Author Topic: Google launches data-only phone plan  (Read 2865 times)

Herbert Derp

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Google launches data-only phone plan
« on: December 15, 2015, 07:08:27 PM »
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/12/googles-new-data-only-project-fi-tablet-plans-dont-charge-device-fees/

With this, you can pay $10/GB and make calls / texts using Google Hangouts. If you only use it for texts and calls, the cost should be minuscule because texts and calls use very little data. Awesome! I'm going to try it once the new SIM cards become available.

Edit: Actually it looks like you are required to sign up for a $20/month plan before you can get one of these SIM cards. So it's not as good a deal as I thought.
« Last Edit: December 15, 2015, 07:23:12 PM by Herbert Derp »

canadian bacon

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Re: Google launches data-only phone plan
« Reply #1 on: December 15, 2015, 08:20:58 PM »
You can do better than this.  I am always in a wifi area so I don't need much data.   T-mobile will give 200 MB a month for free to a tablet.

I am consistently using 120 MB a month or so and get free cell coverage for my tablet.  Using google hangouts (somewhat flaky) I have been able to drop my cell phone entirely.

I bought a new iPad mini and figure that after 2 years, my device will be paid for with cost savings (my old phone plan was 25 a month) and I am entirely in the black

CptCool

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Re: Google launches data-only phone plan
« Reply #2 on: December 15, 2015, 11:09:15 PM »
Or you could do ring plus (Sprint mvno) for free. 1500 min,1500 texts,1.5gb 4g lte per month for free

modulus

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Re: Google launches data-only phone plan
« Reply #3 on: December 16, 2015, 01:38:37 AM »
Or you could do ring plus (Sprint mvno) for free. 1500 min,1500 texts,1.5gb 4g lte per month for free

I just went to their website.  What's their business model to even make money off of this?  It seems they have some plans with (cheap) monthly prices, but then there are also all these free plans.  For example, why wouldn't someone just go with the Leonardo 5, keep a $16 balance, and never pay them anything else after paying to port in a number?  I feel like I'm missing a catch somewhere.

https://ringplus.net/#plans

Daley

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Re: Google launches data-only phone plan
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2015, 08:30:02 AM »
Or you could do ring plus (Sprint mvno) for free. 1500 min,1500 texts,1.5gb 4g lte per month for free

I just went to their website.  What's their business model to even make money off of this?  It seems they have some plans with (cheap) monthly prices, but then there are also all these free plans.  For example, why wouldn't someone just go with the Leonardo 5, keep a $16 balance, and never pay them anything else after paying to port in a number?  I feel like I'm missing a catch somewhere.

Partly datamining and captive advertising on outbound calls combined with cheaper SIP trunking and termination. It's why I don't actually include RingPlus in the guide, but it's why I'll recommend them to the short-sighted cheapskates who don't give a toss about quality and datamining in the first place and seriously consider Republic. Bonus, RingPlus lets you BYOD (well, Sprint device, anyway) and also do semi-integrated, standards friendly WiFi calling.