Google Project Fi

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Inspect Your Gadgets > Google Project Fi

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Twerk from Home posted:

Isn't it way more expensive than the nerd plan? The t-mo nerd plan is $30/mo for 5GB of data, that same amount of data would be $70/mo on Fi if you actually use your 5GB of data data every month.

If you use less, I see Fi being a better deal, but it seems like a huge no-go for those who use >2GB/mo of data.

Some people actually talk on the phone. Also being usable overseas and working on more than one carrier are pretty useful for a lot of people.

# ¿ Oct 26, 2015 21:24

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# ¿ Apr 30, 2024 09:43

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Twerk from Home posted:

I thought that the nerd plan was unlimited voice / text + 5GB data? I can see the international stuff being invaluable, for sure.

I'm on a giant T-mobile family plan with some 10 or 15% discount, with the end result being 6 lines of unlimited talk / text / 2.5GB data for $135/mo including all taxes and fees. I'd like Fi, but I can't see it being cheaper.

No, it's 100 minutes.

# ¿ Oct 26, 2015 21:36

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Tots posted:

I'm still confused about the phone numbers. Right now I have my carrier number and my Google Voice number. I've used both for a long time for different purposes and I want to keep both. Is this possible?

Read that third bullet again. No.

# ¿ Oct 27, 2015 17:10

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Given LG's history of battery drivers (that is, bad), I wouldn't be horribly shocked if that was actually a thing on a 5x, but in general, no that's not the case with lithium batteries. Worst you should have to do is let it run to 0 then charge it back to 100 to reset the meter.

# ¿ Nov 22, 2015 15:27

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

pass the butter posted:

I ported over from Verizon. Coverage was fine, but we moved last may to basically the edge of their coverage map. Now coverage is fantastic and our bill went down so much. I hope google puts enough of a dent in other carriers service that they notice and make some changes. No contracts, no activation charges, no bs. Had a few issues run through customer service and they handled them beautifully.

Keep an eye out in the sales forum for my verizon booster and landline thingamabob. Were in full ditch mode!

They won't touch the major carriers until you're able to use more than Nexus phones, and importantly, iPhones.

# ¿ Dec 20, 2015 18:20

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Sounds like your problem is using Comcast's terrible equipment.

# ¿ Dec 24, 2015 01:35

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Ranter posted:

Interesting. Any data to confirm this notion that Google is favoring slower sprint networks over faster t-mobile? Android is open source after all, so hopefully we can just look at the aggregated data and confirm this. At least for the area the tests were conducted in.

What does open source have to do with anything? Open source doesn't mean open access to data.

# ¿ Dec 30, 2015 17:05

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

If it's like any other GSM phone, it'll run on T-Mobile without a problem, but since it's not an allowed phone you're running the risk of getting kicked off, losing your number, and potentially your entire Google account.

# ¿ Jan 20, 2016 15:14

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Tots posted:

E: And of course the argument would be "but T-Mo is doing it, why can't we?"

At least in this case, mobile data, while not excluded from net neutrality rules, has a lot more leeway than wired internet services as it's largely going to be decided on a case by case basis.

# ¿ Feb 24, 2016 22:16

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

If you're trying to get the phone on the cheap while keeping T-Mobile, you'll need to go to a T-Mobile store and get a new SIM. Should be free if it's a corporate store.

# ¿ Mar 8, 2016 22:45

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

T-Mobile connects to LTE, but is throttled when you're overseas. I imagine Fi is just using that.

# ¿ Mar 15, 2016 14:40

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

On my iPhone, I had to install a security certificate from Comcast to connect to Xfinity hotspots.

Truthfully, I find them to be more of a hassle than they're actually worth.

# ¿ Apr 3, 2016 01:13

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Takoluka posted:

I didn't know about this modem thing, and now I definitely want to replace mine. What's a good off-the-shelf modem for Comcast?

Arris/Motorola SB6141

# ¿ Apr 3, 2016 04:02

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Sub Rosa posted:

Only has 8 downstream channels meaning it's already obsolete for some packages, no? It maxes out at 100 down on TWC, you have to have 16 downstream for higher (at least on TWC).

8 channels is 343 Mbps, no? I certainly get over 100 with mine.

But if there's something better, definitely go with that!

# ¿ Apr 5, 2016 14:58

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Why are people assuming new phones are coming at Google I/O? Nexuses have typically been in the fall. More likely they'll launch a new tablet or two.

# ¿ Apr 25, 2016 14:02

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Weird that you'd get advertisements on a carrier intended specifically to harvest your data to better serve you advertisements.

# ¿ May 8, 2016 21:08

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Ranter posted:

Do Verizon CDMA phones work in GSM Europe?

Verizon iPhones since the 5 have had unlocked GSM out of the box. A 5S might even have the proper LTE bands for Germany. Only some 5's have the US T-Mo bands, but that shouldn't matter in Europe.

# ¿ May 10, 2016 02:25

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Walked posted:

So I ordered the 5x and plan to switch to Fi when it's delivered tomorrow.

I recall reading some news story about issues with the USB-C power cord on some of these? What is the latest / what do I need to know & look out for?

Only use official Google cables and chargers.

# ¿ Aug 8, 2016 03:37

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

OldPueblo posted:

I'll re-post my androidcentral comment here if anyone has merged accounts together and can answer my question.

"Okay so work with me on this one. I currently have three Project Fi accounts, and three paid in full 5X's, each paying $5 a month for insurance. I have only one Project Fi account active though (daughter), while my wife and I have paused service since we're still on AT&T (basically we wanted the phones cheap and may switch over based on daughters service coverage experience). I paused service rather than cancelling till we're ready so that we can keep the insurance going. Since the service is paused, that means we are currently only being charged the $5 insurance on our two lines (the rest is refunded monthly). So my question is, if we merge everyone in together, can I still pause service on two of the lines or will it pause all three?"

Also a new question I thought of, is everyone still their own bucket or is it one big data bucket? As for Project Fi in general, to me the value is in the entire package collectively. If you only use one or two "parts" of Project Fi then sure it may be a little cheaper elsewhere. Potentially better coverage than a single carrier, WiFi calling if you have no coverage, the global capability, insurance is a better deal than the carrier coverage, great phones for a good price, data only SIMs for other devices, etc.

Have you considered calling Fi and asking them? I bet they would know!

# ¿ Oct 12, 2016 13:53

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

FunOne posted:

The Verizon one is rumored to be locked to Verizon. The Play Store / Fi version can work everywhere, including on Verizon.

Nobody knows for sure yet because nothing has been released, but EXPECT a Verizon Pixel to be locked to Verizon because thats just how they do.

No they don't. Verizon phones have been unlocked out of the box for a few years now. It's just a question of whether they support the appropriate bands for wherever you want to use it, which hasn't always been the case. Unless Verizon got Google to offer them a neutered phone for no apparent reason, the only differences should be in software, *potentially* a bootloader that can't be unlocked, but that won't affect portability.

# ¿ Oct 12, 2016 17:28

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Anniversary posted:

So here's my good news, bad news Project Fi experience.

I've now had two 5Xs fail in a six month window, one of which was a refurb replacement from when the first was under warranty. Both times customer service has gotten me a replacement extremely quickly.

I feel a phone shouldn't fail that often, but since it does, at least their CS addresses it extremely well.

"This thing is lovely garbage but at least they give me another piece of lovely garbage!"

# ¿ Jul 24, 2017 14:18

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

fknlo posted:

Phone shipped today. Will arrive tomorrow, most likely after I go to work so I have to wait another day.

Awesome! Please keep us updated on your shipping status!

# ¿ Sep 28, 2017 15:04

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Merv Burger posted:

Congratulations, you live in Bizarro World.

Any time my service is poo poo outside of towns/cities in my area is because it decided Sprint was The One To Use.

"Bizarro World" = Nebraska

# ¿ Aug 1, 2018 00:57

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

FAUXTON posted:

To be honest, Fi is pretty good even when heading out into the thar's-poop-in-the-well-again-yall-boil-yer-water hellscape towards like oneill/burwell/antelope/valentine

Mostly my comment was that Sprint is based in Nebraska, so historically other providers tend to not be as good there. Last I looked at coverage maps, this still seemed to be the case, though they've at least gone from "there's coverage on highways kinda" to "there's coverage everywhere, but not as good as in most other states"

# ¿ Aug 6, 2018 14:04

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

I'm like 90% sure if you activate a Fi SIM you can pop it into an iPhone and it'll work internationally just fine since it's just piggybacking off T-Mobile's international data. You'll need an officially Fi-compatible phone to activate, though.

# ¿ Aug 6, 2018 19:29

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Javid posted:

If your only goal is to activate fi then put a data sim in the phone you actually want, a $80 5x isn't the worst idea.

An even better idea is finding a friend with a Pixel or whatever.

# ¿ Aug 6, 2018 20:48

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

FogHelmut posted:

Yes, gigabytes are a finite resource and its completely reasonable to measure it in volume and not throughput.

Why not both?

# ¿ Nov 19, 2018 18:28

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

How easy is it to change a Fi number after signing up? I want to try it out without having to cancel my current Verizon service to see if it works in places I regularly go before committing to it. I understand Google's support can be, uh, less than great at times.

# ¿ Nov 28, 2018 22:16

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# ¿ Apr 30, 2024 09:43

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

cycleback posted:

I bought a Pixel 3 as part of the Google Fi birthday 50% off sale that required activating Google Fi and just received the first statement for the period of May 14th to Jun 14th. It is set to autopay on May 25th. If I go ahead and cancel should the payment still go through for the first month of service? I don't want to pay for the second month.

No, they will prorate it.

# ¿ May 22, 2019 14:21

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Inspect Your Gadgets > Google Project Fi