Public Mobile ups prices on 4G plans, talk and text

Telus-owned Public Mobile rolled out tweaks to several of its lower-cost plans, raising prices and increasing data amounts.

Check out the changes below:

• $22/mo talk and text (previously $20/500MB)
• $25/3GB 4G (previously $23/2GB)
• $27/10GB 4G (previously $26/5GB)
• $30/20GB 4G (previously $30/15GB)
• $35/35GB 5G (previously $35/30GB)

While the changes overall are pretty small, it’s frustrating to see Public increasing the costs of some of its cheapest plans. Sure, it also bumped up the data, but most people looking at these types of plans don’t need or want tons of data.

Removing the $20/500MB in favour of a $22 plan with no data at all is particularly egregious. The loss of a small amount of data won’t matter much, but increasing the cost for basic talk and text will hurt for anyone in need of a simple, affordable plan.

For those looking for lower-cost, basic plans, there are better choices out there. Fellow Telus brand Koodo has a $19/500MB prepaid plan right now, as does Rogers-owned Chatr Mobile. Freedom Mobile also has a $99/year talk plan for an even lower cost option if you don’t need to send text messages.

Public also added another 5GB of data to its $35/mo 5G plan. However, it kept its $40/60GB and $50/100GB 5G plans unchanged. While the extra 5GB makes the $35 plan more enticing than competitor Freedom’s $35/25GB plan, Freedom still has $40/100GB and $50/175GB options. (Those plans end today, April 7, though, so move quickly if you want them!)

This plan change is right on schedule for Public, which had listed its existing 4G plans as ending on April 6. Public was supposed to end some 5G plans on April 6 as well, but it surprised us by terminating those deals several days earlier than scheduled.

You can check out all of Public’s plans on the carrier’s website.