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Travel to U.S from Canada

derekt
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

At the end of August I will be travelling to New York State, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine and then on to New Bruswick, Canada. Total time in the U.S will be 4 days. I need to be able to talk to my family in Canada from the U.S. as well as have data just to check my messages, nothing major. What is the add-on plan(s) I should get ? Should I activate a few days before? Thank You. 

29 REPLIES 29

JK8
Mayor / Maire

@Bertie1 

 

Go to this page to see the options for the add ons to purchase for the US. Your current plan data will not work in the US.

 

https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/bc/plans#plans-start

Anonymous
Not applicable

@Bertie1 wrote:

What plan do I need to be able to  talk and text from US to Canada and within US 

Does the data I have now work in the US

Thanks


@Bertie1 

sign in to Self-Serve, to review your account, 

so many Add-on choose what you works with you,

How To Purchase Add-Ons Using Your Self-Serve Account

To purchase Add-Ons using your Self-Serve account, follow these steps:

  1. Click on ‘Purchase Add- Ons’ on the Overview tab and scroll down to the Add-On calculator.
  2. Click the plus sign (+) to add and the minus sign (-) to remove selected Add-ons.
  3. When you’ve added all your desired Add-Ons, click ‘Buy Add-Ons’ or ‘Make a Payment’ below the calculator:
    • You will see ‘Make a Payment’ instead of ‘Buy Add-Ons’ if there are not enough funds in your account to make the purchase.
    • If you don’t have sufficient funds to purchase the Add-Ons, you will be asked to make a one-time payment equal to the price of the Add-On, less your current available funds. Click ‘Submit’, then ‘Go back’: now the button below the calculator will say ‘Buy Add-Ons’.
  4. Select ‘Confirm my purchase’, and you’re off to the races!
  5. after you Add-on you have to do Rebooting your phone

    what is mean for Rebooting the phone means to turn off your phone and turn it back on again.

 

Overview Of Add-Ons visit Here link.

Bertie1
Great Neighbour / Super Voisin

What plan do I need to be able to  talk and text from US to Canada and within US 

Does the data I have now work in the US

Thanks

torontokris
Town Hero / Héro de la Ville

@derekt wrote:

At the end of August I will be travelling to New York State, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine and then on to New Bruswick, Canada. Total time in the U.S will be 4 days. I need to be able to talk to my family in Canada from the U.S. as well as have data just to check my messages, nothing major. What is the add-on plan(s) I should get ? Should I activate a few days before? Thank You. 


@derekt An option to keep your plan but get roaming for that time is ...

US Roaming
For 10 Days
U.S. Talk, Text and Data Bundle
Unlimited Talk, International Text and 250MB Data for just $20 for 10 days.

$20

 

If you need more data to purchase additional US roaming data

 

U.S. Data Only
250MB Data for $10, 500MB Data for $15 and 1GB Data for $20 for 10 days.

 

torontokris
Town Hero / Héro de la Ville

@derekt wrote:

Is it ok to switch  like this? This would be a better option 


You can only switch back to your old plan IF its still available on PM website as a currently available plan.

 

If you had a great older plan that is no longer available you can NOT jsut transfer back to it - you will lose it.

 

Switching to a $60 plan for 4 days of US travelling is not the best option

 

There are USA roaming add-ons available if you are going to the US for a short time.


@derekt wrote:

I like the idea of switching plans and it gives me extra data when travelling for 2 weeks. I am planning to do some hiking etc in remote areas with no coffee shops and I like the extra data. I only plan to speed 4 days in the U.S. around the 28th to the 31 and be in Eastern Canada until Sept . 10. So, as per my profile " ... Payment Due Date (One-Time Payment): Aug 13, 2019 .. " Should I change plan on Aug 12th and then change back when I get home around Sept. 10. I am not to worried about the extra cost, for peace of mind it is not that expensive. But should this work ok? 


@derekt You can schedule a plan change today just select the option for the plan change to be processed on your nect renewal. Also a good idea to make a onetime payment of $60 into your account funds to cover the plan change. This is a precaution to avoid any issues with AutoPay. Anytime after your next renewal and after your plan has switched to the $60 plan you can schedule another plan change to change back to your old plan also to take place on the following renewal date which will be in September in your case.

derekt
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

I like the idea of switching plans and it gives me extra data when travelling for 2 weeks. I am planning to do some hiking etc in remote areas with no coffee shops and I like the extra data. I only plan to speed 4 days in the U.S. around the 28th to the 31 and be in Eastern Canada until Sept . 10. So, as per my profile " ... Payment Due Date (One-Time Payment): Aug 13, 2019 .. " Should I change plan on Aug 12th and then change back when I get home around Sept. 10. I am not to worried about the extra cost, for peace of mind it is not that expensive. But should this work ok? 

Anonymous
Not applicable

 @derekt 

It's your money but I think switching is expensive.

All of the mentions of when to contact moderators and such is the workaround to avoid a known bug. I don't think it would look good on PM if you were telling contacts to just call you on that 11th day. Not that it's up to customers to protect the image of the company and all, just that you would get that "seriously? who are you with?" look from your contacts.

You can buy the add-ons via 611 or 18554public. I don't know if 611 works in the states.

Then when you're home to your laptop and your phone is back in PM-land using the normal network...you can contact the moderators to remove the add-on...all to avoid the known bug.


@derekt wrote:

Is it ok to switch  like this? This would be a better option 


@derekt  Yes, switching is not difficult. You have the option to have the switch  take effect on your next renewal or to take effect immediately. The difference is if you choose an immediate plan change you will lose you existing funds payed for your current plan so best to choose on next renewal if possible.

@derektYou can switch plans.. just note you will forfeit the amount you prepaid and the renewal date gets reset if you select the Change Plan Now option.. also it be aware Public Mobile's payment system has a bug that causes problems when people downgrade on renewal date.. so if you plan to move back to your original plan (if still available and cheaper).. do it before renewal date.

derekt
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

Is it ok to switch  like this? This would be a better option 


@derekt wrote:

Would talk be affected at anytime? I could manage without sms until I get my laptop setup to message the moderators. 


@derekt  Talk is not affected. What plan are you currently on? When is you next renewal? Maybe if you plan renews before you leave switch to the $60 plan so  it will cover all your Canada and US needs and then switch back to your old plain when you get back.

@derektYou can always send a message to the moderators ahead of time while you are in the US and tell them you are returning so and so date etc.. just note they usually take up to 48 hours to acknowledge your message. Apparently this bug only affects the add ons but not the $60 plan.

derekt
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

Would talk be affected at anytime? I could manage without sms until I get my laptop setup to message the moderators. 

@derektSorry there is no number you can call. SMS affects you once you return from Canada.

derekt
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

Is there a number I can call? It will take me 8 hours to get to the U.S border, so if I turn on before I leave my house, my Canada SMS would be affected. I will then have to stop before entering the U.S and take my laptop out go to the site and enable data and then wait for how long for it to be activated? Then before entering back to Canada I will have to message a moderator to have them turn it off?  Am I getting this correct? 

I think this has gotten very complicated, as everyone cares to make sure you have all the info.

 

The majority of folks who use the US roaming will have the sms issue when returning, but if you know this now, you can prepare yourself and those who need to contact you to use email or simply call on that period of time.

 

Not sure how much data you use, the all in one roaming bundle should be enough for 4 days travel, if you’re not downloading a lot.

 

getting the 1MB data roaming, and the talk and text roaming would also be usable if you are data heavy.

geopublic
Mayor / Maire

@derekt wrote:

At the end of August I will be travelling to New York State, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine and then on to New Bruswick, Canada. Total time in the U.S will be 4 days. I need to be able to talk to my family in Canada from the U.S. as well as have data just to check my messages, nothing major. What is the add-on plan(s) I should get ? Should I activate a few days before? Thank You. 


@derekt  I would recommend getting the 1GB US data addon. Once in the US you will be able to recieve texts and possibly incoming calls without a US roaming talk & text plan. For outgoing calls you can use Google Hangouts dialer or similar via data. Since you have data Google Duo is also a good choice.

derekt
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

I am heading to P.E.I from Toronto. I am planning to go via Maine and New Brusick etc want my phone to work the whole way. I might not be able to get on the internet to message a moderator. Could this get confusing? 

Anonymous
Not applicable

@derekt wrote:

Thank you. 

 

I might go with the US Roaming Bundle. It has Talk Text and 250 of Data (10-day). 250 MB of data is more than enough. It does not say unlimited talk but it does not say a limit either. Is it unlimited talk? 

 


It's unlimited.

So now you engage with the thought from GinYVR where texting gets screwy after it expires.

So buy the add-on shortly before you leave. Return to Canada. Message the moderators when you're returning to Canada to ask them to remove the add-on. Then they can get the few days to remove it before the texting on the 11th day screws up your normal texting.

I believe it is unlimited talk and unlimited international text. @derekt 

derekt
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

Thank you. 

 

I might go with the US Roaming Bundle. It has Talk Text and 250 of Data (10-day). 250 MB of data is more than enough. It does not say unlimited talk but it does not say a limit either. Is it unlimited talk? 

 

 

 

I did not know this. @Anonymous 

 

The US add-on starts day 1 the day you buy it up to midnight ET. Not time 0 and not 24 hours to the next "day".


 

Anonymous
Not applicable

@derekt wrote:

At the end of August I will be travelling to New York State, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine and then on to New Bruswick, Canada. Total time in the U.S will be 4 days. I need to be able to talk to my family in Canada from the U.S. as well as have data just to check my messages, nothing major. What is the add-on plan(s) I should get ? Should I activate a few days before? Thank You. 


If you only need talk and data then just buy those individually.

If you just need the odd bit of data then use wifi at coffee shops or hotels and don't even bother with cell data.

Oddly, I found last January that I could receive calls without a roaming add-on. But no calling out.

When at that coffee shop or hotel you could use other calling apps that use wifi for the call. It'll be internet sound and possible choppiness but no cost.

 

Buying any add-on is a little non-intuitive. It seems like you're buying the add-on but you're actually just initially adding money. After that then you need to buy the add-on.

The US add-on starts day 1 the day you buy it up to midnight ET. Not time 0 and not 24 hours to the next "day".

GinYVR
Mayor / Maire

@derektIn addition after you return from US, your service voice / SMS service might be disrupted for 24 hours. It is a well known bug, if you need service immediately when you return you would want to let the Moderators know ahead of time (response time can take up to 48 hours).

Triguy
Mayor / Maire

You can buy a US roaming add-on which is valid for 10 days after purchase.

https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/bc/get-help/articles/us-roaming

ChuckYeah
Mayor / Maire

 The add ons are 10 days, so I would definately set it up 72 hours in advance in case you have to iron anything out with the moderators.

If the 250MB, would work for you the $20 plan should make things easy. But if you need more data, the $8 calling plan and the appropriate addition of data, might be your best option. Make sure you get the calling add on and not the texting add on as they are the same price and I've seen people make that mistake before.

mh1983
Deputy Mayor / Adjoint au Maire

The applicable add ons are pointed out. As to when you should activate, it's up to you. You'll be covered since the add-ons last for 10 days and you'll be in the States for 4.

 

Just keep in mind: the clock starts for the add on as soon as you add it to your account. I'd definitely add it shortly before you go, though, not the day of. 

ChuckYeah
Mayor / Maire

usdata.PNGusroaming.PNG

 

 

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