Google Fi service

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iowa_doug

Limp Gawd
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Feb 24, 2015
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For those of you that use Google Fi, can you please share any pitfalls / issues / etc. with their service that you have experienced?

I am considering making a switch from US Cellular to Google Fi. We are not heavy data users, averaging ~ 2.5GB / month between two lines. I like Google Fi's price model in that data charges are solely based upon data usage (use less, pay less).

It's not that I am unhappy with US Cellular; rather, I am looking at practical ways of lowering my phone bill.

TIA
 
I've been very happy with Fi over the past few years. Only pitfall I can see is that you've got to have a phone they approve of.
 
I've had good experiences with it. I've been on it for about 8 months or so and I haven't run into any issues thus far.
 
I keep going back and forth over whether to leave T-Mobile for Google Fi. I have a $50/month plan with unlimited talk/text/data (first 10GB 4G LTE), but I rarely even approach 1GB data each month. Usually, my data usage runs under 300MB/month. Guess I oughtta just make the move and do it.
 
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I just went to their site and ran the numbers:

2 lines = $35 + $60 for 6GB of data between 2 lines = $95

Me and my gf have Total Wireless and we pay $62 for 2 lines and 22.5 GB of shared data between us and unlimited Talk/text on Verizon towers. I mean I like the idea of Google Fi, but the pricing isn't competitive IMO, and where I live Verizon towers are significantly better than Tmobile/Sprint/US Cellular combined.
 
It was competitive for me. Our bill for two lines and unlimited data never exceeds $50. It was over $120 with T-Mobile. Verizon and AT&T were even higher.
 
Dan_D said:
It was competitive for me. Our bill for two lines and unlimited data never exceeds $50. It was over $120 with T-Mobile. Verizon and AT&T were even higher.
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But you're not actually using data even if it is "unlimited" if you're only paying $50 (unless there is some coupon or something I'm not aware of...I'm just going by their website). My understanding is that you have unlimited data if you go over 10GB with 2 lines but you're paying $10/GB up to 10GB and then $35 for access so $135 for 2 lines of unlimited data. If you're paying $50, you're only using 1.5GB of data. My GF uses over 10GB by herself, so I can't afford Google Fi :p.
 
Thank you all for the feedback, I really appreciate it.

From what I have read, it seems that I should not expect any issues with Google Fi if I go that route.

Also, I'll take a look at Total Wireless to see if they are a viable option for me.
 
kirbyrj said:
But you're not actually using data even if it is "unlimited" if you're only paying $50 (unless there is some coupon or something I'm not aware of...I'm just going by their website). My understanding is that you have unlimited data if you go over 10GB with 2 lines but you're paying $10/GB up to 10GB and then $35 for access so $135 for 2 lines of unlimited data. If you're paying $50, you're only using 1.5GB of data. My GF uses over 10GB by herself, so I can't afford Google Fi :p.
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You pay $10 a GB up to 6GB afterwards it is unlimited til 15 GB and they begin to throttle you hard afterwards. After 15 GB it becomes totally useless from my experience. With that said I have had fi since near it release and have had no issues to speak off other then the data plans is meh. I hope they release a unlimited tier for reasonable cost in the future. Also the limit of what phone you can use had been lifted recently and can use almost any phone that works with their network I believe.
 
iowa_doug said:
Thank you all for the feedback, I really appreciate it.

From what I have read, it seems that I should not expect any issues with Google Fi if I go that route.

Also, I'll take a look at Total Wireless to see if they are a viable option for me.
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There are plenty of options out there. I just picked them as where I live, Verizon tower works best and I needed 2 lines. The other nice thing is that if I need more high speed data, I can pay $10 for an extra 5GB which carries over anytime I need it. So far I haven't had any major issues. Straight Talk or Red Pocket Mobile were also MVNOs I looked at for Verizon coverage.

I used Cricket prior to that and they were ok. The downside is that Wifi calling required a carrier branded phone (an AT&T thing), and I wanted to use a Pixel 3. I had their cheaper unlimited plan where they throttle the speed to 3mbps, but I was only paying $40 a month total for unlimited data/talk/text.

I tried a Mint Mobile $5 sim pack also to see if Tmobile would work. Mint is cheap, their Wifi calling works great (definitely a plus of Tmobile MVNOs), but when I'm out driving around I had significantly worse service than either Verizon or AT&T towers.
 
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You might want to check out TING. It's cheaper than Google Fi if you don't use your phone much. A "backup" phone for example with almost no talk/text/data useage.
 
I pay ~22 bucks a month on it except when I go on big trips and even then I don't really pass 40 bucks. I have the pixel 2 and it has been great for trips to Japan etc. (Nothing needed to be done to make data work etc.)
 
Problem with GoogleFi for me was the poor iphone support. The key for my is iPhone support as thats my wife's only requirement. I use a note 9, so I would be fine.

I'm looking hard at Spectrum Mobile. The prices are dirt cheap and it comes with all the popular addons that i need. The only problem is that they make you buy your first phone through them. After that, 2gb of data and 2 lines of unlimited talk and text would only be $28 total a month. A third line with three GB total would only be $32.
 
If you're a Xfinity/Comcast customer and they already have you by the balls, just give them more money and have them lose money because Xfinity Mobile is very cheap and Verizon charges Comcast more than Comcast charges you.
 
I use 1-2gb of data/month.

Fi runs me ~$25-35.

The big deal is that they only charge you for the data you use.

My gf's uses Fi on an iPhone7.
It's not the baked in experience that she had on ATT, just way cheaper.

I have a Pixel.
 
When fi connects to Wi-Fi's does that count against your data? Or is data only cell towers?
 
I'm wondering how much better would it be in SF compared to TMobile? Some common areas are just getting 3g speeds for no reason in SF. Which is one reason I'd transfer to fi.
 
vegeta535 said:
You pay $10 a GB up to 6GB afterwards it is unlimited til 15 GB and they begin to throttle you hard afterwards. After 15 GB it becomes totally useless from my experience. With that said I have had fi since near it release and have had no issues to speak off other then the data plans is meh. I hope they release a unlimited tier for reasonable cost in the future. Also the limit of what phone you can use had been lifted recently and can use almost any phone that works with their network I believe.
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You can use any phone but only approved phones will automatically switch networks
 
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