I can't create an account

[polybius]

No matter what phone number I put in to start the account creation, it says "* The phone number entered is invalid or you may have created your profile already. If you've forgotten your password, please click here."

I have never created an account here. I even tried my wife's number and that didn't work either. Is there a real person I can actually talk to? That chatbot is useless.

[chainsawcowboy]

@polybius 

I think you may be trying to go in thru the out door? Are you trying to create a self serve account before you become a customer? You have to activate your sim card first. If you do it yourself at home on your computer then you make your account at the same time as you activate. If you activate in store the clerk does the work but you go home and finish making the account with the code they text you.

[darlicious]

@Yummy 

Yes its possible and there have been a few times that customers have had a salesperson use their code or someone elses code and entered it instead of the referral code that the customer has requested to be entered although this has been extremely rare.

[darlicious]

@polybius 

Youcan port in an existing phone number upon activation with a few exceptions mainly porting from pc mobility and koodo prepaid which require you to take a temporary number and contact the moderators after activation is complete to complete the number transfer for you.

The only other reason would be if your number cannot be ported to telus/koodo/pm because there are no available telus exchanges in that region. Some areas of Newfoundland and Labrador and North Western Ontario have this issue along with a few other more remote locations. There are also a few municipal owned telephone companies who have the right to refuse port requests.

Which provider is your existing phone number currently with and where are you located? You can check if your number is portable to pm here...

https://secure.koodomobile.com/checktransfereligibilityparrot/default.do?lang=en&appname=otherportal

[darlicious]

@Meow 

An in-store activation is slightly different in the activation portal they use although the form they use basically looks the same but it does not set up your self serve account for you and it differs in the way payment is remitted. However it is set up and the way it conveys the information entered to public mobile differentiates it from "online activations" so certain promotions will not apply if the terms and conditions explicably require an activation to be online only or only for specific timelines.

[softech]

they activate for you just like they activate for other providers.  Yes, they do have some commission, that is why they can give you the SIM for free.

[Meow]

Could somebody in the know explain please, how store selling SIMs activates your SIM?

Is that process different than when customer gets SIM and activates it creating account through self-serving PM process or they have their own way?

[softech]

although it is possible, but my friends and I all had great experience before at stores (yes.. and no joke.. at Walmart).  they entered the referral code we gave them and no issue.

and worst case, if they ACCIDENTALLY entered the wrong code, you can open a ticket after with mod to sort it out.

[Yummy]

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@softech wrote:

@polybius   if you are going to a store, let them activate for you and they might give you the SIM for free  🙂

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I am just wondering... if 'store' activates your SIM is there possibility employee to 'slip' his referral code? Most people do not do proper research and are not aware of referral advantages.

[softech]

@polybius   if you are going to a store, let them activate for you and they might give you the SIM for free  🙂

[LurganIeUk]

You need to buy a SIM and activate it yourself which will also create an account in the process of activation. Or secondly buy from a store that activates the SIM for you at time of purchase. Then you have to finish the account later on. I would just buy a SIM and do it all yourself. And don’t forget to get a referral code that will give you $10 off. 

Bottom line...Walmart is a poor choice to buy. 

[polybius]

I think I understand why I can't create an account. I thought I could do the whole setup and create an account using an existing phone number but I guess not. I'll have to go into a store. Thanks for your help everybody.

[thompsonpaul]

Did you activate your SIM online or in a store?

And is your wife's phone also with Public? (An email address can only be associated with one phone, so if your email was used to set up her account, you'll need to create your account using a new/different email address.)

[Doomsday]

Yes you can contact a moderator for this issue:

https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/qc/get-help/articles/contact-a-moderator

Good luck

[LurganIeUk]

Insert the SIM into your phone...assuming it IS activated. Look at your settings and find the phone number that is assigned to the SIM. Try that number. 

[esjliv]

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@polybius wrote:

No matter what phone number I put in to start the account creation, it says "* The phone number entered is invalid or you may have created your profile already. If you've forgotten your password, please click here."

I have never created an account here. I even tried my wife's number and that didn't work either. Is there a real person I can actually talk to? That chatbot is useless.

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@polybius 

So you already have an activated SIM card with Public Mobile?

And you are having difficulty creating a Self Serve account? Registering a self serve account here: https://selfserve.publicmobile.ca/self-registration/

Moderators can be reached via SIMon bot or a sending them a private message.

You can use this link to send a:

Private Message to Public Mobile Moderators (PM Customer Service Representatives)

[modugnot]

I believe when I created my account I used an email and not a phone number. You need a phone number to receive a sign-up code, but after that I believe you sign up with an email address.

Have you tried using a different browser or clearing your browser cache?

T.

[popping]

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@polybius wrote:

No matter what phone number I put in to start the account creation, it says "* The phone number entered is invalid or you may have created your profile already. If you've forgotten your password, please click here."

I have never created an account here. I even tried my wife's number and that didn't work either. Is there a real person I can actually talk to? That chatbot is useless.

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If you activate your PM plan online, your self-serve account already created during the online activation process.  Use your email address the username and the password your provided during the online activation to log in.

If you activate your PM plan in a store, you are correct and you need to create a self-serve account by providing your phone number.

Did you activate online or in a store?

[Anonymous]

 @polybius : We don't know where you are along the process.

Are you an existing customer?

Did you activate in a store?

Creating the account would come after activating in a store.

Activating yourself is all under the Activate link up top.

Edit: if you did activate then you will have created the account. Then you need the email address you used during that activation and if you forgot the password then you can use the Forgot your password? link.

[darlicious]

@polybius 

You're trying to create your self serve account? Clear your browser. Reboot your device. Use chrome firefox, or safari. Try again.

If it still doesn't work for you when you "talk" to simple simon type in "can't create self serve account" and "human" and follow the prompts to submit your ticket. Wait times are about an hour. Keep an eye on your private message box the envelope icon next to your avatar at the top right corner of your screen for a little number to pop up indicating a message from the moderators. Responding promptly will speed up service times.

[Dunkman]

@polybius 

More details would be helpful.
Did you activate a SIM card at a store?  Or at home?  

Or are you trying to activate a new SIM card right now?  

[polybius]

What does a sim card have to do with it? It says it's going to send me a code to create my account. Can't do that without an active sim.

[hairbag1]

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@polybius wrote:

No matter what phone number I put in to start the account creation, it says "* The phone number entered is invalid or you may have created your profile already. If you've forgotten your password, please click here."

I have never created an account here. I even tried my wife's number and that didn't work either. Is there a real person I can actually talk to? That chatbot is useless.

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Sounds like maybe that's a used sim card.

Get a new sim to start a new account.

BTW...I don't disagree with your assessment of "that chatbot".