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Still no access after account payment

joeh
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

Hello,

I am relatively new but not entirely...have been with PM for several months.  My plan just went suspended yesterday due to lack of funds on the deadline, but I paid early this morning with a voucher, which seemed to be processed ok.  The code was accepted, and the funds showed up in the account balance so that my total owing was 0.  However, I could not re-access the Public Mobile network, and my account profile on Self-Serve continued to show a "suspended" banner.  I figured it may just have been a matter of time, so I just waited, most of the day in fact.  And sure enough, toward late afternoon, the "suspended" banner on the account profile disappeared, and the Self-Serve profile now shows the account is active and seemingly fine, paid-up.  However, I still seem to have no access.  If I try to use any data of any type (for example checking email or trying to use Google Maps, etc.), it simply sits there spinning and waiting.  If I try to make a phone call, I get a recorded message telling me that I cannot place the call because I do not have a long-distance add-on (even for local numbers, in fact those I've previously called without problem, dialed from my call history). 

 

Thus my account seems still "stuck" in suspended somehow, although showing normal and active in Self-Serve.  I have tried shutting off the phone and restarting, several times, but that has not helped.  I have tried shifting "Carrier" in general options on the phone to manual, then back again, but same thing...no effect. The Public Mobile network does show up as connected up at the top left, as always, but my access to it still seems to be restricted.  I should also mention that this is the second time my account has gone suspended and then been paid-up with a voucher afterward, but it went without a hitch before...this is the first time to have this kind of problem.

 

So, help, please (and thank you in advance)!

 

15 REPLIES 15


@kunjachen wrote:

611 call failed


@kunjachen   Can you explain a bit more.  Dialling 611 goes to the automated account info/payment system.  Were you trying to pay using 611 and was unable to?

kunjachen
Great Neighbour / Super Voisin

611 call failed


@stonechucker wrote:

Reporting as lost/stolen is only a function of the website to suspend service.

 

To actually report it stolen, you'd have to contact the police and provide device information such as the IEMI and s/n.


So this shouldn't/haven't ever caused any problems?

Reporting as lost/stolen is only a function of the website to suspend service.

 

To actually report it stolen, you'd have to contact the police and provide device information such as the IEMI and s/n.


@stonechucker wrote:

@joeh

 

Considering that almost 100% of the folks in the community are fellow customers, we've discovered these tricks to fix services as we await help from the Moderator_Team.  It's not ideal, but if it works, why not use them.

 

Yes, the programming should be fixed, and I'm a huge fan of putting Public Mobile on the spot when the service doesn't work, but I've been here for 3 years, and I've had one issue only that couldn't be resolved by the community.

 

I don't know how many folks don't have issues on a regular basis around here, but I'm sure there are far more than the vocal minority of subscribers who do come here with issues.

 

Public Mobile works for me, those I've referred, and those who research what is available here before subscribing.


@stonechucker   Like you I've only had minor issues so far, but I was wondering about the OP's concerns about how this could be a potentially serious problem after carrying out the lost/stolen phone trick, and also if this has ever been found to have caused a user's phone to be blacklisted after doing this procedure.  Also wondering why PM has not go around to fixing this so that we don't have to recommend this procedure anymore. 

@joeh

 

Considering that almost 100% of the folks in the community are fellow customers, we've discovered these tricks to fix services as we await help from the Moderator_Team.  It's not ideal, but if it works, why not use them.

 

Yes, the programming should be fixed, and I'm a huge fan of putting Public Mobile on the spot when the service doesn't work, but I've been here for 3 years, and I've had one issue only that couldn't be resolved by the community.

 

I don't know how many folks don't have issues on a regular basis around here, but I'm sure there are far more than the vocal minority of subscribers who do come here with issues.

 

Public Mobile works for me, those I've referred, and those who research what is available here before subscribing.

Bandsaw
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

@joeh wrote:

For anyone still paying attention to or running across this thread, just to mention that the issue was solved by a Moderator (thank you). My service is restored, but the few days without any access at all, due to no fault of my own but seemingly a common, long-standing, and frankly idiotic-seeming glitch were not all that much fun. Before closing out this thread, I just want to say a couple of things.


- First, thank you to Lieux and the other responders, for the assistance. Although this did end up fixed by the moderators, the replies and attempts were appreciated.


- The fact that this seems to be a long-standing and common glitch (just look through how many threads there are about this topic, how many users have had this happen to them, for *years*, and it is still happening), is inexcusable on the part of PM as far as I'm concerned. One can take an educated guess about the error in script/programming logic involved, and there is no way it should take so long and be that difficult to fix. I think it shows an astonishing lack of responsibility and regard for customers for a company to continue to let an account glitch like this go unresolved for so long.

 

- And finally, I just want to say that I feel that the usual suggested solution for this - to set one's phone to lost/stolen and then back again - is unacceptable. I don't deny that it can well work in some cases, and certainly the ones suggesting it mean well and are genuinely trying to help. But it is a questionable thing to require a user to do. Those who may think I'm being a bit alarmist, perhaps don't fully understand the risk associated with lost/stolen-reported phones, in particular iPhones. No matter how slight the risk may or may not be in this case. When a phone is reported lost or stolen to Apple's database, it gets flagged as such, permanently, and can NEVER be used on any carrier network, in the world, again. EVER. Its resale value drops to basically zero, any future possessor of it will be assumed to be in possession of stolen or illicit property, and the phone gets essentially bricked, aside from becoming a glorified standalone iPod Touch (or the Android equivalent). Now who does this reporting to Apple? Users/owners themselves? NO. It is the *carriers*, like Public Mobile. And the process is 99% automated. With no effective "appeal" process in the case of an error or a re-found phone that the original owner wants to have re-validated. Throw in the fact that current high-end phones are well over a thousand dollars each (and even that aside, even "cheap" or old phones can be worth that much or more to us regardless of market value), and you can see how incredibly high the damage and trouble can be with a mis-reported lost/stolen phone. Yes? Is it starting to sink in just how much risk is involved in these suggested little games of reporting and then un-reporting lost/stolen phones? Just to get around a PM system glitch, no less? NO MATTER HOW LOW THE PROBABILITY. Let me tell you, even if the odds are 1 in a 1000 against anything going awry, that won't mean anything to you, and no assurances of anyone will mean anything to you, if you happen to be that one in a thousand that gets your phone bricked as lost/stolen in Apple's db. All those who laugh these risks off can simply disappear into the shadows; it won't be them living with the consequences afterward. And the odds will be next to nil that you will ever be able to get it un-done or "fixed". Especially with PM's arms-length support model (not to mention the seeming lack of care to even fix a critical long-standing payment/account glitch)...there will certainly be no manual intervention or mediation by PM with Apple to help get your phone un-listed.

So, my advice, which will probably not be received very gladly, is NOT to mess around with reporting lost/stolen, if you encounter this glitch yourself. Just get in touch with a moderator, and let them do the account reset properly on the back end. Then again, dare we hope that this glitch will just be fixed soon for once and for all, rendering all of this moot (and all of us happier).

 


I too agree and spoke out here as well about the seemingly lack of programming confidence of the PM software.  These kind of billing errors shoud not be happening.  Nor shoud it take 2 days to sort out.  I like PM.  Personally, i have not had any troubles, but it does trouble me to the number of people who have issues like this.  To have to show your phone as lost, then found is nuts.  I can see many moving to Lucky Mobie.  They seem to have the same price stucture and benefit as PM, just with real people to answer the phone.

 

Customer service is everything - don't matter the business or the price stucture.  Good customer service and reliabe systems = happy customers = custumers who stay loyal.

 

Just sayin

 

@joeh 

 Then again, dare we hope that this glitch will just be fixed soon for once and for all, rendering all of this moot (and all of us happier).

Fully agree with you!!!

joeh
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

For anyone still paying attention to or running across this thread, just to mention that the issue was solved by a Moderator (thank you). My service is restored, but the few days without any access at all, due to no fault of my own but seemingly a common, long-standing, and frankly idiotic-seeming glitch were not all that much fun. Before closing out this thread, I just want to say a couple of things.


- First, thank you to Lieux and the other responders, for the assistance. Although this did end up fixed by the moderators, the replies and attempts were appreciated.


- The fact that this seems to be a long-standing and common glitch (just look through how many threads there are about this topic, how many users have had this happen to them, for *years*, and it is still happening), is inexcusable on the part of PM as far as I'm concerned. One can take an educated guess about the error in script/programming logic involved, and there is no way it should take so long and be that difficult to fix. I think it shows an astonishing lack of responsibility and regard for customers for a company to continue to let an account glitch like this go unresolved for so long.

 

- And finally, I just want to say that I feel that the usual suggested solution for this - to set one's phone to lost/stolen and then back again - is unacceptable. I don't deny that it can well work in some cases, and certainly the ones suggesting it mean well and are genuinely trying to help. But it is a questionable thing to require a user to do. Those who may think I'm being a bit alarmist, perhaps don't fully understand the risk associated with lost/stolen-reported phones, in particular iPhones. No matter how slight the risk may or may not be in this case. When a phone is reported lost or stolen to Apple's database, it gets flagged as such, permanently, and can NEVER be used on any carrier network, in the world, again. EVER. Its resale value drops to basically zero, any future possessor of it will be assumed to be in possession of stolen or illicit property, and the phone gets essentially bricked, aside from becoming a glorified standalone iPod Touch (or the Android equivalent). Now who does this reporting to Apple? Users/owners themselves? NO. It is the *carriers*, like Public Mobile. And the process is 99% automated. With no effective "appeal" process in the case of an error or a re-found phone that the original owner wants to have re-validated. Throw in the fact that current high-end phones are well over a thousand dollars each (and even that aside, even "cheap" or old phones can be worth that much or more to us regardless of market value), and you can see how incredibly high the damage and trouble can be with a mis-reported lost/stolen phone. Yes? Is it starting to sink in just how much risk is involved in these suggested little games of reporting and then un-reporting lost/stolen phones? Just to get around a PM system glitch, no less? NO MATTER HOW LOW THE PROBABILITY. Let me tell you, even if the odds are 1 in a 1000 against anything going awry, that won't mean anything to you, and no assurances of anyone will mean anything to you, if you happen to be that one in a thousand that gets your phone bricked as lost/stolen in Apple's db. All those who laugh these risks off can simply disappear into the shadows; it won't be them living with the consequences afterward. And the odds will be next to nil that you will ever be able to get it un-done or "fixed". Especially with PM's arms-length support model (not to mention the seeming lack of care to even fix a critical long-standing payment/account glitch)...there will certainly be no manual intervention or mediation by PM with Apple to help get your phone un-listed.

So, my advice, which will probably not be received very gladly, is NOT to mess around with reporting lost/stolen, if you encounter this glitch yourself. Just get in touch with a moderator, and let them do the account reset properly on the back end. Then again, dare we hope that this glitch will just be fixed soon for once and for all, rendering all of this moot (and all of us happier).

 

Anonymous
Not applicable

@joeh wrote:

Yes, as mentioned I did restart the phone, several times.  No effect unfortunately.  When I dial 611, I get the Public Mobile automated reception (to pay with voucher or credit card), as always.  But if I try to access anything else as I mentioned, it just sits and no data gets transferred.


The only effect that I know of with the lost/stolen feature is if you were referred to here by an existing customer. When you suspend, they'll get a text telling them they've lost a referral. When you resume, they'll get a text telling them they have another referral (ie. yours back). I have not read any reports of this ending up on any blacklist.

joeh
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

Yes, as mentioned I did restart the phone, several times.  No effect unfortunately.  When I dial 611, I get the Public Mobile automated reception (to pay with voucher or credit card), as always.  But if I try to access anything else as I mentioned, it just sits and no data gets transferred.


@joeh wrote:

Thank you for the reply.  Yes, I saw that lost-stolen suggestion in other similar threads (I did try to do my own homework before posting), and...how may I put this.  That seems to me to be an incredible red flag as far as something to try.  I mean, what does that thing do...couldn't it just go on to reporting the phone as lost-stolen on Apple's servers (it's an iPhone), and then get it blacklisted?  To say that would be a huge issue (for me) would be a real understatement.  Thus I would really prefer to avoid trying such actions if it could be possibly helped...


Don't worry it doesn't hurt or change anything..I have iphones too!Smiley Happy

It helps to re-activate the sim..not your phone...

joeh
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

Thank you for the reply.  Yes, I saw that lost-stolen suggestion in other similar threads (I did try to do my own homework before posting), and...how may I put this.  That seems to me to be an incredible red flag as far as something to try.  I mean, what does that thing do...couldn't it just go on to reporting the phone as lost-stolen on Apple's servers (it's an iPhone), and then get it blacklisted?  To say that would be a huge issue (for me) would be a real understatement.  Thus I would really prefer to avoid trying such actions if it could be possibly helped...

geopublic
Mayor / Maire

@joeh  Did you try restarting your phone? When you dial 611 what happens?

Lieux
Oracle
Oracle

@joeh wrote:

Hello,

I am relatively new but not entirely...have been with PM for several months.  My plan just went suspended yesterday due to lack of funds on the deadline, but I paid early this morning with a voucher, which seemed to be processed ok.  The code was accepted, and the funds showed up in the account balance so that my total owing was 0.  However, I could not re-access the Public Mobile network, and my account profile on Self-Serve continued to show a "suspended" banner.  I figured it may just have been a matter of time, so I just waited, most of the day in fact.  And sure enough, toward late afternoon, the "suspended" banner on the account profile disappeared, and the Self-Serve profile now shows the account is active and seemingly fine, paid-up.  However, I still seem to have no access.  If I try to use any data of any type (for example checking email or trying to use Google Maps, etc.), it simply sits there spinning and waiting.  If I try to make a phone call, I get a recorded message telling me that I cannot place the call because I do not have a long-distance add-on (even for local numbers, in fact those I've previously called without problem, dialed from my call history). 

 

Thus my account seems still "stuck" in suspended somehow, although showing normal and active in Self-Serve.  I have tried shutting off the phone and restarting, several times, but that has not helped.  I have tried shifting "Carrier" in general options on the phone to manual, then back again, but same thing...no effect. The Public Mobile network does show up as connected up at the top left, as always, but my access to it still seems to be restricted.  I should also mention that this is the second time my account has gone suspended and then been paid-up with a voucher afterward, but it went without a hitch before...this is the first time to have this kind of problem.

 

So, help, please (and thank you in advance)!

 


 You can try the lost/stolen feature.
Log in to self-serve. Plan & Add-Ons from top menu. Lost/Stolen Phone from next menu. Suspend Service button. Log out. Wait a few minutes. Log back in and back to Lost/Stolen Phone and Resume Service this time. Log out. Restart phone.

If doesn't help you would need to reach the moderator here for more help..https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437. And explain your case. Be patient waiting time is few hours to 2 days.

Need Help? Let's chat.