Assuming that usage gaps of more than 3 months are common for you, Public Mobile might actually not be the best / most cost economic choice for you if keeping SIM and phone number active is important. Depends on the plan you are using as well, though.
Considering that the cheapest option to keep your PM SIM and number active for a full year (365 days instead of 3 x 30day plan + 88 days suspension in between {88 days just in case there is a hick-up and you need the moderator team's help}) is 4*$20=$80 for the 30day text only plan. And you need to remember 3 renewal dates.
I did the math for relatives who are visiting Canada once a year for 3 to 4 weeks and like the convenience of popping an active SIM into their phone before their plane lands.
With SpeakOut, $60 (12*$1.25/month = $15 "911 fee" + $45 plan cost) gives them 100 Canada wide minutes, unlimited Canada wide texts and 1GB of data.
With PM, unlimited Canada wide calls, global text and 1GB data, plus the three texting cycles to maintain the account and number, comes to $42+(3*$20) = $102.
I admit, I'm probably somewhat comparing apples and pears here, though. And I acknowledge that there might be even better options out there but these two are readily accessible and have a solid and reliable network in my neck of the woods.
If my relatives would be ok with getting a new SIM and phone number every time they come over, the story looks different: SIM card pricing is $10 for both providers.
I did the examples with vouchers I have access to because both providers don't accept foreign credit cards on their online portals. I guess the "change" could be considered a service fee. 😉
A $50 SpeakOut top-up voucher would cover the 100min Canada wide talk / unlimited Canada wide text / 1GB value plan and the $1.25 "911 fee" for that month [=$46.25].
Two $25 Public Mobile vouchers would open a whole bunch of better options for $47:
- Unlimited Canada wide talk, unlimited global text, 2GB of "3G" data (1+1bonus as of 10/14/17);
- Unlimited Canada wide talk, unlimited globaltext, 1GB LTE data;
- Unlimited province wide talk, unlimited global text, 4GB "3G" data (2+2bonus as of 10/14/17); *
- Unlimited province wide talk, unlimited global text, 2GB LTE data. *
* With the higher data bucket with the province wide talk they could make their occasional Canada wide calls on Fongo, etc.
