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I Can No Longer Recommend Google Fi

onemileatatime.com

381–390 of 464 posts

Re: I Can No Longer Recommend Google Fi

#381

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I believe these issues could be solved by actually taxing corporations and providing the service they clearly so desperately need. An /actual/ (inter)national ID and Identity verification service. One where disputes about identity and authorization can be escalated somewhere that makes sense, to the jurisdictions issuing these IDs. Ideally someone should be able to go to a police station (locally for local IDs, if on…

Sweden has a personal identity number system, with an address/phone database that business can subscribe to. When you're shopping online, you can enter your ID number and it auto-populates your address. When you move, banks and others will automatically pull your new address from the database. The banks then created a digital ID system (BankID) on top of this which is now used by everyone for real ID verification. Yo…

This works similarly in Finland.

Form auto-population by ID is rare here, though.

Re: I Can No Longer Recommend Google Fi

#382
post #376

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you look young, how can you even buy alcohol or cigarettes (in my countries case even energy drinks) or get in a club? In my country each citizen must have an identity document - either a passport or ID card (drivers license doesn't count). I can't see it any other way as you need to ID yourself in stores (in the mentioned case if you look young and want to buy alcohol/cigarettes/energy drink), post office when re…

> If you look young, how can you even buy alcohol or cigarettes (in my countries case even energy drinks) or get in a club? It is possible to go your entire life without ever doing any of those things, or having any desire to. And as a general rule, it's the people who are of legal age who least care to do them. Also, some countries don't have age restrictions on such things to begin with (or don't enforce them at al…

> It is possible to go your entire life without ever doing any of those things, or having any desire to. And as a general rule, it's the people who are of legal age who least care to do them. Also, some countries don't have age restrictions on such things to begin with (or don't enforce them at all).

Yes it is possible but you are describing outliers. Which first world country doesn't have age restrictions on alcohol or tobacco?

> Who goes to the post office to receive a package? They come to you, and are then satisfied by the fact that they delivered the package to the address on the label.

Envelopes and small packages (which fit) are left in mail box. In order to get everything else you have to go to your post office. Courier services deliver package to you personally and they don't leave it at your doorstep so anyone can steal it.

> This a major reason why this is pointless. If you're going to have an ID, how do you identify yourself to get the ID? It's fully circular. You can't prove who you are unless you can already prove who you are, in which case you already have an ID.

I don't really know how it is done today but in theory you could prove it by taking DNA/fingerprints at birth and registering accordingly.

> The only reason banks care about this is that the government requires them to. Otherwise they would be completely satisfied to give you a numbered account with no person's name attached and simply put a hold on your deposits until after they've cleared, as they do for most anyone regardless.

We are talking about reality not a situation where government regulations doesn't exist so there is no way of having a bank account if you don't have some sort of ID.

> To get a loan what they care about is whether you're creditworthy, not what your name is. Prove that you have a job and a history of paying back debts, or post some collateral, that's what they want.

This is just plain wrong, they care about the identity in case you stop paying so they can go after you.

P.S. You also need ID to own property, companies etc. I can't deny that if you are living in the middle of woods off grid you might get by without an ID but if you are an average person you will need an ID eventually.

Re: I Can No Longer Recommend Google Fi

#383

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It looks like in this case its the YC company in the wrong. How could they have claimed you could get a refund, and never provided you that? Even if they did not know Apple does not do it, its their claim and so is their responsibility. You could easily sue in a small claims court.

It's my understanding that refunds in the app stores (and Steam, etc) are entirely a feature of the store itself, and the product/app creator hasn't got a say in it or any control over it.

Which is logical as the store handles payments. The creators don’t have your financial information, how could they process a refund?

Re: I Can No Longer Recommend Google Fi

#384
post #169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The only suggestion of a solution we’ve been given is that he abandon both his email address and phone number of the past twenty years and start fresh." I believe that being able to port your number is a legal requirement. It's unlikely a poorly designed billing system is a permanent exception to this.

Seems you have to be current on your account to port your number. They aren't, but they also are unable to use Google payments to become current.

> Seems you have to be current on your account to port your number

This is illegal:

“Once you request service from a new company, your old company cannot refuse to port your number, even if you owe money for an outstanding balance or termination fee” [1].

Author should report Google Fi to the FCC once the government is back online.

[1] https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/porting-keeping-your-ph...

Re: I Can No Longer Recommend Google Fi

#385

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why not T-Mobile?

My wife and I just traveled to Korea and Japan for the better part of December. And I have a Google Fi plan while she is with T-mobile. My service was superior in several ways: 1. Better and more reliable coverage 2. Roaming surcharges for my (Google Fi) calls where less (albeit, nominally so) at $0.20/min vs $0.25/min 3. While she had some problems enabling her data, the transition of my service in this respect was…

wtf USA, blocking tethering in roaming.

Re: I Can No Longer Recommend Google Fi

#386

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I believe these issues could be solved by actually taxing corporations and providing the service they clearly so desperately need. An /actual/ (inter)national ID and Identity verification service. One where disputes about identity and authorization can be escalated somewhere that makes sense, to the jurisdictions issuing these IDs. Ideally someone should be able to go to a police station (locally for local IDs, if on…

I don't have a physical address (I move approximately every 3 weeks). I don't have a phone number (I move country every 3 weeks and need a new SIM each time). I have so many problems with online authentication it's not funny. So yeah, I'd love a global system of identification, but please let's not tie it to an address or phone number

Get a phone that supports dual sims (almost every Chinese phone), or a cheap second phone, and keep one for auth uses.

Re: I Can No Longer Recommend Google Fi

#387

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Passport number along with cryptographic authentication similar to Estonia’s ID card. I believe this satisfies the need for authentication of all citizens at a global scope.

Not everyone has passports let alone valid ones. And getting one for people can be difficult as many people especially older ones don't have supporting documentation e.g. birth certificates and so can't prove identity.

Several millions don't even have citizenship.

Re: I Can No Longer Recommend Google Fi

#388
post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a general issue with google. If their system decides it doesn't like you, then you're out of luck. You'll never get them to fix it.

This is also a problem with Square, and Stripe, and Paypal ... it's an unsolvable fraud/scammer problem. Basically, if there was customer support that could fix the problem, then skilled scammers can get money and control out of them. They can do it a lot better than you can get your stuff re-enabled, they know just when to say what to whom. Verizon just accepts the inefficiency, and also over-charges random customer…

This is especially a problem for Google. They have somewhat earned a reputation of not providing customer support. One of the reasons why I stayed far away from Google Fi even though it looks very cool.

Re: I Can No Longer Recommend Google Fi

#389
post #339

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Get your own domain and start using it for email. Auto-forward your existing emails to your new email provider. Over time your use of your primary email will asymptotically reach zero. After a few years you will realize that if the original email disappeared overnight, nothing of value would be lost. You have to start the switch TODAY.

Yeah thats what I have done and its not too bad. The one question I have is what email to I put for my domain stuff. If my domain name provider suspends my domain for some reason how do I contact them if my email has also gone down?

A phone. Or some other email along with providing a way of identifying yourself.

Re: I Can No Longer Recommend Google Fi

#390
post #386

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't have a physical address (I move approximately every 3 weeks). I don't have a phone number (I move country every 3 weeks and need a new SIM each time). I have so many problems with online authentication it's not funny. So yeah, I'd love a global system of identification, but please let's not tie it to an address or phone number

Get a phone that supports dual sims (almost every Chinese phone), or a cheap second phone, and keep one for auth uses.

But then you (usually) lose sdcard support because manufacturer too cheap to give you a dedicated sdcard slot.
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