Google Fi Explained
Source: Google Fi Wireless
Introduction
What is Google Fi? Have you ever experienced how useless a cell phone becomes if it can't connect? I believe the term is "bricked". In the early days of the industry, and to a lesser extent today, this was the chink in the armor of the industry. I can still hear the pitch from companies like Verizon making bold claims they have the best nationwide coverage. "Can you hear me now?" But wait, isn't that right?
The Coverage Myth
Source: T-Mobile / Verizon
Cell phone companies found it is more economical to lease space on towers than to own them. This is due to the fact that a third party owner can lease space to multiple cell providers on the same tower. The result is the cost of building and maintaining the tower is shared across multiple clients, which lowers the overall cost for each. The proof is the map above which shows T-Moble and Verizon with very similar coverage.
Unlimited Data Myth
I really don't understand why we call our mobile devices cell phones when speaking on them is probably the least performed task. Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and others are the data hogs. With the performance gains of 5G rivaling that of WiFi, unlimited data plans would be fantastic if it were not for the data caps. Wait, my plan states "Unlimited Data". That may be true but it doesn't mean unlimited high speed data. Take AT&T for example.
“AT&T UNLIMITED EXTRA® PLAN: Phones only. DATA RESTRICTIONS: 50 GB of Premium Data. After 50GB of data usage on a line in a bill cycle, for the remainder of the cycle AT&T may slow data speeds on that line when the network is busy.”
It is rumored AT&T removed this data restriction to this plan.
To add some context to the above. Premium data means the data will be streamed at the highest possible speed supported by the tower you are currently connected to. And yes, not all towers are the same. It also means the tower will service your request before others. Slow data speeds means just the opposite with performance often slower than an annoying dripping faucet. Ok, but what are the odds I will use more than 50GB of data in any given billing cycle? I don't know, but you may be surprised.
Roaming Myth
Back in the day if you connected to a cell tower which supported your phone but was owned by another carrier, you would be taxed a surcharge. This is roaming. Remember the coverage map? It can still happen but it's not much of an issue in the US.
Google Fi Wireless
Google created Project Fi in 2015 with the mission to make wireless more affordable and flexible by connecting customers to the best network available, wherever they are. And by the best network available, they mean WiFi, if it's available, and then cellular. Your first reaction might be - that's just crazy talk because WiFi is not available everywhere! True, but it is available at most places where people gather and once you login Google remembers that connection so it's automatically available in the future. In the event WiFi is available but the quality is poor, Google will switch to cellular. The goal is to leverage WiFi to the greatest extent to ensure a good user experience while keeping cellular usage low.
Google Fi Wireless is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) which contracts with T-Mobile for cellular services. This means T-Mobile provides cellular service at an agreed wholesale rate to Google Fi Wireless and does not charge roaming. The cell tower treats Google Fi Wireless customers as they were T-Mobile customers. Other cellular providers, like Mint Mobile, use the same business model.
Plans
Flexible
$20 / month
Data at $10/GB
Unlimited calls and texts within the US, Canada, and Mexico
Hotspot tethering
Shareable data included for tablets and other devices
The $20 / month covers the cost of contracted services and the administrative overhead. Unlimited calls and texts are covered in the base but you are billed $10 / GB for the data. The plan supports hotspot tethering and will share data with a tablet without the need to purchase another line. This is the plan I use and it works very well for my circumstance. I live in a cell fringe zone with a poor cellular signal - don't care. I get great service through Fi as it uses my high speed cable WiFi. In the car my cell usage is low and most places I frequent have public WiFi. My user experience is good and a typical monthly bill is less than $40. However, this plan is not for you if WiFi is limited as the slower data kicks in at 15 GB.
The Flexible plan includes Bill Protection, which means you pay $10/GB for data until you reach your billable data allowance which is 6GB for a single line plan. Any data you use after that is free. In my case, unless there are roaming charges, my bill will never exceed $80.
Simply Unlimited
$50 / month
Unlimited data, with slower data after 35 GB
Unlimited calls and texts within the US, Canada, and Mexico
5 GB of hotspot tethering
This is a good compromise plan. For comparison, the Flexible plan with 35 GB of data usage would cost $370. This plan makes sense if you have WiFi available for only part of your day. A drawback of the 5 GB of hotspot tethering is if you exceed the limit, your tethering speeds will be slowed to 256 kbps. It is also important to note shareable data for tablets and other devices is not available.
Unlimited Plus
$65 / month
Unlimited data, with slower data after 50 GB
Unlimited calls and texts within the US, Canada, and Mexico
Unlimited hotspot tethering (counts towards your monthly data usage)
Shareable data included for tablets and other devices
1 Year of YouTube Premium
100 GB of cloud storage with Google One
If you have any access to WiFi this plan will be more than enough. For comparison purposes the top unlimited plan from AT&T is $85.
Phones
Source: Trusted Tech News
It's hard to do well as a cellular service provider if you don't support the Apple iPhone. Google Fi does, but its support does not include every feature. Missing is automatic network switching and end-to-end encrypted calls. This is unfortunate as automatic network switching is a core function. Even though most other carriers sell the iPhone in their store, Google Fi does not. Otherwise, most unlocked newer Android phones will work as expected. Check compatibility here.
Conclusions
If you have access to WiFi and like the Android user experience, then Google Fi Wireless is a good fit. The Flexible plan works well for me as I have access to WiFi most of the day. I have also used the service overseas without incident. Additional perks include:
Full connectivity for select smartwatches
Family safety features including spam blocking, location sharing and contact controls
A VPN for a private online connection
Google Fi Free Trial
The Google Fi 7-day free trial is a great way to try out the service before you commit to a monthly plan. Here's how it works:
Go to the Google Fi website and click on the "Try Fi for free" button.
Enter your phone number and email address.
Create a Google account or sign in to your existing Google account.
Choose a plan. You can choose the Simply Unlimited plan or the Unlimited Plus plan.
Follow the instructions to activate your trial.
During your trial, you can use Google Fi just like you would with a regular plan. You can make calls, send texts, and use data. However, there are a few things to keep in mind:
Your trial will automatically renew after 7 days.
You can cancel your trial at any time before it renews.
You are limited to 10 GB of data. If you exceed the limit, your data speeds will slowed down.
You will not be able to use international roaming during your trial.
When you sign up for the trial, you will be given a new Google Fi phone number but when you are ready, you can port your existing number to Google Fi.
Porting your number is a free service and can be completed in a few minutes.
The porting process can take up to 24 hours to complete.
If you decide to keep Google Fi after your trial, you will be charged the monthly plan that you chose. You can also switch to a different plan at any time.
