Update: Public Mobile has reversed their decision–read their full statement here.
Yesterday, Telus-owned Public Mobile notified customers in waves via text message their coveted $120/12GB plan over 90 days (or $40/4GB) was increasing in price by 25% to $150.
The drastic price increase didn’t sit well with customers, as Public Mobile’s own forums had stated the price would not increase for customers, as long as they remained active customers.
The company also offered customers the option to switch to Koodo on a $40/4GB plan with Canada-wide calling and a $100 bill credit. But many customers have noted the timing of the price increase comes as customers just only recently paid their $120 for 90 days and the bill credit won’t make up for lost money and credits if they decide to switch.
When we published the story about the price increase, the Public Mobile Community forum thread on the price increase was at 32 pages long, and since then has ballooned to 87 pages. Numerous customers are angry about the increase and have since encouraged each other to file a complaint with the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS).
Here’s how to file a complaint with the CCTS, which numerous Public Mobile customers are doing, along with many others on RedFlagDeals and more.
The first step is to visit this CCTS complaint form, fill in your name, then follow the instructions below posted by a RFD user:
1. Select Contract
2. Select Wireless
3. When did you become aware? Feburary 15, 2018
4. Select Public Mobile
5. Select Personal
6. (updated Feb. 20) [Contact Public Mobile about your complaint FIRST, by going through their Community Forums]. Then answer: YES that you have tried to resolve this with the company. If you don’t contact Public Mobile first, your complaint to the CCTS will be rejected, as Public Mobile first needs to be given a chance to fix your problem.
7. Answer: NO that there are no other organizations which have the authority to compensate a customer for losses currently helping you to resolve this complaint.
8. You can answer with the following or change it as follows:Please provide the details of your complaint. Please ensure that you describe, in as much detail as possible, the steps you took to resolve the issue with your service provider and your service provider’s response. *
My plan provided me with 12gb of data for for $120/every 3 months. They are increasing my bill to $150/3 months starting March 20th. This is inconsistent and not what was promised when the advertisement indicated the following “If you have signed up for the promotional plan, you will be able to keep it after the promo period, as long as you are an active customer. This means that, as long as you are an active customer on this plan, your plan price will remain at $120, even after your initial 90 days. No surprises”.
Link to website to this quote: https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Announcements/UPDATE-Last-day-to-get-our-limited-time-4GB-40-promo-plan/td-p/77350
What do you consider to be a reasonable resolution to your dispute? *
To allow me to keep my plan as I have fulfilled my side of the contract to continue to be an active customer at $120/3 months for the same service I was guaranteed without having to switch to another carrier.
7. Enter your personal info
8. Attach a photo of the public mobile post screenshot if you want.
…and that’s pretty much it. Based on what we’re reading online, CCTS complaints against Public Mobile probably have surged due to this price increase.
According to Public Mobile on Twitter and what they are telling customers, it appears their Service Terms override what was posted in their Community Forums, which originally stated “no surprises” when it came to a price increase:
Hi Michael, please take a look at our Service Terms which you agreed to upon your activation for more information about this; https://t.co/9Gb50iYf9t
— Public Mobile (@PublicMobile) February 15, 2018
We’ve reached out to Telus for clarification and will update when we hear back from them.
According to the CCTS on Twitter, they’re telling wireless users “We need more info to decide if a service provider didn’t deliver on their promise to a customer. Each complaint is unique, we need to see for example their Terms of service, contract details, etc. The best approach is to file a complaint for us to look into the issue properly.”
Hi David, we cannot comment on @PublicMobile's decision to change their price, but our role is to ensure that providers respect the commitments made to their customers. When we receive such complaints we look into them and ensure that customers receive what they were promised.
— CCTS-CPRST (@CCTS_CPRST) February 16, 2018
What are you going to do? Stick with Public Mobile, jump on their Koodo offer, or wait for a better deal to pop up?
Update Feb. 20: This article has been updated to reflect how users should follow the instructions of the CCTS complaint form, and not blindly click ‘yes’, when asked if they had already contacted their carrier about their complaint.
