New Google Fi Cell plans – unlimited data for $30 • Hacker News Board

Re: New Google Fi Cell plans – unlimited data for $30

#61

Post by livueta » Thu, Apr 22, 2021, 10:03 PM UTC

novok wrote: post #6

One bad thing about google fi is if you forget the google account password & email that you associate with the phone number and don't have a 'backup email' for it, it's near impossible to close the account or similar and have it stop charging your credit card until you do a chargeback. Which also means random people can charge your credit card on a subscription. Google support cannot do anything on their end to get g…

The flipside of being screwed if you get locked out of your Google account is that, AFAICT, you're a lot less likely to get sim-swapped by some social-engineered carrier grunt.

I have a Google account specifically for Fi, as uncorrelated as possible with any other Google accounts, enrolled in advanced protection, the idea being that I'm unlikely enough to lose access to the account that the additional security of _not_having a "come show us your ID in the shop" backdoor is a feature.

Re: New Google Fi Cell plans – unlimited data for $30

#62

Post by mdasen » Thu, Apr 22, 2021, 10:05 PM UTC

cj wrote: post #28

What towers / network(s) is Google Fi serving from in the US? T-Mobile/Sprint?

Yes, T-Mobile/Sprint. However, given that they've merged and T-Mobile is actively integrating the Sprint network, it will realistically just be T-Mobile soon.

T-Mobile has announced that it will be decommissioning 7,000-8,000 Sprint cell sites by the end of 2021 and 35,000 by the end of 2022. Around 10,000 Sprint cell sites will also be removed from the Sprint network and added to the T-Mobile network during this time.

Google Fi phones tended to camp on the T-Mobile network most of the time and any advantage of being able to also use the Sprint network will be gone soon. Even before Sprint towers are decommissioned, many will have most of their spectrum/capacity moved to T-Mobile towers. T-Mobile has been aggressively moving Sprint's 2.5GHz spectrum to T-Mobile's network to provide Ultra Capacity 5G and they've moved some of Sprint's PCS spectrum as well. I wouldn't expect much of a Sprint network left a year from now.

Re: New Google Fi Cell plans – unlimited data for $30

#63

Post by robertha » Thu, Apr 22, 2021, 10:05 PM UTC

axaxs wrote: post #44

I'll be the cheapskate that asks....I wonder if you can get on the $30 plan then switch to $50 just for the month that you'll be travelling abroad?

"To match your data needs, you can switch plans once a month, as many times as you want." -- from the linked site.

Re: New Google Fi Cell plans – unlimited data for $30

#64

Post by vamc19 » Thu, Apr 22, 2021, 10:07 PM UTC

varispeed wrote: post #33

Do they pay $30 to you for unlimited data about you?

Well, they did offer to pay me $30 for limited data a couple of times.

They once offered to send me a Google Home Mini (retailed for ~$30 at the time) in exchange for my Spotify playlists. This was when YouTube Music launched.

Recently, they offered me $30 if I collect all the stamps in Google Pay's Spring Challenge. To get one of the rare stamps, I have to enroll my credit card in their cash back program, which I'm assuming is going to profile my purchase history.

Re: New Google Fi Cell plans – unlimited data for $30

#65

Post by NoSorryCannot » Thu, Apr 22, 2021, 10:09 PM UTC

rawtxapp wrote: post #60

Androider wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That sounds like a great way to get your entire Google Account permanently banned with no appeal.

Credit cards expire or are cancelled all the time.

Because normal mobile plans are usually billed after services are rendered, they will send you to collections if you stop paying, whatever the reason.

So doing this neatly will require a little more work than just voiding the card on file.

Re: New Google Fi Cell plans – unlimited data for $30

#66

Post by xnx » Thu, Apr 22, 2021, 10:09 PM UTC

qzx_pierri wrote: post #51

mdasen wrote: post #41

Is it actually unlimited if it's just 22GB? Most carriers offer unlimited data now that becomes deprioritized at a certain point. That means that if the network is congested, other customers are prioritized above them. However, this isn't deprioritization. This is a plan that is throttled down to 256kbps. Before the return of unlimited, most carriers got rid of overage charges and just slowed phones down to 2G speeds…

It's for people that still trust Google in terms of long term reliability for whatever reason. They think Google won't randomly shut down the service, offering a bland support page for help porting their number to a new carrier (with a gift card thrown in possibly). As good as Fi sounds, I just can't see it lasting.

Nothing is forever, but Google Fi has been available for 6 years now.

Re: New Google Fi Cell plans – unlimited data for $30

#67

Post by mdasen » Thu, Apr 22, 2021, 10:11 PM UTC

niyazpk wrote: post #48

Really wish they'd start supporting Canada. I recently moved to Canada from the US, and I have been using my US Fi number here in Canada too, but I'm dreading the day they will reach out to stop services on my number. (You cannot permanently use a Google Fi number outside the US right now).

I think the problem is that the Canadian wireless market is so messed up. While there are nominally more than two competitors, given that Bell and Telus share a network it's really just two providers. Plus, countries that have large rural areas to cover tend to have higher wireless prices in general.

It's hard for someone like Google to offer the same pricing for Canadian service given the poor market conditions there.

Re: New Google Fi Cell plans – unlimited data for $30

#68

Post by adamcstephens » Thu, Apr 22, 2021, 10:11 PM UTC

mdasen wrote: post #41

Is it actually unlimited if it's just 22GB? Most carriers offer unlimited data now that becomes deprioritized at a certain point. That means that if the network is congested, other customers are prioritized above them. However, this isn't deprioritization. This is a plan that is throttled down to 256kbps. Before the return of unlimited, most carriers got rid of overage charges and just slowed phones down to 2G speeds…

I used Verizon Prepaid for a while, but ended up getting annoyed at the lower prioritization. Even in a somewhat busy shopping area my data would barely function, let alone any sort of large event. If Visible is anything like that, I wouldn’t probably recommend it. I ended up joining a friend’s Verizon postpaid family. It’s more expensive, but I’m willing to pay it for reliable service.

I’m not sure I’ve ever used 22GB in a month, but throttling to 256k is awful.

Re: New Google Fi Cell plans – unlimited data for $30

#69

Post by mdasen » Thu, Apr 22, 2021, 10:16 PM UTC

qzx_pierri wrote: post #51

mdasen wrote: post #41

Is it actually unlimited if it's just 22GB? Most carriers offer unlimited data now that becomes deprioritized at a certain point. That means that if the network is congested, other customers are prioritized above them. However, this isn't deprioritization. This is a plan that is throttled down to 256kbps. Before the return of unlimited, most carriers got rid of overage charges and just slowed phones down to 2G speeds…

It's for people that still trust Google in terms of long term reliability for whatever reason. They think Google won't randomly shut down the service, offering a bland support page for help porting their number to a new carrier (with a gift card thrown in possibly). As good as Fi sounds, I just can't see it lasting.

I think Google Fi will stick around because it really doesn't sound that good. I don't mean that it sounds bad or anything. It's just that a 22GB plan for $30/mo on a family plan isn't a deal. I can get $25 from Visible/Verizon and it's actually unlimited. I can get $30 (or $26 for 4 lines) from T-Mobile with 50GB of premium data and then unlimited deprioritized data rather than 256kbps throttled data.

I can see it lasting simply because they are charging a lot of money for it.

Re: New Google Fi Cell plans – unlimited data for $30

#70

Post by mdasen » Thu, Apr 22, 2021, 10:19 PM UTC

Benjamin_Dobell wrote: post #8

Data slower after: 22GB > Anyone who uses more than 15 GB on Flexible or 22 GB on the unlimited plans in a single cycle will experience slower data until the next cycle (only 1% of people who use Fi ever hit 22 GB). If you want to return to faster data before the cycle's end, you can do so at a rate of $10/GB.

The "data slower" is 256kbps: https://support.google.com/fi/answer/9462101?hl=en. It's not just "slower" like going from 50Mbps to 10Mbps because you're a lower priority. It's like going back in time 10-15 years.