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Project Fi by Google

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Re: Project Fi by Google

#331

Post by adamrt »

peferron wrote: post #306
vigneshv_psg wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

The T-Mobile plan only offers you international data if you pass a credit check. I applied twice, once by phone and once in-person at a store. I got rejected twice. I have excellent credit and suspect the issue is something stupid like my first name being misspelled (something I experience a lot). However T-Mobile employees immediately enter stone wall mode and it's completely impossible to debug the issue. Probably…

I have this plan and never did a credit check. Maybe I was grandfathered in though. I've had t mobile for 2 years now.

Re: Project Fi by Google

#332

Post by harryh »

nandhp wrote: post #249
harryh wrote: post #207

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I also use an AT&T share plan and they recently started rolling over unused data. So while I'm not getting money back I feel like I'm at least accruing something when I don't get close to my max. Depending on your plan they might be doing the same for you now too?

> accruing I think AT&T only rolls over data to the next month, so you aren't actually accruing anything. Unlike T-Mobile, who I believe roll over data for up to 12 months.

Wait really? The email I got from them made it sound like it would roll over forever. I'm gonna have to go read the fine print now. That's a big bummer if you are correct.

Re: Project Fi by Google

#333

Post by billyhoffman »

DannoHung wrote: post #318

With the per GB charging, is that only data usage routed through cell towers or do they charge for roaming wifi usage as well?

This is absolutely a question that should be in their FAQ. Was wondering the same thing. Sadly the FAQ is full of marketing/PR non-anwsers...

Re: Project Fi by Google

#334

Post by inglor »

grecy wrote: post #60
pbiggar wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This looks to me like a pure "commoditize your complements" play. All of Google's products require great mobile internet everywhere. By getting involved in that market, they can help make it much more competitive (at the moment, cell reception is expensive and shit). It's like Google Code. Google didn't particularly want to be in that business, but Sourceforge was complete shit, and the open source ecosystem was key…

I agree, and I always figured that's why they built Chrome. They needed the other browsers to step up their game, especially js performance so they could offer the kinds of web applications they wanted to.

The reason they built Chrome isn't just that - google pays/paid other browser vendors __hundreds of millions of dollars__ to be the default search providers ($300M to Mozilla per year for a while). Owning the web browser gives them tremendous power and saves them money.

Re: Project Fi by Google

#335

Post by pikachu_is_cool »

xanderstrike wrote: post #302
Someone1234 wrote: post #170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Everything you said is correct, I just want to make two tiny clarifications: - It is unlimited talk (domestic) and unlimited text (domestic and international). International talk costs extra. What was said in your post was accurate, but the way it was worded could confuse people into believing that it is unlimited international talk. The pricing is a little more nuanced than you said. - It is $20 (talk/text) and then…

The "refund" language is confusing for the purposes of advertising, and I wouldn't bother repeating it. It's by-the-gig pricing, full stop. They just charge you for data you use, at a quite competitive price.

I don't really understand why they presented it that way, by-the-gig (or 100MB) sounds much more appealing than rollover data. Maybe it's some liability or insurance thing? Cause you basically have to fork over a bunch of money for the first month before the refunds roll over.

(never mind, someone else responded to this question here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9422621)

Re: Project Fi by Google

#336

Post by samstave »

wiremine wrote: post #92

For those who don't want to read the FAQ or find the video incredibly unhelpful [1]: a. It only supports the Nexus 6 out of the gate. b. It automatically switches you to the "fastest" network available. Partners out of the gate are Sprint and T-mobile. Sounds like it prefers Wifi, then 4G LTE, and then degrades down to 3G or 2G. c. Pricing is $20 for unlimited talk (domestic) and text (domestic and international) and…

I have Sprint and I live in Alameda Ca - and work in SOMA in SF - It is hands down the worst cellular carrier in the bay area with respect to LTE coverage and speed:

1. They have been claiming they are building new towers for the last THREE years. 2. No coverage AT ALL in any bart tunnel 3. No coverage fully across the bay bridge 4. Spotty coverage in SOMA 5. Google hangouts is utterly useless on mobile 6. three huge dead zones on 880 between Oakland and Menlo park, no coverage across dumbarton, etc.

I wish companies would stop partnering with them for services like this.

I carry a verizon MIFI with me everywhere for work (ops) and I turn it on every time I get on bart - when I am in the car and when I am sitting around in any restaurant / coffee shop / bar for any time because the network sucks so bad.

Re: Project Fi by Google

#337

Post by wtallis »

devindotcom wrote: post #120
amalag wrote: post #23

This is doing the same things as Republic Wireless. Calls and texts over wifi to keep their carrier costs down. RW is cheaper at $10 a month without data and $25 for unlimited 3G. With RW you need their customized android phone but they are cheap. $650 for the phone is steep (or a credit pull).

True except if it's really just 3G that's not enough for some people who like to stream video and audio - ideal bitrates probably can handle it, but not realistically. That said, anyone streaming Netflix on their LTE connection is going to want unlimited data to start with, so neither is a good bet.

RW's current pricing is $5 for wifi-only, $10 for cellular with no data, $25 for 3G data, and $40 for 4G data. Both data plans include throttling after 5GB. But the new pricing model they'll start testing in May is basically the same as what Google's promising, and they announced on Monday upcoming beta testing for basically everything else that Google Fi will include.

Re: Project Fi by Google

#338

Post by bko »

laurencerowe wrote: post #220
smacktoward wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What I don't get is, what's in this for Sprint and T-Mobile? Currently a user of their network is a customer they "own" -- they deal with that customer directly. Now they have Google sitting between them and the user, which effectively commoditizes their service; Google could switch them out for another network down the road without the user ever knowing or caring. That's great for Google, and probably also great for…

Google is charging a significant markup over T-Mobile's existing rates ($30/month for 5Gb vs $70/month through Gooogle.) So Fi is really only interesting for people doing significant international roaming.

Where did you get your numbers?

T-Mobile site says 1 GB of 4G data with unlimited talk and text for $50 a month.

5 gigs of 4G data is $70

http://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phone-plans/individual.html

Re: Project Fi by Google

#340

Post by jamroom »

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'm on the "Mobile Share Value 10GB With Rollover Data" - I own all 3 iPhones outright though, so maybe that's why I'm not getting hit for an additional $30 for the phones? Good to know!
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