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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Considering 42 reviews, most reviewers were let down by their experience overall. Customers frequently encountered significant issues with customer service, describing it as unhelpful, non-existent, and difficult to reach a real person, often relying on ineffective chatbots. Many people also faced problems with the service itself, including account access difficulties, payment processing failures leading to service interruptions, and data disappearing. Reviewers also reported poor user experience with the online system, such as login loops and inability to update information. However, some people mentioned that prices were affordable and offered good value compared to other carriers, with some experiencing good data speeds and coverage. Despite this, a few other people also felt that service quality did not justify the cost, noting issues like lack of Wi-Fi calling or international roaming.

What people talk about most

Customer service

Customers consistently express strong dissatisfaction with customer service, frequently describing it as... See more

Service

Reviewers highlight negative aspects of service, with many expressing dissatisfaction with poor quality,... See more

Price

Clients share ambiguous opinions on price, with some initially attracted by great prices and offers, even... See more

User experience

Consumers find the user experience to be negative, with many describing the app as a "joke" and confusing,... See more

Payment

Reviewers mention significant frustration regarding payment issues, with many reporting unexpected charges... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Public Mobile used to be great, then Telus took it over and slowly removed features and incentives (without notifying the customer) while raising prices. They used to reward loyalty by providing a dis... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Good luck speaking to a real person, and the bot is useless. You have to go on a computer and dig to figure out how to open a ticket (keeps taking you back to the bot and you have to know what to say... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Miss a payment and you are locked out of your bank because it uses text based 2fa so you can't fix the issue there. So you go to buy a top up at a convenience store but the finicky, broken, buggy syst... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

The system is not accepting my already activated and non renewed sim card for a new subscription. Have to buy new simcard if I want service. I am logged in yet cant see my account information, billin... See more


Company details

  1. Telecommunications Service Provider
  2. Cell Phone Store
  3. Mobile Network Operator
  4. Phone and Internet Service

Information provided by various external sources

Public Mobile Inc. is a Canadian self-serve, prepaid mobile brand which is owned by Telus.


Contact info

1.4

Bad

TrustScore 1.5 out of 5

357 reviews

5-star
4-star
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1-star

No history of asking for reviews

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1.4

All reviews

(357)

44 reviews in the last 12 months

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Companies on Trustpilot aren't allowed to offer incentives or pay to hide reviews. Reviews are the opinions of individual users and not of Trustpilot. Read more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Public Mobile isn't worth the hassle

Seriously don't bother wasting your time or money with this company. Too many issues with logging in, or issues with payments every month. The website is no help and the public mobile community is no help. All around just a stressful experience.

17 December 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Real bad company

Real bad company, they just have a self serve for doing your own services and if you make a mistake too bad, I changed plans a couple times and paid over $130. for the month, and their reception is ridiculously slow. Pay a bit more and where you have a option of dealing with a human and not just the robot.

13 November 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Major subscription issues

Major subscription issues, we have been working with an agent (online only) but they cannot sort out the issue. As this is day 3 of this nonsense, we are bailing on Public Mobile. We will now seek out a provider who either has phone service, or face to face service.

30 November 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I purchased a sim card with one month…

I purchased a sim card with one month prepaid fee , through public mobile website, I got confirmation email from them, that they will send it to me in 2 days, 3 months passed I didn't receive it yet, I WANT MY MONEY BACK

22 November 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Legalized robery

Could not update payment info online. Navigating the customer support took me so long my account became inactive. Now I supposedly have to pay them to activate my account so I can move to a more reasonable priced provider. Legalized Robery!

16 October 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Cheap but not reliable with basically no support

UPDATE: Support did contact me by text and he was able to fix the problem. So patience is key.

I have 2 numbers with Public Mobile. One works fine, the other is always having problems - like stopping receiving/sending calls even though the sim works in other phones or other sims work in this phone.
You can't get anything fixed in a timely manner because the online message system is so painfully slow and repetitive from dealing with different agents that it's almost like they want you to give up and find help elsewhere to solve your problems.
So if you want cheap and can be without a phone for 2-3 days at a time and do your own troubleshooting - then great. If not - do not use Public Mobile. During the time that I was waiting for support, I researched other carriers and chose to port my number.

30 October 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

AVOID AS TRAVELLER

AVOID AS TRAVELLER

I heard about Public Mobile being a cheap and good mobile provider, also for travellers.

But what nobody tells you, is that you need a Canadian visa or visa debit card, to activate your sim card in Canada. There is no other way. Complete scam. Paid for a sim card and got nothing in return, community support not helpful at all.

19 October 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Brainless support staff

Tried to get an esim and transfer my number from my old provider. It did not work at all. Customer support won't help, and it's literally one slow person named Alex who you text back and forth, and it takes him about 10 minutes each time. No phone number. No actual help, either. They double charged me for my monthly bill when I signed up and now I can't even use the plan BECAUSE IT DOESN'T WORK. And they will not refund. I'm issuing a charge back

24 September 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Scammed with new points system

Service is good, but ever since switching over to a points based system I am paying 10 dollars more for a super minimal plan (2GB ) and with tax it's way too much to be paying. Pre points update, I was paying under 20 for 1GB which was fine for me but now the points save you much less and you have to remember to manually apply the discounts yourself. Smart capitalization to make it seem like a benefit for the costumer when in reality it's much worse off than it had been before. Unfortunate

24 September 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

They lie to their customers

They lie to their customers
Pubic mobile claims to not only have data with their plans but the have the gall to claim they have 5g. There's no data with their plans. They don't connect to any data networks and you have to wait to get to wifi to use your phone. I wouldnt even pay 5$/month for this garbage. Liars

18 September 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Have been with Public Mobile for a…

Have been with Public Mobile for a month or so...The phone service is great (clear calls, fast download speeds, etc)...switching over was a breeze. Price is extremely reasonable for a Canada/US plan.

I don't mind the self serve service model...

16 September 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Useless

Can't activate service with them as they require a code to login. Can't speak on their chat without logging in. Zero agents to phone. Will be going to my credit card company to block their payments.

9 September 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Treats customers like garbage

Horrible company. They changed their loyalty system, we now get zero discount, just a tiny store credit. They offered a one time data bonus (which expires) but took it away when you switch plans to use the bonus. Garbage company.

15 May 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Public Mobile new business model is to…

Public Mobile new business model is to see how fast they can get rid of all their customers. Cell reliability with them hss dropped over the past 6 months while my bill has gone. So less service for more money - very crappy business model.

26 August 2024
Unprompted review

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