Author Topic: Switch to google FI phone?  (Read 3415 times)

kenaces

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Switch to google FI phone?
« on: November 29, 2018, 10:10:13 AM »
I would like to save a few bucks if I can.  I currently have iPhone 6s and plan with verizon.  I think I can sell this for ~$125.  For me and my girl we pay $90/mo for total of 2GB data.   I do like the iphone but if there are significant monthly savings to be had I can give it up.

I just got a certified refurbished moto g6 free from verizon(long story but they screwed up a bunch of things with my girls account).

I almost never use more than 0.5GB of data so Google FI looks like a pretty good fit for me.  She uses way more data so we go over our 2GB and get throttled halfway through every billing cycle.  She has band new moto G6 and wants to up our monthly plan to 4GB(extra $15/mo).

To complicate matters I saw a news story this morning that google FI is adding coverage for iPhones(in beta right now).

Thoughts?  Suggestions?  Reviews of google FI / moto g6?

Boofinator

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Re: Switch to google FI phone?
« Reply #1 on: November 29, 2018, 10:52:09 AM »
Don't discount Republic Wireless. The perks and plans are very similar to fi, only cheaper (for your situation, I think it would come out to roughly $40 per month for republic vs $55 per month for fi before taxes). The only major advantage of Fi, to my knowledge, is if you travel internationally on a regular basis.

Secret Stache

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Re: Switch to google FI phone?
« Reply #2 on: November 29, 2018, 11:48:34 AM »
I use Visible.  $40/month unlimited talk/text/data on the Verizon network.  They only work with iPhone 6 and up.  Switched my wife's phone from Ting to them since she now uses her phone for work and uses it a lot more.  I kept Ting for my line since their pricing model works better for my usage.


terran

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Re: Switch to google FI phone?
« Reply #3 on: November 29, 2018, 12:33:08 PM »
Google FI now seems to be allowing iphones, although not with quite as many features as if you use one of their official phones.

Ting has worked out well for us, but we're especially light users thanks to using google voice over wifi for most calls, and most of our texting partners also having iphones so those end up imessages instead of texts. Check the pricing, but if you just want to use minutes, texts and data without really thinking about it I suspect it might get pretty expensive.

neo von retorch

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Re: Switch to google FI phone?
« Reply #4 on: November 29, 2018, 12:42:14 PM »
Thanks to @Daley I started using Consumer Cellular - they are combo AT&T/T-Mobile with great plans and customer service. My spouse and I have the 5GB plan, with grandfathered $10/extra line, so we pay ~$62/month for our two lines, 5GB data and unlimited talk/text. I think it's normally $5 more for the second line, so expect $67/month.

BicycleB

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Re: Switch to google FI phone?
« Reply #5 on: November 29, 2018, 12:52:55 PM »
@kenaces, I initiated a similar switch a few days ago. Single (re cell plans anyway); iphone 6 on Verizon being replaced by moto 4 purchased new.

After reading that iphone functionality on Google Fi is incomplete, I am following through on the experiment of starting Fi on on the Moto. Unless it sucks, will then discontinue Verizon, sell iphone. Have been paying ridiculous $66/mo for service, hoping to hit $25-$28 or so plus tax (currently using 500-800 MB data).
« Last Edit: November 29, 2018, 12:54:48 PM by BicycleB »

OtherJen

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Re: Switch to google FI phone?
« Reply #6 on: November 29, 2018, 01:42:54 PM »
I've been happy with Google Fi for almost 2 years, but obviously I've been using one of the optimized Android models. I usually pay $25-$35 per month, depending on how much data I use. Billing is very straightforward. The data reception isn't great in rural areas, but it wouldn't be with Sprint or T-Mobile either. 

About one year into service, my Nexus phone bootlooped itself, and I popped the Google Fi SIM card into an old iPhone model. I had no problems making and receiving calls or texts. LTE data worked on that phone and has always worked just fine on my iPad (if you have a Google Fi account, you can get a free linked data SIM card for a tablet and only pay for the data that you use).

KBCB

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Re: Switch to google FI phone?
« Reply #7 on: November 29, 2018, 04:18:40 PM »
I use fi and love it. I use about the same data as you and spend about 25 a month for my phone sometimes a bit less and sometimes a bit more. But always less than 33. I love that you pay for the data you use  However my husband uses all of the data and it would be much more for him. He has a plan that is 50 a month for unlimited data. I forget what his plan is. But between both plans we spend 80ish a month.

I also use no service issues where I am. Only at my parents camp do I have service issues which is no issue for me now that everyone has phones and others work.

cchrissyy

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Re: Switch to google FI phone?
« Reply #8 on: November 29, 2018, 05:33:03 PM »
I just found out yesterday that google fi now works for iphones and immediately I signed up. No comment yet on the service as my sim is in the mail.

My kids have andriod phones not iphones and so I put them on cheaper plans with Republic Wireless and Mint Mobile, which have been absolutely fine for their needs.  Yeah that's Mint like the financial software. 

the_fixer

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Re: Switch to google FI phone?
« Reply #9 on: November 29, 2018, 06:15:42 PM »
Had Fi for about a year, wanted to try it and planned to add the wife to it but cancelled for the following reasons.

No iPhone support. Wife has and likes her iphone (they announced support one week after I cancelled)

Poor or no service in rural areas where I travel for work. Deal breaker for us mostly due to wife spending a bunch of time riding bikes in remote areas.

Loved being able to have a phone / data while traveling out of the country wish it would have worked out

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

shingy

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Re: Switch to google FI phone?
« Reply #10 on: December 01, 2018, 03:39:14 PM »
I’ve been using the service for 2 years now and it’s been great. If you don't use much data, it's pretty inexpensive. I keep wifi on all the time and my data usage is usually under 500mb a month, so my cost for service (with taxes) is about $30/m, before my phone payment.

Traveling overseas and not having to worry about massive roaming charges (includes free 4G LTE roaming in 170 countries) or having to buy a local sim card has been awesome. I’ve also been able to call my cousin and brother who both live abroad and it only costs $0.01/min. Definitely happy I switched from AT&T!

I'm fairly new to this forum and I don't know what the policy is on referrals, so I won't post my link. But, if anyone is looking to sign up and wants to save $20, send me a PM and I'll give you my code.

ditheca

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Re: Switch to google FI phone?
« Reply #11 on: December 01, 2018, 06:09:27 PM »
I'll take that PM shingy.

CloserToFree

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Re: Switch to google FI phone?
« Reply #12 on: December 01, 2018, 08:45:08 PM »
I've been using Google FI for about 2 years now and have been very happy with the service. Less happy with my Nexus 5x recently (which is now operating so incredibly slowly that I'm considering swapping it out for something else), but with the new announcement that you can use iphones and other Android phones, that's less of an issue.

The international service has been seamless and that's been a big plus. My monthly bills have consistently been about $35 and I could get that down more if I was more careful about cell vs. wifi use.

Overall I highly recommend. And happy to share a referral code if anyone else wants one, PM me.

shingy

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Re: Switch to google FI phone?
« Reply #13 on: December 02, 2018, 09:57:20 AM »
I'll take that PM shingy.
No problem - PM sent.

Also, for everyone else's benefit, I saw that Google announced another promo where you can get up to $400 off depending on whether you bring your own device or buy one from them. Here are the details for that: https://fi.google.com/about/device-promo-terms.

FirePita

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Re: Switch to google FI phone?
« Reply #14 on: December 02, 2018, 10:22:27 AM »
I just found out yesterday that google fi now works for iphones and immediately I signed up. No comment yet on the service as my sim is in the mail.

My kids have andriod phones not iphones and so I put them on cheaper plans with Republic Wireless and Mint Mobile, which have been absolutely fine for their needs.  Yeah that's Mint like the financial software.

Considering making a switch. Is WiFi calling working in your iPhone with Google Fi? Reception is very weak in our building and the only way we can get reception is through WiFi calling.

shingy

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Re: Switch to google FI phone?
« Reply #15 on: December 02, 2018, 10:32:26 AM »
Considering making a switch. Is WiFi calling working in your iPhone with Google Fi? Reception is very weak in our building and the only way we can get reception is through WiFi calling.

Per Google's help doc, you won't be able to use Wifi calling with an iPhone. Reference: https://support.google.com/fi/answer/9165858?p=compatible_phone

FirePita

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Re: Switch to google FI phone?
« Reply #16 on: December 02, 2018, 11:34:33 AM »
Per Google's help doc, you won't be able to use Wifi calling with an iPhone. Reference: https://support.google.com/fi/answer/9165858?p=compatible_phone

That’s unfortunate. Hopefully they’ll get it to work by the time Google Fi is out of Beta for iPhones. Thanks for the info!

shingy

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Re: Switch to google FI phone?
« Reply #17 on: December 02, 2018, 12:09:24 PM »
That’s unfortunate. Hopefully they’ll get it to work by the time Google Fi is out of Beta for iPhones. Thanks for the info!

No problem! I suspect the reason they are labeling it as a beta is because they believe they can bridge the gap and provide most, if not all, of the same functionality on iPhones. Though, it could also depend on how cooperative Apple is willing to be.

jpdx

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Re: Switch to google FI phone?
« Reply #18 on: December 03, 2018, 02:29:02 AM »
Bummer you can't use WiFi calling on iPhones with Fi. Glad I went with Cricket! What an appropriate time to share this referral link:

https://www.cricketwireless.com/l/refer-a-friend.html?hash=7nuotnb9&type=other

DS

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