Purchasing a compatible phone

[vkinniburgh]

Hi

Where would I buy a compatible phone?

[RobertQc]

---

@srlawren wrote:

@RobertQc FYI the IMEI checker on Public Mobile's site is very inaccurate for compatbility--it often gives false positives.  @vkinniburgh please note that @matbasm has given the correct guidance: check for compatibility using https://www.willmyphonework.net, and check for blacklisting using Public Mobile's IMEI checker.

---

@srlawrenThat's good information thank you, quite dissapointing you cant trust official public mobile tools.

[will13am]

@vkinniburgh, you have already been given a lot of resources to search out compatible phones.  I suggest that you supply the community with some requirements fro the phone you are looking to buy, pricing, features, ect.  We can help with narrowing down the choice to phone models as well as where to shop. 

[MacMe]

---

@vkinniburgh wrote:

Hi

Where would I buy a compatible phone?

---

iPhone or Android?  Budget?

[srlawren]

---

@Dougmania wrote:

Public Mobile will work with just about any phone in Canada. Since carriers have to unlock their phones now you can use almost anything you want.  It works on all my 20+ year old flip phones and all the new ones I have. I wouldn't worry too much, unless it is a "freedom/wind mobile" phone which may be iffy.

---

@Dougmania I know you're trying to help here, but this advice is really only useful if you purchased the phone yourself, and in Canada from a Canadian carrier (and then subsequently got it unlocked).  Some phones available brand new online from retailers like Amazon or Newegg (and many others) are actually imported models intended for other regions and may lack the required 850MHz + 1900MHz 3G UMTS frequencies.  Similarly with any phones people may have brought with them from overseas.  And some 2nd hand phones on Kijiiji, Craigslist, etc., you really don't know--they could be imported variants not intended for use in Canada.  It's ALWAYS pays to verify the compatibility to save yourself hassle, disappointment, and lost $.  

Even some Canadian-sourced older models may have been for the older CDMA networks or only have GSM frequencies.  

[Dougmania]

Public Mobile will work with just about any phone in Canada. Since carriers have to unlock their phones now you can use almost anything you want.  It works on all my 20+ year old flip phones and all the new ones I have. I wouldn't worry too much, unless it is a "freedom/wind mobile" phone which may be iffy.

Of course best way to be sure is to verify with the shop, or test it before you buy it if it is used. Pick a phone by a well known manufacturer to get the best experience (Samsung, LG, Motorola, etc)

[srlawren]

@RobertQc FYI the IMEI checker on Public Mobile's site is very inaccurate for compatbility--it often gives false positives.  @vkinniburgh please note that @matbasm has given the correct guidance: check for compatibility using https://www.willmyphonework.net, and check for blacklisting using Public Mobile's IMEI checker.

[RobertQc]

---

@matbasm wrote:

---

@RobertQc wrote:

---

To verify if you phone will work on Public Mobile network click here 

---

On small 'adjustment' to what @RobertQc wrote:  The phone check on the Public Mobile site (that uses the IMEI number) only checks if a phone is reported lost/stolen.  It does not check for compatibility.

For compatibility, you can use willmyphonework.net.

---

@matbasmIt checks both, if it works on the network, and if its stolen/lost. also its the official public mobile not a third party source

"Your device should work on our Network. Your device has not been reported as lost or stolen." - my result of checking my imei

1. Check your phone’s compatibility

Enter the IMEI number on your device and we’ll let you know if it’s compatible with our network. For more information about network compatibility, click below.

If you have a device from outside the Telus family and you are wondering if it will work on the network, run its IMEI number through the network compatibility tool and verify the bands it can connect to.

[matbasm]

---

@RobertQc wrote:

---

To verify if you phone will work on Public Mobile network click here 

---

On small 'adjustment' to what @RobertQc wrote:  The phone check on the Public Mobile site (that uses the IMEI number) only checks if a phone is reported lost/stolen.  It does not check for compatibility.

For compatibility, you can use willmyphonework.net.

[RobertQc]

---

@vkinniburgh wrote:

Hi

Where would I buy a compatible phone?

---

@vkinniburghI suggest www.kijiji.ca or www.ebay.ca

Public Mobile works on following frequencies: 

• For 3G use (UMTS/HSPA): 850MHz/1900MHz bands
• For 4G/LTE use: 1700MHz/2100MHz bands
• For 4G/LTE use: 700 MHz band

Which means most of the 3G,4G HSPA/ LTE phones that are compatible with these frequencies will work on Public Mobile. If your phone is locked to specific carrier, you’ll have to get it unlocked. 

Phones compatible with Telus, Koodo, Bell, Virgin will work on Public Mobile network. All 3G, 4G phones from Rogers, Fido and ChatR are compatible and will work on the Public Mobile network. 

To verify if you phone will work on Public Mobile network click here 

[SIM-phony]

Anything Koodo or Telus sells is compatible since it's the same network as Public Mobile. There's other compatible phones of course but as a general rule this is true.