Where can I buy a phone to use with Public Mobile?

[Lachlan_M]

Public Mobile is a new kind of no-frills business, built on simple ideals with a co-operative approach to wireless. We don’t sell phones but don’t worry, there are a number of options available for customers to purchase an affordably priced phone.   

These include retailers as:

• Walmart (Prepaid Phone)
• Best Buy (Prepaid Phone)
• Staples (Prepaid Phone)
• You can also purchase a factory refreshed phone from Orchard at an affordable price.  Find out more about Orchard here.

Direct manufacturers:

1. Apple Store 
2. Google Store 
3. Microsoft Store 
   
4. BlackBerry (BBM)
5. One Plus One
6. Alcatel 

You can also have your friend or family member’s old phone if they are upgrading their phone.

Ensure the phone is unlocked, compatible with our Canada-wide 4G LTE network and IMEI is available for use before completing a purchase. Click here to check phone compatibility and find out the network frequency here.

*To use data, add and select Public Mobile’s APN settings Click here.

[dumbdobie1]

There are some crazy deals on Koodo right now.... Look for Iphone 8 or S9 on RFD.

[srlawren]

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@WoozyPolarBear wrote:

Those stores only sell the lower priced, budget phones. I'm looking to get a Note 9 or iPhone XS. I was just wondering if Telus store locations will sell one outright to their users on the sub-brand Public Mobile.

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@WoozyPolarBear I'm not sure where you live, but if you are near one, I'd personally buy the Note 9 from a Samsung Experience retail store (e.g. Metrotown or Richmond Centre malls in greater Vancouver) or the XS from an Apple Store (Guildford Mall, Metrotown, Richmond Centre, Pacific Centre, etc).

[Alex888]

Depending on where you go you may have to fight with them to sell you the phone without signing up for one of their plans.  Just remember that in Canada they cannot legally force you to sign up for a plan in order to purchase a product, even if the product is useless without a plan, so long as you pay the full retail price.

[stonechucker]

@WoozyPolarBear, I purchased directly from Telus in a local mall.  No problem at all, didn’t require purchase or activation of a SIM.

I specifically mentioned I knew I My consumer rights, and that I was already a current subscriber toPublic Mobile.

[mimmo]

@WoozyPolarBear you should be able to buy any phone outright if willing to pay the full price. All phones are now unlocked in Canada do you should be able to go to any brand i believe and buy a phone.

[wetcoaster]

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@WoozyPolarBear wrote:

Those stores only sell the lower priced, budget phones. I'm looking to get a Note 9 or iPhone XS. I was just wondering if Telus store locations will sell one outright to their users on the sub-brand Public Mobile.

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@WoozyPolarBear

One way to find out, no?

(If you keep an eye on RFD you might find some deals as well.)

[WoozyPolarBear]

Those stores only sell the lower priced, budget phones. I'm looking to get a Note 9 or iPhone XS. I was just wondering if Telus store locations will sell one outright to their users on the sub-brand Public Mobile.

[mimmo]

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@WoozyPolarBear wrote:

Thanks for checking, I knew that you could buy the phone online, but I was more interested about buying a phone outright, in a physical store. 

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Try costco, staples, walmart (prepaid phones) not from the kiosks

[WoozyPolarBear]

Thanks for checking, I knew that you could buy the phone online, but I was more interested about buying a phone outright, in a physical store. 

[Anonymous]

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@WoozyPolarBear wrote:

Will Telus and Koodo sell Public Mobile users a phone outright? I've heard lots of retailers won't sell a phone to someone unless you activate it on their network in the store.

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I just drilled WAY down on the Telus site and found an outright purchase price option.

What retailers do is robbery and misinformation.

[WoozyPolarBear]

Will Telus and Koodo sell Public Mobile users a phone outright? I've heard lots of retailers won't sell a phone to someone unless you activate it on their network in the store.

[Danitoo]

Walmart, London Drugs and Canadian tire, all sell unlocked smart phones.  Canadian tire phones are at the automotive desk. Londaon Drugs and Walmart have phones in the electronics department. Easy to get a phone for $100-$200.

[fusionmobile]

fusion mobile carries unlocked cellphones and fits all bagets preowned, refurbished, and new.

comes with 90 days of warranty and accessories and free public mobile sim!

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@dumbdobie1 wrote:

There are lots of good / cheap phones on Koodo if you are willing to buy and immediately pay off the tab.

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the address is 764 danforth ave toronto, On M4J1L5.

contact 416 564 7649. 

[fusionmobile]

fusion mobile carries unlocked cellphones and fits all bagets preowned, refurbished, and new.

comes with 90 days of warranty and accessories and free public mobile sim!

the address is 764 danforth ave toronto, On M4J1L5.

contact 416 564 7649. 

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@Bailey12 wrote:

There are many places you can get a phone. Best Buy (also carry refurbished phones), Walmart, Staples, Apple, etc or even places like Amazon and eBay. There are lots of places to buy good used phones as well. If you buy an Apple phone, you can take it into your locate Apple store and they will run a scan on it free of charge to make sure everything is okay. They can even tell you when the phone was first activated and if there is an outstanding bill on it. 

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[fusionmobile]

fusion mobile carries unlocked cellphones and fits all bagets preowned, refurbished, and new.

comes with 90 days of warranty and accessories and free public mobile sim!

the address is 764 danforth ave toronto, On M4J1L5.

contact 416 564 7649. 

[fusionmobile]

fusion mobile carries unlocked cellphones and fits all bagets preowned, refurbished, and new.

comes with 90 days of warranty and accessories and free public mobile sim!

the address is 764 danforth ave toronto, On M4J1L5.

contact 416 564 7649. 

[apt514]

I got my Samsung J3-6 2a charger & wire.

From Telus Pc-Page in Ville Saint Laurent.

3832 Cote Vertu boulevard 1-514-339-1130 .

Used for $100. Works on publicmobile sim.

Tested 1 year with 33$ old plan & 40$ data.

WiFi is fast and BlueTooth audio streaming.

Ad.T

[shredder]

CanadaComputers.ca is a good choice to buy unlocked phones.

Also, Costco carries the Moto G5, unlocked for about $180 and is a solid phone that I have used successfully with PM.

[wetcoaster]

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@abmntx55 wrote:

Others have already mentioned it, but PM's IMEI checking website is good if you already have the phone in hand: https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/bc/get-started

Also found willmyphonework.net useful for checking different phone models' frequency compatibility with PM. I used that site when i was researching the phone I eventually bought - an unlocked Moto G5 (model# XT1671) - off Amazon last fall. Great 4G smartphone that's quick, reliable, and sturdy if you just do the basics like calling, messaging, taking pictures/video, and surfing the net. I also have no issues getting LTE or HSPA signals here in SW Ontario.

I paid a little more last year, but you can pick one up on Amazon.ca for around $215 plus tax.

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Public Mobile's phone checker is NOT reliable for frequencies. It will only tell you if the phone is blacklisted or not.

While there is the occasional instance that the willmyphonework.net tool returns a mistake its data base is pretty accurate overall.

[abmntx55]

Others have already mentioned it, but PM's IMEI checking website is good if you already have the phone in hand: https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/bc/get-started

Also found willmyphonework.net useful for checking different phone models' frequency compatibility with PM. I used that site when i was researching the phone I eventually bought - an unlocked Moto G5 (model# XT1671) - off Amazon last fall. Great 4G smartphone that's quick, reliable, and sturdy if you just do the basics like calling, messaging, taking pictures/video, and surfing the net. I also have no issues getting LTE or HSPA signals here in SW Ontario.

I paid a little more last year, but you can pick one up on Amazon.ca for around $215 plus tax.

[gun_veer]

You can buy any normal phone as long as ita band system supports public mobile network.

Here are the places where you can get a phone which do support publoce mobile sim card.

Walmart.Staples.

Online used phone-

ebay

kijiji

[wetcoaster]

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@dumbdobie1 wrote:

There are lots of good / cheap phones on Koodo if you are willing to buy and immediately pay off the tab.

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You need a Koodo account for getting deals on tab. Opening one comes with the according credit check - not all Public Mobile customers will pass that. In fact, some people might be with PM because it is a good alternative if you have a less than ideal credit score.

[dumbdobie1]

There are lots of good / cheap phones on Koodo if you are willing to buy and immediately pay off the tab.

[snoopkitten420]

Staples is a really good place to go. They have UNLOCKED prepaid phones and you can find one for as low as $99.00. Best Buy is an alright option, but they tend to have really expensive unlocked phones to pick from. 

[Rockdaddy22]

Didn’t realize that about  stores, pretty cool 😎 

[Bailey12]

There are many places you can get a phone. Best Buy (also carry refurbished phones), Walmart, Staples, Apple, etc or even places like Amazon and eBay. There are lots of places to buy good used phones as well. If you buy an Apple phone, you can take it into your locate Apple store and they will run a scan on it free of charge to make sure everything is okay. They can even tell you when the phone was first activated and if there is an outstanding bill on it. 

[srlawren]

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@slash407 wrote:

u can get a phone from everwhere, dont overcomplicate it, if it has a sim it'll work. The website PM also has a place to check the serial number for the phone to make 100% sure it'll work.

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Sure @slash407, good luck with that.  

[Rockdaddy22]

PM has nothing on there site that can check %100. Not just any phone with a sim will work. I believe any modern phone from Canada should work.

[PrincessTara13]

You can use any phone with Public Mobile as long as it is open or/and unlocked for use with Public Mobile.  All phone's now come unlocked and any phone purchased from retail stores as of December/2017 and mobile carriers can no longer charge a fee to have their cell phones unlocked for rival carriers.  

As far as purchasing a cellphone for use, this may be done at any store that sells mobile phones or through personal sales of products by advertisements online; such as, Amazon, eBay, Kijiji, ect. or, from classified ads in the newspapers or private sellers.  Wal-Mart, Staples, Best Buy, and many other retailers also sell cellphones.

[Taylo]

I just got an iPhone 6 at walmart for my daughter for 250$ thru koodo...with 250$ gift cards from  Wal mart...the phone was basically free.. after waiting period I paid off phone with gift cards and switched to public mobile for her.  $25 a month is a deal and good for a teen.