Understanding PM better (moving from TELUS)

[ReillyWood]

Hello,

  I'm very interested in understanding PM better and if it will work for me and my family.

  I'm currently on a TELUS Business plan, 4 phones, two in Vancouver, one in Victoria, one in London, Ont. (last two are students).  I'm looking at switching all four to PM.  Two of the phones have a device balance and are currently locked to Telus, the other two have no balance and are unlocked.

  Our biggest issues the last few months are data and long-distance charges.  We share 4GB amongst us with a typical combined monthly usage between 3-5GB.  I think 2GB each on the PM $45 ($135 for 90 days) plan would be a better deal.  Also, the Canada-wide calling would eliminate our current LD charges. 

  Am I correct in understanding the following:

• I can port all four numbers via the Self-service site
• To move all four phones to PM from TELUS, we would have to pay-out the device balance and unlock the two phones (and I assume this would be charged by TELUS during the porting process)
• We would need new SIM cards for each phone
• To make LD calls outside of Canada we would need a LD plan.  Without a LD plan, we would not be able to make nor receive calls to/from outside Canada
• We would all get the same network coverage under PM that we get today under TELUS
• If we travel to other countries, we can add a short-term travel plan to cover things like data, calling, texting

  I appreciate any help and  thank you in advance.

Rob Wood

[ReillyWood]

  I haven't heard from Shazia as yet, so hoping one of the other moderators can help me out: @Mary_M, @Saray_O, or @Caroline_D

  I did discover the unlockit site through some other forum posts and installing it's publicmobile profile at least allows my wife's phone to now use the internet (on cellular), but she can't yet send nor receive MMS.

  So, in summary, the following are working: calling, recieving calls, texting, internet.  Only MMS is not working.

  Rob Wood

[ReillyWood]

Thank you @srlawren. I'll do that.

Rob Wood

[srlawren]

@ReillyWood sorry to hear about the iPhone issue.  There are a few threads about this where people are having issues with iPhones seeming to have the APN settings locked out.  I'm going to tag @Shazia_K to hopefully look at this for you tomorrow, as I know she is working on the issue for at least one other community member as well.  To expedite things as much as possible, could you please send her a private message with the details of the issue, and the phone number of the iPhone that has the issue?

[ReillyWood]

  OK, converted all four phones, all seems good except that one of the iphones can't access the internet through cellular.  It think the problem is because the APN is locked (?) to Telus.  Under Settings/Mobile/Mobile Data Network, there's only the APN titled "isp.telus.com" and no way to create a new APN nor modify the current one.

  Rob Wood

[Rockdaddy22]

That's great news, welcome to the PM family.

I try and tell people most ports/activations go very smoothly. We just read all the bad stuff here.

[srlawren]

Wonderful news, Rob.  I wish you continued success with the remaining lines.

[ReillyWood]

  Moved over the 2nd of four phones today, from TELUS.  

  Got the 4GB plan (set up with Provincial-wide calling plus the 200m add-on for Canada/US) and did the referal to the first phone transferred.

  Tried a call, texting, and google search (off wifi).  So far, so good.

  Will likely do the other 2 tonight.

  This is great!

  Rob Wood

[srlawren]

@ReillyWood awesome!  As @Rockdaddy22 said, you only have until Nov 20th to get onto the plan, but once you're on it, you can keep it indefinitely.  You will only lose the plan if:

1) you explicitly change to a different plan after Nov 20th, at which point you won't be able to get back onto this one, OR

2) your account is closed due to 90 days of non-payment (90 days after the end of your last paid cycle).

Other than that, it's yours to keep.

[Rockdaddy22]

It's until November 20th, but it'll last as long as your account is active, it doesn't expire.

[ReillyWood]

  @srlawren Thank you.  

  Yup, plan to take advantage of the new data promo plan.  Will have all the accounts converted by end of this week, I hope (shortly after the SIMs arrive).  I was planning to set up all 4 accounts to have Canada-wide calling, but since the promo plan is only with Provincial-wide calling, I'll follow @jamestneutron's suggestion: go with Provincial-wide calling and add the Canada/US 200 minute add-on.

  One question - do we know how long the promo plan is for?

  And thanks for the reminder, I'll use the refereral system when I sign up the rest.

  Rob Wood

[srlawren]

@ReillyWood Rob, this is awesome news!  🙂  Are you planning to take advantage of the promo plan on any of the lines?  Please let us know how the remaining activations and ports go.  🙂

Last note, and I'm sure you're on this already, but don't forget to take advantage of the referral reward system.  You could use the already activated line as the referral number for all the lines you bring over to save that line 3 x $1 / 30 days, or you could "chain" the referrals.  I mean, use line 1 (already activated) as referral # for line 2, use line 2 as referral # for line 3, and use line 3 as referral # for line 4, and save each of 1, 2, and 3 all $1/30 days.  Or some combination of the above.  

[ReillyWood]

  Just an update - our first converted phone seems to be doing quite well so I've ordered 3 more SIMs for the others.  Should all be converted by end of this week, I hope.

  Rob Wood

[ReillyWood]

  Thanks.

  I went in and adjusterd her plan to the 90d billing starting on the next cyle, and set a reminder to check the day after.  Will let you know if there are any issues and will provide an update in a few days or so of how well it's going.  So far so good after 2 days.

  Rob Wood

[srlawren]

@ReillyWood my pleasure.  As @stonechucker said, sometimes a scheduled plan change will not happen as expected, so it's best to sign into self-serve the next day (after the renewal date) and verify that your plan shows correctly.  If not, come back to the community and one of the moderators can correct it for you fairly quickly.

[stonechucker]

Hi Rob,

i did the 30-day plan originally also, and setup for the change to 90-day, on AutoPay also.

For me, the AutoPay worked as expected, however, the 30-day renewed, rather than the 90.  I was expecting this, as it's been happening to many plan changers in the community since the current schedule of plans were made available.

this error was easily fixed with a request for help in the community, and a PM message to forum moderators.

ive been with PM for just 2 months now, my next renewal is mid-December.  I don't expect an issue this time around.

[ReillyWood]

@srlawren

  Thank you.

  Rob Wood

[srlawren]

@ReillyWood hi Rob.  Once you are happy with the service, just head into the self-serve system, where you can schedule a plan change at renewal date (don't apply it right away) to the 90 day plan you'd like to use going forward. 

To do that, you log into self serve, and then click on the Plan and Add-ons tab.  Then click on the Plan sub-tab.  Then the Change Plan button.  Pick the plan choices you want, and then click the "Chage on next renewal date" button on the right near the bottom of the page.

EDIT:  I'm glad things went smoothly, a couple of gotchas not-withstanding 🙂

[Ionut]

@ReillyWood thanks for letting us know about this 🙂 it's amazing and welcome to PM 🙂 

[ReillyWood]

  As an update, I moved my daughter's phone over to PM tonight.  Took all of about 10 minutes.  I was pleasantly surprised that it was so easy and quick.  We did a quick test after popping in the new SIM card - confirmed she was on PM, she could text and receive texts, and could do an internet search (off wifi).  So far so good.

  A couple of minor notes, for anyone who wants to know:

1. Coming from TELUS and transfering her #, we needed to fill in a little "TELUS account section".  It was a tad unclear what to put into one or two fields.  A little help button would be nice.  It took me two tries to work out the "authorization name".  No big deal, it all worked out.
2. At the end, there's a link to set up the APN correctly.  The link didn't work (got the page "Generic Error" (URL was: https://activate.publicmobile.ca/%E2%80%98http://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Phones-Hardw...)

  One question - I set up only for a month, as this is a trial.  If it works well enough, we'll all move over.  I set up for auto-renewal - will I have any issues moving her to the 90-day plan given that I set up for auto-renewal?

  Once again, thank you all for your help.

  Rob Wood

[kav2001c]

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@fktw wrote:

@kav2001c, the Wind US roaming plan is $15 for unlimited voice and 1gb full speed data for 1 MONTH. I have not seen any roaming plan better than this.

---

If you stay more than a week costs start to average out but most people go for weekends or day trips

Remember that +$15 is in addition to base plan ($40 is cheapest in market, so $55 for 1 month in USA)

Tons of cheaper options eg T-Mobile is $40 for 1 month prepay (and has 3GB of data compared to 1GB on Wind), saves $15 per month & better support

If just a weekend trip, Fido / Rogers / Koodo is +$10 and you get your full data use based on plan (5GB)

Oh and remember Wind flaky network back in Canada

[RexBuck]

That'll work fine for my wife's account as she doesn't need access to voice messages.  How long can the account be expired before your number is cancelled?

As far as retrieving messages, since data only and voice only seem to be about the same price, I assume I would elect voice only to ensure I get messages?  

I guess the ultimate would be that if you have voicemail set up while the phone is active in Canada and then later change to no data, no voice and no messages (keeping the account active), would you still have the voicemail service and would any calls to the cell be directed to voicemail?  And, by extension would I still be able to access voice messages from a different phone?

[RexBuck]

Thank you all for your replys.

I've ordered the SIMs today.  

I'll PM you Mary once I get activated to ensure I get everything set up correctly before I leave Canada.

[Luddite]

@RexBuck @srlawren Extended absence: 1. turn off autopay & let your current plan expire >> 2. 85 days after expiry log into account & reactivate with 10 day text plan $11 (make 1 time payment, return to main screen and choose change plan); log out of account then log back in to ensure plan is "Active" >> 3. repeat #2. as often as needed. 

My sister's experience suggests @Mary_M is not quite correct. If you have a data only plan, VM cannot be set up as you cannot call from your phone to initiate the VM box. Even if set up, you can't retrieve messages from you phone. Not sure a caller can leave a message. Also, messages cannot be retrieved from a "Suspended" account.

[ReillyWood]

@RexBuck

  I ordered a SIM card last Sunday (09Oct) to be delivered to UVic.  It arrived on Wednesday or Thursday.

  Rob Wood

[Mary_M]

Hey @srlawren

**Updated** The customer does have access to VM and he has that feature on a data-plan only

Feel free to send me your phone number via private message and I can look into it further.

Mary

[srlawren]

Hi @RexBuck,

To answer your questions:

- You can't change to a no talk, no text, no data plan.  You have to select at least one service.  I beleive the cheapest is text-only.  I'm going to ask @Luddite to suggest the best way to go for an extended absence, as I believe he has described the process for others before.

- if you do not select a talk option, you will get zero talk service.  I *believe* your voicemail is still active as long as your account is still active, so you *should* be able to dial into your voicemail to check it using your other SIM card in your other country, with any long distance charges on that SIM plan applying.  I'm going to ask our community moderators @Saray_O, @Mary_M, or @Shazia_K to please confirm this scenario or correct me if that's wrong.

- Unfortunatley, we don't get voicemail to text.  I believe there are 3rd party services you can use to do that, for a fee (to them).  I don't recall the names of them, and hope someone here can chime in with a suggestion or two.  🙂

- the cards are shipped out of Toronto, so it can take a bit. I think mine took around a week or even a bit longer, to the Vancouver area.  I believe they still offer an expedited shipping option for an additional fee but I haven't ordered any for quite some time and I know things have changed somewhat.  Your best bet is to check the SIM ordering page for options. Activation is done online and is pretty quick, a matter of minutes for the whole process generally.

[fktw]

@Ionut, yep, agreed. This is why I'm on pm PM as well.

@kav2001c, the Wind US roaming plan is $15 for unlimited voice and 1gb full speed data for 1 MONTH. I have not seen any roaming plan better than this.

[RexBuck]

This thread has been a huge help to me.  I just discovered PM today and think it may fit the bill perfectly for our cellphone use.  Our requirements are a bit different than most people's in that we are out of Canada for a 5 month period each year, use SIM cards of the countries we are in and essentially don't use our Canadian accounts at all.

So, my idea is for the period we are out of the country, to change the plan to "no talk", "no text" and "no data".  This would save us a boatload of money while we are out of the country.  A couple of questions about the logistics of this plan:

• Can you change a plan from talk, text and data to "no talk", "no text" and "no data" at anytime or can it only be changed when the current prepaid period expires?
• When you set "no talk" is the talk feature completely disabled?  Or, would we still be able to receive messages and retrieve those remotely for a per minute or per occurance fee?
• One feature we enjoy with Telus is "voicemail to Text" where they will send voice messages to me via email.  Does PM have a similar service?

If I ordered SIM cards today (Saturday) how long does it take to get them delivered to BC?  I presume activation is pretty quick after that?

[kav2001c]

@fktw there are tons of cheap US prepay options out there, paying Wind $15 for a day trip is pretty silly

Heck even Rogers/Telus/Bell (and sub brands like Fido/Koodo) have roam like home packages for $5 a day, Wind is overpriced 

[Ionut]

@fktw you might be right. I don't deny. My friend maybe didn't have this option. A interest thing he told me that Wind Have incredible Roaming Signal and data in USA (LTE) anyway i don't like wind.

I used to have a wind device which provide me 10 gb of wi-fi. Was a good deal for 30$ now for the same amount charge 100 $. It was good, i plug that device into my car and i had 10 gb of wi-fi and the coverarge and speed was incredible fast. 

Still don't understand  how people could get tricket by such a thing. For me even do i have an Samsung S6  it's doesn't matter. I need cellphone line for emergency and wind cannot provide such a thing.

When you need to call someone, or you need to pay your bills or call gouvernment you're out of luck. They have no signal even DT. How could i go to a company which have no coverage in the heart of a city (down town). Go at Eton Center, Toronto Island, Front & Bay, Bloor and Bathurst, and so one where you don't have signal .

Does it help me the fact that i have roaming, when my local line are not available ?