High-priced Data Addons

[slash407]

the mods dont set the prices and have no say in the model. As for the price, it might be higher than others especially if ur looking for alot of data but PM scheme is that its a basic phone service, so most people who come here are more into the text/voice as oppose to the multi data packages, thats for bigger companies

[sunflowershine]

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@Ramin_1 wrote:

Hi

1 GB data = $30 ?

Isn't this price a bit high in comparison with other operators?

I want to ask Public Mobile moderators to reconsider data addon price.

I am really satisfied with Public Mobile and add-on prices are the only problem which I had during the time I have this sim card.

Thanks

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Yes. Speakout has 2 GB for $20 only in their add-on... But it will not carry over to next period(s).

[rh66]

KOODO has 2GB addon for $15 thats $7.50/GB. 75% 

[KharmaScribbles]

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@will13am wrote:

Blame it on lack of competition.  Data add-ons and overage are generally way over priced, but what are you gonna do?  Moving to another country to avoid the high costs is also not cost effective.  Kidding aside, I am starting to see some change afoot.  It was not that long ago most plans came with 1GB of data or less.  These days 1GB is considered a minimalist plan.  As time marches on, we should hopefully see data add-ons and overages being a thing of the past.  I still recall the days of limited home internet usage plans, but barely.  Bhell tried to convince the CRTC that it cost $1 to deliver 1GB of data to a home.  What a joke.  That is now in the rear view mirror.  In the mean time, shop around for the best available options.  Since this service does not have a customer retention department, what you see is what you get.  For the most part, what we is not that bad. 

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I just want to say, it was once upon a time that MTS in Manitoba were, as far as I am aware, the only providers that ever offered UNLIMITED Data in Canada.. I think "Unlimited" in this case is that it started to get throttled around 12 or 15 GB, but even 12GB is pretty "unlimited" to me.  I wouldn't have paid more than $80 including some talk and text, so a very affordable rate as well.

When Bell bought out MTS, they ditched that plan in a heart-beat, and even tried switching off the unlimited data unbeknownst to current subscribers of that plan! Bell ruined MTS and I was so sad when they took over.  Bell fixed their blunder and did grandfather in all current unlimited subscribers so that as long as they kept their bill paid they were able to keep their unlimited data.
Of course, I regret losing that plan when I stupidly allowed my contract to lapse

I had the unlimited Data plan and since MTS was my first cell phone providers way back then, when I started looking for contract service again I was naive and assumed most other carriers offered comparable plans or even ANY plans offering unlimited data, even if they had to be super expensive.. But nope! The highest monthly contract data plan I have been able to find, ironically, was Bell in Ontario offering 12GB a month.

[kav2001c]

@KharmaScribbles 

Bell and Telus certainly offered $30 for unlimited data back in CDMA days and the add-on was compatible with HSPA once SIM cards were launched so many people added it on (afterwards new codes were $30 for 6GB of data)

In addition they also had various tablet/hotspot plans, the most prevalent one being $75 for unlimited data

Far more recently Videotron used to offer some amazing plans with unlimited data (Quebec/Ottawa only)

I also find it super weird so many of the posters are pointing to things like data OVERAGES since they are nothing like data boosters that OP is discussing

To compare apples to apples:

Public 1GB $30

Koodo 1GB $20

Koodo 2Gb $30

Telus 1GB $30

So OP certainly has a VERY valid point that Public Mobile add on pricing is very out of whack with what is being offered not only in the industry in general but the famly brands in particular (and Koodo data boosters also do not expire and carry over month to month)

@RobertQcwhere the heck did you find the pricing you listed?

[rh66]

sure is valid... wont be sticking around because of the outrageous amount. 

[srlawren]

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@kav2001c wrote:

I also find it super weird so many of the posters are pointing to things like data OVERAGES since they are nothing like data boosters that OP is discussing

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@kav2001c how are they so different?  If you run out of plan data (whether you have zero GB or 10GB included every month/30 days) and need to purchase more to get you buy, you're either buying add-ons (with a prepaid account) or going into overages (with a post-paid account).  You may have more control in one scenario or the other and the block sizes are different (100mb in post-paid 1st/2nd tier provider accounts vs. whatever add-on size you purchase with prepaid), but the purpose is the same.  If I need an extra gig of data at PM, it would cost me $30.  If I need an extra gig at Koodo/Telus/Virgin/Bell/Fido/Rogers, it's going to cost me 10 x $10/100MB = $100.  Public Mobile is actually pretty cheap for extra data beyond your plan data.  Plan data, naturally, is always going to be cheaper than add-on/overage data.  

[srlawren]

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@rh66 wrote:

sure is valid... wont be sticking around because of the outrageous amount. 

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Why not just get a plan that includes the data you need instead of worrying about the cost of add-ons?  A 30 day plan with unlimited Canada-wide talk, unlimited texting, and no data costs $35, while the same plan with 1GB of "3G" speed data costs $35.  If all you're after is a gig a month, it's actually FREE at Public Mobile.  Or for $40 you can get the promo plan that bumps you up to 4.5GB (even ignoring the 500mb autopay bonus), meaning that extra $5 bought you 4.5 GB, meaning the data cost you $5 / 4.5 = $1.11 / GB.  Need even more?  step up to $50 plan with 6GB (ignoring the 500mb autopay bonus), meaning that extra $15 bought you 6GB, at a cost of $15.00 / 6 = $2.50 / GB -- still, very good pricing!

EDIT: fixed my math on the $50 plan data cost calculation.  $50 - $35 = $15, not $6. 

[kav2001c]

@srlawren 

Trying to compare a postpaid to prepaid plan is at best for shock value and at worst very misleading by certain spammy posters

It becomes even worse when the person is making BS claims about Koodo postpaid service such as "$100 in overages" since the carrier in question has something known as SHOCK FREE DATA (which PREVENTS unauthorized overages on the account)

For that matter, EVERY single Canadian carrier under the Wireless Code has a block in overage charges which person needs to consent to, so even in that scenario a person should STILL be looking at what a postpaid booster costs

But same posters also cry when I call them out and do not bravo them frequently enough in other threads, despite the fact the info being thrown out is either wrong or highly inaccurate

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@srlawren wrote:

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@kav2001c wrote:

I also find it super weird so many of the posters are pointing to things like data OVERAGES since they are nothing like data boosters that OP is discussing

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@kav2001c how are they so different?  If you run out of plan data (whether you have zero GB or 10GB included every month/30 days) and need to purchase more to get you buy, you're either buying add-ons (with a prepaid account) or going into overages (with a post-paid account).  You may have more control in one scenario or the other and the block sizes are different (100mb in post-paid 1st/2nd tier provider accounts vs. whatever add-on size you purchase with prepaid), but the purpose is the same.  If I need an extra gig of data at PM, it would cost me $30.  If I need an extra gig at Koodo/Telus/Virgin/Bell/Fido/Rogers, it's going to cost me 10 x $10/100MB = $100.  Public Mobile is actually pretty cheap for extra data beyond your plan data.  Plan data, naturally, is always going to be cheaper than add-on/overage data.  

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[srlawren]

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@kav2001c wrote:

@srlawren 

Trying to compare a postpaid to prepaid plan is at best for shock value and at worst very misleading by certain spammy posters

It becomes even worse when the person is making BS claims about Koodo postpaid service such as "$100 in overages" since the carrier in question has something known as SHOCK FREE DATA (which PREVENTS unauthorized overages on the account)

For that matter, EVERY single Canadian carrier under the Wireless Code has a block in overage charges which person needs to consent to, so even in that scenario a person should STILL be looking at what a postpaid booster costs

But same posters also cry when I call them out and do not bravo them frequently enough in other threads, despite the fact the info being thrown out is either wrong or highly inaccurate

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@kav2001c okay I can't keep up with every bit of politics in the community so I'm not sure what you're thinly veiling here, but I'm going to ignore the politics.

Even with "shock free data", the question we are looking at here is "how much does extra data cost"?  So yes, Koodo will block you from automatically going into overage until you okay it.  Sure.  Fine.  Let's say you need to keep using your data and you've explicitly okayed that usage when you get the text.  This actually makes Koodo's overages even more similar to PM's data add-ons, as you have to take an explicit action to initiate that charge.  

Okay so given that last paragraph, do you still not see it fair to compare the $30/GB PM data add-on(s), when explicity purchased, vs. the $100/GB (in $10/100MB blocks) of Koodo overages, when explicity authorized by the customer.  To me, these are fundamentally the same things once you strip away the mechanics of how the billing works or when it kicks in.  Data add-ons are overages, pre-paid in blocks of [in PM's case] 200MB or 1GB.  Contrast this to Koodo's post-paid overages in blocks of 100MB.  Normalize to a common quantity, let's call it 1GB, and PM's cost is $30/GB (or $50 if you instead buy 5 x 200MB add-ons), while Koodo's is $100/GB (10 x 100MB blocks).