Public Mobile eSIM Activation With a Referral Code: Step by Step
- Check your phone supports eSIM Dial
*#06#— if an EID number appears, your phone supports eSIM. The phone also needs to be unlocked; phones sold in Canada since December 2017 are unlocked by law. - Pick a plan on publicmobile.ca The $10 referral credit applies on any plan. Ignore any Koodo 'Fast Switch' ads in the signup flow — referral codes only work on publicmobile.ca.
- Choose eSIM at the SIM step Select eSIM instead of a physical SIM. Public Mobile advertises $0 eSIM and $0 activation in 2026, so there's nothing to pay for the SIM itself.
- Port your number or pick a new one To keep your current number, have your existing account number and PIN ready before you start.
- Enter the referral code at Step 4 (Payment) On the Payment step, type the 6-character code into the Referral Code field — it's separate from the Promo code field. Do this before you pay; afterwards there's no field to add it.
- Pay, then install your eSIM Follow the on-screen or emailed setup instructions and stay on Wi-Fi while the eSIM profile downloads. If the QR code doesn't arrive, check your spam folder first.
- Watch for the $10 credit The one-time credit is applied to your account within 72 hours of activation. If it doesn't show up, open a support ticket via the chatbot.
Why eSIM is the fastest way to claim the $10 referral credit
Public Mobile has offered eSIM to everyone since August 2023, and in 2026 it advertises “$0 eSIM and $0 activation.” That makes eSIM the cheapest and quickest route to a new line: nothing to ship, no store to visit (Public Mobile has no stores anyway), and your service can be running the same day you order it.
The referral credit works exactly the same on eSIM as on a physical SIM: enter a code during checkout and a one-time $10 credit is applied to your account within 72 hours of activation. It works on any plan, and every valid code gives the identical $10 — there is no “best” code. The referral code on this page works like any other; using it simply supports this site.
Step 1: Check your phone is eSIM-compatible
Dial *#06# on the phone you plan to use. If a long number labelled “EID” appears alongside your IMEI, the phone supports eSIM. As a rough guide, iPhone XS/XR (2018) and newer, Google Pixel 3 and newer, and Samsung Galaxy S20 and newer all have eSIM — but the dial-pad check is the sure way to know.
Two more things to confirm:
- Unlocked. Phones sold in Canada since December 2017 are unlocked by law. If yours came from another country or is older, check with your current carrier.
- Works on the TELUS network. Public Mobile runs on the TELUS network, and the activation flow includes a compatibility check where you enter your IMEI (also shown by *#06#). If your phone passes there, you’re set.
Step 2: Start activation on publicmobile.ca
Pick a plan — the referral credit applies on any of them, from the $22 talk-and-text plan up to the $50/150GB 5G plan (see our plans overview for the current lineup; it changes almost monthly). You can open the plans page with the referral code pre-applied, which fills the code in for you at checkout.
One warning for 2026: TELUS shows “Fast Switch” ads for Koodo inside the Public Mobile signup and login flow, and referred friends have been confused into landing on Koodo — where referral codes do not work and there is no $10 credit. If the page you’re on says Koodo anywhere, go back. Stay on publicmobile.ca from start to finish.
Step 3: Choose eSIM and (optionally) keep your number
At the SIM step, choose eSIM ($0). If you’re bringing your number from another carrier, have your current account number and PIN ready — the port happens as part of activation, and our switching guide covers the details.
Step 4: Enter the referral code on the Payment step
This is the step people miss. On the Payment page — the fourth step of checkout — there are two separate fields:
- Referral Code — the 6-character referral code goes here. This is what triggers the $10 credit.
- Promo code — for Public Mobile’s own promotional codes.
They are different fields, and they stack: if a promo code is available, you can use both at once. See our promo code guide for what’s currently live. Just don’t paste the referral code into the Promo box — that’s the most common reason a code gets “rejected.”
Enter the code before you pay. Once payment goes through, there’s no field to add it yourself — although a support agent can still add it retroactively by ticket if you forget.
The eSIM flow and the physical-SIM flow share the same Payment step, so if you’ve read our general how-to-use guide, nothing changes here.
Step 5: Install the eSIM
After payment, Public Mobile provides eSIM setup instructions — typically a QR code or an emailed link. Stay on Wi-Fi while the eSIM profile downloads, then restart the phone if the network doesn’t appear right away.
Common eSIM hiccups
- The QR code or setup email never arrives. Check your spam or junk folder first — that’s where it usually is. If it’s genuinely missing after a couple of hours, open a support ticket through the chatbot on publicmobile.ca. Remember there’s no phone support: Public Mobile is online-only, so chatbot-to-ticket is the official path.
- The eSIM won’t download. Make sure you’re on a stable Wi-Fi connection, and don’t delete a half-installed profile partway through.
- The referral code was rejected at checkout. Nine times out of ten it went into the Promo box by mistake. Our fix guide walks through the causes one by one.
- You ended up on a Koodo page. Close it and return to publicmobile.ca — referral codes won’t work there.
Fallback: the physical SIM
If your phone fails the eSIM check, activation works exactly the same with a physical SIM — including the Referral Code field at Step 4 and the same $10 credit. Cards cost about $10 at Walmart or on Amazon. The only real difference is waiting for the card to arrive.
After you activate
The $10 credit shows up on your account within 72 hours of activation. As of July 13, 2026, there’s no bonus promotion running — the standard $10 is the full offer, and any site promising more is quoting expired 2025 promos (details on our current offer page).
Once you’re a customer, you get a referral code of your own. It sits at the top of My Account under the “Sharing is caring” banner, and you’ll earn 1 Public Point (worth $1 when redeemed) every 30 days for each person you refer, for as long as they stay. Our refer-a-friend guide explains how to share it, and after you activate covers everything else worth doing in your first week.
Frequently asked questions
Does the referral code work the same for eSIM and physical SIM activations?
Yes. Both use the identical online checkout, and the Referral Code field appears on the same Payment step (Step 4). The $10 credit is the same either way.
How much does a Public Mobile eSIM cost?
Public Mobile advertises $0 eSIM and $0 activation in 2026. A physical SIM costs about $10 at Walmart or on Amazon if your phone can't use eSIM.
My eSIM QR code never arrived. What do I do?
Check your spam or junk folder first — that's the usual culprit. If it's still missing, open a support ticket through the chatbot on publicmobile.ca; Public Mobile has no phone support.
How do I know if my phone supports eSIM?
Dial *#06#. If an EID number appears, your phone supports eSIM. It also needs to be unlocked and compatible with the TELUS network — the activation flow checks this for you.
Can I use a promo code and a referral code on the same eSIM activation?
Yes. They go in two separate fields on the Payment step and they stack. Just make sure the referral code goes in the Referral Code box, not the Promo code box — see our promo code guide.
I paid without entering the referral code. Is it too late?
You can't add it yourself, but a Public Mobile support agent can add it retroactively via support ticket — they'll need the referrer's name, phone number, and the code. See how to add a code after activation.
How fast does the $10 credit arrive after eSIM activation?
Within 72 hours of activation, on any plan. If it hasn't appeared after 72 hours, open a support ticket through the chatbot.