switching from Virgin Pre-paid

[domo2021]

Hello,

I'd like to move my phone number to Public and think I've got a good idea of the process but I have a few questions:

Phone: Moto G4 Play XT1601

1) How can I find out if my phone is unlocked? I bought the phone from as a Virgin pre-paid phone from Staples in about 2018.

2) My account is pre-paid until March 27th is this enough time, or are there any other considerations for pre-paid acounts? There were mentions of Koodo prepaids needing extra help, but I guess that was specific to them?

3) I'd like to use my phone this week. Is it OK to try porting on the weekend? Ie if I need extra help are moderators available then? Hoping all goes smoothly!

Thanks!

Edit: Already have a referral code, Thanks all!

[cavemantoronto]

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@BKNS27 wrote:

@darlicious I wasn’t aware about the PM Flash Sale announcement on March 19?

I have a friend who is thinking of joining PM but he is waiting for a good Flash Sale.

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There is no announcement of Flash Sale yet. Flash sale could happen any time. There are many weekends they don't do flash sale. 

[darlicious]

@BKNS27 

@darlicious wrote:

You have plenty of time to port your number over but I would suggest you wait til at least Friday afternoon as that's the day of the week pm most often will anounce a flash sale. I would hate to see you activate the day before a flash sale. Be sure to have a referral code to get your bonus $10 credit.

Maybe....maybe not. I hate to see new customers activate on a Wednesday or Thursday and on the Friday pm announces a flash sale, (I did the same.) So I always advise potential new customers to at least wait until Friday to activate their account/sim card. Who knows maybe pm is feeling lucky and will announce a St. Patrick's Day sale.

[BKNS27]

@darlicious I wasn’t aware about the PM Flash Sale announcement on March 19?

I have a friend who is thinking of joining PM but he is waiting for a good Flash Sale.

[darlicious]

@domo2021 

Your phone is most likely unlocked. If you can't test using another providers sim card to check you can always phone virgin and ask them. Don't tell them you are leaving just that you have to travel internationally or you plan on getting a new phone and you want to give your phone away to a family member with another provider. Phones are supposed to be unlocked since December of 2017 but some older stock continued to be sold into 2018 so there is the possibility it could be locked.

The koodo and pc mobility prepaid accounts that need moderator assistance is specific to them only and its because they share the same back end system as pm and they require  number transfer between accounts vs an actual number port.

You have plenty of time to port your number over but I would suggest you wait til at least Friday afternoon as that's the day of the week pm most often will anounce a flash sale. I would hate to see you activate the day before a flash sale. Be sure to have a referral code to get your bonus $10 credit.

Oh I don't what else I had to say as this was autosaved at 7:13pm  and its 6 hours later ....I could have sworn I hit post....oh well whatever.

[LoreckAvery]

Well I’ll be! 
First time I’ve ever said it. I’ll edit the post if it’s not done already! 

[Anonymous]

 @domo2021 : Yes thank you 2021 for getting us out of the year that shall ever remain unmentioned 🙂

BKNS27 has hit the primary answer. If you bought the phone outright up front then the provider simply would have no reason to lock it. And from a place like Staples on a pre-paid plan it would about certainly not have been locked.

You can sign up whenever you like and you can port whenever you like. They can be done at the same time of course.

Do you know if Virgin would pro-rate any value remaining after you port out? If not then you might want to wait to port. Some people like to try out the new provider before porting. But you're paying two providers then. So give it 24 hours before your other account expires. If you follow all the right steps as mentioned then it should go pretty quickly. Or 48. Whatever makes you feel comfortable.

[HALIMACS]

@LoreckAvery 

Referral codes cannot be solicited for sharing/giving on the Community.   

I know, you're just trying to save the OP money (& yourself a bit, too).   It's typically OK to say something to the effect, "Don't forget to use a referral code on your new activation".    Then if the OP comes back to the Community to specifically ask for one, go crazy and Private Message them like everyone else will then do...

[LoreckAvery]

1) contact virgin to ask them prior to attempting to Port. It *should* be but better safe than sorry 

2) I had Walmart mobile do the porting for me so they could troubleshoot if any issues lol

3) you can always message a  moderator, but they don’t always reply as fast as we’d like....hence the price point of public mobile 😉. They are ALWAYS helpful though, it’s just the wait that can be frustrating 

good luck and welcome to Public! 

[BKNS27]

@domo2021 You can check to see if your phone is locked by Virgin by going to:

Settings>Connections>Mobile Network>Network Operators 

If it shows a automatically or manual selection. The phone is unlocked.

Also, if you got the phone after December 1,2017. It is probably unlocked since it is illegal for carriers to lock phones.

[HALIMACS]

@domo2021    It will be an SMS.    Good news, at Public Mobile, MMS messaging doesn't cost nor count toward your data allotment.

[domo2021]

Is Virgin's text going to be an MMS or SMS? The reason I'm asking, and why I'm switching is that they are charging extra for MMS messages and I used up my prepaid balance quicker than I thought I would. If its MMS I need to add money to the account lol

I See its SMS

Thanks!

[HALIMACS]

@domo2021 

Here's the information article from Public Mobile which covers porting and changing numbers.  Moving from Koodo pre-paid is the only pre-paid service that requires one to select a new number upon activation with Public Mobile, FOLLOWED by requesting Moderator assistance to then port the number from Koodo pre-paid to Public Mobile.

Here's the article:

https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/on/get-help/articles/port-fraud-protection

[softech · Accepted solution]

best wat\y to check if you phone is unlocked is to use another provider SIM (any one other than Virgin will do), put it in and turn on and you will know right a way.

DO NOT leave Virgin yet.. if you notice its a locked phone, they need to give you an unlock code when you are still their customer.  Most providers will do nothing if you already left.  However, since you phone is from 2018, it should be unlocked by law.

Porting only take 2-4 hours.. so, you can go anytime.. 

just make sure .. once you signed up for PM and requested Porting.  Still have your Virgin SIM on your phone to receive a text from Virgin.  You need to reply YES to Virgin to trigger the porting.  Many ppl missed that step and caused  unnecessary delay