Yet another question about the 5$/500min Canadian long-distance add-on

[xiv]

Hi guys,

I've read a number of older threads about this add-on (2019-2020) with some very good tips, but it's now 2022 and we may all benefit from a refresher, especially since new plans seem to appear occasionally and some plans also seem to become grandfathered. Keep in mind that I'm new in town and only signed up a month ago. I'm lacking history.

I am aware that the add-on only kicks in when the plan is depleted for a particular cycle, and leftover add-on minutes will roll over until exhausted. That much is clear, and I understand the particulars.

The main point I'd like to clarify is this: how does this add-on deplete in combination with the 15$/100 outgoing minute plan. Specifically, since the plan only computes outgoing minutes, will the add-on deplete on the same basis, or will the add-on deplete ALL minutes (incoming and outgoing) when it is in effect?

Thanks for the help,

-xiv

[xiv]

Really informative! Thanks @esjliv  and @Korth for the detailed answers.

Regards,

-xiv

[Korth]

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@xiv wrote:

When you write this:

Fully consumed add-ons fall off the list. Partially consumed add-ons remain attached to account indefinitely, month after month, until fully consumed.

The question is this: what happens to partially-consumed add-ons if you switch plans? Are they cancelled? Left as-is?

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Add-ons (and Rewards or Points) remain attached to the account regardless of your plan. Even if you have an Unlimited Talk plan and some Canada-wide Talk add-on minutes you cannot use.

You can change plans any time, upgrade or downgrade as you like. Although your "new" plan must be selected from the list of current offerings - if you change away from a discontinued/legacy/grandfathered plan then you won't be able to change back (unless PM chooses to sell it again). There's no charge for changing plan, "change plan at next renewal" is usually the better option since you already prepaid so you might as well use it up. Some people "change plan now" to force their provisions (minutes, data) to start again, though you get no refund or pro-rate for the unused portions of an interrupted plan and you get no Rewards counted for the interrupted days.

I've changed my plan upward for a vacation (where I expected to use lots of calling) and downward again (when I didn't need unlimited calling anymore).

If your plan gets suspended/expired (you or your AutoPay didn't pay in time), any add-ons attached to the account remain intact - you just can't use them without active service. There's no charge for having your account suspended or for having it reactivated (the moment you pre-pay again). There's no charge for the "no service" days, although you don't collect Rewards while your plan is inactive. Some people allow their plans to lapse for a while when they're out of country or whatever.

If your plan remains suspended (inactive, unpaid) for 90 days, it gets terminated. The account is permanently closed - the SIM card is permanently deactivated, the number is lost, any fund balance or add-ons or Rewards attached to the account are gone forever.

If you leave the country for a long time, want to keep your Public Mobile account and phone number, but don't want to pay for months you won't use then the common advice around here is to change plan to the cheapest option available, disable AutoPay until you get back, and don't pay until 85 days or so have elapsed. In theory, you could leave things unpaid until the last day. Although I'm of the opinion that if it's worth keeping then it's smarter to give yourself a couple weeks "just in case" - because if problems do happen then it could take days of back-and-forth support ticket stuff to get them fixed before the deadline.

[esjliv]

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@xiv wrote:

@Korthprovides a very nice overview of the details, but I'm left with a question...

When you write this:

Fully consumed add-ons fall off the list. Partially consumed add-ons remain attached to account indefinitely, month after month, until fully consumed.

The question is this: what happens to partially-consumed add-ons if you switch plans? Are they cancelled? Left as-is?

Thanks for all the help,

-xiv

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@xiv  - Addons you purchased and addons given to you by Public Mobile as freebies/gifts will stay on your account when you change plans; even if they are partially used up.

The only addons you may need to be concerned about losing are those activation, promotional addons that get added to your plan every month.

For example, if you activated on a $35 plan and receive an additional 2GB on top of your plan data every cycle currently, then you downgrade to the $15 or $25, you are likely to lose that additional promo data that was added every renewal. It really depends on the terms and conditions of the specific activation promotion.

And, as often noted around here YMMV.

[xiv]

@Korthprovides a very nice overview of the details, but I'm left with a question...

When you write this:

Fully consumed add-ons fall off the list. Partially consumed add-ons remain attached to account indefinitely, month after month, until fully consumed.

The question is this: what happens to partially-consumed add-ons if you switch plans? Are they cancelled? Left as-is?

Thanks for all the help,

-xiv

[xiv]

That sums it up pretty nicely guys. Thanks for the information.

-xiv

[BKNS27]

@xiv 

As noted by others, once your 100 minutes outgoing calls are used up then it will start to deplete the add-on minutes. It will not deplete any incoming calls.

You might want to consider texting your friends to call you to minimize your outgoing calls since texting is unlimited on the $15 plan. 😉

[Korth · Accepted solution]

Incoming minutes from anywhere in the world to anywhere in Canada are always unlimited and free on all Public Mobile plans. No conditions, no exceptions. (On the flipside, PM offers no way for you to accept collect calls you might normally want to pay for.)

Limited Talk minutes (on current $15 plan, legacy $15 plan, and legacy $10 $13 plan) only apply to outgoing calls, from anywhere in Canada (or in Province) to wherever.

Plan provisions are always used first. Add-on provisions are used only when no plan provisions are available.

100-minutes outgoing Canada-wide from plan will be used first. Then $5 500-minute Canada-wide add-ons, if available. Then minutes from any CA/US/International add-ons, if available.

If you have multiple add-ons with overlapping or equivalent provisions - like a collection of similar but separate CA/US/International long distance add-on items you got as gifts from PM over recent years - then I don't know which particular add-on gets used first. (Though it shouldn't matter, since they're all priced the same, they were all free.)

Fully consumed add-ons fall off the list. Partially consumed add-ons remain attached to account indefinitely, month after month, until fully consumed. Some users used to report calls being interrupted between the add-on boundaries, but I've never experienced this myself.

You get an automated text notification when there's only 10 minutes left on your plan. You don't get any notifications (that I'm aware of) when your add-on minutes start running low. When you have no more applicable minutes your call is halted. No more minutes until you (or your AutoPay) prepay for more minutes.

Data add-ons work in a generally similar manner.

US Roaming add-ons work very differently.

You can check voicemail from any other phone by dialing your own phone number (and PIN). You can also configure your voicemail options to use "rapid prompts" which waste less time on annoying slow computer babble. Useful if you need to conserve your minutes.

[esjliv]

@xiv  the 100 outgoing minutes will be used from your $15 plan first.

Then, if you run out, and have the $5/500min. Canada Wide calling addon that will kick in. It will only be used for the outgoing minutes you use. This includes checking your voicemail from your device.