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Project Fi by Google

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Re: Project Fi by Google

#261

Post by eli »

tonyhb wrote: post #239
eli wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The typical MVNO model would be for Google to handle all the support. I agree that end-user support does not seem to be one of Google's strengths.

Their support for the Nexus line of phones has been outstanding. Anyone can phone and speak to real humans with good tech knowledge, arrange a free replacement for (first time) cracked screens, and get next day replacements. I have no doubt that the support for this will be as good. Now, their automated side of advertising is crappy unless you're a large spender, but then that's just economies of scale.

It's been a while, but even spending 5 figure a month, I found it difficult to get quality support from AdWords.

Re: Project Fi by Google

#262

Post by Khao »

GigabyteCoin wrote: post #242

Two things I notice looking at the coverage map.[0] 1. Wow, it's available in Canada right off the bat. This must be a first for Google. 2. Does nobody in Montana own a cell phone? Alberta is probably equally empty as Montana, and yet almost their entire provice has coverage. [0] https://fi.google.com/coverage

I doesn't seem available in Canada at all, that looks more like it's the international roaming coverage (from T-Mobile or Sprint)

Re: Project Fi by Google

#263

Post by blisterpeanuts »

Nowhere does the FAQ address this, but I'm assuming that my home and office wifi data use on my phone would continue to be unlimited? They're not going to somehow meter my home wifi use? My wife uses her phone all the time for home internet surfing and email.

Re: Project Fi by Google

#264

Post by modeless »

yellowapple wrote: post #236
modeless wrote: post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unlimited data plans are actually bad. The incentives are all wrong. Consumers and websites have no incentive to fix any problem that causes them to use unnecessary data, clogging the network. Carriers actually have a perverse incentive to discourage use of the network, because increased use doesn't increase revenue, it just causes more congestion. This leads to stupidity like extra charges for tethering, blocking of…

> Consumers and websites have no incentive to fix any problem that causes them to use unnecessary data, clogging the network. Who says that my usage of data is a "problem" needing "solved"? 10GB (the highest Google offers on its Fi page) can be burned through pretty quickly just by watching videos on a road trip or somesuch. I'd much rather pay $80 for an unlimited plan from Sprint or T-Mobile than pay $120 (or more)…

> "Clogging the network" would be solved by carriers actually bothering to invest in their networks

This is exactly my point. With unlimited data plans, carriers have little incentive to upgrade their networks. It increases costs without directly increasing revenue. With pay-per-GB, the incentive is clear: upgrading the network increases usage which directly increases revenue.

Re: Project Fi by Google

#265

Post by tacojuan »

modeless wrote: post #251
tacojuan wrote: post #235

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You seem to have the word incentive confused with the word discourage. Or it's an obnoxious euphemism. I have an unlimited data plan on T-mobile for 30 bucks. Paying by the megabyte would discourage me from using data, not "incentivize me to use less data". >There's no reason to block servers or VPNs or tethering. There's no reason to throttle BitTorrent or Netflix or terminate anyone's service for "excessive" usage.…

I'm sorry I offended your sensibilities, but this is a perfectly cromulent use of the word "incentive". If you look in a dictionary under "incentive", you might find an example sentence such as "The rising cost of electricity provides a strong incentive to conserve energy."

Data isn't a scarce resource, bandwidth maybe, but data conservation is not (should not be) a user "incentive".

Carriers acting like data is scarce and in need of conserving are discouraging users from using their product...

Re: Project Fi by Google

#266

Post by cbhl »

JTon wrote: post #10

I found the link to the coverage map in the FAQ: > https://fi.google.com/coverage Looks like it blankets most of Canada with 2G service. I guess through roaming agreements from Sprint/T-Mo. I wonder if they are selling to Canadian residents?

IIRC, the CRTC and the Canadian incumbents wouldn't allow something like that.

Ting Mobile is US-only, also resells Sprint and T-mobile, and their headquarters are in Toronto (!).

It's a certain kind of schadenfreude when you talk to a Customer Service Representative in Ontario for a service that doesn't actually work there.

Re: Project Fi by Google

#267

Post by Dylan16807 »

mahouse wrote: post #184
yellowapple wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The FAQ isn't particularly helpful, considering that instead of directly answering the FAQs, Google just kind of weasels its way around them. For example: "Q: Does moving between networks affect my battery life? A: We like full batteries too. Our software is optimized to not put extra strain on your battery by only moving you between networks when absolutely necessary." Just say "Yes", Google. Just say fucking "Yes".…

> Just say "Yes", Google. Just say fucking "Yes". It's not that fucking hard to say fucking "Yes". Do you really need a "yes" there? I think it is pretty normal to have a stupid PR response there -- of course the answer is "yes". There is no other way.

Well the real question is "Does it increase radio power usage more than a couple percent?", not whether it literally takes a single joule.

Also the answer could be no! Transferring to a better connection can let you run the radio at lower power.

Re: Project Fi by Google

#268

Post by panopticon »

darkstar999 wrote: post #174
zyxley wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I dunno, I'd rather have "bad support" over "support that literally doesn't exist".

I'd defer to those who currently have Google Fiber. Is support any good?

Google Fiber customer here: it's not the best support I've ever interacted with, but other telcoms have set the bar so ridiculously low that it's comparatively great.

Re: Project Fi by Google

#269

Post by FlyingLawnmower »

Someone1234 wrote: post #230
jamroom wrote: post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just as a point of reference, this is about on par with AT&T family share plans - I pay $145 a month for 3 iphones, unlimited text and talk with 10 gigs shared data. With taxes and fees it comes out to right around $160 (which would be the same here if I used all 10 gigs). The down side is that I'm not refunded for any unused data, so I pay that every month. But we use a good chunk of it every month, so this wouldn't…

Do you have the AT&T family share plan or the family VALUE share plan? Because those figures sound a lot more like the value share plan. PS - The difference is that with the value plan, phones are no longer "free." You have to have a separate credit line (called: "AT&T Next"). So a phone might be $30/month for 30 months.

I think that is a moot point since you would have to pay the full price of your phone with the Google Fi plan anyway. It seems like the AT&T Next plans are actually a credit line with 0% interest as well; if you multiply out the costs, it's normally within $2-3 of the full cost of the phone anyway (i.e. AT&T isn't profiting off of your phone subsidy). For the sake of apples to apples comparisons, it seems like the Google plan is not a great value add...yet.

Re: Project Fi by Google

#270

Post by Someone1234 »

vigneshv_psg wrote: post #71
gabemart wrote: post #61

> Pay one rate for data around the world > > In 120+ countries, data usage costs the same $10 per GB > as it does in the US (data speed is limited to 256kbps/3G). > Check email, get directions, and keep in touch with friends > and family when on your trip. Also, call around the world > for 20c per minute and send unlimited international texts. This sounds incredible. Roaming cellular transmission costs are enormous.…

FWIW, T-Mobile in the US already has the exact same offering [1]. Their plan has free texts and 2g data in 120+ countries. Calls cost 20 cents per minute. [1] http://www.t-mobile.com/optional-services/roaming.html

I am on T-Mobile and travelled outside the US late last year.

First off, I just want to say, the "free tier" of international data is extremely appreciated for two important reasons:

- Overage is literally impossible (i.e. no "bill shock").

- If you don't wish to pay, you get "something" for nothing.

So, now, the "bad." The reality is that T-Mobile's free tier is incredibly slow like "my 56K modem was faster than this" slow. A single modern web-site can literally take so long to load that my phone would fall asleep and then cut off the connection (meaning I'd have to start all over).

It is really only useful for push notifications and to check your email if you're really patient. Even for reading sites like Reddit, it would drive you up the wall. Looking at images (e.g. imgur) is a no-go and YouTube is definitely not even plausible.

Now, if you pay, you get more data per dollar than you do on most other big US networks and you legitimately get 4G speeds in many places (at least I certainly did). So if you pay you wouldn't even know you were abroad. And when you run out of paid data, you drop down to the slow speed again rather than being cut off (which is nice, so you feel safe to use 100% of your paid data with no risk).

So, to me, T-Mobile's free tier doesn't really change the formula for international travel. It just solves overage/bill shock and gives you some basic notifications and maybe email. Those aren't things to be sniffed at, they're legitimately nice, but people should manage their expectations.

PS - Protip: Restart your phone every single time you change countries. My phone got "confused" and would refuse to connect until I restarted. We did a cruise so a new country was daily, and I missed a day of data because I thought that country simply wasn't supported (rather than it being a phone problem).

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