Steve Vegvari Staff Writer

Last updated 10 June 2026

Contents

Jump to:

How I tested Public Mobile
The bottom line
Public Mobile plans and pricing
Public Mobile family plans
Am I satisfied with the 150GB plan?
How I rated Public Mobile
Signing up with Public Mobile
Managing your account
Data allotment
Public Mobile versus the competition
Recap: Would I recommend Public Mobile?

Public Mobile's affordable prepaid plans have always made it one of the more interesting alternatives to the Big Three. But in 2026, the carrier feels more relevant than ever. With aggressive Canada-U.S.-Mexico data plans, full access to TELUS' nationwide 5G network, and lower monthly pricing than most competitors, Public Mobile is clearly targeting Canadians who want premium coverage without a premium bill.

Over the past month, I tested Public Mobile's 150GB Canada-US-Mexico plan across Toronto, Mississauga, and Hamilton using an iPhone 17e and a Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. I streamed YouTube on the GO Train, hotspot tethered from Pearson Airport, tested calls underground in Union Station, and even relied on Public Mobile while roaming more dense areas.

How I tested Public Mobile

For this review, I activated Public Mobile's 150GB Canada-US-Mexico plan using a SIM on my iPhone 17e. I also swapped the SIM into a Galaxy S26 Ultra periodically to compare modem performance and hotspot reliability between devices.

Over 30 days, I tested:

5G speeds throughout Toronto, Hamilton, Burlington, and Mississauga
Streaming Netflix, YouTube, Spotify, and TikTok on the 5G network
Zoom calls and Discord video chats
Hotspot tethering for remote work sessions
Navigation through Google Maps and Apple Maps while driving
Roaming in the United States
Public Mobile's online-only customer support tools
Uploading 4K video files to Google Drive and Dropbox
Gaming through Xbox Cloud Gaming and GeForce NOW

I also tracked battery drain, signal consistency in dense urban environments, and Public Mobile's handling of congestion during rush hour in downtown Toronto.

The bottom line

Public Mobile is one of the best value carriers in Canada right now.

The biggest reason is simple: You're effectively getting access to Telus' premium nationwide network for substantially less money than Telus charges directly. Coverage is excellent across southern Ontario. Public Mobile also supports an extensive network in Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island).

The tradeoff is customer service. Public Mobile is entirely digital. There are no stores, no phone support line, and no in-person troubleshooting. If you're comfortable managing your account online, though, the savings are hard to ignore. For Canadians who mostly want strong coverage, lots of data, and affordable monthly pricing, Public Mobile is easy to recommend in 2026.

Public Mobile plans and pricing

Public Mobile's prepaid structure remains one of its biggest strengths. There are no contracts, no activation fees on most promotions, and no surprise overage charges. The standout option, in my opinion, is the 150GB Canada-US-Mexico plan. This plan includes:

150GB of 5G data
Unlimited talk and text in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico
Roaming in all three countries
Hotspot access

Public Mobile offers 4G LTE and 5G plans, supporting Canada-wide talk and text and varying data pools.
Image: Public Mobile

Public Mobile's lower-tier plans are also competitive for lighter users. There's also a 200GB Canada-US-Mexico plan available. However, when looking at data allotment, plan features, and cost, the 150GB sits in the sweet spot.

Public Mobile plans and pricing

Plan	Network	Data	Price	Shop plan
20GB Canada-wide	4G LTE	20GB	$30/mo.	View Plan
25GB Canada-US-Mexico	5G	25GB	$35/mo.	View Plan
100GB Canada-US-Mexico	5G	100GB	$40/mo.	View Plan
150GB Canada-US-Mexico	5G	150GB	$45/mo.	View Plan
200GB Canada-US-Mexico	5G	200GB	$50/mo.	View Plan

Unlike many postpaid carriers, Public Mobile operates entirely prepaid. There are no contracts, no activation fees on most promotions, and no overage charges once your premium data allotment is exhausted.

Public Mobile also includes hotspot access at no additional cost, making larger data plans especially useful for remote work or travel.

Public Mobile family plans

Much like other MVNOs in Canada, Public Mobile does not offer family plan options. So, those looking to activate more than one line on a single account can do so, but won't get added price benefits.

Customers can activate multiple lines under separate accounts, but every line requires its own individual plan and billing setup. That differs from carriers like Rogers Communications or Bell Canada, which continue to promote shared data options and multiline discounts.

That said, Public Mobile's aggressive pricing often offsets the lack of family-plan savings. In many cases, activating two or three individual Public Mobile plans still costs less than maintaining a premium shared plan with a major carrier.

Am I satisfied with the 150GB Canada-US-Mexico plan?

Yes. Public Mobile's 150GB Canada-US-Mexico plan feels like one of the strongest prepaid offerings currently available in Canada.

During testing, the plan consistently handled demanding daily usage without compromise. I used hotspot tethering at Pearson Airport, streamed 4K video while commuting on the GO Train, uploaded large photo libraries to Google Photos, and navigated downtown Toronto during rush hour using Google Maps and Apple Maps.

The included North American roaming also adds legitimate value. While travelling, Public Mobile connected automatically to partner networks without requiring additional setup or expensive roaming add-ons.

The plan feels weaker in customer support. Because everything is handled digitally, troubleshooting more complicated issues takes longer than it would with a traditional carrier store or phone support line.

How I rated Public Mobile

WhistleOut's criteria span five key metrics, including price, value, speed, coverage, and customer service. Each is rated out of five stars. The average is then used to form the carrier’s overall score.

4 out of 5.0 overall

Here's a breakdown of Public Mobile's ratings across various metrics:

Price: 5 out of 5
Value: 5 out of 5
Data speeds: 4 out of 5
Coverage and network reliability: 4 out of 5
Customer service: 2 out of 5

Price

Public Mobile remains one of the cheapest ways to access a premium nationwide 5G network in Canada, and after a month of testing, that value was impossible to ignore. Comparable plans from Telus, Rogers, and Bell regularly cost significantly more while delivering a very similar day-to-day experience. For instance, a similar plan with any carrier among the Big Three could cost $90–$100 per month. Here, you'll be saving nearly half that cost with Public Mobile.

Public Mobile strips away contracts, activation fees, and overage charges entirely, making monthly costs far more predictable than those of most traditional postpaid carriers. For Canadians who already own their phone outright, it's one of the easiest ways to cut a wireless bill without sacrificing network quality.

What impressed me most was how little the service actually felt "budget." I consistently streamed video, hotspotting to my laptop, uploading files, and navigating around Toronto without thinking about the fact that I was paying substantially less each month. Add in Canada-U.S.-Mexico roaming on select plans, and Public Mobile starts feeling less like a discount carrier and more like one of the smartest values currently available in Canadian wireless.

Price: 5 out of 5

Value

Value is where Public Mobile genuinely excels. Because the carrier runs on the Telus network, you're getting access to one of Canada's strongest coverage footprints while paying flanker-brand pricing. Throughout testing across Toronto and Southern Ontario, the service handled streaming, hotspotting, video calls, cloud gaming, and social media without issue. Unless you specifically need retail stores, bundled perks, or live phone support, there's very little that feels compromised here.

One of the largest value propositions is the included unlimited minutes in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. Adding these perks to the plan at no extra cost can save you a ton over time if you frequently message or send photos to family or friends in these regions.

Public Mobile also benefits from keeping things simple. Plans include large data buckets, 5G access, hotspot support, and predictable prepaid billing without unnecessary upselling. That combination makes the carrier especially appealing for students, graduates, and budget-conscious users trying to lower monthly expenses in 2026. If your priority is maximizing network quality per dollar spent, Public Mobile is currently one of the strongest overall values in Canada.

Value: 5 out of 5

Data speeds

Public Mobile caps 5G speeds at roughly 250Mbps, but in real-world use, the network still felt fast and responsive throughout my testing. In downtown Toronto, I regularly saw speeds between 180 Mbps and 240 Mbps on 5G, which was more than enough for streaming Netflix in 4K, uploading video files to Google Drive, and hotspotting my Galaxy Book6 Pro while working remotely. On mobile, apps loaded quickly, TikTok and Instagram refreshed almost instantly, and I rarely encountered slowdowns severe enough to interrupt my day.

Public Mobile's 5G data speeds enable fast content streaming on the go.
Image: Steve Vegvari | WhistleOut Canada

Travelling outside the downtown core occasionally triggered drops from 5G to LTE, particularly through suburban and rural parts of Southern Ontario, though performance remained reliable for navigation, browsing, and music streaming. While Public Mobile doesn't match the ultra-premium peak speeds offered by flagship plans from TELUS or Rogers, the experience consistently felt fast enough for how most Canadians realistically use their phones day to day.

Data speeds: 4 out of 5

Coverage and network reliability

Because Public Mobile operates on the Telus network, coverage across Canada is one of the carrier's strongest advantages. Testing throughout Toronto, Hamilton, Burlington, Ottawa, and parts of Newfoundland produced consistently strong performance, even inside shopping centres, office towers, transit hubs, and busy downtown corridors. Calls remained stable, data sessions rarely dropped, and network reliability felt far closer to that of a premium carrier than a lower-cost prepaid brand.

Public Mobile offers Canada-wide coverage with 4G LTE and 5G support.
Image: Public Mobile

Public Mobile, within Telus' network framework, has steadily built out extensive 5G coverage across Canada. In dense areas across Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, and Manitoba, strong 5G support is available. The East Coast also has shockingly strong 5G network access.

Even when 5G coverage weakened in more rural areas, LTE fallback remained dependable enough for streaming audio, navigation, and hotspot use. This reinforces the idea that the carrier is a viable option well beyond Canada's largest urban centres.

Coverage and network reliability: 4 out of 5

Customer service

Customer service remains Public Mobile's biggest compromise. The carrier is entirely online-first, meaning there are no retail stores and no direct phone support line. Everything from activation to billing management happens through the app or website, which keeps costs low but can feel limiting compared to traditional carriers.

I've long dealt with carriers' customer supports and feel very comfortable navigating online portals to manage my account and billing. That can't be said for everyone, though, and I have to recognize that.

For straightforward tasks, the experience worked well during testing. Activating an eSIM, changing plans, and monitoring usage were all simple through the app. However, more complicated support issues took noticeably longer to resolve because communication relies heavily on digital ticket systems and community forums. Tech-savvy users like me won't mind the self-serve approach, but customers who prefer to walk into a store or speak with a live support representative may find the experience frustrating and underbaked.

Customer service: 2 out of 5

Signing up with Public Mobile

Signing up with Public Mobile was painless. I activated the 150GB Canada-US-Mexico plan online via eSIM, and the service was active within minutes. There are also no activation fees during most promotions, helping reduce upfront costs.

Porting my number from another carrier can be completed smoothly without interruption. For testing purposes, I activated a brand-new line. Public Mobile does provide step-by-step instructions throughout the process, making setup relatively beginner-friendly despite the lack of physical stores. All of this is handled through the web portal or mobile app.

All in all, the sign-up process is fairly straightforward and took about 15 minutes in total.

Managing your account

Public Mobile's app and online dashboard are designed around self-management. Through the app, I was able to monitor real-time data usage, view my billing history, and see other relevant information regarding my account. The interface feels cleaner and more modern than many competing prepaid apps in Canada. Throughout testing, I never encountered login or billing issues.

Public Mobile also offers its Public Points rewards program, accessible within the app. The program offers customers the chance to earn points by making bill payments and redeem them to lower future bills or purchase plan add-ons. Public Points can also be earned by referring friends.

Public Mobile's rewards program is available through its mobile app.
Image: Steve Vegvari | WhistleOut Canada

Unfortunately, I only spent a month with Public Mobile, so I didn't engage too heavily with the program. Though I can see longtime and committed customers gaining some value from earning points over time.

Data allotment

Public Mobile's 150GB plan proved more than capable for streaming, hotspotting, and cloud-based workloads.

Streaming content through Netflix, YouTube, TikTok, and Spotify remained smooth across both 5G and LTE. I also used Xbox Cloud Gaming periodically during testing, which worked surprisingly well over strong 5G connections in downtown Toronto.

Hotspot performance was another highlight. While tethering my Galaxy Book6 Pro at Pearson Airport, I uploaded video files, edited documents, and joined video calls without noticeable slowdown.

Even under heavier workloads, I never came close to exhausting the plan's 150GB allotment.

Public Mobile versus the competition

When comparing Public Mobile against other flanker brands and prepaid competitors like Freedom Mobile, Koodo, and Virgin Plus, Public Mobile's biggest advantage is its combination of pricing and network quality.

Public Mobile vs. the competition

	Public Mobile 150GB Canada-US-Mexico	Freedom Mobile 175GB Total Freedom	Koodo 100GB 5G	Virgin Plus 60GB data, talk & text
Premium data	150GB	175GB	100GB	60GB
High-speed hotspot	Up to 250Mbps	Up to 1Gbps	Up to 1Gbps	Up to 1Gbps
Network	5G	5G+	5G	5G
Additional plan perks	No activation fee	Price Freeze Promise	3-Day Easy Roam US, 1 free perk	Unlimited international calls to 27 countries
Price	$45/mo	$50/mo	$55/mo	$50/mo
Shop plan	Shop plan	Shop plan	Shop plan	Shop plan

Public Mobile offers a pretty robust all-in-one package with its 150GB Canada-US-Mexico plan. With this plan, you get all the bells and whistles of a contemporary phone plan, including unlimited Canada-wide calling and texting, plus a substantial 5G data pool of 150GB. Then you throw in the same talk and text perks as in the US and Mexico, a feat only Freedom Mobile offers while charging an extra $10 each month.

Compared to Public Mobile, Koodo and Virgin Plus pale in comparison. Both carriers offer much less data for roughly the same price. Where the two make waves is in their perk packages. Koodo offers one free perk to customize your plan. Virgin Plus now includes international calls to 27 countries. Unfortunately, Public Mobile simply doesn't offer anything exciting beyond no activation fees, which is barely a perk and more what should be standard practice.

Public Mobile successfully delivers something many Canadian carriers struggle with: simple prepaid wireless service with genuinely strong value. The carrier combines reliable nationwide coverage, large 5G data buckets, North American roaming, and affordable monthly pricing without requiring customers to sign contracts or financing agreements.

Customer support still lags behind traditional carriers, and users who prefer retail stores or live phone agents may feel limited by Public Mobile's online-only structure. But if your priority is affordable service on one of Canada's best wireless networks, Public Mobile is absolutely worth considering in 2026.

Public Mobile	Public Mobile $35 Unlimited Canada-US Talk + Text + 40GB 40GB at 5G full speeds up to 250Mbps Telus 5G Network Deal: Receive 2% in Public Points Rewards + Free eSIM with new activation only $35.00 + $15 Upfront View Plan	$35.00 + $15 Upfront	View Plan
Public Mobile	Public Mobile $50 Unlimited Canada-US Talk + Text + 200GB 200GB at 5G full speeds up to 250Mbps Telus 5G Network Deal: Receive 2% in Public Points Rewards + Free eSIM with new activation only $50.00 + $15 Upfront View Plan	$50.00 + $15 Upfront	View Plan
Public Mobile	Public Mobile $25 Unlimited Canada-Wide Talk + Text + 25GB 25GB at 4G speeds up to 100Mbps Telus 4G Network Deal: Receive 2% in Public Points Rewards + Free eSIM with new activation only $25.00 + $15 Upfront View Plan	$25.00 + $15 Upfront	View Plan
Public Mobile	Public Mobile $40 Unlimited Canada-US Talk + Text + 100GB 100GB at 5G full speeds up to 250Mbps Telus 5G Network Deal: Receive 2% in Public Points Rewards + Free eSIM with new activation only $40.00 + $15 Upfront View Plan	$40.00 + $15 Upfront	View Plan
Public Mobile	Public Mobile $29 Unlimited Canada-Wide Talk + Text + 35GB 35GB at 4G speeds up to 100Mbps Telus 4G Network Deal: Receive 2% in Public Points Rewards + Free eSIM with new activation only $29.00 + $15 Upfront View Plan	$29.00 + $15 Upfront	View Plan

Steve Vegvari

Staff Writer

Steve Vegvari is a 10-year veteran writer in the gaming and tech space, having covered everything from the latest marquee games and hardware to smartphones and smart home devices. He emphasizes his love of weird, experimental tech while uncovering the pros and cons of the Canadian mobile market.

Read full bio