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Project Fi by Google

fi.google.com

121–130 of 608 posts

Re: Project Fi by Google

#121

Has the nexus 6 aged well? early reviews made it sound pretty flawed.

It's still pretty top-of-the line, I love mine. Best Android device in my opinion with the possible exception of the Moto X, which is very similar (just smaller and slower). The longer I have the N6, the more the size is an asset, rather than a liability.

Re: Project Fi by Google

#122
post #116

The big thing about this from my perspective is that it abolishes roaming. One plan, and you pay the same whether you use it in your home country or anywhere else. I'm not aware that anybody else is offering that, especially not at that price. As a German living in the UK i currently juggle two SIM cards, and whenever I fly back home I have to mess with the data flatrate there since it's worth activating the monthly…

T-Mobile already offers basically the same international plan. The only catch (and it is a headache) is they cap the international data at 128kbps, whereas Google is capping it at twice that.

Re: Project Fi by Google

#123
post #8

This is insane. I can't think of an industry that google is not trying to compete in. Auto industry, space industry, internet of things industry (Nest), internet/media industry, cable/internet provider industry, automobile industry, robotics industry, software industry, smartphone industry, pc industry now the telecom industry. I'm starting to expect Google to launch an airline here pretty soon. How can they possibly…

To be fair, there's a big difference between marketing a new MVNO that runs on existing networks and actually expending capital to build network towers. So far Google is only doing the former.

Re: Project Fi by Google

#124
post #81
post #8

This is insane. I can't think of an industry that google is not trying to compete in. Auto industry, space industry, internet of things industry (Nest), internet/media industry, cable/internet provider industry, automobile industry, robotics industry, software industry, smartphone industry, pc industry now the telecom industry. I'm starting to expect Google to launch an airline here pretty soon. How can they possibly…

They are not really competing in all of those industries, they might have a crazy project they are attempting, but they aren't really competition. Auto industry? I'm assuming you mean self driving cars, which, at this point, are still in the concept phase. Space industry? Did I miss something, is Google launching rockets? There are many other companies that are way more diversified than Google. http://en.wikipedia.or…

> still in the concept phase

Multiple generations of prototypes and hundreds of thousands of miles driven is well past the concept phase.

Re: Project Fi by Google

#126
post #102
post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would they charge extra for tethering? Is that a thing in some countries?

It's a thing in the US, because "computer data" is better and more expensive than "phone data".

Amazing. How do they tell whether you're tethering, though? If you're using your own smartphone, I mean.

Re: Project Fi by Google

#127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This plan actually makes no sense. Overage charges are the same rate ($10 / GB), so why am I buying a "plan" at all? Why don't they just charge $10 * x gigs / month instead of all this buying / refunding business?

Or better yet: why aren't they offering an unlimited data plan like what T-Mobile and Sprint (Google Fi's "partners") already offer? Why aren't they even at least going with T-Mobile's approach of "throttle the connection once you go past your data cap, but don't charge overages"? It's like they're taking the best things of both carriers - their unlimited data plans - and pretending those things don't exist, that the…

> Or better yet: why aren't they offering an unlimited data plan like what T-Mobile and Sprint (Google Fi's "partners") already offer?

Because they're acting as an MVNO, and have to pay Sprint and T-Mobile for each MB they deliver to the handset. Google is not trying to replace carriers, they're trying to improve the experience as an MVNO (they providing what Republic Wireless does on a much larger scale).

Re: Project Fi by Google

#128

Has the nexus 6 aged well? early reviews made it sound pretty flawed.

I have been using one for the last 6 months and it's the best phone I've ever owned. Great screen (size is not a problem), stock Android (no bloatware) and decent battery (lasts till 10pm in the night with heavy usage).

Re: Project Fi by Google

#129
post #40

"We refund the data you don't use" is basically a way of saying "you pay by the megabyte for the data you do use" -- which is actually really great, I've been frustrated that everyone's settled on "all-you-can-eat" data as the standard, it doesn't align incentives well at all. And they really are refunding it: if you use 1.2GB per month, it doesn't matter whether you sign up for 2, 5, or 10GB, your bill comes out exa…

http://www.straighttalk.com/wps/portal/home/shop/serviceplan... has a 3GB plan for a year at $41.25 per month. Google's pricing for the same amount is $50 per month. So the question is whether all the new features (wifi calling, international roaming, pay-for-usage) justify the extra $9, plus the cost of a new phone for those without a Nexus 6.

(Wifi calling should probably be left out of that list, since it's most likely going to come to the other carriers later this year.)

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