Quick Links: Network & Coverage | Plans | Ways To Save | Roaming | Phones | Frequently Asked Questions | Discussion
If you don’t want to read the details, skip straight to our Recommendation
Once your done reading this, be sure to check out our comparison: Lucky Mobile vs Public Mobile vs Chatr Mobile
Public Mobile History
Before we begin on our Public Mobile Review, we feel it’s important to give you some background information – Who are they? Where did they come from? Public Mobile’s beginning’s really came from the federal governments push to increase competition between the wireless carriers. We all know that there are a number of dominant players, however this didn’t mean that it wasn’t worth a shot to start a new mobile carrier. Public Mobile acquired wireless spectrum around 2008 and launched their network in Toronto and Montreal in 2010 along with opening several retail stores. Consumers were embracing this new carrier as they saw great growth and momentum as they got started.
However, the good times didn’t last very long. By 2013, they were not seeing eye to eye with the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association. They also agreed to have private equity firms that were invested in them to take larger stakes in the company with discussions of using the capital to further fund growth. All things said and done, Public Mobile ended up being sold to Telus towards the end of 2013 and within a few short years, we were right back where we started.
Public Mobile Overview
Public Mobile is essentially a discount brand, competing with the likes of Rogers’ Chatr Mobile and Bell’s Lucky Mobile. They are prepaid only and just like Koodo Mobile, leverage Telus’ strong 4G LTE network. However, Public Mobile takes the word ‘discount’ and ‘self-serve’ to another level:
- No Physical Stores – Yup, the day has come where we have mobile carriers without actual physical stores. But then again, what’s the need for them? You can go on Public Mobile’s website and order a sim card – once it arrives, you can activate it online, and you’re own your way. Sounds pretty good for those of us who don’t want this to be a complicated process!
- No Phone Support – They do not have a support phone number you can call. Yes, we know you might think that’s crazy, but in this day and age I guess it’s possible. For account changes, all of the self-serve options are available when you log into your account online. For support, they actually have a impressive online community where chances are someone has already had the same issue as you and the answer is sitting there waiting for you. Interesting concept and way to deal with support. If you’re really stuck, you can Submit A Ticket and a moderator will review it. So if you have the need to talk to someone to make account changes or for support reasons, Public Mobile may not be right for you. Why is this their approach you ask? Well, to keep costs low, you need to cutback on certain things, and they’ve decided that this is one of those areas.
- No Subsidized Phones – They do not sell any phones. Yes, again we know you might think this is crazy as well, but it’s not. You can buy an unlocked phone from Kijiji, Amazon, Ebay and a whole ton of other retail places so do just that – buy the phone you want within your budget, you own it out right, use it on Public Mobile. No contracts, no ‘tabs’, it’s all up to you as to how much you want to spend on a phone.
- Helping You Save Even More – Heard of all their ‘Ways To Save’? Technically, it’s possible to get your plan down to $0 per month. Have we heard of anyone like that? Few and far between. However, we have heard of many people cutting their bill down significantly by leveraging Public Mobile’s Ways To Save. More details on that below!
Keep in mind, with this level of simplicity that means LOWER PRICES! In addition to that, there are:
- No credit checks
- No contracts
- No surprise bills since it’s prepaid
- No one trying to upsell you on phones or plans
Public Mobile Coverage & Network
Public mobile leverages the Telus network so just like both Telus and Koodo it operates on the following frequencies:
- HSPA: 850 MHz and 1900 MHz frequencies
- LTE: 1700/2100 MHz (AWS)
- LTE Advanced (LTE-a): 2600 MHz and 700 MHz
Since Public Mobile does not sell any phones, you’ll have to make sure you bring a unlocked phone that can work on the frequencies noted above. Keep in mind that HSPA is 3G and slow for data; you’ll want to bring a device that can access the LTE 4G bands. Public Mobile has made it easy by adding a Phone Compatibility checker on their website, check it out here before you sign up to ensure your device is compatible.
Public Mobile Coverage Maps
Since Public Mobile leverages the Telus network, you can expect strong 3G and 4G LTE coverage across the country!
Public Mobile Coverage – Alberta
Public Mobile Coverage – British Columbia
Public Mobile Coverage – Manitoba
Public Mobile Coverage – New Brunswick
Public Mobile Coverage – Newfoundland and Labrador
Public Mobile Coverage – Northwest Territories
Public Mobile Coverage – Nova Scotia
Public Mobile Coverage – Nunavut
Public Mobile Coverage – Ontario
Public Mobile Coverage – Prince Edward Island
Public Mobile Coverage – Quebec
Public Mobile Coverage – Saskatchewan
Public Mobile Coverage – Yukon
Public Mobile Plans
Public Mobile offers:
- Ready-Made Plans
- Build Your Own Plans
We’ll go through the Ready-Made Plans below, however lets quickly discuss their Build Your Own Plans. This option is actually quite unique in the industry and is pretty good as you can add exactly what you want in your plan in addition to being able to change components of your plan every 30 days or 90 days so you can adjust it to adapt to your lifestyle, reinforcing the fact that you are in control of your plan! A Build Your Own Plan works as follows:
- Pick Your Plan Length
- 30 Days
- 90 Days
- Pick Your Talk Option
- Province Wide
- Canada Wide
- Canada Wide and to USA
- No Talk
- Pick Your Text Option
- International
- No Text
- Pick Your Data Option
- There’s a variety of options here both at 3G and 4G speeds going up to 5/6 GB
- No Data
Please note the below plan prices may vary in Quebec, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
Price | Length | Talk | Text | Data | Voicemail & Call Display | AutoPay Bonus |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
$10 per month | 30 Days | 50 Minutes Canada Wide | Unlimited incoming & 50 international outgoing | None | Yes | None |
$15 per month | 30 Days | 100 Minutes Canada Wide & Unlimited Incoming Calls | Unlimited International Text & Picture | None | No | 250 MB at 3G |
$20 per month | 30 Days | None | None | 250 MB at 3G | No | None |
$20 per month | 30 Days | Unlimited Province Wide | None | None | Yes | None |
$25 per month | 30 Days | Unlimited Province Wide | Unlimited International Text & Picture | None | Yes | None |
$30 per month | 30 Days | None | None | 1 GB at 4G LTE | No | None |
$35 per month | 30 Days | Unlimited Canada Wide | Unlimited International Text & Picture | 1 GB at 3G | Yes | 500 MB at 3G |
$40 per month | 30 Days | Unlimited Canada Wide | Unlimited International Text & Picture | 2 GB at 3G | Yes | 500 MB at 3G |
$45 per month | 30 Days | Unlimited Canada Wide | Unlimited International Text & Picture | 4 GB at 3G | Yes | 500 MB at 3G |
$47 per month (includes auto-pay reward) | 30 Days | Unlimited Province Wide | Unlimited International Text & Picture | 2 GB at 4G LTE | Yes | Included |
$50 per month | 30 Days | Unlimited Canada & US | Unlimited International Text & Picture | 8 GB at 3G | Yes | 500 MB at 3G |
Public Mobile 4 Ways To Save
A key feature of Public Mobile is the numerous Ways To Save they offer which essentially help you bring the cost of your monthly service down. Let’s analyze each of them:
- $2 AutoPay – Difficulty: Easy
This one is an easy win, set up pre-authorized payments from your credit card and you can automatically save $2 per month. Don’t have a credit card? Get a Visa debit card tied to your bank account and you can do the same! Beware that some plan prices already include this discount. - $1 – $20 Community Contribution – Difficulty: High
This one requires you to go into the Public Mobile forums and contribute to the conversations going on there. While this may seem easy, your reward fluctuates based on your contribution relative to overall contribution. This one is not for everyone so we suggest you spend some time trying it out for a month or two to see how you perform. - $1 Per Friend + $10 One-Time – Difficulty: Moderate
his one is not bad – Refer a friend and receive a one-time reward of $10 however receive $1 off per month for each friend for as long as that friend uses Public Mobile. So if you are happy with your service with Public Mobile and want to advocate/convince your friends who are on the fence to sign up with them, there’s a pretty good reward here. Apart from the one-time credit, if you refer say 3 friends, family members and/or colleagues, that’s another $3 per month cut off of your bill! - $1 Per Month For Your Loyalty – Difficulty: Easy
This one really doesn’t require you to do anything – After 1 year of staying with Public Mobile you’ll receive $1 off per month. And this continues and increases – $2 off per month after 2 years, $3/3 years, $4/4 years and $5/5 years. This reward is capped at $5 off per month. We like that Public Mobile is rewarding loyalty, something rarely seen in service businesses (not just mobile carriers).
Keep in mind that you’re account must always remain in good standing to earn and use rewards and there are obviously terms and conditions which can be found in the Public Mobile Community.
Public Mobile Roaming
Unfortunately, being a discount carrier, Public Mobile does not offer a EasyRoam like option where you can use your plan pretty much as is from $7 – $12 per day. They do however have talk, text and data roaming add-ons that can be purchased and used if you’ll be travelling.
Public Mobile Phones
As discussed earlier, Public Mobile does not sell phones. You’ll need to bring your own unlocked device and purchase a sim card from them for a one time fee of $10. There sim card is a triple punch meaning it can be used as a standard sim card, micro sim card or nano sim card – essentially covering off every type of phone.
What phones will work on Public Mobile?
While there are a large number of phones that will work on Public Mobile’s network, here’s a list of some popular devices which will work:
iPhone X | iPhone 8 Plus | iPhone 8 | iPhone 7 Plus |
iPhone 7 | iPhone 6S | iPhone 6 | iPhone SE |
Samsung Galaxy S9+ | Samsung Galaxy S9 | Samsung Galaxy Note 8 | Samsung Galaxy A8 |
Samsung Galaxy S8+ | Samsung Galaxy S8 | Samsung Galaxy A5 | Samsung J3 Prime |
Google Pixel 2 XL | Google Pixel 2 | HUAWEI P20 Pro | HUAWEI P20 |
LG Q Stylo + | LG Stylo 3 Plus | LG G7 ThinQ | LG G6 |
LG X Power 3 | LG X Power 2 | Samsung Xcover 4 | Alcatel GO FLIP |
Blackberry Motion | Blackberry KEYOne | Blackberry KEY2 |
Recommendation
- Best for those who want to build their own plan – Public Mobile lets you pick exactly what you want in your plan and pay for that and only that – no frills
- Those who need fast data will be happy with Public Mobile’s 4G LTE capabilities – This is a huge difference compared to Lucky Mobile and Chatr’s 3G only service
- Their $47 per month plan with 2 GB of 4G LTE data is pretty good value for the money with unlimited talk and international text
- For those motivated to cut off a few more dollars from their monthly bill, you have 4 ways to do so
- No contracts, no credit checks
Any downsides?
- If you’re the type of person that needs a human touch to feel comfortable, you won’t get that with Public Mobile – They have no customer service number nor any physical locations – Everything is done online, from plan changes to problem resolution. Be sure you’re comfortable with never being able to talk to a person ‘live’ to ask questions or express concerns.
- They don’t sell any phones so you’ll have to go get one on your own – make sure it’s unlocked and it works on the bands that Public Mobile operates on
Public Mobile FAQs
Does Public Mobile have subsidized phones?
No, Public Mobile does not see phones at all.
Is Public Mobile’s reception good?
Yes, Public Mobile leverages Telus’ strong 4G LTE network with nationwide coverage – You will get great reception almost everywhere.
What is Public Mobile’s phone number?
Public Mobile does not offer phone support. Account changes and support requests are all done online. Visit their Community to see if your support question has already been answered.
Are you a current Public Mobile Customer? How would you rate them on a scale of 1 to 10? How low have you gotten your monthly plan to be by using their Ways To Save? Have you got it to under $10 per month? Let us know below!
*Disclaimer: We have no affiliation with Public Mobile, this is an independent review of their services and offerings.
86 comments
Very happy with the service and price. Easy to set up and quick to port number as well. Switched from Koodo to Public Mobile and the savings quickly add up. Save extra 2$ every month when you setup autopay.
I have a ZTE phone, model Z850 but I cannot find it on the charts to check compatibility. Is that a bad sign and is it not a phone that works with the system?
Will a Samsung Galaxy S4 work on public mobile?
Yes!
Anyone want the 10$ bonus for referring me, a first timer? I’d love to have it too. [email protected]
hi Shawn
I bought a Samsung S10 e, would it work on public mobile
Yes it will work!
did samsung SM-A205G GALAXY A 20 work with public mobile chip?
Hi Eva,
Yes it will work on Public Mobile!
Thanks,
Shawn
You guys know if a note 3 or s5 will work
Hi Jay,
Yes both of them will work!
Thanks
Hi there Shawn! This is a great article an you are a very helpful person! I see Iphone 7 Plus in the list so please confirm that Public Mobile supports it.
Hi Helen,
Thanks! Yes, Public Mobile supports iPhone 7 Plus!
Shawn
Does it support iPhone 7? Does it allow for games and pictures, and I get to keep everything I have now with my iPhone 7?
H Gail,
Yes the iPhone 7 and all features will work on Public Mobile.
Thanks!
I thought Public Mobile was just fine until I changed my plan and also paid for an add-on. I was overcharged and never received the add-on min. I have tried everything to get this corrected but it is absolutely impossible to get any kind of response to my problem (endless hrs and many tries on computer, useless ‘answers’, tickets that don’t submit, etc.. texted on phone, also useless. I’ve given up and feel ripped off. I would never recommend them to anyone. In fact, I will actively warn people about their total lack of customer service on-line.
I am another happy customer. I switched from Virgin and keep my number without cost. All from the Public Mobile Online Activation.
Will an iPhone 4s work on public mobile.
Yes, the iPhone 4s will work on Public Mobile.
I am a current customer. I would rate them 10/10 so far. I am on my way to getting my monthly plan below $10 per month — right now I’m sitting at $12 per month! 🙂
I think they offer a great service at a fantastic value.
Mr Fundamental
Great to hear!
Yup I agree! been with them since January 2019 until now and never had one single issue never had overcharges like rogers or any big company lolll!! thanks Public Mobile!!!!! plus they gave me an extra 1GB for being loyal to them as a promo for their new redesign. Cheers to you guys
Can public mobile use on star wifi
No voicemail and call display mean that, if a coming call is not picked up for some reason, I can not call back due to the coming call number was not displayed, right?
Yes exactly.
Will the iPhone 5 work on this network?
Yes it will.
Thanks for sharing! I signed up for the plan and I’m very happy because it fits my needs without breaking the bank.
I have an Acer android – model T08. It’s not on list of phones to use. Can I use it with Public Mobile?
Yes it will work.
Would it work on the Samsung Galaxy A5 -2017 at Whitehorse and Dawson YT?
My band is: GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G, 4G LTE
LTE FDD LTE: 2100, 1900, 1800, AWS, 850, 2600, 900, 700, 800, 700 MGz; TDD LTE: 2600, 2300, 2500 MGz.?
Thanks.
Hi John,
Yes the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) will work on Public Mobile.
For coverage, Whitehorse and Dawson should be fine, but please review the coverage map on the Public Mobile website here https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/yt/coverage
I have been with public mobile for 3 years and am still in awe of how awesome it is! I have had to access their help maybe twice in this whole time (and I’ve switched phones 3 times during this period!) and was able to get help fairly quickly through the community. I currently have a 6.5 GB with unlimited nationwide calling and unlimited international texting for $45 (minus $6 monthly in rewards) so I end up paying $39/month. No surprise charges. Great network.
Great to hear!
Does original Samsung Galaxy Note works on PM? I need it for an older person and they don’t need data or text, just call.
Thinking of switching from rogers for my plan and I have a question about data. For example the 90 days plan, what happens with the unused data after the 90 days? Or in reverse if you used all your data before the 90 days period.
Thanks
Hi Justin,
The original Samsung Galaxy Note will work on PM.
In regards to data, unused data from your plan will not rollover. If you purchase a data add-on, that will rollover.
If you use all of your data before the end of the period, you can purchase a data add-on.
Hope that helps.
Thanks,
Shawn
We live very close to the US border, and don’t want to be charged for roaming that we don’t need. Will we be protected from that?
Yes you will be protected of that by turning data roaming OFF on your device. Very simple to do, in the Settings of your phone. That way there is no chance that the network can flip over to roaming on a US network.
Thanks!
Shawn
Will Public Mobile honour rate you signed up with for the lifetime of your subscription? Or will they increase price (what seems) arbitrarily with no reason or increase/improved services? … like Virgin Mobile.
That’s hard to say, there is nothing stopping them from increasing rates so it’s possible pretty much with all carriers that they’ll increase rates if necessary.
I have been with them for 3 years and it seems like the grandfathered-in-deals are definitely honoured, as long as your plan is kept active.
I bought a Huawei Max from China and want to know if it will work on the Public Mobile frequency. I cannot get an answer using IMEI?
What is the exact model of your phone?
Some more info here if you haven’t already read it https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Discussions/Anyone-knows-how-to-get-LTE-with-Huawe-P8-Max/td-p/82823/page/2
I think the Huawei Max is the Chinese version of Huawei Y Max, which is the international version. The model numbers is ARS-AL00.
It looks like the bands available on that phone are:
900MHz,1800MHz,800MHz,2GHz,Band 38,Band 39,Band 40,Band 41(2555-2575 MHZ,2575-2635 MHZ,2635-2655 MHZ),Band 1,Band 3,1.9GHz,I,Band VIII
Based on this site – http://shouji.tenaa.com.cn/mobile/MobileDetail.aspx?code=igrNcMUMc%2brpagJURNtrWm%2btr30UvaPR
900MHz,1800MHz,800MHz,2GHz,Band 38,Band 39,Band 40,Band 41(2555-2575 MHZ,2575-2635 MHZ,2635-2655 MHZ),Band 1,Band 3,1.9GHz,I,Band VIII
Public Mobile does not use any of these bands, you can see the bands they use here which are the same as Telus:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telus_Mobility#Networks
So I’m pretty sure that phone won’t work on Public Mobile.
Hi Shawn,
Thank you so much, Shawn, for looking up those bands. I think community support is a great idea for Public Mobile. Just to let you know my good news, I went to London Drugs, which sells sim cards for Public Mobile and got myself set up with a Public Mobile plan. My Huawei Max is compatible with the Public Mobile bands. It took a couple of days for my cell number from my previous cell phone company to be transported. Everything works great and I look forward to a long association with Public Mobile.
Oh wow, that’s really interesting to hear. Glad it worked out, a little surprised, but now we know!
Thanks for updating.
Shawn
With the “unlimited Canada / USA ($50/mth) can I use my phone within the USA? Can I call from the USA back to Canada? OR is it just calling from Canada to the USA?
Thanks
Hi Greg,
You cannot use your phone in the USA without roaming charges. Unlimited Canada / USA calling is for calls originating from Canada.
Thanks,
Shawn
Wow, I have never heard of this company, stumbled on it by chance. I am going to get a phone for my son and sign up!
Great to hear!
Looking into going with Public, but we are snowbirds who leave the country for 6-7 months of the year. Do they have anything like vacation disconnect, or would we just let the account go dormant for the time we are gone and then just reacitivate (pay) the account when we return? Thanks
Hi Ed,
Public Mobile does not have a vacation disconnect. You can let the account go dormant but would need to reactivate within 90 days if you want to keep your number. This post provides some good details:
https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Self-Serve/When-and-How-to-Suspend-or-Place-an-account-on-Hold-Extended/td-p/251703
Thanks,
Shawn
I’ve been with Public Mobile for 3 years. I’ve never had a bit of trouble. My bill is getting pretty close to 0. With tax it’s $17. I have the loyalty, auto pay and referral rewards. Prior to being with Public Mobile, I was on the phone to customer retention every month gripping about unknown data charges, price matching and other annoyances. I don’t care that I can’t speak to a person neither do my referrals. My loyal friends know they can speak to me and I’ll fix their phone problem. It’s too bad all the name brands don’t operate this way. BTW, I’m 83 and if I can figure this out so can anyone. 🙂
Great to hear!
I am wondering if my LG K4 cell will work? I cannot get an answer using IMEI?
Thank you,
Mike Collier
Hi Mike,
Did you buy the phone in Canada? There are variants of the phone, can you check on the back if the specific variant says LG-M151? If so it will work fine. If that is not the variant, please post what it is and someone can help answer.
Thanks,
Shawn
Do you have to purchase their SIM card if you’re phone is not in a contract and through TELUS?
Hi,
The TELUS SIM card will not work on Public Mobile, you will need a Public Mobile sim card.
Thanks!
Shawn
Great info
Will be switching from freedom to public
One question
If plan $15, ie no data then internet whstsapp etc will work when connected to wifi. And if 250g bonus data, how do I use wifi in priority to data allowance ie keeping my data when no wifi available.
Hi Nehru,
Your phone will automatically prioritize – i.e. use WiFi first and then data. Some phones can use both at the same time so you would want to ensure that setting is turned off on your phone if applicable.
Thanks!
Shawn
If switch to PM, can I keep my original phone number?
Yes you can port it!
Dose One plus six phone work with this plan ? it has the hspa and lte bands but i want to make sure .
Hi,
Yes it will definitely work. Enjoy it!
Shawn
I’m thinking of purchasing a Motorola Moto G6 Play and signing up for $35/month 3G plan. Does anyone know if this phone is compatible as I have not been able to get a definitive answer from my research?
Yes the Motorola Moto G6 Play will work on Public Mobile.
Can I transfer my current phone number?
Yes you can
Will the Samsung Galaxy Grand prime work on this network
Hi Bill,
The best way to check if a phone is compatible with Public Mobile is to enter the IMEI into their compatibility checker here: https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/on/get-started
From our knowledge, the Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime (G530W) will work on Public Mobile.
Would it work on the HuaWei P30 Pro? Thanks.
Hi Chris,
Yes it will work.
Thanks,
Shawn
why not Samsung S7? Seems odd.
Hi Bill,
The list of phones we’ve published is just a sample. The Samsung S7 will work as well.
Thanks,
Shawn
How is the 3g network when only getting the 3g data? I’m looking at getting the $25 plan. Thanks
Hi Tom,
Depends what you use data for. If you’re just checking email, on Whatsapp and browsing sites, streaming music, you can probably get by. If you plan on streaming video and doing things that require more bandwith, you will find 3G to slow. Here’s some further discussion on the topic that you may find useful: https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Plans-Add-Ons/3G-or-4G/td-p/264643
Can I port my existing cell number?
Hi Martin,
Yes, you can definitely port your existing number.
Shawn
As long as you never have any type of problem, you’ll be fine, but the minute you do, you’ll wish that you had went with a different service. Their so called on-line support is nothing less than pathetic.
Hi Clifford,
Sorry to hear your online support was less than stellar. Was there a specific issue you were trying to resolve?
Found this article extremely helpful. I am a very light user of the cellphone…. I rarely use the talk function and even my text usage is way way below the norm. Sometimes I use the data access to get on to Google Maps if I wish to find an address while I drive. Public Mobile’s offerings seem to cater to people like me! I was a little hesitant to try out Public Mobile since I had never heard of them… but after you explained that it is a discount wing of Telus I feel more confident about their coverage and signal strength! I think I shall go ahead and try them out… I like the concept of No Contracts…. thank you for pointing me in their direction!
Thanks, glad it was helpful!
I have succeeded in getting my plan to $0 on several months. Mind you I have the $10/mo plan, so it is not so hard.
Online support is unpredictable…when I joined 9 months, they claimed response with hours. Then it quickly changed to within 48 hours. But I have experienced delays as long as 10 days, especially during heavy promotion periods. That said, there has been some improvement but it still can take a day or two to get replies. So, caution is advised if you are highly dependent on this phone and something goes wrong.
Online self-serve is buggy so things do not always work well or as expected. Moderators do handle things but again, it may take time, so lots of patience is advised.
The potential savings is what makes this attractive, especially in the long run.
Nice to have a plan that’s $0 some months!
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