Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Project Fi Is Now Google Fi

fi.google.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

161–170 of 221 posts

Re: Project Fi Is Now Google Fi

#161

Post by Jtsummers »

dsr_ wrote: post #140
prostoalex wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Worth noting that specifically for Google Fi * the $10/GB quote is pay as you go - unused data does not magically expire at the end of the billing cycle. While one can probably find a better promotional deal with a US carrier, those unclaimed gigabytes are unlikely to "roll over" to the next month. * the rate is valid for any of Fi's international partners across 170 countries. Other US operators are likely to hit th…

Also worth noting: once you cross 6GB, they stop billing. Basically, your bill is capped at $80 + taxes, so that one month that you end up using 250 GB doesn't cost you $2500, it costs $80.

Also worth noting: If you set up a group on Fi, the cost cap increases, but the per user cost goes down.

https://support.google.com/fi/answer/6201699?hl=en&ref_topic...

At the top end (6 group members) the max per user cost (if splitting evenly and not proportioned based on individual usage) is $50, compared to $80 for one user.

Re: Project Fi Is Now Google Fi

#162

Post by ppseafield »

whitepoplar wrote: post #44

What are the downsides to using an MVNO such as Google Fi? As far as I'm aware, carriers are prone to de-prioritizing MVNO traffic to favor their own customers during periods of high congestion or emergency, but I don't know if all MVNO traffic is treated equally, or if certain MVNO carriers are de-prioritized because they pay less for "budget/excess capacity" network use.

I had trouble laat year in a couple of remote places using Google Fi. They use Sprint and T-Mobile towers. I believe e.g. if you have a contract with Sprint, you can roam on Verizon's towers. However, I was visiting an area (central NC) and I had zero service the whole time, even in town. I switched back to Verizon.

Google Fi also automatically connects you to known WiFi spots and sends your data over their VPN. The switching between antennas will kill your battery as well.

Re: Project Fi Is Now Google Fi

#163

Post by bootlooped »

dcchambers wrote: post #28

If the non-supported phones are stuck on T-Mobile's network and don't support the seamless WiFi/Cell switching, what advantage is there to picking Fi over regular T-Mobile service? Price-wise Fi only wins if you use very little data.

It's nice to have SMS and Call integration with Hangouts, so I can just as easily text message or make and receive calls on the PC.

As far as I know you can still do this with Google Voice + any cell carrier for free though.

Re: Project Fi Is Now Google Fi

#164

Post by [deleted] »

sharno wrote: post #93
beckler wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sounds like you got a rare deal, everything I'm seeing online says it's $70-$40 per line depending on how many lines you have.

I guess it depends on how many people you add to your family plan. The more people you add the cheaper it gets

[deleted]

Re: Project Fi Is Now Google Fi

#165

Post by dmoy »

russdill wrote: post #18
Someone1234 wrote: post #10

Maybe bigger news is that they now officially support (in "beta") iPhones, Samsung's S line, and many other handsets. If you use a non-Fi native device it won't support Sprint (T-Mobile only) and fast switching from WiFi to cellular is disabled. It might have limitations but at least it is officially supported. People have already been using non-supported devices on Fi with these same limitations, it was just technic…

I'm guessing international support will also be limited.

iPhone on fi worked internationally ~2 years ago or whatever. So, probably better now?

Re: Project Fi Is Now Google Fi

#166

Post by modeless »

bootlooped wrote: post #158
jayalpha wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Is 10$/GB a reasonable price in the US? It seems completely out of whack to me." I basically travel non-stop. And wherever I land, I receive a message. "Welcome to India we got you covered" "Welcome to Russia we got you covered" "Welcome to China we got you covered" "Welcome to France we got you covered" "Welcome to Uganda we got you covered" I can live with 10 US$/GB

How are cell coverage and data speeds on Fi internationally? I have not traveled out of the country since this has been my carrier.

Great in my experience (Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France, UK, Canada, Thailand, South Korea). I found it to always be fast with no obvious throttling, and coverage is often better overseas than at home.

Re: Project Fi Is Now Google Fi

#167

Post by MatthewMcDonald »

russdill wrote: post #18
Someone1234 wrote: post #10

Maybe bigger news is that they now officially support (in "beta") iPhones, Samsung's S line, and many other handsets. If you use a non-Fi native device it won't support Sprint (T-Mobile only) and fast switching from WiFi to cellular is disabled. It might have limitations but at least it is officially supported. People have already been using non-supported devices on Fi with these same limitations, it was just technic…

I'm guessing international support will also be limited.

I'm not sure if it would have been better on a supported phone, but in the past year I've had good coverage with an iPhone SE on Fi in New Zealand, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria.

Re: Project Fi Is Now Google Fi

#168

Post by Jtsummers »

bootlooped wrote: post #158
jayalpha wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Is 10$/GB a reasonable price in the US? It seems completely out of whack to me." I basically travel non-stop. And wherever I land, I receive a message. "Welcome to India we got you covered" "Welcome to Russia we got you covered" "Welcome to China we got you covered" "Welcome to France we got you covered" "Welcome to Uganda we got you covered" I can live with 10 US$/GB

How are cell coverage and data speeds on Fi internationally? I have not traveled out of the country since this has been my carrier.

I had few problems in Argentina and Uruguay (only countries I've been to since I got it, but been to several times). In the norhern part of Argentina (Iguazu) I had poor coverage where my girlfriend had (Argentinian service provider) great coverage. I think Fi was trying to decide if I was in Brazil or Argentina and that was messing me up. In Buenos Aires (where I spent most of my time), reception was good except for around some buildings (assuming line-of-sight issues). In Uruguay I never had any problems.

The only other issues were a lag between landing and service beginning. Took over half an hour on one trip, and over an hour on another. But this year I didn't have that lag, took maybe 5 minutes from when I turned on the phone after landing to it working.

Service speed was always good.

NB: I have a Nexus 5X. Some of the reception issues may have just been reception issues with that device compared to others, I don't know.

Re: Project Fi Is Now Google Fi

#169

Post by wittyusername »

bootlooped wrote: post #158
jayalpha wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Is 10$/GB a reasonable price in the US? It seems completely out of whack to me." I basically travel non-stop. And wherever I land, I receive a message. "Welcome to India we got you covered" "Welcome to Russia we got you covered" "Welcome to China we got you covered" "Welcome to France we got you covered" "Welcome to Uganda we got you covered" I can live with 10 US$/GB

How are cell coverage and data speeds on Fi internationally? I have not traveled out of the country since this has been my carrier.

They are native speeds, or at least so fast that they might as well have been. I was seeing > 60mbit in Germany.

Re: Project Fi Is Now Google Fi

#170

Post by posterboy »

ukoki wrote: post #143
adventured wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not a far less expensive plan per GB though. 20 GBP is about $25 USD. T Mobile US is offering 50GB LTE at $70 per month. Adjusting your 15GB to that nets you $83 per month. T Mobile also offers free call/text/data roaming as well to dozens of other countries as part of the plan.

You can also get unlimited everything at £20/mo though. Three in the UK ( http://www.three.co.uk/ ) have unlimited mobile data for £20/mo on a 12 month contract. You get: - unlimited calls and texts in UK and 71 other countries - unlimited mobile data in the UK in including use as a wifi hotspot - up to 15GB data in 71 countries including use as a wifi hotspot

Assuming Germany is on the list, that would still be a lot better than the 4GB cap + 5Eur per extra GB we have here. But to replace my landline I really need unlimited. Except, I don't really need to loose the landline other than to save for the expensive mobile contracts, and that only for streams.
Post reply on HN