Frequently Asked Questions

Unlimited Calling Overview

1. What's unlimited wireless calling?
2. Do I have to sign a contract?
3. How can Mobi PCS be affordable and still offer unlimited minutes?
4. Will you always have unlimited calling plans?
5. What features can I add to my plan?
6. Can I talk all I want all over town?
7. Who can call me?
8. How do I make a long distance call?
9. Can I use my Mobi phone when I'm on the mainland?
10. Can I use my Mobi phone when I'm on the neighbor islands?

Nationwide Roaming

1. What does Unlimited Nationwide Roaming (UNR) mean?
2. Can I make a change to my existing account and get UNR active today?
3. How can I get Unlimited Nationwide Roaming?
4. Can I add UNR to my existing plan?
5. How do I use UNR? Will it automatically work?
6. What states and cities are included in UNR?
7. The map doesn't show a lot of detail. How can find out if UNR is in a certain place in a certain city?
8. Are there any restrictions to UNR?
9. What if I move to the mainland? Can I still use UNR?
10. Why does my voicemail box need to be reset?
11. What call services and features will work when I'm roaming?

Mobi Bank

1. Can I get a refund on my Mobi bank?

Coverage

1. Can I get coverage in Alaska and Puerto Rico?

Text Messaging

1. If I send a message to a friend on another carrier's network, will he/she still be charged for receiving my message?
2. Can I text message to any major wireless carrier?
3. Can I text message someone outside of the U.S.?
4. Will my text work on the mainland?

Taxes, Fees, and Surcharges

1. Are there any costs in addition to the monthly fee?

Payment Options

1. How do I pay for service?
2. What are my payment options?

Service

1. Can I keep my phone number if I switch to Mobi from another provider?
2. What happens if I forget a payment?
3. Can I keep my phone number if I reactivate my service?

Plans & Features

1. I already have a wireless phone. Can I use it with Mobi PCS service?
2. Can I change my Mobi PCS plan online?

Hearing Aid Compatibility

1. Does Mobi PCS offer hearing aid compatible phones?

Answers

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Unlimited Calling Overview

1. What's unlimited wireless calling?

   Simply put, it means you can talk as long as you want. Day. Night. Weekdays. Weekends. Hey, they're all the same to us. (If you really miss paying those overage charges, consider donating to a charity instead.)

2. Do I have to sign a contract?

   At Mobi, you have the freedom to select what works best for you. Simply choose if you'd like to pay month to month or get a term agreement. Either way, you know what you're getting--and for exactly how much. See your Mobi store for more information.

3. How can Mobi PCS be affordable and still offer unlimited minutes?

   Our engineers will tell you that our advanced CDMA network technology provides far more network capacity than other service providers which results in cost-efficient service to our customers. But the simple answer is less paperwork. We don't detail your calls, check on your limits, mail fat expensive statements, or chase after you with lots of little fines.

4. Will you always have unlimited calling plans?

   We like them. You like them. We don't see them going away.

5. What features can I add to my plan?

   Mobi Exclusives offers a whole selection of unlimited options. They're rolled into your statement so you make a single payment.

   You can also get services and features directly through your Mobi PCS phone and pay for them with money that you set aside in your Mobi Bank. These features are charged on a per-use basis, so you only pay for what you use.

6. Can I talk all I want all over town?

   Our coverage maps show you our current calling area coverage that includes Oahu, Maui, the Big Island, Kauai, and Molokai. And remember, if you purchase a Mobi PCS phone and realize that it's not right for you, our Mobi Promise means you can bring it back for a full refund. Be sure to refer to our return policy.

7. Who can call me?

   Anyone can call you, no matter where they are, as long as you're within the Mobi PCS coverage area. Here's that map again.

8. How do I make a long distance call?

   There are two types of long distance calls: Nationwide and International. All calls must be made from within the Mobi PCS local calling area (islands of Oahu, Maui, the Big Island, Kauai, and Molokai).
   

   Nationwide long distance calls are calls you make to any of the 50 U.S. states (including Lanai and Niihau) that are outside the Mobi PCS local calling area (islands of Oahu, Maui, the Big Island, Kauai, and Molokai). To make a nationwide long distance call, enter the area code and phone number.

   International long distance calls are calls you make to any area that is both outside of the local calling area (islands of Oahu, Maui, the Big Island, Kauai, and Molokai) AND outside of those areas covered by nationwide long distance. To make a long distance international call to Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, enter the area code and phone number. For all other international long distance calls, enter 011 plus the country code, city code and number. International calling is a usage-based feature and requires that adequate funds be available in your Mobi Bank. For international calling rates, click here.

9. Can I use my Mobi phone when I'm on the mainland?

   Even when you're on the mainland, you can still keep in touch with your friends and family with Mobi PCS nationwide roaming. Click here for more information on mainland roaming.

10. Can I use my Mobi phone when I'm on the neighbor islands?

    Mobi PCS has coverage on Oahu, Maui, the Big Island, Kauai, and Molokai.

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Nationwide Roaming

1. What does Unlimited Nationwide Roaming (UNR) mean?

   This means that now, you can take your service to the mainland and use your service with no additional roaming fees! Some restrictions do apply to usage of this feature so please see our new terms and conditions for more info. Click here.

2. Can I make a change to my existing account and get UNR active today?

   Yes you can, however we strongly recommend that you make this change on or just before your billing cycle ends. Any customer wishing to have the UNR Feature applied onto an existing account today can do so by paying a $15 fee to move the date to the current/present date. In addition to the fee, the customer must also prepay for the upcoming month of service. No pro-rations or credits will be applied for any unused time. Voicemail box will be reset at the time of the rate plan change.

3. How can I get Unlimited Nationwide Roaming?

   All Mobi PCS subscribers can request to have this free service added to their Mobi service account. Just call customer care by dialing 611 from your handset or 808-723-1111 from any phone.

4. Can I add UNR to my existing plan?

   Yes you can! Just contact customer care or visit a Mobi PCS store to have them add it on for FREE!

5. How do I use UNR? Will it automatically work?

   Once you have UNR added to your account, the rest is easy! Before leaving on your trip, just dial *228 to get the latest updates for your phone. Once done, it will automatically work when you arrive at your destination. For details on roaming coverage, click here.

6. What states and cities are included in UNR?

   We will be allowing voice roaming on the Verizon Wireless, Cricket and Metro PCS networks. For more information on their specific network coverage areas, please visit their websites at www.verizonwireless.com, www.metropcs.com, or www.mycricket.com for more exact details.

7. The map doesn't show a lot of detail. How can find out if UNR is in a certain place in a certain city?

   Coverage areas are constantly improving. Please look to the following websites for the most up to date coverage areas from our roaming partners. These are www.verizonwireless.com, www.metropcs.com, or www.mycricket.com.

8. Are there any restrictions to UNR?

   Yes there are. UNR was designed to allow for Hawaii residents to use Mobi Services free of charge while traveling anywhere within the 48 contiguous states. UNR was intended only for limited usage in this manner. This is not intended for extended usage on the mainland.

9. What if I move to the mainland? Can I still use UNR?

   If you move to the mainland, you will no longer be allowed to use Mobi PCS services as we are not a nationwide provider at this time. We recommend that you look into Metro PCS or Cricket services within your new home area.

10. Why does my voicemail box need to be reset?

    To fully enable a customer's account with the roaming feature, we must essentially rebuild the account to include a re-provisioning of the voicemail box. This requires it to be reset, which in turn erases any existing messages, passwords or settings that may have been saved.

11. What call services and features will work when I'm roaming?

    The following features will continue to work when roaming: caller ID, call waiting, *86 for voicemail, *611 for customer care. The following features may not be available while you are roaming: text messaging, call forwarding, voicemail indicator, unlimited directory assistance, and 3-way calling. Data services including web browsing and picture messaging will not work while roaming.

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Mobi Bank

1. Can I get a refund on my Mobi bank?

   Mobi Bank refunds are not allowed. Customers may use any unused or remaining balances by accessing our Mobi Web portal for great ringtones and wallpaper downloads. Mobi Bank balances can also used for any international long distance calls as well.

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Coverage

1. Can I get coverage in Alaska and Puerto Rico?

   Roaming is not available in Alaska and Puerto Rico.

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Text Messaging

1. If I send a message to a friend on another carrier's network, will he/she still be charged for receiving my message?

   Yes, depending upon the services they have selected with their wireless provider.

2. Can I text message to any major wireless carrier?

   Yes. Mobi PCS allows you to send messages to most U.S. mobile phone carriers. Check out our Mobi Exclusives: Unlimited Text Messaging and Unlimited Picture Messaging. See our Mobi Add-Ons.

3. Can I text message someone outside of the U.S.?

   Yes. Mobi PCS lets you send text messages to international phone numbers using the international text messaging feature. See our Mobi Exclusives: Unlimited international text messaging. See our Mobi Add-Ons.

4. Will my text work on the mainland?

   We are presently working on text roaming capabilities for the future. At present we can only offer voice roaming while on our carrier partner networks.

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Taxes, Fees, and Surcharges

1. Are there any costs in addition to the monthly fee?

   We like everything out in the open, so here's the list. Like you, we hate fine print.

   Taxes & Surcharges - Voice Plans

   • State of Hawaii Public Service Company Tax
     State specific tax on service related income of public utilities paid in lieu of ad valorem taxes.
   • County Public Service Company Tax
     County specific tax on service related income of public utilities paid in lieu of ad valorem taxes.
   • State of Hawaii Public Utility Fee
     Fee on gross revenues assessed by the Hawaii Public Utility Commission.
   • Hawaii State Telecommunications Relay Service Fee
     Fee to recover the contributions that Mobi is required to make into the Hawaii TRS fund. This fund is designed to assist hearing and speech impaired persons with making and receiving messages.
   • Hawaii State Enhanced 911 Surcharge
     Surcharge for E911 cost recovery to provide Public Safety Answering Points and wireless service providers with the resources necessary to implement and operate technology to enable identification and location information for wireless 911 calls.
   • Regulatory Cost Recovery Charge
     Surcharge for the recovery of regulatory costs not associated with any other specific taxes, fees or surcharges. It may include costs incurred in prior years that are not yet fully recovered. It is not a tax or charge which the government requires Mobi to collect from its customers. This charge is subject to change from time to time as the cost of compliance changes.
   • Federal Universal Service Fund Surcharge
     Surcharge created by the federal government, to ensure reliable and affordable telecommunications service for all consumers across the country, especially residents in high cost rural communities and low-income customers. Additionally, the Federal USF provides for discounted telecommunications services for schools, libraries and rural health-care facilities. All telecommunications providers are required to pay into the Federal USF, and their contributions may be recovered from customers.
   • Federal Enhanced 911 Surcharge
     Fee designed to recover the interstate and service provider E911 costs. E911 costs relate to government mandates requiring wireless carriers to deploy advanced technology to help emergency response agencies to better determine the location of the customer calling 9-1-1.
   • Federal Telecommunications Relay Service Fee
     Fee to recover the contributions that Mobi is required to make into the Federal TRS fund. This fund is designed to assist hearing and speech impaired persons with making and receiving messages.
   • Federal Regulatory FeeFee to recover the annual fee imposed on Mobi by the Federal Communications Commission
   • Federal Wireless Local Number Portability Fee
     Fee to recover costs associated with enabling customers to keep their wireless telephone numbers when they switch wireless service providers.
   • Number Pooling Fee
     Fee to recover costs associated with the North American Numbering Plan Administrator for assignment and conservation of telephone numbers to manage and extend time between number exhaustion situations.
   • Federal Microwave Regulatory Fee
     Fee associated with federal licensing and use of microwave technologies in the Mobi network.
   
   

   Taxes & Surcharges - Hele

   • State of Hawaii Public Service Company Tax
     State specific tax on service related income of public utilities paid in lieu of ad valorem taxes.
   • County Public Service Company Tax
     County specific tax on service related income of public utilities paid in lieu of ad valorem taxes.
   • State of Hawaii Public Utility Fee
     Fee on gross revenues assessed by the Hawaii Public Utility Commission.
   
   

   Activations

   • Initial: $30
   • Reactivation: $30

   Payment Options

   • Automatic Bill Payment: FREE
   • Mobi Phone *729: FREE
   • Online Bill Payment: FREE
   • Mobi Teller Kiosk: $3
   • Over the Counter: $3

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Payment Options

1. How do I pay for service?

   Your plan and options are rolled into a single payment. That way you'll always know what to expect. No overages. No surprises.

2. What are my payment options?

   Our favorite option is Auto Pay. It's easy and you'll never miss a payment. Here are all of our payment options:

   • Automatic Bill Payment: FREE
   • Mobi Phone *729: FREE
   • Online Bill Payment: FREE
   • Mobi Teller Kiosk: $3
   • Over the Counter: $3

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Service

1. Can I keep my phone number if I switch to Mobi from another provider?

   Yes. When you select your plan and phone, it's simple to move your previous number to Mobi.

2. What happens if I forget a payment?

   Because you purchase your Mobi PCS service in advance, late payments will result in a break in your service. Please note that your service will be disconnected without notice. If you miss two due dates, your number may be reassigned. We explain it all here.

3. Can I keep my phone number if I reactivate my service?

   During service suspension, your phone number will not change. However, once your service is disconnected, we cannot guarantee the same number will still be available.

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Plans & Features

1. I already have a wireless phone. Can I use it with Mobi PCS service?

   As an accommodation to customers who wish to switch from an existing service provider to Mobi PCS, but who prefer to continue using their existing phone without purchasing a new phone, we do have the ability to reprogram certain phones from other service providers. If successful, this reprogramming should allow the phone to perform voice calls and send text messages. You will be required to pay a one-time reprogramming and activation fee and your first months service at the time of reprogramming. Phones may also be added to existing Mobi accounts for a reprogramming fee. For more information, visit one of our stores or authorized dealers or call 808.723.1111.

2. Can I change my Mobi PCS plan online?

   Sorry, that feature is not available on our website at this time. To make changes to your plan, please dial *611 on your Mobi PCS phone, call 808.723.1111 or visit one of our stores or authorized dealers.

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Hearing Aid Compatibility

1. Does Mobi PCS offer hearing aid compatible phones?

   Mobi offers an assortment of hearing aid compatible phones. These phones are notated by the hearing aid compatible icon underneath the phone description on the Phones page. When you're on the Phones page, select More Info for the phone you are interested in. Check out our phones now.

   Click here to learn more about hearing aid compatibility with wireless phones and services.