Bye T-Mobile, I just switched to Google Fi

By Andrew Martonik
last updated

After some eight years of steadfast T-Mobile loyalty, I canceled my account last week. I've been with T-Mobile for longer than that, actually, starting with a prepaid line about 10 years ago. But still, I've had this particular postpaid line for the better part of a decade. And I gave it up not because T-Mobile did anything particularly poorly or treated me badly. I canceled T-Mobile because Google Fi is just ... better.

T-Mobile was fine, but Google Fi simply did everything better ... with a lower bill.

What set me down this path originally was T-Mobile's plan structure. I was still on an older "Simple Choice North America" plan, which like so many others had been unceremoniously deprecated and replaced. My plan had just 2GB of data per month, and because it was no longer offered, if I wanted to use more data regularly — which I did about half of the year, particularly when traveling — I had to switch plans entirely. And the only option is T-Mobile One, which has unlimited data but is much more expensive: $70 per month, versus the $55 I was paying.

I've been using Google Fi, on the side, as a secondary carrier since it was invite-only Project Fi that only worked with Nexus phones. I've loved the simple billing, good app, seamless (and fast) international data, easy device management, multi-device calling, and texting, and the ability to pause service. There are so many reasons Google Fi is a great carrier. But until recently, it was only officially supported in a handful of devices, which kept me from relying on it as I so hop between unlocked phones so frequently.

But now that Google Fi is fully supported for use in any unlocked phone, in addition to my Pixel's eSIM, the dual carrier strategy didn't make sense. Facing a move to a $70 per month plan on T-Mobile (opens in new tab), there was no longer any reason for me to stick with the carrier. So I cancelled, and I don't regret it one bit. (And to T-Mobile's credit, the customer service experience of cancelling was short and simple. Kudos.)

That point of money is an important one, because I commonly hear people refer to Google Fi as being "expensive" for the data because you pay per gigabyte, while continuing to use the big four carriers' unlimited plans. The truth is, for my use, even T-Mobile (which is cheaper than the competition) is more expensive than Google Fi. I typically use 2-4GB of data per month. During a hectic travel season, I may use 6 or occasionally 10GB in a month. What does that cost me? A 2GB month is $40. 4GB month, $60. 6GB or 10GB month, $80. So why would I pay T-Mobile $70 every month for unlimited data that I won't use? The numbers just don't work out in T-Mobile's favor.

And that's great for me, because I really wanted to use Google Fi anyway. Fi's international data is consistently faster than T-Mobile's, and doesn't cost anything extra. Billing is dead simple and connected to my Google account. I still get multi-device calls and texts when I need them. I can have a data-only SIM for my hotspot that costs me nothing but for the data I use. It works in any phone, and when I use a "made for Fi" phone — like my Pixel 3 XL — I get extra coverage and features. So Google Fi is cheaper than T-Mobile, and still has better service and features that I enjoy. It's a true win-win.

T-Mobile still offers a compelling product for people who have multiple lines or other specific needs, but I couldn't keep using it in my case while Google Fi was sitting there offering me more for less.

See at Google Fi

Andrew Martonik
Andrew Martonik

Andrew was an Executive Editor, U.S. at Android Central between 2012 and 2020.

129 Comments
  • So many plans people have are specific to the time they set them up and the features they gave at the time. If I was signing up for a new plan today I might look at Google Fi and put more of my phone usage on my home WiFi. I don't have fast home internet though (17Mbps DSL in the country) so I don't like having our phones connected to it which would saturate it pretty quickly if me and my wife were both watching video and I was gaming or downloading something on my PC and my kids were watching DirecTV on demand or something which uses the internet. (I would need to be convinced I wouldn't lose my phone number I have had for 20 years if my credit card or google account got stolen or hacked as well). But due to when I signed up they don't hold a candle to my current plan. Fi isn't all that great if you use even a moderate amount of data depending on the number of lines you have. For me personally I get 3 lines on T-Mobile where I can watch all the HD video I want, I am not limited to 480p or even 720p, I get the pseudo "unlimited" data all carriers give on my phone (on T-mobile it is 50GB before they throttle which I believe is higher than any plan that isn't grandfathered from the old truly unlimited days) and each line gets 15GB of full speed tethering before they will possibly throttle due to congestion. I am only paying $100 a month after taxes. If me or my wife stays under 2GB in a month they take an additional $10 off so I can potentially only have to pay $80 or $90 a month after taxes for 3 lines though usually we are higher than 2GB a month. We average around 10GB each (The third line isn't eligible for the $10 credit but it's a free line so I keep it in a modem and use it with my laptop in the rare times if/when my home internet goes down. My son will use it when he's old enough). If we adjusted how we use the phones at home we could sit at $80 a month easily which for the features we get and 3 lines is hard to beat.
  • No thanks. The stress of data usage tracking is not worth it. Yeah, it's not high stress, but simply having that in the back of my mind sucks. It would be better if it worked as a discount, like TMobile. Maybe tiered.
  • Completely understand your view.
    I'm currently utilizing the same Pixel 3 XL which I purchased during a special one day sale. Will have my phone for free if utilized on Google Fi for about 4 months. Reimbursement is via a travel voucher, which is fine with me. Google Fi is more expensive than my 2GB plan with MintSim which I had for less than $10/month during a special but I think the coverage is better. Or should I say should be since it uses three carriers vs one. Anyway, great article. My wife will be going to Brasil for a visit and this Fi plan should come in handy.
  • I hope you end up in Brazil rather than Brasil if you are a traveling guest of a country - at first I thought you were visiting a new herb island, Basil!
  • The locals, who should know, say and write Brasil (as in Portuguese) all the time. Brazil is the anglicized spelling.
  • Honestly you get 4 friends together on a family plan and its $40/line with unlimited everything if you find the right sale. I jumped on for $120 for 4 lines and 10GB each + rollover + Binge about 3 years ago.... it was grandfathered into Unlimited Data 2 years ago + 10GB tethering... Then they had that deal where they gave everyone a free line. So now I have 5 lines for $120. $24/line for unlimited everything plus tether plus coverage in other countries... can't really top that.
  • Right, the numbers work out a lot differently when you talk about a group plan. But I'm not going to go through the hassle of herding cats getting friends together just to have a group phone plan. (Interestingly, group plans on Google Fi are perhaps the easiest to manage of any carrier.)
  • Getting people is easier than getting them to pay. Experience had proven this.
  • I left Google Fi for T-Mobile.
    My reasons:
    1. Connection problems -- my drive to and from work goes up and down a bunch of hills and it caused my phone (Pixel 2 XL) to jump back and forth between Sprint and T-Mobile. And it wasn't seamless as advertised. If I was on a phone call or streaming something it would frequently drop and not re-acquire. I switched ~5 months ago and now I have 0 issues on T-Mobile going up and down those same hills.
    2. Sprint -- I could tell when I was connected to Sprint because the data connection was almost always slow and unreliable. I downloaded an app that would tell me which network I was connected to and I was almost always correct when I opened it up and it said I was on Sprint.
    3. Price -- For a single line Fi is cheaper, but for more than one T-Mobile wins.
    4. Data -- When I was on Fi, I avoided data usage as much as I could because billing per Gb induced a reflexive desire to keep my bill as low as possible. I pay the same on T-Mobile no matter how much I use. If you have a single line and spent most of your day covered by wifi, then Fi is an excellent choice. If not, go with a different carrier.
  • Well said. My thoughts exactly! But I guess to each their own!
  • I had the exact same issues...on multiple Google branded phones. I left for TMobile and the only thing I'll add is that I found really fast that as a Fi user on the TMobile towers I was being heavily throttled. My speeds in the same places on the same towers as a TMobile user are way faster. I pay less now, have better service, and don't think about data. Win all around.
  • I completely agree with mvader123 on all points. After being with Fi I am moving my two lines to a competitor.
    1. Talk quality is very poor especially when connected with WiFi and streaming. I have Verizon FiOS and am in NYC area so this is inexcusable.
    2. Ditto. I too bought a third party app to force switch the cell tower from Sprint to TMobile and this improves the connections temporarily.
    3. Price. I have two lines and our data usage with five has doubled in terms of GBs with no change to our pH usage habits. Monthly total bills can't compete with competitors. Fi's international plan is very good and with competitive pricing. Their client service is also very good. Pros don't outweigh the cons for me personally.
  • Agreed. I've tried them all. I didn't like the constant switching between Sprint and T-Mobile. I also travel to a lot of rural areas where there was no service. I went with Verizon Prepaid. 2 lines with 15GB each for $75. While I know there are cheaper options it just works. I use about 10GB a month and HD voice (VoLTE) is never an issue.
  • Since you mention 10gb at most, why not use mint Sim? It's $25/mo for 12gb when u pay annually. In case you missed it, Android Central posted an article about it 2 days ago: https://m.androidcentral.com/mint-mobile-review And I know that the article says 10gb for $25, but as of late last month, it was bumped to 12gb. Also if you can live with 8gb, it is even cheaper, only $20/mo when paid annually. Although just speaking personally, I am on the new Verizon unlimited plan and pay $35/mo which includes the cost of the latest iPhone. Even with project fi and 2gb, I would be looking at $71 for the same setup. Granted I have multiple lines and promotions going on, so my situation isn't applicable to everyone, but point being you should consider the cost of service plus phone when looking at cell phone service as a whole.
  • Not speaking for Andrew here, but it might have something to do with lack of International coverage/simplicity. That's why I use Google Fi... If you travel overseas a lot, you appreciate the seamlessness of it.
  • Having international roaming is absolutely a 100% requirement for me.
  • Curious why you went with Google Fi over Mint mobile which is WAY cheaper. 12 GB of data per month? $25. Yeah you would need to pay a little extra to get some international data, but the cost savings while you were here would way more than offset the cost.
  • Seamless international data, good international call rates, and the added features of the T-Mo+Sprint+USC+Wifi network switching.
  • Because he says that he travels a lot and Fi is better at international data coverage than Tmobile or even Mint is.
  • Um... Ok. I've looked into Fi a few times, and basically, it counts on you using WiFI as much as possible. Oh fun. T-Mobile has some of the best packages for what you get. Plus, free weekly tacos! haha
  • So true. But I think this works for the writer 😂😂😂😂
  • Free weekly taco, one, uno taco, not weekly tacos, we get just one a week and it's barely edible taco bell.
  • But its free. No one else is giving you that taco
  • Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, glad they do it. But it's really not as big of a deal as people make it out to be. It's a cheap taco.
  • Google Fi definitely leverages Wi-Fi as much as possible (it's right in the name), but I wouldn't at all say it "counts" on you using Wi-Fi. Particularly since it now has bill protection to cap your bill when you use lots of data. You don't have to use your phone any differently on Google Fi than any other carrier.
  • I disagree. My Fi phone is a second phone I keep just in case and for international travel I found that in my home environment with a lousy cell signal and strong wifi my Fi phone used cellular as primary which surprised me. I was getting fairly large data charges using my phone at home. I find that rather unacceptable and end up keeping my phone in airplane mode with wifi on while home. Fi support just said that's how it is. There was nothing they could do
  • If I used my phone the same on Project Fi as I do on other carrier, then my bill would go up. Now I understand that the international use is a big feature for you, though for me I just need a good ratio of data to price. I currently use T-mobile's old $30 Walmart plan which gives me 5GB. $30 on Fi gives me 1GB. Trying to stay under 1GB to save a couple dollars was not worth it to me.
  • If you plan ahead, it's not that bad. I have my local maps cached, and make sure to cache maps for areas I'll be traveling to. I cache music to my phone so I can listen offline. I'm able to control myself from the standpoint of watching videos while out and about and I have great WiFi at home. I'm going on a cruise in April/May (I'll wave as we go by Seattle to Victoria and Vancouver, Andrew) and plan to cache maps for all the ports, but when I was in Nassau last year I had not done that but still had the walking directions we needed within seconds using Fi international coverage. Even browsing news while waiting for food at a restaurant (once weekly lunch) I still don't exceed 1 GB of data, ever, even with 5 (yes, FIVE) email accounts syncing. The point is - it CAN be done and it doesn't take a lot of effort but you do need to think ahead a little bit.
  • The pricing works out much better with using Wi-Fi a lot. But, is still very close to all the unlimited plans when you use massive amounts of data in a month...
  • and a free Lyft ride to the bathroom to poop that taco out.
  • Well, I'm on the senior plan with T-mobile and have unlimited everything on 2 lines for 60.00 month. That's why I left fi.
  • Since you travel a lot Fi makes sense. TMO's plans are better values if you have more than one line. I have 2 lines unlimited data (MAY slow after 50GB) plus international data (slower yes, but still usable) all for $60. If you're a veteran or over 55 you can get this plan. or you can get one of their $120/month plan for 4 lines.
  • Is the 50gb per line or for the account you have?
  • It's per line.
  • 50gb per line. And its not guaranteed to cap you. Depends on network congestion. I use easily 112gb a month per line on a 13 line plan. Even then for 13 lines my bill is only 330 with all taxes and fees. 290 with autopay. We traveled outside the country with no roaming issues or crazy charges because of a simple global feature that apparently is on all their plans. And we get free stuff on tuesdays on each of the 13 lines. Hotspot on all of them if need be. And if youre gonna be out of the country they have a feature thats $50 gives you unlimited calls text and data abroad so you dont pay per minute ir gigabite like ither services. And you just remove the feature when you come back
  • Ok but what network do they roam on? Google has no tower network, no footprint no FCC frequencies for Cell service, I build towers for all the other carriers, never once seen a Google antenna. The service can only be as good as who they piggyback on, if not a GSM system then what kind of International service could they possibly have?
  • @charles. Here's a nice summary. Tmo, Sprint & US Cellular. https://www.google.com/search?q=how+does+google+fi+work&oq=how+does+goog...
  • Its fine when its on tmo or us cell. However most people leave fi when the ohone constantly jumps on sprint. Old technology. Slow speeds.
  • The Sprint part is pretty rough sometimes. But I pay attention to what network my phone is on (mostly just for an FYI), and many times I'm surprised that I'm on Sprint because the speeds are good.
  • Sprint isn't that bad if you are in a large metro area. My cousin swears by sprint, but he is mostly in NYC.
  • Like every other MVNO, Google Fi buys capacity from a carrier that operates the towers. It uses T-Mobile, Sprint and U.S. Cellular, plus roaming agreements like every other carrier to expand coverage to certain areas where some carriers just don't have towers. We've been talking about the benefits of an MVNO for a long time. It really doesn't matter if you own your own towers or not. It's all about the deals and whether you have the right business agreements to provide a good service to the end customer.
  • The move makes some sense for those who don't have multiple lines. Funny, others have mentioned Mint being cheaper, and the Mint ad that showed up in the story shows $15 a month for unlimited talk and text and 2 gb of data if you pay for 3 months. Definitely would have been the cheaper move. I say this a T-Mo customer.
  • Okay Andrew and all. I have 5 lines with T-Mobile, 4 phones unlimited everything and a MoFI router for my house at the River with a Tmobile Tablet account and unlimited hotspot hooked up to Google Wifi for $188 a month. I am using a Note 9 and my wife is on a Pixel 2 XL. The kids have a Nexus One which is for when they go to someones house or we go out to keep in contact, and I have a free sim line taped inside my cupboard for when they get their phones when they get older. I have had Project Fi in the past and that is what got me out of Verizon. Oncer I found out that T-Mobile worked at the river and I had a soution for internet with MoFi I made the leap. Have not had any issues with service and overall been very happy. I would love to swith to Google Fi and if there was a solution for interenet and MoFi and it cost the same or less I would do it.
  • 1 line on tmo $122. I use 40+ gigs/month
  • Yeah, it seems it's a generational thing but I use as much as you and I'm honestly not even trying.
  • Google Fiber is expensive. Why pay postpaid costs for prepaid service? You can't walk into a physical store if you have issues. I pay $40 for Attending Prepaid with 8/gb of data. How is Google Fi a good deal ever?
  • Google fiber is their home internet service. Google fi is their cellular plans. Apples and oranges. But i see what you mean about the experience with an actual store
  • For the people comparing Fi against TMobile, Fi uses/piggybacks on the Tmobile network.
  • Yup. T-Mobile is the most popular MVNO backhaul provider. Fi also uses Sprint and US Cellular, for phones that are designed for it.
  • I am curious to hear how well Fi works when there is congestion on the host carriers, and they prioritize traffic to their direct customers. Even as a long-term TMo customer (21 years), I have considered moving to Fi. But the monthly bill for a family of four ends up costing significantly more, even if we would manage to use less than 2 GB/mo/ea, which I don't see happening.
  • Was gonna do Mint prepaid until i read the fine print that said youre considered an MVNO which means your soeeds and connection are a lower priority than tmobiles actual postpaid and even prepaid customers. Youre a lower priority than even the metropcs customers. Living in the city that means no thank you for me. Ill stick with tmo
  • That's why I went with Tmobile. Once the kids get a taste of smartphones, you do NOT want to be thinking about how much data they're guzzling! :D
  • Google states on its website that the Moto E4 Plus was compatible. I bought an unlocked version from Best Buy, and lo and behold, not compatible. 2 months later the customer service team gets back to me and advises to get a new phone with no other support even though their website lists it as an compatible device. Not to add, we have not had a phone for that line for 2 months since we switched over the family.
  • I think about Fi from time to time. T-Mobile's military plan is killer though. 2 lines for $80, plus $10 for each additional line. Unlimited data, and still get all the freebies like Netflix. I'm not going anywhere else soon.
  • Yeah that's a great deal.
  • What I love about Google fi is my monthly service charge. And here they are including taxes & fees; Feb 3 $17.87, Jan 3 $17.87, Dec 3, 2018 $17.91, Nov 3, 2018 $17.90, Oct 3, 2018 $17.88, Sep 3, 2018 $18.03, Aug 3, 2018 $17.80, Jul 3, 2018 $18.04, Jun 3, 2018 $17.86, May 3, 2018 $17.78, Apr 3, 2018 $17.78, Mar 3, 2018 $17.81, Feb 3, 2018 $2.82, Jan 3, 2018 $2.55, Dec 3, 2017 $17.59, Nov 3, 2017 $17.95, Oct 3, 2017 $17.50, Sep 3, 2017 $17.75, Aug 3, 2017 $17.41, Jul 3, 2017 $17.83, Jun 3, 2017 $20.11, May 3, 2017 $34.88. I am the 2nd person on the account and turn on data when I absolutely need it. Which isn't much and it's simple, quick to do. The mobile industry has convinced the consumer that you must have all this data to survive. The truth of the matter is you usually don't because there is free WIFI if you're willing to look. I've been to Italy for 2 weeks with Google fi and my service fee still stayed under $20 for that month. I've also found that Google's customer service to be top notch. Phone insurance is very reasonable. And when I add the simplicity with their billing and online account management it makes Google fi perfect for me/us.
  • Might work for you. But not everyone else. Im dead in the water with my business if i lose data for even a second. And dont want to be searhing for "free" wifi and end up not being any. No thanks. Ill stick with my bill with tmo that never fluctuates and dont have to hassle with turning things on and off. I even have one of their digital lines which is only $10 a month. I sign in on my tablet, laptop, phone, even watch and im able to place calls and text no matter what the situation. Plus we get free netflix even with the price increase of netflix
  • Also, disagree on their customer service. Absolutely terrible on my end, see my other post...but I am glad you are having a good experience, hopefully that continues :)! Best Wishes!
  • I dumped Unlimited Verizon for fi. I ported my number with ease. I'd been with the big red since 1990 throughout all of its name changes. No regrets. Super happy. I've been traveling throughout the middle east and Europe and I've had only a few hiccups in coverage. Lebanon was the only country that isn't covered.
  • You do know T-Mobile has a $50 unlimited talk text and high speed internet plan right? Prepaid in fact. Comes out to about $55 with tax
  • Yup! Was on T-Mo prepaid for a long time. But no easy/available/cheap way to do international data/calling. Plus it's not as flexible (if at all) for different data usage from month to month.
  • Ive shopped around Fi a few times in the past couple of years and from what ive seen Fi is excellent for one or two lines, but more than that, TMobile is better at least in terms of price. Ive never used Fi so i dpmt know how much better their network is though.
  • I recently switched to Google Fi in early Jan 2019, so just over a month, however, I'll be switching back to T-Mobile in a few days. I had a T-Mobile One Plus family plan where I was paying $131 for 3 phones and 20gb of LTE hotspot use from my phone. (Without the $10 for the 20gb hotspot, I was only getting 3G hotspot connection...i didn't know that for a long time.) Still the $131 all-in was not bad. I switched 1 of the 3 phones (mine) over to Google Fi to test it out. I did love the fact that the 4GLTE that came with the plan was also able to use regardless of how much I was using it as a hotspot. And when I traveled abroad...it was phenomenal to get full 4GLTE at no additional cost and allow tethering. This was HUGE for me. Also, all of the full RCS features of Google Fi were great. I noticed that I no longer had moments/periods where sms and mms might get stuck when sending from my phone as sometimes happen to me on T-Mo. Outside of the fact that it costs more to have the one line on Google Fi (I was okay with that for a 30 day trial period), the switching between Sprint and T-Mobile was really a problem. I live in New York City and signals aren't typically a problem for me, except in my apartment and sometimes while moving on the subway, etc. When the switch would occur, I wouldn't always know that it had occurred until I had a problem making and receiving calls. I'd use the phone and it would work. Then I'd dial a number and get these tones indicating that it didn't work. I Googled the problem and found the dialer codes to force the phone to be on T-Mobile and not Sprint. I'd use the app Signal Spy so that I could actually see which network it was on. However, since the app drained a lot of battery while running in the background, I would only launch it when I noticed there was a signal problem (and then quickly exit it. To be clear, when it would switch to Sprint, it would often show even more bars than T-mobile, but then wouldn't work. I need my phone to always work, especially since it's both my work and personal phone. So tomorrow afternoon, I'll be switching back to T-mobile permanently.
  • I left PFi/GFi in September 2017 for T-Mobile's 55+ Unlimited plan. I now have three unlimited lines on the plan and pay $90/month. Had no issues with Fi service , but it didn't offer any value for me. If I could write it off as a business expense or was reimbursed for my out of pocket expense I think I would have stayed.
  • Im on a 13 year old $50.00 grandfather unlimited plan of which no one can come close to match. About 6 years a go they tried to tell me thatmy plan would no longer be offered and that i had to choose another plan. Basically, i told them to pound sand b/c they cant arbitrarily force me to change plans b/c there not making their bottom line. Still on it. Ive thought about changing carriers but its not really a huge thing to me right now. So thats my take..
  • You're lucky, especially considering how much better their network has gotten.
  • IMO, if Fi were really serious about grabbing more customers, they should lower their cost for data from $10/GB to $5. I would go in a heartbeat. I don't use much data, and my wife even less than me. I use around 3-4GB/ month. My wife less than 2. Even with that, Fi costs $30 more per month than our Family Mobile plan. And that's with me making sure I connect to WiFi whenever possible. As is, I get 14GB of data per month, and my wife gets 3. Our costs are set. $70/month. Every time one of these Google Fi articles comes out, I keep hoping that they'll do the common sense thing, and lower their charges for data. My wife and I both have Android One phones, so I would like to be able to utilize the advantages that Google Fi offers for those, but it's just too expensive for data.
  • Great article. I've wanted to switch from Verizon to Google Fi for a while. My only concern is customer service. I tried started a new line over the holiday season when Google Fi was selling the LG G7 on sale. The phone was never delivered and it took a month to get my money back. Customer service at Google Fi was terrible.
  • If you don't commute, maybe Fi stands a chance. I eat through 20-30 gigs a month just streaming on the train every day. My wife averages 5-10 gigs a month, all for $100/mo on T-Mo. I'm never changing my grandfathered plan unless I'm forced too (TMO ONE All-in Promo). I think Fi only makes sense if you have ample WiFi coverage and don't need to rely on the towers. That's a HUGE caveat.
  • Funny! I dumped Google fi TWICE , the first to go back to Verizon and this time to go with TMobile! TMobile is the best carrier I've EVER had, and believe me, I move ALOT and I wish I had TMobile a long time ago!
  • It may be better for you, but each of my kids already exceeded your monthly data just a week into our billing cycle. Together, we use about 150GB/mo (never mind our wifi usage). Google Fi would be an anal reaming of epic proportions.
  • You do realize that Google Fi runs on the T-Mobile network so you didn't really do anything except change your billing.
  • And add back up coverage with Sprint and US Cellular, better/easier international coverage/rates and save money. At least that's what he said in the article...
  • Bingo. And so what if the only thing I did was change my billing? It's cheaper, that's good! But of course, there's far more to this decision than just the network.
  • Not surprised. "Google Fi" has the name "Google" in it, so Andrew is all in.
  • That's not a fair judgement
  • Must've missed the editorial 2 weeks where I got flamed massively for being too harsh on Google for the Pixel 3's camera speed. Also, I was on T-Mobile for multiple years after Project/Google Fi was available. Clearly didn't just hop on right away.
  • LMAO! You got flamed for being to harsh on Pixel 3's camera speed in an article about how much you adore the Pixel 3. If the article's conclusion was that you were sorry you had bought the Pixel 3, then yes, you'd have a point. But the whole article was about how in love you are with it. Let's put this in context, okay? "Camera speed sucks. Battery life sucks. Conclusion? Title: Google Pixel 3 XL review, 3 months on: Almost perfect" I don't know what happened to you over the years, but you went from a fair-minded writer to the biggest Google suck-up practically overnight. A writer/staff at a competing Android site (one known for being the biggest Google fanboy site, but you changed that) even said that if he didn't need to have a Pixel 3 for his work, he never would have bought it, and wouldn't recommend it.
  • Ported my 4 family numbers to FI over several months after I used FI myself for about a year. Porting happened automatically and in minutes for each phone. I never spoke to tmo and the even sent me a nice final bill and goodbye letter. TMO was great but had no coverage at my 94 year old mother-in-laws house. Many years ago travelling in Europe TMO was suppose to work fine, but didn't. In Norway last year FI was perfect on a Pixel3 and this year in London the same on a Moto4x (a few sim error messages but worked fine). I expected a higher bill from FI than TMO especially with two college students but so far it has been running about $100 vs $120 from TMO. We apparently don't use that much data ( for now!). I'm happy to pay more for the better coverage so if it is a bit more in the future that will be ok.
  • Sorry poster. You are STILL getting played. I don’t buy into your post at. You could have stayed with TMobile, just prepaid with Metro by TMobile and have paid $30 per month. $25/ month if you add more lines with the 4th line being FREE and EVERYTHING included...Unlimited EVERYTHING! I will never understand why people would love to pay for data when not included in your monthly plan. Good luck with your services.
    Proud MetroPCS customer of 7 years.
  • And I wouldn't have the must-have international data or good international calling rates I rely on. Was pointed out as a key differentiator here. I also actually get benefit from the multi-network switching.
  • Well....me Always trying to save $$, I buy my phones on Ebay...NEW. So I pay less than 1/2 or better of retail price. My Mate10, $475. I'm using Cricket(AT$T) on their best Unlimited plan. 2 lines $45 each(ok fine, 1 is $60 and the 2nd is $30). The speed is in the mid 20'sMbps generally. This is not Cricket's 8Mbps that all their other plans use.They say it can be slowed down if I use more than 22gigs per month, but I've used as much as 30gig's in a month and didn't notice any slow down. I watch Videos on my train to work in So Cal along the coast and it works great. How is paying $60 per month for 4 gigs a good deal??
  • If anyone decides they'd like to give Google Fi a shot, here is a referral code for $20 off after your first month of service: C1F7A1
  • By the way, Cricket is even less (-$10) if you don't care about your speed being limited to 8Mbps. Thats unlimited as well with their 22 gig limit.
  • I'd do that, but Project Fi is **** in Canada.
  • T-Mobile has an unlimited plan for $50. But I guess it's about advertising GFi here so that possibility has to be put under the rug...
  • Fi looks awesome as long as you're single. Once you need multiple lines, you'll be bailing quickly.
  • That's weird. Im on T-Mobile prepaid for $40/mo and I get 10gb of LTE and full speed hotspot. Sounds like a better deal for me.
  • I am a customer for T-Mobile for the last 5 years and never had or have a issue. I'd pay $50.00/month according to my carrier plan unlimited. For you to say such craziness,you probably work for Google or Google-Fi. Now get caught 8n areas where wifi is so limited or no signal,you probably will return as a customer begging T-Mobile to forgive you. Let explain what is do call wifi. Think that you are driving in a 4 lane traffic, when using wifi while traveling,one of the 4 lane is jam with signals. Those who's using wifi will be stuck in that traffic signal. That means that your signal will drop or weak,that's no matter who you paying for wifi,but when you are paying$50.00 that plan will not disrupt your signal because instead of ONE LANE TRAFFIC, you have 3 more lanes for your signal to go through. Wifi out of the house is nothing but a trick by carriers. Those are signal lane bought by some carriers to fool some customers thinking that all is good. So about carriers signal and what works for some who think that cheaper is always better. Now some customers can't afford it for what ever reason,and I'd do get it. We get what we pay for. Not judging or passing judgement.
  • $70 a month?? I pay $50 a month for unlimited everything on T-Mobile. I do have three lines ($150 total, including taxes)... Not sure if having more lines makes it cheaper, but Google Fi would be insanely more expensive for me... I definitely use the data
  • I pay $40 a month with 10GB of data included with unlimited text and talk from T-Mobile for one phone.
    Google Fi cannot beat that. So alot of these claims are untrue.
  • Google Fi is only good if you use very little data a month. I pay T-Mobile $50 a month for unlimited everything on their Prepaid One Domestic Only plan. There are way better deals than Fi, if you use much data. Straight Talk has some great plans. They just raised their $45 plan to include 25gb of high speed data before it's slowed or you can pay $55 and not get slowed until you reach 60gb. If you don't use much data a month then Fi is good. Otherwise, it's not.
  • Google fi customer service is horrible. Phone not working and it took over 3 hours on the phone something that could have been accomplished in the store in 30 minutes.
  • Interesting, I just switched from T-Mobile to FI on Sunday, also using the Pixel 3XL. We think alike. I had TMo One $20 +15 ($35) International call, my dissatisfaction is on the signal and data at home and international, terrible on any phones (iphone7,8,10) and Samsung S8+. They used to be good few years back until they downgraded to 2G for Intl. Since then, it's been terrible. TMo acknowledged the problems and after 2yrs it still the same.
    Right now I just moved my work line to FI, but I still have 6 lines left w TMo. I will test FI for a month then decide what to do with my other lines. So far, my experience has been positive with FI, full signal pretty much everywhere (unlike TMo).
  • I used to be a lifelong T-Mobile customer. I was one of those that jumped shipped when Project Fi, now Google Fi, was announced a few years in 2016. Living in New York, I never had signal issues. But there was a constant flat $80 T-Mobile bill. Regardless if I used it a lot for a specific month or if I streamed a lot on the go. I initially thought $10 per GB was a lot considering there were months I would do 20GB of data with T-Mobile. The truth is, I never turned on my Wi-Fi when I was on T-Mobile. Being on Google Fi, I left the Wi-Fi on and the rest Google took care of auto-connecting to nearby Wi-Fi hotspots. Being on Google Fi I have never seen my bill over $29 after taxes. I have no regrets. I highly recommend it.
  • Well I gotta say I am with MetroPCS/T-Moblie network and im more then happy. Truly unlimited everything plus an 8gb hotspot for only $50 bucks a month. I use my phone for both work and personal use with 0 issues. I paid so much more at ATT. Imo and in my area (south Louisiana) T-mobile is no doubt the best!!!
  • Why not to go for prepaid plans? I pay $100/month that gives me 3 lines with 8GB/line/month. Which is much cheaper then Google fi or any carrier's postpaid plans. BTW I'm using att.
  • Glad I switched. However, the bait and switch with promo offer sucked. Google changed their terms without telling anyone. I was played and they do not care.
  • Thats still high u can come to metro by T-Mobile and get unlimited talk text and data for 50 or 4 lines for 100 all truly unlimited does not slow down
  • No supposed mobile enthusiast uses 2 to 4GB a month. My 70 year old mother uses that. I'd consider another line of work since the $15 extra for unlimited is out of reach for someone reportedly writing articles on said subject.
  • You can be a mobile enthusiast without using 20GB of data per month. I'd say I'm on WiFi, whether at home or in an establishment, about 75% of the time I'm using my phone. I don't game much, because I find them to be a waste of time. But I like using my phone for browsing, and I use data mostly for music streaming on the road.
  • I switched from Verizon to Google Fi this last weekend. Saving probably around $30-40 per month. Not sure how long I'll stay though, as the coverage has been a noticeable downgrade. Everyone I know who has TMobile has crappy signal and coverage, but I figured on Fi with US Cellular and Sprint backup it would be better than standalone TMobile. Gonna give it a month or two and see if I notice it over a longer term.
  • The addition of Sprint and US Cellular don't seem to do much to enhance the experience.
  • We're LEAVING Fi... switching to Mint Mobile.
  • Eh I’ve been thinking about it, but I’m not sure. I’ve been on TMo since 2013 and I like it. I’m in a simple choice grandfathered plan and I get 10gb of data for each line and to top it off, whatever I don’t use rolls over. It’s 100 for two people but I don’t use a whole lot of LTE as I pay for an internet router so it’s slightly a waste. I had over 75gb in total and it went to waste. Now it comes in handy when I lost internet for two days, but otherwise it’s too much. So I’m on the fence.
  • I did the same a few weeks ago - switch from T-Mobile to Fi on brand new pixel 3. Nothing but issues. Here is a summary.
    Intermittent audio on calls. Every call just goes silent for many seconds intermittent.
    Can’t complete calls to Canada intermittently. Used to work fine on Tmobile.
    Incoming calls don’t ring on phone. To the caller they ring and go to voicemail. Even could not receive calls from google tech support.
    Google tech support is horrendous. Spent hrs with them answer captain obvious’ questions and going through typing in multiple sequences of *#% to no avail. They eventually gave up and refused to let us escalate issues further or provide refunds. Overall the worst customer service. Don’t own their issues. Not worth the effort. Plus no perks like free Gogo internet access, Netflix etc offered by T-Mobile. I’ll be switching back as soon as I use up remaining promo credit.
  • I can't complain against tmobile at all. Got 8 lines at $40.00 each with auto pay. Unlimited everything!!! Averaged 30 to 40 gigs a month just me. Customer service is awesome. If you served in the military it's 50%of your plan. SORRY Google FI. You won't see me anytime soon.
  • I have a $40/month plan (8GB) with AT&T. Not sure why people are paying so much on other networks! So this is definitely not cost effective for me.
  • "I sometimes pay $80 a month for 10GB of data"
    "So why would I pay $70 a month..." LOL Because you graduated from elementary school and you know that 70 is less than 80. Also, t mobile is not cheaper than the competition at all. $70 is higher than any other network's rate. If you're going to an mvno like FI, you should also compare prices of other mvnos, especially ones owned by t-mobile, like metro pcs. $40 a month, bruh. I don't get why people lie in these articles. Everybody who is reading this article can Google what you're saying and realize you are bsing.
  • You can get 3GB of T-Mobile for under $20 per month by going to Mintmoble.com. Other data plans are priced well also.
  • Well maybe this Google Fi makes sense for a single guy that stays at home for work and play and plays video games between watching porn, but for me I have a family and have 5 phones on my plan and under a military plan on T-Mobile I only pay $100 a month. I think that's a much better value than Google Fi. I used to be one of their customers and switched to TMO. Google Fi..... it's a great idea but when you come to your senses I'm sure TMobile will love to have you back. You live and learn.
  • I really encourage you to look around before signing up for Google Fi. Check customer comments on the Play Store or on Facebook. Their customer support is horrible. They don't seem to care. In my case there was an unjustified credit card charge placed on my account, one that they promised would not happen. My tail of woe is longer than that, but they just won't respond to the substance of my issue. They even challenged me to "take it up with the bank" (dispute the charge), apparently because it was too much trouble to deal fairly with their own customer. Buyer beware.
  • My wife and I use straight talk. I recently switched to the Tmobile sim card from an AT&T sim and wow what a difference. I went from barely getting 1-2 bars of 3G at my house (we kind of live in the sticks) to 4 bars of LTE! Plus wifi-calling, hotspot, VOLTE, etc all came with it (AT&T sim card blocked all of those). So we will be switching my wife soon. But we are also looking into getting our daughters a phone (one is old enough, the other isn't quite there yet) and I've been looking at the prices and features for family plans. It looks like T-Mobile offers everything we want for the price. We can get 4 lines for $140 out the door. Mid-range android phones are so cheap I'll just buy that outright; no need to finance. There are cheaper options of course but I don't necessarily want cheaper, I want features for a good price. Plus we get Netflix (you just open a new account). Seriously T-Mobile has great deals and they won't throttle speeds nearly as much since its the parent network.
  • I'm locked in (At least for now) to unlimited data on VZW @ $50.00/mo. Switch to Fi? I think not.
  • This article reads like a google fi advertisement. It's all about pros and no cons. I'm pretty sure google fi is a cool option to consider. But this article has way too much sweet sauce in it.
  • My thoughts exactly.
  • Lol. Ok... What about taxes and fees? TMO has the "all in" program, which includes taxes and fees for $70. If you hit 5GB on Fi, you're already at the same cost as TMO. If you hit 6GB, you'rep paying $10 more (plus tax?), and you get throttled at 15GB, even though it converts to "unlimited". There is also network congestion issues and from my experience with Fi and talking to people on the phone who use it, call quality is usually terrible. I think this is a really hammed up article for saving $10. Not to mention the Uncarrier moves, TMO Tuesday - free taco yesterday. Not as good as it was, but it still has nice perks. Not to mention the new 5G and Band 71 LTE deployment, phone incentives (which obviously isn't a problem for you because you get free phones to review), and then there is in-flight wifi (one free hours of free wifi on Delta, American and Alaska airlines), and you still get free wifi calling and texting, and no roaming in over 200 countries. Enjoy Fi lol
  • Did you actually get a Taco yesterday? lol
  • I too have been with T-Mo since 2014 but going to drop them for Mint. All their offers now are buy one get one free, or your have to add a line. Not single friendly at all. And it seems like Mint will work better with my iPhone too.
  • $55 a month for unlimited everything on T-Mobile, probably use 30-40GB of data a month. No way Fi could ever touch this.
  • ^This! You are right on the money.
  • > But now that Google Fi is fully supported for use in any unlocked phone This is a lie, repeated on this site more than a few times. Example: Nokia 3.1 (Android One) fails to activate Google Fi SIM and Google Fi support happily points you to the compatibility chart which only lists two Nokia models. Support case closed. Now, this *is not* the fault of Google Fi in any way, shape or form -- for someone US based with the need for international travel Google Fi is hard, if not impossible, to beat. But you will be well advised to check compatibility chart.
  • Another good option is Mint Mobile.
  • Mint is cheap yes, but its considered on the lowest end for priority speeds. So you will get the lowest speeds (I have a co-worker who has it and their speeds are fair but not great). That is simply something to keep in mind; not everyone cares about having blazing speeds after all.
  • My family has a plan with Sprint and we are currently paying like $270 for 3 phones, unlimited call and texting with 6GB data. It's insane and we have been thinking of switching to something else. We do use our phones all the time but on WiFi at home. I usually use around 3GB of data, my mother around the same. My father never uses it. Would the Google Fi be good for us? I do watch a lot of videos I use my Galaxy Note 8 with the Dex Station using the WiFi. We have never reached 10GB before.
  • Personally, I honestly think T-Mobile would be your best option. But Google Fi would work for you as well as long as you monitor your video/data usage.
  • You know, I remember in the olden days of print publishing, Company A would have their PR call Editor B to say, "Why don't you write an article about our Product X?" So Editor B would write about how great Product X is. And by an amazing coincidence, at the same time that article came out, magazines were packed with advertisements about Product X. Funny how I noticed Google has been blitzing social media sites with Google Fi ads in the last week. Amazing coincidence.
  • Google Voice support... having to give up my voice number or carrier number... that's a deal breaker for me! Price point also yes needs to be a bit more of a deal compared to other major providers.
  • I have used Fi for years, and the value to me is the free sms to US while traveling internationally, and no need to find Wi-Fi or buy a data sim, as soon as you land overseas you get a welcome message to the country and can start using data, and with hangouts I can text sms from computer or tablet, it is the convenience of cross border travel that keeps me with Fi