Where can I buy a phone to use with Public Mobile?

[Lachlan_M]

Public Mobile is a new kind of no-frills business, built on simple ideals with a co-operative approach to wireless. We don’t sell phones but don’t worry, there are a number of options available for customers to purchase an affordably priced phone.   

These include retailers as:

• Walmart (Prepaid Phone)
• Best Buy (Prepaid Phone)
• Staples (Prepaid Phone)
• You can also purchase a factory refreshed phone from Orchard at an affordable price.  Find out more about Orchard here.

Direct manufacturers:

1. Apple Store 
2. Google Store 
3. Microsoft Store 
   
4. BlackBerry (BBM)
5. One Plus One
6. Alcatel 

You can also have your friend or family member’s old phone if they are upgrading their phone.

Ensure the phone is unlocked, compatible with our Canada-wide 4G LTE network and IMEI is available for use before completing a purchase. Click here to check phone compatibility and find out the network frequency here.

*To use data, add and select Public Mobile’s APN settings Click here.

[makkahn28]

Because Public Mobile is no longer selling handsets, it is ppl's responsibility to ensure that the phones they buy and port over are 100% Compatable.

Public Mobile uses these Frequency spectrums:

3G: 850/1900 MHZ

4G LTE: 1700/2100 MHZ

4G LTE Advance: 700 MHZ ( Side note: This frequency isn't available as of yet, Telus needs to build and fully assemble this, and Handsets need to have this frequency built-in to fully take advantage of this particular spectrum)

The HSPA+4G Network has NO 2G GSM Fall back, so Check prior to purchasing. 

USE THIS Link:                         http://www.willmyphonework.net/ 

To check out whether your handset will work on the Network

IF YOU BUY HANDSET FROM a KOODO Physical store or Telus's Online store, The Handsets Most of the time don't require you to unlock, though Some might. If You buy from a Koodo Store, Handsets with the PURPLE LABEL on them can be bought outright W/O needing to become a Koodo Client

Telus's Physical Stores DON'T PERMIT Outright purchases unless you become a Telus Client.

Telus's Online Store is THE ONLY EXCEPTION; NOT ALL HANDSETS can be bought outright until 90 DAYS after their initial release

[makkahn28]

IF YOU BUY Handset that has LTE ABILITY, Not all can use LTE to TALK and USE DATA SIMULTANEOUSLY. YOU MAY NEED TO DISABLE THE LTE PRIOR TO talking, AS the 4G LTE is mainly for the Data portion, and 3G for BOTH DATA & TALKING

[makkahn28]

BELL & IT'S MVNO VM, ROGERS & IT'S MVNO FIDO & CHATR, WIND DO NOT ALLOW PPL who are NOT CLIENTS of their's to BUY HANDSETS from any of their stores, PHYSICAL/ONLINE

[makkahn28]

WAL-MART, Best Buy, and 3rd PARTY Kiosks CANNOT SELL handsets to PPL who ARE NOT Clients of the RESPECTIVE Carriers THE Handset you're interested in buying from these merchants DUE to CONTRACT CLAUSES that these Carriers impose on 3rd Party Merchants. 

[makkahn28]

BUT, WAL-MART & Best Buy have a Small Prepaid Selection, Models will vary from store to store

[makkahn28]

If You look for this Topic: 

Where can I buy a phone to use with Public Mobile?

You can find the multiple links to Google, Blackberry, and others where you can buy a handset from them online.

[makkahn28]

I found out something as well, another Place where you can purchase a handset, but you'd have to weigh in pros/con's and use common sense

Fido, One Fido store I asked, Yes they do sell.

BUT, you'd have to pay full cost of handset, plus $25 Fee, plus a $50 unlock fee too.

Also, You'd have to do the Test, IMEI, or use that www.willmyphonework.net 

Tool. So, It seems like options do appear, but costs are various here and there.

So, if Fido stores do sell handsets outright, with those fees attached, then there is another option, though slightly costly w. Those additional fees. But, If there's a specific handset U want and only They have, well, I'll leave that up to you to make that determination

[Martin]

makkahn28,

To ensure that your posts are understood by as many readers as possible, explain what MVNO stands for, and provide a brief description of what it does.

Write for those who are unfamiliar with cellphone acronyms.

[makkahn28]

MVNO stands for Mobile Virtual Network Operator. 

Its basically a sub-company using the parent Co. Network infrastructure.