Will need to change authorized holder of account in future

[Manimonty]

Here's my (probably) unusual story.

My wife and I are providing a cell phone to her brother who lives in Saskatchewan.  Our idea is to get a SIM card here in Calgary and get it activated, hopefully with a Saskatchewan area code (hopefully, that's able to be done from here in Calgary)

The plan, then, is to give him the phone for a couple months to see if he's okay using it. He's never had one. He currently has a landline in Sask.  So, for a couple months, he would have both his landline AND a cell phone, with 2 different numbers.  During this period, my wife would be the account holder and would be paying the PM bill.

Ultimately, if he's good with the phone, the plan is for him to ditch his landline and just use the cell phone, AND, take over paying for it.  It occurs to me that for that to happen, the account (and the phone number being used) would have to be changed to HIS name and HIS payment information, removing my wife from the whole equation, which he's fine with.

Is that possible?  Can the account remain in place, keeping the same phone number, but have the authorized account-holder and payment invoices changed over to him?    If so, how might that be done?    I can't find anything on the website that addresses this.    We'd like him to be able to keep the number he was using during the 2 month trial period, without creating a new account and getting a new SIM card, etc.  He's "learning disabled" and not practically capable of arranging a new account, etc, which is why we need to set things up remotely from here (Calgary) in the first place. We just need to get him set up and started and then, if all goes well, turn everything (the account) over to him going forward from there.

Any idea, folks, how this might be done?

Monty

[Manimonty]

Thank you EVERYONE!  Got it all setup and running, exactly as we wanted to. *Really* appreciate all the help! 🤜🤛

[maximum_gato]

@Manimonty 

You are very welcome. As long as you know how to be prepared for the worst but hope for the best your experience with pm will be good. Or in your case both your wife and her brother's experience using pm will be good. While there are some shortcomings help from the communuty can overcome most of them and pm does give the user much more account self management tools than other providers. Popping into the community on a regular basis (even once a month) will keep you up to date on the latest changes, glitches, fixes, freebies and workarounds.

[LitlLdy]

---

@Manimonty wrote:

Fantastic information. Thank you. I'm getting that this is pretty doable afterall. Gonna have to make some specific notes from all you provided so I don't miss anything.   Thank you so MUCH. REALLY appreciated. 

---

@Manimonty , that’s great to know! I am so happy that you posted asking for information ahead of time. I find it helps a lot when setting it all up & taking care of the service!

Edit: @maximum_gato ,that’s a lot to read but some great information for a 1st timer to learn from ahead of time in knowing how the process works!
Thank you everyone for helping @Manimonty !

[Manimonty]

Fantastic information. Thank you. I'm getting that this is pretty doable afterall. Gonna have to make some specific notes from all you provided so I don't miss anything.   Thank you so MUCH. REALLY appreciated. 

[maximum_gato · Accepted solution]

@Manimonty

Most of your concerns are easily addressed since public mobile is a prepaid provider and requires no credit or identity checks in order to activate. The larger concern would be account management and accessing customer support when necessary.

You can purchase a Sim card online from pm for $5+tax or in select corporate telus and koodo retail locations or mobile klinik stores for $10+tax. (Call ahead to ensure they stock pm Sim cards.)

For activation I suggest you set up an email that will be specific for public mobile only and retain access for both your wife and her brother. When you activate for simplicity use the brother's name and address (complete address details are added after activation).

Make sure you copy or screenshot the info inputted for the email address, password and 4 digit account PIN #. Keep this info safe and secure as it will be needed if account verification is necessary.

Additionally a screenshot of the phone number chosen and the referral code entered to recieve the $10 bonus referral credit.* Finally print or screenshot the transaction summary at the end of a successful activation.

By choosing an Alberta phone # at activation you will only pay gst. The phone number can be changed on the profile page in the self serve account to a Saskatchewan phone  # if you want or the landline phone # can be ported in at a later date. (Most landline ports are completed within 2 business days.) You may change phone numbers up to 4 times per 30 days.

The payment card info can be replaced with your brother-in-law's card (credit or credit/debit cards or credit/gift cards only...."my vanilla" Mastercards are not accepted) on the payment page.

Note: most changes in the account require 2FA verification via SMS text or email (thus retaining email and self serve account access is immensely helpful for account management purposes in case your wife needs to assist her brother for one reason or another.)

I personally keep the self serve account login 2FA verification disabled as it can be a hinderance more so than extra security and allows easier account management. You may want to consider doing the same.

Set up a community account using the email from self serve....perhaps ask what username that your wife and her brother would like to use? Again retain the username and password so that questions and/or support issues can be asked of the community by either your wife or brother depending on the nature of the issue and will be easier for account verification and accessing customer support.

It's recommended that you pose all questions to the community first so you can get most problems solved in a timely basis and if actual pm customer support is needed either your wife or her brother can contact pm with all of the correct info to get the issue resolved by a CSA. (Community members often have far more knowledge, experience and information about pm, phones, policies etc....than CSA's that may be new hires, don't use pm services etc....but they have back end access to accounts that community members cannot help with only advise upon.)

Logging into the rewards account using the same login credentials as the self serve account is needed to initiate the set up of the rewards account for points earning. Logging into the self serve account at least once per 90 days prevents login error messages and using a desktop or laptop computer is preferable for account login.

*If you do not have a friend or family member's referral code to use for the $10 bonus referral credit you may choose any community member to private message and ask to be their friend....lol....and ask for their referral code. They will be happy to oblige. Unsolicited referral codes are against the rules and should not be used but rather reported. But of course that's up to you to decide.

Welcome to the community! We are always happy to help!

[BKNS27]

@Manimonty 

It is possible to get him a new SIM and port his landline to the SIM. 
You can activate the SIM with his name with his Saskatchewan address and contact a CS_Agent to complete the activation with vouchers.

Or use your CC to activate the SIM and change the CC in the future with his CC.

[hTideGnow]

Hi @Manimonty

for less trouble to move My Account after, why don't you setup the My Account using her  brother email and use either a Prepaid Credit Card or Vochers to activate

Prepaid Credit card is easy, just buy from store and then use like a credit card.

Voucher is more work, I think.  Get the voucher, submit ticket with PM to activate for you

Both ways above, her brother can kind of own the account from beginning and you just helping him to start the first payment or first couple payments.  When he is ready, he can buy voucher and then load it into account himself or he can add his credit card himself

[HALIMACS]

@Manimonty 

Very easy and very doable.

When you activate the SIM number, choose an Alberta number (area code) as the taxes charged are based on the area code, not the physical location of the phone.   This will save you, and eventually him, some money in taxes.  You can set up the account in whatever name you choose - even a made up name.

When ready for him to take over, simply assist him with placing his payment information on the self-serve site.   It's recommended he go on auto-pay so there's no thinking about loading funds on the account before each renewal.   When your ready to remove your payment card and inputting his, here's how to switch it:

1. log into the self-serve account
2. click the 3rd tab down on the left hand side, titled "Payments"
3. in the Pre-authorized area tap "Manage Payment Method"
4. then tap "Update Card Information"
5. from there, you'll be prompted to enter the complete credit card information with the new information
6. then tap "Save Payment Information" at the bottom

[pmva]

@Manimonty This sounds perfectly doable.  Sounds like you would do something like this,

- set up the account as you suggested and choose phone number for SK.  I think when you create the account you can choose the city the number is for and choose one close to your BiL

- when it's time to turn over the account, contact CS Agent to change to his email address

- at the same time change payment to preauthorized payment using his credit card (assuming he has one)

I think that would do it and "switch" it over to his account with his email and payment.

[softech]

@Manimonty PM is a prepaid provider and they don't really check the owner of the account and no credit check.

So, yes. You can give the account to the brother easily

 Before you give the account, open ticket to  PM support, ask them to remove the credit card and change email address used to login to your brother.  Them give the login to your brother and remind him to add a credit card to the account for payment  (or hr can use voucher to pay instead of using credit card)