As some of you may already know, AT&T announced that it is bringing back “Unlimited Data” for its DIRECTV and UVERSE customers at $100 for the first line and $40 for each additional line. I was originally on AT&T wireless back when the first iPhone came out and signed up for the only data plan at the time. At that time, it was the Unlimited Plan for $30 on top of my monthly limited talk plan. Back then we consumed much less data, so it was quite difficult to push the limits of the network. As time progressed, data usage increased and mobile carriers were forced to rethink their strategy by limiting data and taking away our “unlimited” plans.
What about unlimited plans?
Looking at the mobile landscape, it’s somewhat of a recent trend to bring back Unlimited data plans once again – even though they aren’t really all they are cracked up to be.
AT&T is bringing back its Unlimited Plan tomorrow, with the caveat that they can slow your data speeds after you’ve consumed more than 22GB of data. How the FCC lets AT&T get away with this kind of false advertising blows my mind, but I am not an attorney so there’s probably some loophole that AT&T is taking advantage of that I don’t know about.
AT&T claims only 1% of users will actually be throttled, but without actual proof of who they throttle we just have to take their word for it. And yeah, I’m not buying it. Why? Because I was a customer on the Unlimited Plan and was throttled at 5GB before AT&T raised the limit to 22GB late last year. Although I rarely ever went over 5GB, but when I did, AT&T sure let me know about it and slowed my phone to a grinding halt. The FCC is supposed to protect us from this kind of behavior, but somehow AT&T and others get away with this practice.
But, T-Mobile…
T-Mobile has been attracting customers with intelligent marketing and with a CEO who knows how to advertise better than the rest. He’s a bold and unfiltered genius, but nonetheless he still manages to oversell his products. Binge On is T-Mobile’s latest gimmick where you can watch unlimited videos without affecting your data usage in addition to unlimited music streaming. Technically you can watch all of the video you want, but T-Mobile has been downgrading the quality of the “unlimited” videos to 480p, or less than ideal resolution.
Sprint? Verizon?
Sprint and Verizon have been staying out of the battle between AT&T and T-Mobile, but they have their own sets of issues. Sprint is definitely the cheapest offering of the carriers but you get what you pay for. Sprint regularly is rated the worst provider by Consumer Reports surveys, and it’s a rarity that I ever come across a satisfied customer from them. Verizon is regularly rated the best of the big four carriers but customers also tend to pay the most for its service. And both carriers use CDMA as opposed to the GSM network which highly limits the types of phones that can be used on the networks.
It’s almost as if the companies are colluding behind the scenes to confuse us as they overcharge us for phones and service. It’s time to consider making the switch to Project Fi which has not been getting any attention lately.
Enter Project Fi
Project Fi is Google’s answer to providing true value to the wireless customer.
“Project Fi is a program to deliver a fast, easy wireless experience in close partnership with leading carriers, hardware makers, and our users.” – Project Fi
Google created its own cellular service by combining two existing networks, T-Mobile and Sprint, and connecting them to its own Nexus devices. Right now only Google’s Nexus 6, Nexus 5X, and Nexus 6P can be used to access the network. The benefit? According to Google, it’s a simple matter of having “the best of two 4G LTE networks so you can connect to more towers”, resulting in faster speeds and more coverage.
Let’s try it out
Project Fi’s pricing plan is as straightforward as it gets. The basics start at $20 per month which includes: unlimited domestic talk and text, unlimited international texts, ability to use your phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot, and coverage in 120+ countries. Each gigabyte of data costs $10 with no annual contract. The great part of the Project Fi plan is that you never pay for unused data.
It’s hard to predict your data usage when it changes month to month. One month you’re streaming live sports, the next you’re mostly just checking email. At the end of each month, you’ll get your unused data credited in dollars and cents, so you only pay for what you use.
Similar to other carriers, Project Fi allows you to make calls and texts over WiFi which is perfect for times when you’re in an office building with poor reception or you want to preserve data while you send picture or video text messages.
Wireless plans are confusing. You think you’re signing up for a plan that costs $55 per line, or for a family plan for four for $180, and at the end of the month you just eat the enormous hidden costs stacked onto your plan, because you’re under contract or on a finance plan. It can costs hundreds of dollars to free yourself from a carrier.
Wireless providers also love to confuse you with things like connection fees or weird service charges. Project Fi does away with all of those shenanigans and even refunds you money for unused data.
How did Project Fi perform?
Being a current customer of AT&T, cellular access is more important to me than unlimited music and video streaming. I tend to use my devices primarily for staying in touch with friends and family and also staying connected to my primary job. I rarely am streaming videos or music when I am out and about. However, every time I do set up a new phone, I always download my music playlists over WiFi for my daily workouts. I prefer High-Res music from TIDAL on my phone, and streaming never does music justice so I always download it.
Where I tend to live and travel, AT&T rarely provides bad signal. It’s definitely difficult to want to make the switch when my service works well. And I do know that Sprint’s and T-Mobile’s networks are great in most cities, but are terrible once you go outside of city limits or sometimes even indoors. In the past few months I have traveled to Reno, Boston, Las Vegas, San Fransisco, Oakland, Sacramento, and I live in San Diego. In every city, I have brought along my primary AT&T phone and I also brought along my Project Fi Nexus 5X.
My go-to app to check data data speeds is Speedtest.net where it has an average rating of 4.4/5 stars on the Google Play Store from over 700k users. In every head to head speed test I ran in every city, Project Fi easily matched if not outperformed the AT&T network. I would go inside buildings, drive to the city limits, hang out in the center of hotels, and Project Fi always performed extremely well. Uploads speeds were always better than AT&T on Project Fi’s network, frequently averaging 15-25mbps over AT&T’s 4-8mbps on the LTE network.
I am 100% confident in Project Fi’s ability to serve my cellular needs and have come to the conclusion that it outperforms AT&T service.
Project Fi customer service is the best you can get
When I set up my Project Fi service I needed to make a call to customer service to activate my line. I got through at 11pm at night, in the middle of December, to a U.S. based representative and was off the phone in a matter of minutes. My needs were met and I was off and running. To see if my experience was a fluke, I contacted Project Fi’s customer service team a few more times and every single time was the same exact experience. Educated representatives are a dream come true when it comes to mobile support.
Chatting with AT&T’s customer service is nothing short of a nightmare that I cannot wake up from.
If you were on Project Fi you would pay exactly $45 for your monthly mobile plan with unlimited calls and texts with 2.5GB of data. Why pay $100 for unlimited if you don’t use it? If AT&T claims it throttles only 1% or less of its users, then there is no need to pay the extra money for peace of mind when you can save yourself $55 per month.
Do you really need unlimited music streaming and videos? If you do, and are a part of the top 1% of data users, then stay with AT&T or T-Mobile. Or, you could learn to download those songs and videos to your mobile devices when you’re on a WiFi network and save yourself money.
[blockquote author=”Industry analyst (March 2015)”]The average U.S. consumer used 2.5GB per month of data in Q1 of 2015[/blockquote]
An additional $55 per month over the course of one year works out to be $660, which is the cost of a brand new mobile phone every single year. You could buy yourself the most expensive Nexus 6P which is the 128GB model at $649 instead of always having access to multimedia every single year.
The base Nexus 6P from Google comes with 32GB of memory, and that is typically enough for most users. Google Photos even has unlimited cloud storage for your photos allowing you to save even more money by not upgrading memory since the base model 6P comes in at $499.
The limitations of Project Fi
There are some limitations to Project Fi, and the types of devices you can use can be considered one if you happen to like Apple or Samsung made smartphones. Only Google’s own Nexus 6, Nexus 5X, and Nexus 6P can be used on the Project Fi network. Many consumers don’t even know Google produces its own phones, but it does to show off pure unadulterated Android software.
There is a major benefit in owning a Nexus device in that Google always updates its own phones first. Manufacturers like Samsung and LG have to update Google’s updates because of the customization they do to Android, and in some cases updates can take over a year even on their flagship devices. Nexus phones can get updates as quickly as a month when one is needed.
For example the $700 Samsung Galaxy Note5 owners are still awaiting Google’s latest iteration in Android 6.0 Marshmallow, while the pure Nexus 6, 5X and 6P have been running Android 6.0 since October of last year. Samsung has a terrible track record of getting updates out in a timely manner, leaving many of its customers dissatisfied. The story is the same for other manufacturers of Android phones and is the cause behind fragmentation.
Regardless, some people just love to have variety and Project Fi definitely lacks in that area for hardware.
If you do consume enormous amounts of data Project Fi could end up costing you more money in the end. If you consume 15GB of data you would spend $170 on Project Fi per month and it might be better considering an unlimited plan from another major carrier.
Is unlimited data and smartphone variety really worth it?
I consider the Nexus 6P to be the best premium smartphone of 2015 and most other reviewers do too. Right now you can get the 2014 Nexus 6 which is still a rock star at Amazon.com for just $249.99 for the 32GB model in blue or white (prices subject to change).
So if you are considering an “Unlimited Plan” but really only consume data like the average U.S. consumer at 2.5GB per month, you can get into Project Fi with the Nexus 6 at $249.99 and $45 per month for service. At $45 per month over the course of a year, your total service cost will be $540, plus the cost of the phone at $249.99 puts you at $790 for the year. If you use less data you will save even more money.
If you were to jump onto AT&T’s Unlimited Plan at $100 per month, with the Samsung Galaxy Note5 at $700, you would be looking at $1900 per year for the total cost. You would be spending $1110 dollars more just for unlimited data! Is it really worth it to you? Or if you bought the $128GB Nexus 6P which retails at $650 you would still end up saving $710 per year over AT&T with a Samsung Galaxy Note 5.
If you don’t want to take my word for it, I highly suggest you do your own research. Project Fi does not set you up on contracts, and you can set up a new line if you are interested for free. Amazon allows returns for 30 days on all of its products, so you can pick up a Nexus device there knowing you can send the device back later for a full refund.
Set up a Project Fi account and try it out. If you don’t like it, simply cancel your service and return your Nexus device. I am not an advocate for buying and returning devices, but phones are an expensive device and some of us cannot afford to just buy another device outright. But do try and limit buying and returning devices as that policy does exist to protect us from bad purchases and is not intended for trying out devices.
Do your homework, and stop buying into the games that the major carriers distract you with, and you can potentially save yourself hundreds of dollars while getting top notch customer and cellular service through Google’s Project Fi. I highly recommend it.
What next?
Here are a few handy links to get you pointed in the right direction.
- Request an invite from Project Fi
- Buy the Nexus 6 from Amazon
- Buy the Nexus 5X from Amazon | Google Store
- Buy the Nexus 6P from Amazon | Google Store
I had been on Project Fi, and my phone before Fi was a Nexus 5. I am also a serious Google Voice user. There were a few problems I have encountered with real world use. First, is the limited phones. Yes, you can (as of Jan 12, 2016) can get a reasonable priced Nexus 6, but for the most part, most people will have to pay a small chunk for a new phone. This is a deterrent if you are happy with your current phone that may not be one of the 3 only options. Second was call control. Everyone had my Google Voice number, and when I was with Project Fi, everyone called my cellular which is fine except when I didn’t want it. I used call groups to direct less important calls to my SIP client which only rang when I wasn’t home. Also, no SPAM controls. I had to create a “contact” and set that contact to ring to voicemail. However, this still rang a Hangouts device. Couldn’t do that with Fi. It was all or nothing. Google controls both Fi, and Voice – you would figure that they would have given the best of both, but they missed the mark a great deal. I do like the value (although data cost is a little high), and customer service was great (when they could have helped). I am not saying Fi is bad, just bad if you relied on Google Voice.
Sorry, but the #1 feature I require with my mobile service is 4G LTE everywhere. Verizon has the largest 4G LTE footprint and keeps winning network comparos left and right. Combined with a corporate discount, that’s where I’m staying.
If you have a good corporate discount to keep costs down, VZW is worth it. $105 per month to keep unlimited data, it becomes less compelling unless I really needed the coverage.
I had an 18% corporate discount for Verizon and still paid about 180 a month for me and my wife. On Project Fi I never ever pay more than 60 bucks a month. Now the distinction is I am always on wifi and only use my data when I am driving but I rarely use the phone while I am driving and I play music I have stored on the actual phone so this works out for me really well.
I got a Nexus 6P 64gb for $500 and went with a 1gb data plan because 90% of my time is spent around free wifi areas. Don’t use or even care about hangouts or google voice. I just want a phone that makes calls, is not loaded with bloat apps and forced adware from the provider.(Boostmobile) I really don’t care about the selection of phones I’m restricted to because the 6P is pretty badass (best flagship android phone you can buy atm) and as phones go beats any iphone or samsung I’ve ever played with. Don’t believe me? Go read some reviews. Besides, if I really don’t like Fi or if something better comes along I can always take my unlocked phone to anybody I want because it works on all networks around the world. I’m willing to bet the price of data will drop as the other companies try to compete with Fi and copy Google’s model in the next year or so.
Well said.
I took Project Fi a step further.
I have several devices and two active FI accounts. I also have six Verizon lines for my family. My goal is to transition us to Fi, but all on one account, or maybe two.
With the new Data only SIM cards from Fi I was able to do this. Now every member of the family has a Nexus, MotoX, etc on Fi and uses Google voice/hangouts for texts and calls. Works perfectly.
Unfortunately, Project Fi has a few huge drawbacks…
Like being able to use data while on a call?
Can’t do that on the Sprint half of the network…
Like making calls on 4G?…
Not on Fi…Fi doesn’t support VoLTE, calls drop to 2 or 3 G every time..
Further, T-Mobile’s extended range LTE (band 12) requires VoLTE…which since Fi doesn’t support users can’t really benefit from (not to mention that it’s likely violating FCC)
Poject Fi takes 3 very good and capable phones on some mediocre networks and crippled them…
Not to mention contrary to your experience, not everyone has experienced good customer service from Project Fi either… In fact it is the singularly worst and unknowlegeable support I’ve ever experienced. And heavens forbid if your sim card is corrupt (or support thinks there’s something wrong with it) …expect 3-5 business days to have to order a replacement yourself (support can’t do it or rush it) and wait for it to show in your mailbox…
Your better bet is the 6p on T-Mobile for $65 for unlimited Talk, Text, 3Gb data, (compared to $50 on Fi) …the extra $15 is worth every penny for VoLTE, brick and mortar locations, and not having to deal with Fi support.
Ridiculous, exaggerated complaints.
Not at all…not a single exaggeration. And I don’t find it ridiculous…. Apparently neither did the FCC..
Yeah they are exagggerated, you can use data on calls, just not both sprint and tmobiles network. Just force switch cell networks and it works fine. And customer service, not sure what you are talking about they have been amazing. I called them up probably 10 time with questions and they were great (mostly about buying my phone because the nexus 5x ice was always out of stock). Zero problems so far.
If you are on the Sprint network you can not use simultaneous voice and data…it’s been a we’ll documented issue with Sprint for years…it’s not an exaggeration.
I was on Fi for 6 months, and active in the G+ Fi community….the number of cases where Fi support was wrong/misinformed/giving out bad information has also been pretty well documented… They are the worst of the worst…
No duh, that’s why I said you just force switch to T-Mobile and then no problems. Yeah I saw that customer support gave some bad info out, it’s a new BETA phone service, you can’t expect all their new employees to learn every problem inside and out right away.
It’s NOT BETA…never was…it WAS paid ALPHA…but it’s full public launch…either way, it’s not an excuse…
And “just force switch to the other network” isn’t an acceptable solution when Fi half asses that network too ….particularly when Fi claimed to have pairity with each network’s own subscribers..
If you hate it so much and there is so much wrong with it for you, then drop the damn service. Jesus. You aren’t on contract.
Oh I will once my complaints with the FCC and the FTC are resolved…
I paused service..and went to T-Mobile while I filed complaints with the FCC and FTC…
Maybe that will get Fi off their rears and actually fix their service andactually respond to feedback from their users…
No…when on Sprint you cannot use voice and data…just Google “Sprint simultaneous voice and data” and see all the complaints from Sprint customers….that is carried over to Fi…
Talking to your wife and can’t to check your email or make a dinner reservation online?…not on the Sprint half of the Fi network….
I’ve made no exaggerations…
Fi doesn’t support VoLTE, so no calls while on LTE, no HD voice, no use of T-Mobile’s extended range LTE network (the part of their network that they are concentrating on building out)
All of this hoopla over using voice and data at the same time. How often would that come into play? I can’t think of a time in the past year where I have been talking on the phone and also wanted to browse the web at the same time. Maybe some folks would use it some…I guess. But it is hardly a deal breaker for me…and I imagine for the VAST majority of folks it would be the same. I couldn’t care less about voice and data at the same time…and I’m sure as hell am not going to list it as a complaint and bitch/argue about it. Nobody cares. Non issue for me.
Any time you might be using navigation and a call comes in navigation drops…
Or if you’re on a call with a client and need to pull up and discuss details of a E-mail or access an attachment they sent…
Or on a call with a significant other or friend and need to look up the # or info for a location for a meeting or gathering later..
Or are on the phone with a business or shipping company and need to pull up a tracking # for a package that was sent to or from yourself…
The number of calls where I have a need to access data of some sort far outnumber the calls where I don’t..
It’s not just browsing the web while on a call it’s pulling up some critical piece of info for use in the call…
And it’s a real enough problem that Sprint users have been bitching about it for YEARS on the Sprint customer forum web pages..
Kyle – Did you end up getting the Nexus 5x Ice? It has been out of stock and I keep checking to see if it’s back in.
I did, just keep checking back. They post more at random times and they went real quick. Somebody made an app that tracks and gives you a notification on your phone when they are back in stock. I don’t remember the name just keep checking back.
Thanks!
I’m satisfied with Project Fi. From paying $110 on T-mobile to $35, I’m content. I give them the benefit of the doubt that later down the line there will be much more improvement to the Fi Network.
Really? I have been with Republic Wireless for over three years. My bill averages around $12 a month, can access data during a call and you don’t get treated like a number or any attempts to hoodwink you on your bill. Plain and simple, $10 a month unlimited calling and texting, and $7.50 for every half gig of cell data. And they pay you back every month for what you don’t use. They have a good range of great phones and are setting the standard for the industry. So I beg to ask, why Google fi?
Fi gives you T-Mobile’s network and the Sprint network Republic uses. So best of both. I’m averaging about $32 a month on Fi and they update my phone every month. Not sitting around for years waiting for Samsung and Verizon to officially release an update any more.
I have Republic Wireless and they use CDMA, I believe, which means no data while on a call. Not sure how you are doing it on RW? Please let me know if you have a way!
Hi Deirdre,
I have a 2nd gen Moto X and no problems. If you have an issue with data during a cell call, make sure your data is turned on for the app you are wanting to use. There should not be a problem. If not, I think there may be a perfect solution for you. Republic Wireless has been updating their systems all week and will update the store and portal tomorrow night. When Republic updates the store and portal they are in final preparation to release their new phone or phones. Additionally, the new phone(s) will be both CDMA and GSM over multiple cell carriers and seek the strongest single, of course using wifi first when available. So there should be no data issues in our Republic Wireless future.
Good luck and stay wifi.
Tuttleman
That’s interesting, Tuttleman. I had heard that an earlier Moto X could do this (I have the Moto G 1st gen), but none of the other phones on RW can. I was told by the Expert community and some message boards that it’s due to the CDMA network and that there might be a new phone coming out using multiple carriers, so I’m excited about that. Maybe I’ll hold off on the Project Fi phone and see what RW puts out. Overall, I’ve been very unhappy with the VOIP quality and the wifi switching on the Moto G. If I need to have any kind of decent call, I always turn off wifi so that the phone uses cell only. The quality is dramatically better. It’s also frustrating not to be able to use GPS or internet when I’m on a call without any nearby wifi. That’s primarily why I was planning to switch to Project Fi bc they have both CDMA and GSM capabilities and I was hoping the call quality would be improved with the Nexus phones.
Deirdre!,
I now know your problem. At this point, it’s not the service. With the 1st Gen G, you are basically trying to drive a ’62 Chevy in the Indy 500. I am familiar with every RW phone and my mother is still sporting the 1st Gen G. She’s 86 and in a retirement community, and as far as I’m concerned, that’s about the top end value use of the phone at this point, and she is getting a new phone soon whether she wants one or not. I have used every RW phone and tested their reception capacities. There is a HUGE difference between the 1st G and the 2nd X in reception alone. The first G has served nobly but it’s time for a new fancy talking machine.
But first, I have a few suggestions. Make sure your phone is updated to Lollipop, 2nd, make sure your apps are updated, 3rd, download some wifi analysis apps (speed and signal strength) and check the wifi you’re on when you have an issue, It’s almost never the phone, 4, make sure all your settings are correct and set up properly, (in moto or assist also) and like you said, turn wifi off if you still have a problem.
As for a change over to fi, I suggest you wait a few moments and see what is about to erupt from RW. I am positive that you will very pleased along with saving quite a bit of money over time unless you are a large data user.
Lastly, I have a personal phone rule I recommend – get the best phone available and replace it every two years. Moore’s Law is especially applicable in the mobile industry and I believe you are currently experience it’s downside.
You are moving in the right direction, and so is Republic. L8R
Thanks for the great info Tuttleman!
So, I have wondered whether there are specs on a phone that affect the wifi VOIP calling. No one can give me an answer, I just hear that it’s about wifi signal. But, with my phone, I can have a fantastic signal and the call still has terrible quality. I keep my system and relevant apps updated, but the other problem with my phone is that I made the BIG mistake when I got it 1.5yrs ago of not getting enough space on the phone, so I don’t update all the little apps that are just for fun. I am pretty much totally out of space. As to the 3rd point – I’ve used speedtest.net on my computer, but never used anything comparable on my phone. And the 4th point – I can’t say I’m an expert on settings, but I’ve done my best to stay on top of them. It does always seem that there are multiple settings areas and I worry I may miss some.
I think your rule is great and that’s my current plan. Although, I wasn’t going to spring for the Nexus 6p, just the 5x on Fi. But, now I will wait and see what comes up with Republic.
I am also on the older RW plan and I know there’s a new plan, but I haven’t taken the time to compare mine to the new one…
Last – I have found RW help to be confusing as well. They have their in-house help messaging, the Directly expert service which is totally hidden and difficult to find (to look at convo history with experts) and then the community. I like that Fi allows chatting, it’s much more practical for me to get help when I need it. I find constant emails back and forth very cumbersome.
Thanks for the conversation!
@disqus_eg2NUi3STB:disqus – I can’t say that I’m familiar w/ RW, but I am familiar w/ Google’s Lollipoop version and I and the majority of users on Google’s support community forums couldn’t disagree any stronger against its adoption. I’ve kept JellyBean on my Nexus 4 while we were essentially forced to try Lollipoop on my wife’s Nexus 5 due to some issues she was experiencing. Despite the several iterations of version 5.x we endured, the upgrade to version 6 couldn’t come fast enough as each 5.x iteration just introduced a new set of bugs. I recommend avoiding Lollipoop/v5 like the plague.
Project Fi has worked great for me where I’m located. While some have said T-Mobile has better plans they might as long as you can get a signal. Having Sprint is a big plus; my phone has even roamed on Verizon a few times (I credit that to the Sprint side of things). My experiences with Project Fi support has been very good too.
Project Fi has worked out really well for me. Because I am always around Wifi at work or home I never ever use the data plan. The customer service is phenomenal. I ran into an issue where the phone would choke and not get calls or surf web etc and it turned out it was my router while I blamed Google the entire time. They were very professional. I used to be on Verizon and I know they tout their strong network but it was something I didn’t actually need it turns out.
I was paying about 180 a month and now I pay 60 a month (tops) for two lines and have none of their garbage software on my phone. They actually had Blockbuster software on my phone that I couldn’t delete and they even had a map appliction that didn’t work as well as Google Maps and they CHARGED for it. Ugh. So happy I am no longer using that company.
I’ve been using Project Fi on a Nexus 6P for a few months and am thoroughly satisfied. The plan is simple to understand and use. I only use about half a GB per month on the cellular data network, the rest (probably multiple GBs) is on WiFi, so doesn’t incur an expense. So I basically went from $50/month with T-Mobile to $25/month with Fi.
I also travel internationally quite a bit, and it’s been a breeze with Fi, and not expensive at all; data is the same price as in the US, and calls are 20 cents/min in most countries. Cell reception has been good in almost all the locations I’ve visited: Johannesburg, Pretoria, Bonn, Franfurt, Lisbon, and a few other spots. In the US, I live in northern California and have had excellent coverage.
Customer service is great as well — far better than any other carrier I’ve dealt with. I’m a happy camper.
Ummmm first of all…SPrint and T-Mo??? Those two are a JOKE! Their signals are spotty for far too many people … and for someone like me who uses their phone for streaming music, there is up to 5 gigs a month, so that would equal 70$ a month, which … when compared to the likes of “Straight talk (unlimited Talk, Text, and 5 gigs of LTE speed data) costs 45$ a month plus taxes on the refill card. My cell phone I use is a VeriZon cell phone, so I am on Verizon’s network, clearly the best network out of the 4 major carriers… so honestly, I’d pass by Google’s “Fi” project like it’s a bad habit really QUICKLY…Sorry Google, ya’ll got to be doing MUCH better than this offering….. because THIS is just SAD….
I switched from straight talk, they are a joke. Data speeds were terrible and with wifi included in the signal coverage, I get better coverage than straight talk.
Insanity. I use about 50gb a month. I do everything including work from my data. This will cost me more than my Sprint 50$ unlimited data plan. No thxs.
What would be reasonable is 1 dollar a gig. Then i would consider.
Off topic question: That graphite cover/case? Where did you get that??
dbrand skins.
https://dbrand.com/nexus-skins
They are really sweet.
Not sure how if it’s what you mean, but the phone in one of the images is using a Dbrand carbon fiber skin.
I’m a deaf user on an Android phone – Galaxy S5. I have been considering switching to Project Fi so any rumors on the next Nexus phone for Fi for 2016? And since most of you mentioned Voice and data – what about video calls such as Glide, (for deaf and Hard of Hearing) video relay services such as ZVRS (zvrs.com). How will/would Project Fi impact those apps?
My biggest pain point is the choice of networks. If you live outside a major metro area you need ATT or Verizon. Otherwise you are standing around wishing you could use your phone at Gore Mountain skiing or driving in your car. I am really having a tough time between Cricket and Fi. Cricket uses ATT network. If I was in NYC or Boston it would be a no brainer, but up near the Adirondack mountains I would often be on 2G or nothing at all more likely.
I like fi so far, I live in the utah valley and coverage is great, the same as it was on AT&T. I like the wifi feature, many of the building around campus have no cell coverage in the basement, and none of the carriers get coverage there. My fi texts and calls just fine when nobody else can use their phone, except for the imessage people.
Google Fi has been a total nightmare for me so far. THIS GOOGLE PROJECT FI IS NOTTING BUT A PROBLEM. IT NEVER WORKS ON SPRINT NETWORK. EVERY FEW HOURS PHONE SWITCH BETWEEN T MOBILE AND SPRINT. WHENEVER IT CONNECTED WITH SPRINT NETWORK WE CAN’T RECEIVE A CALL OR WE CAN’T DIAL OUT IT SAYS NO SIGNAL ON THE SCREEN.
STAY FAR AWAY AS YOU CAN FROM THIS PROJECT FI. ITS NOTTING BUT A PEACE OF SHIT
Just switched to Project Fi. Good article points out that”unlimited data” isn’t really a good deal if you’re leaving money on the table every month paying for something you’re NOT using. Yes, it only works on their phones and clearly the Nexus 6P is the best choice here. I’ve found it to be a great experience so far. And, if it isn’t, the phone is unlocked and can be ported to any major service. But, I suspect that Google has done their homework here. Time will tell. There’s no contract, it’s in their best interest to keep the network up and running. And, recently, Google added US Cellular to the network making them the only service that carries calls and data on the network providers switching to the strongest one. The only possible downside is if you are a super heavy data user;. there’s no maximum price here, so, if you used 12 GB of data per month, your data charges would be $120 while others cap out at a certain amount of money. With Wi-Fi so ubiquitous now, it’s hard to imagine running up this much data. I’ve found the WiFi calling to work just fine, better than my previous Samsung Galaxy. And, the money I’m saving on the service does pay for the cost of the phones. It’s like getting two phones for free.
The phones were amazing but the customer service is terrible. I followed the instructions of the Google rep to a T and because of his incorrect information I now have no cell phone. The only resolution that I was offered was to return the phone. Oh, but they won’t refund the shipping for their mistake. Between taxes, shipping, and accessories purchased for the phones, I am out $170. It’s a shame that the best devices are only offered through a terrible company.
I’ve heard that Project Fi is definitely a viable option, especially when it comes to data usage. The fact that you can get re-compensated for the data you did not use is great. Thank you for sharing the tips.