how to keep original phone number & features without pay when out of country for 8 months

[yanpad2020]

My daughter will leave Canada at the beginning of May and come back at the end of August. I am just wondering how to keep her current phone plan features and existing rewards when she comes back but without pay monthly fee for these 8 months?

[darlicious]

@dust2dust 

You said :

"If you suspend after midnight eastern and after the rewards pay in then you have a side effect that the rewards don't pay in on the next renewal. Then after that renewal you would ask for the rewards to be paid in."

I have done this and if I remember correctly it does not affect your rewards being applied upon renewal because you still have to pay and reactivate your next 30 days of service. Since you used lost/stolen within that 6 hour window of "free" service and not the 30 days of service that you will pay for and reactivate in the future your rewards will apply upon your next renewal.

To contact customer support click below:

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437

To pre-verify your account include in your private messaging only your full name, address, email, phone # and 4 digit acct pin #.

[Member]

Its all working now.It was never suspended because I kept the payments going.Thanks dust2dust for your help.

[Member]

Thanks for your help.I was able to change my SIM card number to the new one.YOUR prompt help is much appreciated.Amazing! Many thanks to you:

[dust2dust]

So what did you hear? If it gave you a future date and balance then the account is active. If it wanted money then it's suspended. If it said invalid then the account is gone.

[Member]

Thank you: dust2dust.

Yes it worked.Good tip!

[dust2dust]

Member: Use another phone and call 1-855-4pu-blic and enter your number and see what it has to say.

[hTideGnow]

HI @Member  

Can you still login to My Account?  Login My Account, click the Change SIM card there and then follow the screen.  You will choose to use the email to receive the 2FA code as you have loss your old SIM, or not working

If you cannot even login to My Account, then check with CS Agent to confirm if your account is still there or already closed. If you need CS Agent support, please message:

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437

[Member]

Thanks for that! I wish I had known it before.I also was not using my PM phone and removed SIM card on my travels.

So that I could insert and a SIM card from the country I was in.

I have always done that but kept it on minimal plan just to keep it active on return.It worked.My last time I returned in April and reinserted PM sim and it basically did not respond.Was not easy to find replacement SIM card ,as the stores I went to were " sold out"  of PM SIM cards.So I had no phone , no messages nothing even though I paid for it.I was told to get a new SIM card.Was not easy...took a while...

Today finally I got a new sim.Kindly advise how do I activate that new sim retaining all my credits and number.Thank you kindly.I have been without phone since Sunday!!!!! Thanks.

[hTideGnow]

HI @Member   You won't loss your number when on suspension, as long as you reactivate it before 90 days after suspension.  But if you miss reactivating, after 90 days, account would be closed permanently  and you will loss your number

[Member]

just wondering? Would the phone number be the same or would you loose that number if you are on suspension? 

[dust2dust]

I would be certain that the 5gb add-on you have would be safe with the account going into suspension either way. Or changing the plan down to the $15 plan. I would be less certain if it was over to the right in a promo box. But things can be unpredictable around here. As long as it all works, no one complains.

Rewards are a slightly different thing.

If you don't let it renew by not enough balance or turning off autopay then the rewards pay in to the account and then the plan suspends. Then when you wish to reactivate the account you have to pay enough to pay for the plan from the balance.

If you suspend by lost/stolen before midnight eastern then they don't pay in. Then when you wish to reactivate the account you have to pay enough to pay for the plan from the balance. Then you would ask the support people to pay in the rewards after that. If you suspend after midnight eastern and after the rewards pay in then you have a side effect that the rewards don't pay in on the next renewal. Then after that renewal you would ask for the rewards to be paid in.

You don't need customer service until you might need to ask for the rewards.

I know, messy, but there it is.

[yanpad2020]

You "have yet to have lost any data add on of any kind by suspending or downgrading plans" or You have NOT  "yet to have lost any data add on of any kind by suspending or downgrading plans"?

[yanpad2020]

Thank you so much for your detailed instructions too! Really appreciated. The 5G bonus is shown in the "my data & add-ons " box on the left side. Thanks for the explanation too on the names/ labels with the replies!

[yanpad2020]

Thank you so much for your detailed directions! Really appreciate! Her current plan is $25+1G plus 5G bonus.  Does it mean the reward/ bonus will be gone if we don't call the customer service to add on her balance?

[darlicious]

@dust2dust 

I don't think I have suspended for nonpayment.

To contact customer support click below:

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437

To pre-verify your account include in your private messaging only your full name, address, email, phone # and 4 digit acct pin #.

[dust2dust]

darlicious: And suspension by no payment? Particularly the right side promo items? By your off-the-book, customer experience, YMMV of course. 🙂

[softech]

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@darlicious wrote:

None of them actually have a pm account.

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They want to have a PM account, too , but they likely not in Canada and PM has no service there  🤣

[darlicious]

@dust2dust @yanpad2020 

I have yet to have lost any data add on of any kind by suspending or downgrading plans. In my experience bonus recurring monthly plan discounts or data are not lost by suspending service via lost/stolen before midnight eastern on day 30.

Edit:

I am just a friendly customer who has done a lot of fantangling with accounts to see what works and what doesn't. Customer support follows a policy book and a training manual. None of them actually have a pm account.

To contact customer support click below:

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437

To pre-verify your account include in your private messaging only your full name, address, email, phone # and 4 digit acct pin #.

[dust2dust]

This would be my take on pretty much what the above excellent reply says:

You can decide whether you'd want the add-ons in the early part.

Let the April 24 renewal go. Then if you don't have a balance then turn off autopay.
For the May 24 renewal it will suspend.
Maybe around August 15th change plans to the $15 plan. Top up $15 or whatever amount to pay the plan. The plan will renew.
Assuming Aug. 15 - September 14 the plan will suspend.
Maybe around December 10th top up to pay the plan. This will run until January 9th. Set up a plan change for the January renewal to get back to the plan she left on. For the number of days she is back until that renewal she might come up against the 100 minutes or the 250mb of data. Can she make do with that?
Turn on autopay when you set up the plan change.
January 9th she will be paid up and on her original plan.

If you wish to not have those number of days without the original plan then do the previous December 10th option sooner like late November to get her back to the original plan for around when she returns.

I hope that makes sense.

Maybe darlicious could confirm the 5gb bonus and changing plans. Does that show on the right side promo box or the left side my data & add-ons side?

We're all fellow customers. Sometimes you'll see replies from people with a PM logo next to their username. Sometimes you'll see replies with the term Customer Support Agent next to the CS_Agent username.

[darlicious · Accepted solution]

@yanpad2020 

Schedule a plan change on next renewal to the $15 plan. (Which plan is she currently on?) At the airport before boarding have her call forward her pm number to her voip provider and engage airplane mode. She will still be reachable by virtue of having free WiFi (device dependent) once she arrives in her destination country (?) other than the US** she can disengage airplane mode and use WiFi until acquiring a local sim card. The she will still receive incoming pm calls on her voip provider # until you suspend her service via lost/stolen before midnight on day 30 (May 23rd?) of her service.

I would recommend you purchase a couple of pm sim cards from Canadian Cell Supplies (currently $2.99) so both you and her have a spare sim card (copy her spare sim card's #) so a SIM swap can be performed if necessary or if you want to call forward her number during future active 30 day cycle.

Using April 24th as her next renewal date and a 3 day window for reactivation in case you need to contact customer support for assistance your approximate schedule is as follows :

1. Schedule a change plan on next renewal to the $15 plan. Purchase the $5/500min add on if you think she needs the extra calling (the add on rolls over every 30 days and is a one time purchase.)
2. The account renews on April 24th on the new plan. Your daughter performs the instructions above at the airport before leaving. You suspend her service via lost/stolen before midnight eastern on April 23rd. Voicemail service will remain active.***
3. Schedule reactivation reminders to reactivate before August 22nd. Preferably August 19th or 20th you "resume" service via lost/stolen. Make a manual top up payment of $15 by choosing "other amount" and ensure the her plan reactivates (call 1 855 4PUBLIC and enter her 10 digit phone # to confirm).
4. Contact customer support to manually apply her rewards to her balance. If you want to call forward her pm # to her voip # for the next 30 days of active service then have customer support perform a SIM swap if you cannot do so via 2FA to the account's email address. Then put the new sim card in your phone to call forward her pm #. Remove her new SIM card and stow away in a safe and secure place.
5. Assuming reactivation was done on August 20th suspend before midnight eastern on September 18th via lost/stolen. Again voicemail remains active.***
6. Schedule reactivation reminders of day 90 being December 17th/18th. Resume via lost/stolen and pay $15 (minus rewards from CSA applying them manually) on December15th or 16th. Contact customer support to apply rewards manually and any "more is merrier" holiday add on gifts from pm. Schedule a plan change on next renewal to your daughter's preferred plan. Perform call forwarding on your phone for your daughters service so she is reachable at the airport upon arrival on wifi with her voip # or pm number.
7. Your daughter will have a couple of weeks service on the $15 plan and can supplement her plan with her add ons until renewal on January 14th to her scheduled plan. Top up her account manually with her full new plan amount to avoid the possibility of an Auto pay failure glitch with scheduled plan changes to higher plan amounts $$.

** Connecting to a US tower will cancel call forwarding.

***I will confirm call forwarding does not cancel voicemail without an extra step before suspension.

Cost of service between May 23rd 2022 and your daughter's homecoming with 2 weeks of active service before the January 2023 renewal $15+$15=$30 - rewards (?)= ? (less than $30).

To contact customer support click below:

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437

To pre-verify your account include in your private messaging only your full name, address, email, phone # and 4 digit acct pin #.

[yanpad2020]

Good suggestion! Her current plan is $25+1G plus 5GB bonus that can be carried over each month. Will the 5GB bonus still be carried over if change plan?

[BKNS27]

@yanpad2020 

Your daughter should change her $40 5gb plan to $15 plan with AutoPay so she can keep her number and rewards.

[yanpad2020]

• Thank you so much for all your suggestions! Are you a staff member of Public Mobile? We will look into the details of those 6 suggestions to see which is more suitable for us and may need your help later. 

[yanpad2020]

Thank you very much for your suggestions! Giving up rewards is a bit tough for us:)

[yanpad2020]

Thank you very much for your suggestions! Sorry, my bad. She will come back at the end of December:). Her renew date is April 24. but she still needs the phone at the Toronto airport at the beginning of May. For the ways your suggested, will the rewards in her account still be kept?

[yanpad2020]

Thank you very much for your suggestions. It means I need to pay at least two separate months' fees along the 8 months duration, right?

[darlicious]

@yanpad2020 

All add ons and rewards (assuming she has been a customer before the Public Points program was introduced on January 25th 2022....do not join the points program if you are on the old rewards program it is much less rewarding) will remain on your daughter's account. Rewards are earned on the previous 30 days of paid service.

As long as the plan has not been grandfathered then scheduling a change plan on next renewal to the $15 plan for 30 days of reactivation while your daughter is away can keep the cost of maintaining the account as low as $45/350 days minus any rewards.

Just to sum up all of the suggestions and clarify a couple of points on the options for your daughter's pm account :

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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. Moderator/CSA contact after paying and reactivating is necessary to have the rewards applied manually.
4. 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 #.
5. 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.
6. 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 voip # like textnow/ fongo number before you leave Canada.. Now any incoming calling to your pm number will ring thru to your voip number while on wifi or mobile data (w/a local or global sim card) You can access your fongo voicemail for all voicemail messages.**

*you/your=your daughter

**You may want to hold onto your daughter's SIM card to perform call forwarding for the 30 days of reactivation if your daughter will have a local sim card for service while she is away.

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

To contact customer support click below:

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437

To pre-verify your account include in your private messaging only your full name, address, email, phone # and 4 digit acct pin #.

[softech]

@yanpad2020 if it is for 8 months,  not sure if you will consider porting the number out to Fongo.  One time fee of $25 and possibly a sim cost to come back ( bot you can still get the sim free from instore activation) . good is that you don't have to worry about missing the 90 days to unsuspend for a month.  But you will be giving up your old reward program 

[dust2dust]

You said beginning of May until end of August. That's 4 months. Anyway, as long as the account does not fully deactivate, you can pick it up again before that. ie. 90 days or wisely say day 85. Everything on it stays as is.

You could choose to keep paying each month.

When is her next renewal? The one before the beginning of May you could let expire when it runs out. Then let it sit unused for 85 days then top up and it will be active for another 30 days. Then if away for longer then let it suspend again. Whenever she gets back and tops up then that will start a new 30 days.

Just don't let it sit longer than 90 days in suspension. Or another way to think of it, longer than 120 days since last payment (30 days active plus 90 days suspended)

[Yummy]

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@yanpad2020 wrote:

Thanks for your reply! Yes, almost 8 months. Will the current existing rewards still be in her account when top up again after she comes back? She has a 5G data  that can be carried over every month in her account, will that be still there after come back?

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Is that 5GB add-on? Yes it will be there if it is add-on.

You cannot keep account for 8 months without paying at least something.

Remove autopay. Remember to log in before 90th day while on suspension for no pay and pay for the next month manually. Let it be suspended again for less than 90 days. Log in again; pay for a month. etc.

Loyalty rewards will be delayed if acct is suspended for >60 days.

Everything else should stay the same: referrals, add-ons, Plan features.