Switchen my cell phone service to google Fi from boost mobile

[Rotax]

I read MMM's article on switching to google fi (Fi.google.com) to save money on cell phone costs. I was previously using boost mobile (boostmobile.com) which is also very cheap but was having some coverage issues mainly when traveling so I thought I'd give Fi a try now that my old phone broke. Here's my 2 cents:

1) My cost for coverage plus 2 GB of data a month came out to about the same with both carriers or roughly $44/month after tax.

2) The coverage with google fi is far superior to boost but I really only notice this when I leave the city. I love in Phoenix which is huge so this is rarely an issue.

3) I have not had a chance to use the free international roaming yet but did try it with Boost Mobile. It turns out Boost doesn't even offer international roaming as an option.

4) So with the cost being so similar, the biggest differentiating factor for me is that Fi will credit any unused data monetarily toward my next month of use. So if I don't use 1 gb, I get a $10 credit toward the next month. Some months I use all of my data and other months I don't. Speaking of which....

5) When I go over on my data, Fi doesn't throttle me and they just continue to charge the same rate ($10 GB) for any extra data.

Hopefully this will save someone some extra cash on their phone bill. I was previously with Tmobile and paying about $80 per month.

[TomTX]

They recently implemented family plans, my wife and I saved $5/month by combining accounts.

[arebelspy]

I use FI cause it's phenomenal for overseas.  I might do something cheaper in the states, but for foreign travel, it's the best, IMO.

[csprof]

I use FI cause it's phenomenal for overseas.  I might do something cheaper in the states, but for foreign travel, it's the best, IMO.

I use Fi too, and really like it.  But with the OP's listed stats (2GB/month - $44 and no international travel yet), Cricket might be a better choice.  I wrote a little spreadsheet to help see which plan is better at which price point:

https://da-data.blogspot.com/2015/10/comparing-prepaid-cell-plans-public.html

It's getting a little rusty -- I didn't update it for the new Cricket 1GB plan Ok, I've guilted myself into updating the spreadsheet with the new Cricket 1GB/$30/mo plan.  That one doesn't help you at 2GB, though, but even without it, it shows Cricket saving you another $8-9/month.  (My spreadsheet thinks you'd pay $43/month on Fi, not $44, because I just made some average assumptions about taxes, but they vary widely by state).  You might plug in the #s and see which looks best for you, if you care to optimize more.

Cricket's reception is fantastic - I've left my wife's phone on it, since she can't do Fi, and she routinely has reception in mountainous places I don't.

But it doesn't do the amazing Fi international roaming.

btw - I've recently been going to settings and turning off cellular data except when I specifically want it.  (you can also long-press on the cellular icon as you swipe the top bar down, in Nougat).  I've found that it's cutting my Fi data use quite a bit, because now my phone doesn't randomly hop on the cellular network when my work wifi is flaky as I walk around.  This is probably very person-specific, but for me, I'm using about 50% less data now that I've been doing that, without really annoying me much.

[Ben Hogan]

Google Fi here, the biggest hurdle for MMM peeps to Google Fi is the cost of the phones. With such a limited selection, all are very very expensive. Also compared to Verizon FI's internet is very very slow(FI uses Sprint and Tmobile networks).

However I travel alot, it was an amazing experience in Scotland and Ireland where most people had no reception. So if you travel especially to remote places, FI might be a pretty good option.

[ChpBstrd]

I'm paying $70/mo on cricket for 2 lines, each with 2GB of data at 4G speed and unlimited data at 3G speed after you use all that up. Phones were bought new for cash. It's 70 instead of 80 because of a 2-line discount.

I'm strongly considering getting a wifi-only phone (e.g. Republic) or an annual calling card because the interweb distract me, like now, and I'm looking to squeeze every penny. However, the savings aren't great compared to the versatility lost (e.g. maps, looking up stuff in the field).

I know. I know. Buttercup needs to suck it up, pretend it's 2006, and save a buck.

[csprof]

I'm paying $70/mo on cricket for 2 lines, each with 2GB of data at 4G speed and unlimited data at 3G speed after you use all that up. Phones were bought new for cash. It's 70 instead of 80 because of a 2-line discount.

I'm strongly considering getting a wifi-only phone (e.g. Republic) or an annual calling card because the interweb distract me, like now, and I'm looking to squeeze every penny. However, the savings aren't great compared to the versatility lost (e.g. maps, looking up stuff in the field).

I know. I know. Buttercup needs to suck it up, pretend it's 2006, and save a buck.

Easy first step:  Drop your "this should otherwise be wifi" phone to the $30/month plan on Cricket.  You can do it online, instantly.  It'll take your total cost to $65/month.  Then just leave cellular data off most of the time when you're on wifi.  If you need it, turn it back on.  I just did this with one of our phones - worked like a charm.

(The family plan doesn't save you any money at 2 lines, so you're not losing anything, because it cancels out with the credit card autopay savings.)

[cacaoheart]

I got the nexus 5x through fi for ~$240, switching from Republic Wireless. On Republic Wireless, my wife and I both noticed that our (crappy storage, crappy camera) Moto E phones would latch onto whatever wifi signal they could, which for my wife sometimes meant it would drop a cell connection to latch onto a useless printer signal. My experience with Repub was a little better in that it would connect to my home and workplace wifi very quickly, while my Nexus 5X on Fi often won't try connecting to wifi until I've been using my phone for ~10 seconds, and the next time I check my email it will have again switched back to cell data.

Making most apps only able to work over wifi is important. I will often have to manually go back in and tell the 5x to log on to a wifi source, even if I use that same wifi on a daily basis. In real world terms my data use hasn't gotten up much, just from ~100mb per month to 120-200mb per month, but I've had to be vigilant in making sure that wifi is being used while before with Repub Wireless it was never an issue if a good wifi signal was available.

Overall I'm happy with Fi now and it fits my low data use well, though if a Moto X or something like it were still available in the ~$200 range with Repub I likely would have stuck with them, in part because it took a while to figure out how to navigate keeping my old google voice number AND my cell phone number. At first it seemed like I had to give up one or the other.

[CBnCO]

We just initiated a Google FI account for my wife and bought one of the Nexus 5X phones for $249 (the $199 16GB was sold out). I think the best feature, often overlooked, is the ability to get a second data-only SIM. We put the SIM in my I-Phone and it performed flawlessly with my free Google Voice/Hangouts service. But, because with Project FI you pay for each GB of data used, it is in your best interest to minimize the use of cellular data, which is difficult coming off an unlimited, company paid plan. But, we figured we could use the extra data SIM to create a second phone and our pre-tax cost would be around $30-$35 per month for what amounts to two cell phones.

***As a bonus, I took the data SIM to Hong Kong and, without extra charges beyond the normal data usage rate, used the data and Google Voice functionality and both worked great. I'm sold, I still have a company paid phone; but, when/if that stops we will use the single Project FI account with a data SIM/Google Voice as our two phone solution

[tj]

I use FI cause it's phenomenal for overseas.  I might do something cheaper in the states, but for foreign travel, it's the best, IMO.

I use Fi too, and really like it.  But with the OP's listed stats (2GB/month - $44 and no international travel yet), Cricket might be a better choice.  I wrote a little spreadsheet to help see which plan is better at which price point:

https://da-data.blogspot.com/2015/10/comparing-prepaid-cell-plans-public.html

It's getting a little rusty -- I didn't update it for the new Cricket 1GB plan Ok, I've guilted myself into updating the spreadsheet with the new Cricket 1GB/$30/mo plan.  That one doesn't help you at 2GB, though, but even without it, it shows Cricket saving you another $8-9/month.  (My spreadsheet thinks you'd pay $43/month on Fi, not $44, because I just made some average assumptions about taxes, but they vary widely by state).  You might plug in the #s and see which looks best for you, if you care to optimize more.

Cricket's reception is fantastic - I've left my wife's phone on it, since she can't do Fi, and she routinely has reception in mountainous places I don't.

But it doesn't do the amazing Fi international roaming.

btw - I've recently been going to settings and turning off cellular data except when I specifically want it.  (you can also long-press on the cellular icon as you swipe the top bar down, in Nougat).  I've found that it's cutting my Fi data use quite a bit, because now my phone doesn't randomly hop on the cellular network when my work wifi is flaky as I walk around.  This is probably very person-specific, but for me, I'm using about 50% less data now that I've been doing that, without really annoying me much.

This is an awesome comparison. Have you also looked at Ting?

[csprof]

Thanks!  I haven't - want me to try to add it in?

The core question before I do is:  Are there "gotchas" with it, as there seem to be with Republic?  I decided not to include Republic after reading a lot of negative comments/reviews about them, both here and elsewhere.  But if Ting is solid, I'm happy to update it.

[tj]

Thanks!  I haven't - want me to try to add it in?

The core question before I do is:  Are there "gotchas" with it, as there seem to be with Republic?  I decided not to include Republic after reading a lot of negative comments/reviews about them, both here and elsewhere.  But if Ting is solid, I'm happy to update it.

Everyone I've read seems to say good things about Ting.  I think Daley even uses them now.

[Daley]

I think Daley even uses them now.

Yup, and I strive to be very disciplined about who I recommend and use for the sake of the greater good. It's why I can't recommend Cricket and a few others, either.

[csprof]

I think Daley even uses them now.

Yup, and I strive to be very disciplined about who I recommend and use for the sake of the greater good. It's why I can't recommend Cricket and a few others, either.

Out of curiosity, why not Cricket?  (I've got my wife's iPhone on them still, though I moved myself to Fi).  We've been pretty happy -- keeping in mind that one happy anecdote is not meaningful. :)

I'll get Ting added to the spreadsheet in a bit.  Have to finish moving back in to my house first.  (wahoo!)

[neo von retorch]

Google Fi here, the biggest hurdle for MMM peeps to Google Fi is the cost of the phones. With such a limited selection, all are very very expensive. Also compared to Verizon FI's internet is very very slow(FI uses Sprint and Tmobile networks).

However I travel alot, it was an amazing experience in Scotland and Ireland where most people had no reception. So if you travel especially to remote places, FI might be a pretty good option.

Just curious - on what are you basing the speed comparison? (I haven't found it to be true, and since you're more likely to be on T-Mobile than Sprint, you should see very similar speeds compared to Verizon - https://opensignal.com/reports/2016/02/usa/state-of-the-mobile-network/)

[Daley]

Out of curiosity, why not Cricket?

Is there a reason Cricket is not discussed as an alternative cell phone service provider?

Here's a good synopsys and subsequent discussion.

Long short, though, terms of service and support quality matters. Cricket fails both by the measure of standards I utilize with unreasonable terms of services, poor taxes no actual MVNOs charge, and shoddy customer support. Additionally, AT&T is playing dirty pool with their brand and their wholesale customers and data pricing. I don't like to reward bad behavior. As such, I don't feel comfortable recommending them not only for the sake of the people I help, but for the sake of the future health and market diversity of the MVNO industry.

If a prepaid mobile brand isn't in the guide, there's probably a good reason for it. About the only brand that does need to be added at this point is US Mobile.

[CloserToFree]

I've been thinking about switching to Fi as well (we travel a lot and would LOVE the better/cheaper overseas access) but am not sure it's worth it to pay for the $$$ phone.  Right now DH and I both have iphones that are in fine shape; we use Verizon and pay about $90/month (think it's a 4GB plan).  Anyone have strong feelings whether we should stay with Verizon (we're out of the contract period) or move elsewhere (Fi or something else)?

[arebelspy]

If you travel internationally, FI is the best. If you're domestic, there's cheaper options.

If you do switch and want a referrals/ discount, PM me.