This is too little too late. AT&T nearly matches this with a much better network. The international stuff is interesting but not that interesting with the current plans available from carriers.
Project Fi by Google
531–540 of 608 posts
Re: Project Fi by Google
#532[deleted]
Re: Project Fi by Google
#533Screw this. I pay $35 in metropcs with 2GB of data and taxes and fees included. with this I would have to pay 40 + taxes every month, and I would have to buy the stupid phone. When I reach the 2GB (often) My internet connection slows down but I can still stream my music with no problems so no thank you google.
Re: Project Fi by Google
#534Earlier quoted context omitted.
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.
I've had TMO in the past, and the Google plan is attractive to me for a couple of reasons * T-Mobile customer service is inconsistent in messaging on the phone, via Facebook, stores * As a H1B visa holder I am, according to TMO, not able to get a postpaid plan * Prepaid plan does not work outside of the US * Prepaid plan has issues receiving short codes from Uber/Bank of America and possibly others - I've spent 8+ ho…
I think the text issues are due to Google Voice and not T-Mo (I have the GVoice+T-Mo unlimited data combo, and I think I only have short code issues with the GVoice number).
Re: Project Fi by Google
#535Earlier 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…
That was a question I had: where's the money for Google? Are they in this to force competition only, or do they see this as a viable business model? For those in the know: how much would they get per subscriber, assuming $20 for the "basics" as they call it, and $10 per Gig for data? This is likely difficult to calculate, given they are using both T-Mobile _and_ Sprint, and they refund unused data. But I'd be curious…
They don't need to make money; they earn more money off of advertisements served.
This plan enables people to be 'more online' while mobile, even in other countries.
Google has always been trying to lower the barriers to the internet (slow javascript -> Chrome (v8 engine), the internet baloons in africa, and now a global cellular/mobile internet service at decent rates).
Re: Project Fi by Google
#536The 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…
Roaming will hopefully soon be abolished throughout Europe ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26866966 ). Although there have been talks that this might be delayed by a couple of years. Then in the UK there's Three who basically abolished roaming in 18 countries (sadly not Germany for now). This includes unlimited (25gb) 4g, which is pretty awesome and better than the 256k Google is offering.
That article is a year+ old. It was predictably shot down. Remember that the EU parliament is pretty toothless.
https://euobserver.com/news/128133 & http://blogs.wsj.com/brussels/2015/04/14/european-government... have some of the current status of what's left of it. Currently it looks like there's a week or so of "roaming allowance" per year, and even this would only come into affect after a years-long transition period.
Telecoms are good at lobbying.
Re: Project Fi by Google
#537This can be used against the net neutrality in the near future.
Re: Project Fi by Google
#538Earlier quoted context omitted.
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
http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans If you scroll down, there's: $30 per month — Unlimited web and text with 100 minutes talk 100 minutes talk | Unlimited text | First 5GB at up to 4G speeds I'm considering switch from that plan to Google Fi for Canada data.
No tethering with that plan.
Re: Project Fi by Google
#539This 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…
Also remember if the product is not successful they just dump it and move on. As a former google reader and code.google user it feels kind of bad.
Re: Project Fi by Google
#540> 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.…
Is $10/GB and $0.2/min normal within the US? I'm not familiar with American (non-roaming) pricing. For comparison: In Germany I have an LTE data plan for my tablet where I pay €24.99 for 7.5GB (~$3.57/GB), the lowest plan being €6.99 for 1GB (~$7.50/GB). Unlimited calls in Germany including 1GB data would cost me €19.99/month (~$21.48) at the same provider and unlimited text in Germany would be an additional €4.99/mo…
In France we have a €19.99/mo plan with unlimited talk for domestic (land and mobile) and a huge selection of international countries (land), unlimited SMS/MMS, and 20Go of Data (yes, twenty). That plan can go down to €15.99/mo if you also go with this carrier for your home's broadband access.
That same carrier (called "Free mobile") offers a €2.00/mo plan for 2h talk, unlimited SMS/MMS and 50Mo data, which is €0/mo (free) if you're subscribed to their broadband.