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

New Google Fi Cell plans – unlimited data for $30

fi.google.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 76 posts

Re: New Google Fi Cell plans – unlimited data for $30

#31

Post by rawtxapp »

novok wrote: post #6

One bad thing about google fi is if you forget the google account password & email that you associate with the phone number and don't have a 'backup email' for it, it's near impossible to close the account or similar and have it stop charging your credit card until you do a chargeback. Which also means random people can charge your credit card on a subscription. Google support cannot do anything on their end to get g…

For these kinds of subscriptions, I just use privacy's virtual credit cards, makes it very easy to stop recurring payments if the company makes it a pita to cancel.

Re: New Google Fi Cell plans – unlimited data for $30

#32

Post by lowercase1 »

JohnCurran wrote: post #2

Does anyone use Google Fi currently and can speak to the quality of the service? How does it perform while traveling, does it become spotty if you leave a major metro area, do you experience dropped calls, any data throttling?

Coverage is pretty good. It is great for traveling abroad as it just works in most countries.

However I'm looking to leave because Google's terrible handling of Hangouts which many used for SMS messaging. Hangouts also allowed phones calls on computers, a feature I will miss.

Re: New Google Fi Cell plans – unlimited data for $30

#35

Post by caturopath »

JohnCurran wrote: post #2

Does anyone use Google Fi currently and can speak to the quality of the service? How does it perform while traveling, does it become spotty if you leave a major metro area, do you experience dropped calls, any data throttling?

I've used it for ~5 years.

I feel like I'm always the one with service in a group when we're out in the boonies, though Verizon folks definitely have their moments.

Dropped calls happen sometimes, I guess, I wouldn't say it's worse than cell service in general. One big annoyance is that my phone defaults to calling over wifi, so leaving home after starting a call basically requires hanging up and recalling. I think you can turn this off.

Data always seems fast, but I never hit their billing cap.

MMS fails silently sometimes. This includes group texts.

Re: New Google Fi Cell plans – unlimited data for $30

#38

Post by briffle »

intergalplan wrote: post #22

$30/each for at least three lines . At two lines, it's $45/each, and at one, $60/each. $30/each for two lines might get me to switch. $45/each for our two is close enough to what T-mobile costs us (nearly identical after the taxes get added on, I bet) that it's not worth the effort to change it.

I live in the Northwest, and T-Mobile has great coverage in the cities, and along the interstates. Sprint has some additional coverage on smaller state highways, but neither really cover 'the mountains', or the coat, or other rural areas much. I wish I could take this up, since my 4 unlimited Verizon lines cost $45/line, that is $720/year in savings...

edit, nevermind, no tethering with the $30 plan. So it would be the same cost as my Verizon plan.

Re: New Google Fi Cell plans – unlimited data for $30

#39

Post by axaxs »

lowercase1 wrote: post #32
JohnCurran wrote: post #2

Does anyone use Google Fi currently and can speak to the quality of the service? How does it perform while traveling, does it become spotty if you leave a major metro area, do you experience dropped calls, any data throttling?

Coverage is pretty good. It is great for traveling abroad as it just works in most countries. However I'm looking to leave because Google's terrible handling of Hangouts which many used for SMS messaging. Hangouts also allowed phones calls on computers, a feature I will miss.

You can still use voice for these things. It's not hangouts, but it does work great.

Re: New Google Fi Cell plans – unlimited data for $30

#40

Post by acrispino »

novok wrote: post #6

One bad thing about google fi is if you forget the google account password & email that you associate with the phone number and don't have a 'backup email' for it, it's near impossible to close the account or similar and have it stop charging your credit card until you do a chargeback. Which also means random people can charge your credit card on a subscription. Google support cannot do anything on their end to get g…

It seems hazardous to rely on Google for such an important service

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18886804

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19956090

Post reply on HN