you get to Mexico, stop by a Telcel store or OXXO and get a Telcel sim (they call it a chip in Mx)...then get a cheap 30 day plan with 4.5GB of data for about $15. Unlimited calls to Canada, MX and USA.

Check out the Unlimited Friend Pack 200, 300 or 500. Prices are pesos...not dollars...

https://www-telcel-com.translate.goog/personas/telefonia/amigo/paquetes-end/paquetes-amigo-sin-limit...

edit; when you drive home...you can use your Telcel plan to talk/text/browse while in US and Canada.

ZenMan · ‎11-15-2021

Got the US plan before my billing Date - Nov 3. So I’ve paid the $70. Am heading through US to Mexico so will be canceling Public Mobile before Dec 3. But need service for 2-3 weeks while in US.

dabr · ‎11-15-2021

@ZenMan When did you get your $70 plan? Just in case you're not aware, you might better off making a change (select Change at Next Renewal) as the $70 plan is now $60 as PM did a price adjustment.

Here's a link if you are still on the older price for this plan: https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Announcements/Price-Change-70-for-15GB-now-60-mo/m-p/...

Anonymous · ‎11-15-2021

@ZenMan : The big plan recently had a price drop. It's now $60. The roaming add-ons are 10 - 24 hour periods. Re-buying needs to either wait 24 hours or ask the CSA's. Don't double up talk and text add-ons. Remember to deposit money first and then buy the add-on. It's a bit non-intuitive. The instructions are written everywhere though.

ZenMan · ‎11-15-2021

Ah okay. Will get the roaming $10 for 10 days!

Thanks

Anonymous · ‎11-15-2021

@ZenMan : Alas. All current plans only work while in Canada. One needs roaming add-ons to call in/out and text out and cell data.

Edit: fine print #6 - Talk, text and data services refer to services offered while connected to the Telus/Public Mobile network. For service when not connected to the Telus/Public Mobile network, a roaming package must be purchased. Calls must originate from Canada to the US.