Google Fi has launched new “unlimited” plans. A plan for one person will cost $70 per month plus taxes & fees, this includes 22GB of high speed data and then slower data after you hit that threshold. It also includes the standard international texts and free calls to 50+ countries and Google One membership. The old plan cost $20 and then you’d pay $10 per GB of data used (with a maximum cap of $80. Data is throttled at the lower speed after 6GB).
The unlimited plans do get significantly cheaper the more people/lines you have. For example:
- One: $70/mo per person
- Two: $60/mo per person
- Three: $50/mo per person
- Four+: $45/mo per person
Overall I like this new plan, I wish it wasn’t capped at 22GB but significantly better than paying $10 per GB as before. If you use a referral link when signing up you’ll get a $20 credit and the person who refers you will get a $20 credit. Do not share your referral links in the comments.
Hat tip to Running With Miles
I would caution anyone about using Google Fi. I’ve been through 7 total replacement phones for issues such as: dropped calls, dead zones, duplicate texts sending, not sending texts, picture messaging is very low quality (we’re talking 240p).
Absolutely awful company to work with.
T-Mobile has the pricing edge here within the US. Given that T-Mobile is the main cellular network relied upon by Fi within the US (and T-Mobile have roaming agreements with the other 2 Fi uses), include taxes and fees for T-Mobile One/Magenta and feature T-Mobile Tuesdays and Netflix for 2+ lines, the value proposition comes down to the amount of travel outside the US a person does (although Mexico and Canada are basically the same as the US for T-Mobile users with minimal restrictions).
Finally, T-Mobile’s per-line throttling point is 50GB / month, not 22GB.
My Girls regularly use 50GB+ a month and I have a few times but never notized throttling or prioritization, but YMMV and Portland has a ton of T-mo towers so load may not be an issue.
But do use Google Fi for out of the country trips as a 4G Hotspot for the family and then pause when home
The “regular” plan has free data after 6GB ($20+$60), so really this unlimited plan only makes sense if you regularly use >5GB/mo of data.
Yeh but after 6gb it’s throttled
I thought it gets throttled after 15 gb with the old plan
15, yes
I got Verizon prepaid $50 plan for 8 GB. However, Verizon had some great promos like free additional 7GB for $50 plan. Now they have $85 for two lines and 16gb each.
They are also doing a straight up 50% off sale on Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL until noon tomorrow. Pixel 4 right around the corner but worth mentioning for some. Link to terms here: https://fi.google.com/about/promo-terms/?p=2019-09-17-pixel-3
50% off today seems a fair price for Google’s 2018 flagship phones, even with only 2 years of updates left. You’ll need a custom ROM after that to continue receiving OS/security updates.
These phones have had their share of problems, so you’d be wise to buy it with a credit card with return protection you might need outside Google’s 15 day return policy.
Fi comes out ahead if you can get full use of 4 extra data only SIMs for EACH USER.
Cricket has an unlimited data plan for $50 for one person with autopay. I’ll stick with them.
How does that work out for traveling overseas?
I also use Cricket. 4 unlimited lines $100. The downside is there is no service outside US, Canada and Mexico, period.
Xfinity Mobile is so much cheaper than this. I have unlimited data and pay $45 a month.
The international data is the hey with this or Tmo.
If you just want data/phone in the US, plenty of others to look at
Bingo. If travelling internationally often, the auto-inclusion of many countries at high speed AND international calls under the same number/plan is the big factor.
Price wise it’s about the same as T-Mobile, but I also get Netflix free which is a better deal then getting Google One free. Secondly, I have store fronts I can go to if I have a problem and access to any phone I want. The customer service is amazing. This is a nice move in the right direction with Google Fi but they are going to have to sweetened the pot to be able to compete with T-Mobile.
Well G Fi has international data that doesn’t throttle unlike T-Mobile, so that’s a huge point in G Fi’s favor. I think it’s a wash depending on needs
I have T-mobile and the international data speed is what is really driving me to explore Google Fi.
Google Fi speed overseas is really fast and the reason I switched from t mobile years ago
I missed the Pixel deal last Nov, for the $200 BYOD. Just use Fi data sim in a MotoG5 as a Hotspot that the family uses for International data 15Gb was $64.97 w/tax, then pause the plan when in the US, Int’l 4G LTE data is fast.
Had the T-Mobile One Plus plan for 2x data ( but painfully slow at 256k speeds).
My daughters regularly use 50-60Gb of data monthly on T-Mobile but pay $160 for 8 lines with T-Mobile ONE Military. But never had throttling issues.
But T-Mobile CS has been fantastic we have a call center south of us in Salem, I always HUCA if it during local hours as they are incredibly knowledgeable. Even dealt T-Mobile Costco stores rep, blown away by the distance he went to provide CS.
If T-Mo merges doubt that they will remain the uncarrier. May look to switch if they go down hill.
Google Fi is absolutely awful to deal with. Worst customer service. Worse than Comcast and its not even close.
I switched from VZ to Fi 2 years ago and honestly that hasn’t been my experience. Whenever they announce something major, their wait times could be long but other times it’s very easy to get things sorted out over chat.
Except when it’s a promotion that goes horribly wrong. I had to contact their CFO to get it sorted out.
If you’re talking about the service credit promo last year, mine was taken care of pretty easily by chat. I’ve also had great experiences troubleshooting service issues, and have been given all kinds of service credits for any inconveniences.
Same experience here. I signed up for 2 Google Fi accounts (1 for me, 1 for my daughter) and both were incredibly easy, even dealing with several different issues, including one while overseas.
Last night I had to call Verizon to help my elderly parents switch a SIM chip to a new phone and it took 1 hour on the phone call and they totally botched the switch over so I assume my parents had to call back the next morning and get things unf**ked. :/ YMMV of course but Google Fi has been easy enough for me.
it also applys to google’s other service… like youtbe premium etc…