Wireless Alternative: Project Fi?

[CookieRoe]

Came across this: Project Fi. Been out for a little bit and wanted to know if anyone has tried it. So far, it's Android capable, but if you have an iPhone, you have to do some "tricks" for it to work. My carrier is AT&T and I'm fed up with them. With a family plan, I'm paying $174/mon (450 min, 100 text/mon, unlimited data (grandfathered since 2008) and a 24 month "lease" for my wifes iPhone (finished in Jan '18). Anyway, I feel that is too much with what is offered out there. Everyone I share this with tells me I'm nuts. So, I'm shopping around for a new carrier. Any thoughts on Project Fi?

Anywho, some info:

Looks like one can save big bucks. link: https://fi.google.com/about/plan/

"Our plan starts with the Fi Basics for $20 per month. Group plans let you add friends and family for $15 per month.

Get credited for the data
you don’t use

You should never pay for something you don’t use. So if you’re under your monthly data allotment, we credit the money back to your account. And if you’re over, there are no penalties, you get charged at the same rate of $10 per GB. Simple.

And if you want to add people to your plan, it’s simple

Group Plans let you easily add up to five people to your plan at $15 per month each. You can manage your account, keep track of data usage, and pay your bill all from one place. Data is the same $10 per GB rate for everyone."

CNET: https://www.cnet.com/news/is-googles-project-fi-right-for-me/

iphone hack to make it work: https://medium.com/aaronn/project-fi-on-iphone-7-2564acd96042

 

[CookieRoe]

Ok, how about Twigby? Apparently the iPhone is compatible.

 

[Thai]

Are the newer ATT plan more expensive? Switch carrier? TMo generally is compatible with ATT phones. Sprint is pretty cheap if you accept its limitations.

 

[CookieRoe]

I'm paying almost $180/month for:
1) 2 lines
2) unlimited data (grandfathered since 07)
3) 100 text (joke)
4) 450 min (with rollover)
5) currently paying something like $27/mon for wife's current iphone6. Finished by Jan).

From what I'm seeing, Twigby is
unlimited smartphone voice minutes (per phone): $15
4gb monthly data: $25
free unlimited texting
So, before taxes and bs, $40/ phone isn't bad. They apparently use Verizon and (I can't remember who else) so coverage shouldn't be bad. I live 30min outside of philly, so this isn't an issue.

Unlike Project Fi, twigby supposedly will work with my iphones. $80/mon sure sounds like a deal to me.

I haven't researched Sprint nor do I know about their limitations.

 

[Ashby]

I have been on Project Fi since April 2016. My average bill is less than $30 with tax included. I average 20GB of data usage per month according to the android app. The trick is I'm around WiFi nearly everywhere. I work, home, hotel where I spend 99% of my time i'm near a WiFi hotspot. The only time I turn data on is when I'm on the road.

If I was a salesman and always on the road or if I camped/overland a lot away from wifi you might be better off with a traditional plan b/c if you use more than 3GB of DATA your bill will be $50+ but for the average person Project Fi can save you a chit ton of money like it has for me.

 

[Airmapper]

Sounds like the old Republic model somewhat.

I have a Republic Wireless plan on an unlocked Samsung S7. (I purchased the phone outright.) When I joined they were just coming out with bring your own phone. I got my phone from them, but it's not locked to them. (And of course you can get a cheaper phone, I wanted an S7.)

I pay $20 a month for unlimited talk and text, plus 1GB data. 1GB is more than enough for me, and of course you can pay more for just that month if you have an unexpected need for more.

Here is the trick that makes it extra cool, it still works as a phone over WiFi. Calls and text work without a tower anywhere to be found. While the network coverage isn't great, (I think it runs on the T-mobile network) if I can find a solid internet connection, I have service. It's basically the only way I can have my phone work inside my own home and not have to go out in the yard and stand on a ladder like Green Acres.

 

[wcjeep]

Friends of mine are on Project Fi. They really enjoy the low billing. Both of them have free wifi at work. Their total cellular data is very low. Opposite of us. Most of our data is cell based. My Project Fi billing would be very close to what I'm paying now.

 

[CookieRoe]

So Project Fi is now Google Fi. With Google apparently going forward with it (I keep seeing ads for it). I find it intriguing (3 years after my initial post). So for those who jump aboard early on, are you guys still liking it? I'm amazed that folks aren't jumping ship from their traditional carriers.

 

[4RunnerAquasport]

I never heard of it until today, but I'm not tech savvy either. I wonder if secure browsers and VPNs other than Google sponsored systems would be allowed. My phone bill is ridiculous like everyone else's, so I'll be paying attention to see what people have to say.

 

[Gonecamping]

Have had it since the beginning, great coverage (la/orange county).

Came from Verizon and very pleased to not deal with stupid changing fees and plans... Drove me nuts. Now I pay for what I use which is really satisfying and how it should be.

I too use wifi mostly so my bill stays sub 30 a month.

There were some messaging quirks but that was in the early project fi days.

 

[BackOff]

Another obscure google project.
Project Loon.
Remote area access to internet by balloon.
Weird.
Just noticed it yesterday looking at some aircraft tracking site.

 

[xyzzy]

My wife and I moved to Google Fi from Verizon about 6 months ago and we are currently saving nearly $100 per month. A planned trip to South America and looking at what Verizon would charge for that made this a no-brainer for us.

The switch was super easy and we did it in about 10 minutes.

When I/we travel out of the country we save even more. I got great coverage in South America in the fall of 2019 when I was there.

YMMV, but we've been very happy with coverage and quality.

Our total monthly bill now is $40-$50 for 2 phones with pro-rated (per GB) data and unlimited txt with free data after paying for 10GB combined data in a single month.