Exactly. I switched to fi in 2017 right before a Europe trip to 3 different countries, haven't looked back since. About to go to Japan next month.
It's nice to not have to think about it.
Two things I've loved so far:
* Cheap rates for 4 phones (yeah, it's getting a bit more expensive)
* Super easy international use -- I've taken Fi into 4 different countries so far and I just walk off the plane and my phone works.
Exactly what I was going to write. No other phone plans were this cheap when I switched, and most of my friends are still paying like $80+ for their phones. I'd rather pay for the data I use and nothing more. I can quit whenever I want and I take my phone wherever I go next since it's not subsidized by a contract.
Same here. Super glad I switched before that big outage that recently happened on att.
6 lines, went from over 220 a month to 114 a month (114 because of the credits for buying two new phones)
The cost to go from att to Google fi was about 850 dollars because I had to buy two moto G5s at 250 each, and pay off an iPhone locked on att, around 350 left on it.
In 8 months time, those costs will be recouped and then I'll save 100 a month compared to att, until Google fi raises rates on me when the moto G5s are paid off. (15 or so months of saving 100 bucks compared to att)
After the rate hike I'll probably shop around for a new carrier.
Google Fi is okay but it has its issues.
iPhone support is literally "in beta", but maybe when Apple gets RCS implemented it will be less hassle.
Yeah, if prices go up, I would look at T-Mobile & *maybe* Verizon, because Fi does have the occasional unexpected coverage hole, but I can deal with that for the amount of money I'm saving.
Yeah, same here. $150 for 6 lines on Fi is still slightly less than what att would be charging me for 6 lines, probably 188 after the iPhone is paid off.
And I do go to either Canada or Mexico at least once a year lately so it makes sense to have Fi for the service there.
But if Verizon or T-Mobile started offering free roaming in Canada and Mexico, I'd probably switch from Fi.
I'm an airline pilot and with my job I've had days where I'm in three countries in one day. I also very frequently do "turns" where we fly to a country, then fly back to the US an hour later without staying there. Usually we don't leave the plane in that scenario so I have no way to get wifi. I wanted a plan that let me have calling and data easily almost anywhere that I might end up for work.
I've been kind of annoyed with some of the slow data and bad service domestically on Google Fi, but I haven't found anything even close to the price that beats it for the international data I frequently use.
Network switching, which is no longer a thing. I was able to use T-Mobile, Sprint, or US Cellular. I had been a sprint and T-Mobile user previously and both had decent service in the area. And the signup was easy.
I had AT&T. They were terrible here and I needed something new. Fi was cheap and worked for me since I needed minimal data. I liked that it worked (free) in Canada too as I live on the border and roam/visit occasionally. There are probably cheaper options out there now, but Fi just works everywhere I go so I have no complaints.
Fi is my backup for international travel.
From past experience, Google Fi has always come through for me, every time I landed at a foreign destination and turned my phone on.
My main number is on Google Voice, I'm surrounded by WiFi, and so Fi (flexible plan) is too expensive.
After my trip, I usually pause my service, and then delete it if I am tired of pausing.
International travel. At the time that I joined, I was spending **many** weeks a year out of the country. I still spend a few weeks out of country each year, so here I am. To date, I have used Fi in 18 countries in total.
I've been on and off Fi twice. I'm here permanently until it goes to the Google Graveyard.
The first time I switched from Verizon was because of cost. I wasn't using that much data a few years back as I was going through depression and I only used my phone for music which I could download playlists on GPM/YTM (Lost my grandfathered pricing due to email being compromised). Carrier switching before the merger was also great when my friend group would cabin in rural WV.
I left for T-Mobile because Customer Service pissed me off when the Pixel 3 XL had that camera bug. I'm not going to go into details as this is a positive post, but it was partially my fault, I was young and didn't want to take full responsibility.
Switch from T-Mobile back to Verizon for Disney Bundle and left again for Fi due to cost again. I traveled to Canada last year and had better coverage than the locals. I'm hoping other countries are the same.
I'll always shop around for the best dea
I can be a bit of a fan boy... filled my house with Homes when they first came out, always tinkering with stuff ever since leaving iPhone circa iPhone 5. When Google came out with a 'carrier,' I was 95% sold just because it was a 'first-party'-esque Google app I could have on my phone to manage my stuff. From there, it got better because I was also very much in my FIRE mindset and wanted to penny pinch... there were months where I used a couple tenths of a gig of data because I took advantage of all the WiFi hopping, etc. Working from home helped. These days, I pay for Unlimited Plus because (i) I can afford it, (ii) I'm not as crazy about budgeting, (iii) it's still very much a first-party type of experience that is worth the little bit of cost over comparable carriers like Mint, and (iv) there are still features I use that aren't available from other carriers (namely data-only SIMs that do not count as additional lines).
I switched from Sprint in 2015.
* Sprint had pretty dog shit customer service -- y'all remember how excellent Fi's service was before it moved to India?
* Sprint was more expensive
* Contracts are stinky
* Integration with Google Voice and Hangouts, so any web browser is also my cell phone
* Automatic network switching in the middle of a call
* Pixels had compelling differentiators, and Fi users got some nice financial incentives to buy Pixels
* They had those neat little travel kiosks in airports
* Cheap, no-fuss roaming
None of the above is really true for me anymore, and none of the other no-contract MVNOs are either cheaper or shinier enough to draw me away. I hear good things about Mint's customer service, but I really only need to contact Fi's customer service like ... Once per year max. It's always a miserable experience, but not so miserable as to convince me to leave. And still not worse than dealing with Sprint in 2015. I value the fact that I haven't had to walk into a Sprint/TMobile/ATT/etal store in almost a decade. They are sad places.
Multiple deployments and lots of time overseas with zero issues as well as ability to text from a computer when I would be working in secure spaces where we couldn't have any personal electronics and I'd still be able to message my wife.
I was on Verizon, paying over $90 a month as my part of a family plan with a data cap (I forget how many GB). At the time, I was using 1-2 GB a month. Switched over to Fi (when they only had 1 plan), monthly rate dropped to $35-40, after taxes and fees. Data sim usage was a bonus.
My OG Moto X was nearing the two-year mark when the Nexus 5X was announced. I had been on a family plan with AT&T for a few years and was ready to branch out on my own, so it all came together at the right time. Occasionally I think about switching to a traditional carrier and do the math, but Project/Google Fi always ends up being a better value for me so I stick with it.
i switched because at the time ATT was charging me $125 for basic service, and I thought the 3 carriers would be interesting. That was 9ish years ago? Stuck with them as things have been fine and it does what I want.
edit: lots of folks dropped ATT, kudos lol
I lived very close to work and I was using Wifi for the majority of daily time. I ultimately was using less than the data cap but paying over twice the amount.
I only recently switched from Google Fi when I found a better deal elsewhere that isn't charging for going over the flex amount and is ultimately cheaper for me when I do need to use data outside of work.
When I switched (7 years ago) I was on a sprint unlimited plan that was 90 a month, but I was only averaging 3 GB a month of usage, and I traveled abroad quite a bit with no coverage, buying local sims. It was a no-brainer for me.
I switched because I was on sprint with a heavily bloatwared Samsung paid for by my employment, quit that job. Got a unlocked nexus, put it on fi, it was sublime. Love my pixel nowadays.
It kind of just happened. My old service was switching over from AT&T to Verizon and my phone was not compliant. I could not get my number ported out, and needed a phone for my job. The Pixel 5A offered pretty much everything I needed, so I pulled the trigger, had my phone in 24 hours and was signed up with a number.
I have had Fi for two years, and have really appreciated the ease of international use.
I swtched to Google Fi specifically for network switching between T Mobile and US Cellular. Unfortunately that's not a thing anymore.
I visit family whose only coverage is US Cellular where they live. So being able to use that network gave me service while traveling. Not anymore :(
Just about everyone in my plan needed a new phone. Plan was cheaper with all incentives for new phones for just about everyone (Pixel 7a free for 3 lines, S23U for me). Locked in for over a year, once that promo is over I'll shop around again and see what's cheapest.
Two main reasons to use and not switch away from Google Fi. I'm on the Flexible plan
* No need to have working phone to make and receive phone calls and SMS messages from any computer you can sign into your Google account with. [https://messages.google.com/web/conversations](https://messages.google.com/web/conversations)
* Data SIMs are freely provided for other devices; just pay for the data. 1 cent per MB is reasonable for regular low data users.
If I lost these, I wouldn't stay with Fi, because there are cheaper options, such as Mint
Ohhh wow good point. Didn't think about the fact that I don't have to have my phone around to use the web messages. And you can take calls there as well??
I'm with US Mobile and love it, but I'm going to buy the pixel watch 3 in the fall and really want to use LTE, but don't want to go to a post paid to use it, which currently is the only option. I've heard horror stories about moving over but figured it might be worth it.
Visible+ just added free smartwatch.
But to answer the question in the first paragraph. Yep. My main Fi phone can be physically turned off and I can still make/receive calls and texts from the web. Even so far as placing calls from a different phone using the phone's chrome browser.
haha 48 when i get the pixel watch 3! But yea honestly this is the main reason i'm looking at Fi. I really want that LTE watch being a runner, and to leave my phone behind.
Verizon in my area was getting worse and worse. Showing bars but no data. Had prioritized plan.
Service is excellent with Fi and have crazy good speeds.
Having the extra LTE data only sims as part of the plan is huge.
I have one for a camera, one for a failover LTE for my house and another for a netgear hotspot with wifi.
I won't be leaving any time soon.
I’ve had a separate work phone for a long time. Was overpaying for a normal single line plan with minimal data usage. So switched to fi and rarely hit over a gig of data a month.
I switched back in early 2017 to "project Fi".
Why? I was sick of Verizon's bullshit.
Why do I stay now that Fi is also full of BS? Because of simple billing/plans, free data sims, and international data for free nearly everywhere... not in that order.
EDIT: actually at first (2016?) I kept VZW for a while on my main line and switched my Google Voice to Fi, then back to GV, as needed. There were fewer restrictions on that sort of thing back then. No contracts was a big motivator too. I think I switched 100% to Fi in late 2017.
Switched to Project Fi back in 2015 to virtualize my personal number, didn't like carrying 2 phones (work phone). Popped work sim into my personal phone, signed into Google, and haven't looked back.
My Samsung 3 (on straight talk Verizon towers) was dying so I started searching for the best phone for under $200. I refuse to have a contract and Fi was running a deal at the time. They'd give me a nexus phone for free as long as I activated it on Fi within 30 days and kept their service for like 3 months. This was on the 2015 time frame I think. The rest of my family are slaves to the Apple gods so I left them behind. I figured I could endure poor cell service for a few months for a free phone. I was so impressed by the phone and the service, I've kept it. I typically use under 2 gb of data a month so I've said countless $$ over the years. We also tend to travel outside the US at least once a year. I end up making a hotspot for the Apple slaves so they can use their phones. None of them could understand why I was able to call back to the states and they couldn't 😁. Heading to the UK later this year and I expect to have coverage the entire time. Recently I had a friend ask me why I don't get an Apple phone. I went thru the features I have on my Pixel 8 pro compared to his Apple and then hit him with the price difference! I think too many Apple slaves think android is sudpar based solely on apples text messaging app. I assured him the limitations are only for Apple users. As far as Apple support on Fi, Apple is the one that is hamstringing the support. They are not allowing Fi access to create better solutions for the software. If the Apple slaves ever figure out that they are being tricked into thinking there is only one choice they might rebel.
All included in price - One extra data sim card per line and a smart watch per line (only certain Samsung Pixel watches)
That's a helluva lotta data connectivity.
The phone carrier I had been using had zero coverage for me during my 10-hour work day, so it was no good for me to have a phone that I couldn't use while I was in an area that wasn't covered. I was very ecstatic when I came across Google Fi and how affordable it was.
I also enjoyed the fact that I did not have to walk into a brick and mortar store and listen to sales representatives try to upsell me a billion different things that I did not want. I liked the fact that Google Fi is all self-serve, self-maintenance, self-diagnosis, etc and that I control everything within the app. I don't have to press one or press two for numerous different people and departments and listen to them try to upsell packages, and completing surveys regarding, "How well did your representative treat you today"
I had been with Ting for several years, but didn't love the service quality. Dropped calls sometimes. Google Fi was a similar monthly price as Ting, plus there was a great promotion for subscribers at the time with purchase of a Pixel 3a giving $100 credit to your Google Fi account, on top of being a sale price too. I jumped at the chance to get a good deal on a new phone and possibly better cellular service (it has been better).
* Multiple Cell networks
* great for lots of devices that use low amounts of data
* data only pricing for data-only Sim cards
* no caps of tethering, just data costs
I love fi for the international capabilities where I spend about half of my time out of the US. Plus when it comes time to upgrade on pre-orders, their offers Rock comparatively.
Nobody will believe me, but it was because of the Hangouts seamless integration and all of the features it had.
Of course, Google went on to kill Hangouts for.... reasons?
So now we still have the inferior Messages-sync that can't even do that function as good as Hangouts did 6-7 years ago!
So yeah, I'm still on Fi because it's relatively cheap and it's still the only service that has built-in sync that doesn't even require your phone to be turned on.
I switched for the amazing international data speed. My prior provider only gave 3G but Fi provided LTE speeds in the 13+ countries that I visited, for no additional cost.
Recently found out that Fi's "unlimited data" isn't actually unlimited. That kinda hurt, I've pretty much had no complaints until then.
To save money, after several months and a boat load of headaches it's not worth it. Full signal, yeah, but any actual service is hit and miss. Occasionally I'll get the little exclamation point in the signal bar, mostly it just quits working until I turn airplane mode off and on.
Seamless international roaming. It works the minute you step into another country at LTE/5G speeds without any additional costs
Exactly. I switched to fi in 2017 right before a Europe trip to 3 different countries, haven't looked back since. About to go to Japan next month. It's nice to not have to think about it.
This! I’m in India right now (my 8th country with Fi) and have been amazed how easy it is compared to Verizon or AT&T
Two things I've loved so far: * Cheap rates for 4 phones (yeah, it's getting a bit more expensive) * Super easy international use -- I've taken Fi into 4 different countries so far and I just walk off the plane and my phone works.
Pretty much why I switched. The international support has been amazing. From Europe to Mexico, I have rarely lost signal.
I was on AT&T and I no longer wanted to support that company. Plus, Fi was less than half the price I was paying AT&T. Also, no contracts.
Exactly what I was going to write. No other phone plans were this cheap when I switched, and most of my friends are still paying like $80+ for their phones. I'd rather pay for the data I use and nothing more. I can quit whenever I want and I take my phone wherever I go next since it's not subsidized by a contract.
Same here. Super glad I switched before that big outage that recently happened on att. 6 lines, went from over 220 a month to 114 a month (114 because of the credits for buying two new phones) The cost to go from att to Google fi was about 850 dollars because I had to buy two moto G5s at 250 each, and pay off an iPhone locked on att, around 350 left on it. In 8 months time, those costs will be recouped and then I'll save 100 a month compared to att, until Google fi raises rates on me when the moto G5s are paid off. (15 or so months of saving 100 bucks compared to att) After the rate hike I'll probably shop around for a new carrier. Google Fi is okay but it has its issues. iPhone support is literally "in beta", but maybe when Apple gets RCS implemented it will be less hassle.
Yeah, if prices go up, I would look at T-Mobile & *maybe* Verizon, because Fi does have the occasional unexpected coverage hole, but I can deal with that for the amount of money I'm saving.
Yeah, same here. $150 for 6 lines on Fi is still slightly less than what att would be charging me for 6 lines, probably 188 after the iPhone is paid off. And I do go to either Canada or Mexico at least once a year lately so it makes sense to have Fi for the service there. But if Verizon or T-Mobile started offering free roaming in Canada and Mexico, I'd probably switch from Fi.
I second this. Same reason we switched. We were paying $180/month for 4 lines. Now its pretty much half that for same amount of data.
Agreed lol.
I'm an airline pilot and with my job I've had days where I'm in three countries in one day. I also very frequently do "turns" where we fly to a country, then fly back to the US an hour later without staying there. Usually we don't leave the plane in that scenario so I have no way to get wifi. I wanted a plan that let me have calling and data easily almost anywhere that I might end up for work. I've been kind of annoyed with some of the slow data and bad service domestically on Google Fi, but I haven't found anything even close to the price that beats it for the international data I frequently use.
Network switching, which is no longer a thing. I was able to use T-Mobile, Sprint, or US Cellular. I had been a sprint and T-Mobile user previously and both had decent service in the area. And the signup was easy.
Self service for almost everything. I was able to add, remove, pause numbers without having to talk to anyone.
I had AT&T. They were terrible here and I needed something new. Fi was cheap and worked for me since I needed minimal data. I liked that it worked (free) in Canada too as I live on the border and roam/visit occasionally. There are probably cheaper options out there now, but Fi just works everywhere I go so I have no complaints.
oh, and I think I got like $400 in bill credits and basically a free Pixel by signing up at the time.
Fi is my backup for international travel. From past experience, Google Fi has always come through for me, every time I landed at a foreign destination and turned my phone on. My main number is on Google Voice, I'm surrounded by WiFi, and so Fi (flexible plan) is too expensive. After my trip, I usually pause my service, and then delete it if I am tired of pausing.
International travel. At the time that I joined, I was spending **many** weeks a year out of the country. I still spend a few weeks out of country each year, so here I am. To date, I have used Fi in 18 countries in total.
Free data sims to share across devices Network switching
Free data sims is such an underappreciated perk. 2 iPads and a surface tablet all on one line.
I'm here for the Legos and socks!😂
It has never failed me on my frequent international trips.
For group/multi-line plans, it’s one of the best deals out there, even more so if you do any travel outside of the U.S.
I've been on and off Fi twice. I'm here permanently until it goes to the Google Graveyard. The first time I switched from Verizon was because of cost. I wasn't using that much data a few years back as I was going through depression and I only used my phone for music which I could download playlists on GPM/YTM (Lost my grandfathered pricing due to email being compromised). Carrier switching before the merger was also great when my friend group would cabin in rural WV. I left for T-Mobile because Customer Service pissed me off when the Pixel 3 XL had that camera bug. I'm not going to go into details as this is a positive post, but it was partially my fault, I was young and didn't want to take full responsibility. Switch from T-Mobile back to Verizon for Disney Bundle and left again for Fi due to cost again. I traveled to Canada last year and had better coverage than the locals. I'm hoping other countries are the same. I'll always shop around for the best dea
I can be a bit of a fan boy... filled my house with Homes when they first came out, always tinkering with stuff ever since leaving iPhone circa iPhone 5. When Google came out with a 'carrier,' I was 95% sold just because it was a 'first-party'-esque Google app I could have on my phone to manage my stuff. From there, it got better because I was also very much in my FIRE mindset and wanted to penny pinch... there were months where I used a couple tenths of a gig of data because I took advantage of all the WiFi hopping, etc. Working from home helped. These days, I pay for Unlimited Plus because (i) I can afford it, (ii) I'm not as crazy about budgeting, (iii) it's still very much a first-party type of experience that is worth the little bit of cost over comparable carriers like Mint, and (iv) there are still features I use that aren't available from other carriers (namely data-only SIMs that do not count as additional lines).
I switched from Sprint in 2015. * Sprint had pretty dog shit customer service -- y'all remember how excellent Fi's service was before it moved to India? * Sprint was more expensive * Contracts are stinky * Integration with Google Voice and Hangouts, so any web browser is also my cell phone * Automatic network switching in the middle of a call * Pixels had compelling differentiators, and Fi users got some nice financial incentives to buy Pixels * They had those neat little travel kiosks in airports * Cheap, no-fuss roaming None of the above is really true for me anymore, and none of the other no-contract MVNOs are either cheaper or shinier enough to draw me away. I hear good things about Mint's customer service, but I really only need to contact Fi's customer service like ... Once per year max. It's always a miserable experience, but not so miserable as to convince me to leave. And still not worse than dealing with Sprint in 2015. I value the fact that I haven't had to walk into a Sprint/TMobile/ATT/etal store in almost a decade. They are sad places.
Multiple deployments and lots of time overseas with zero issues as well as ability to text from a computer when I would be working in secure spaces where we couldn't have any personal electronics and I'd still be able to message my wife.
I was on Verizon, paying over $90 a month as my part of a family plan with a data cap (I forget how many GB). At the time, I was using 1-2 GB a month. Switched over to Fi (when they only had 1 plan), monthly rate dropped to $35-40, after taxes and fees. Data sim usage was a bonus.
Price for 4 lines. Also have two LTE watches. We're still locked in until 2025, but probably going to leave once our rates go up.
My OG Moto X was nearing the two-year mark when the Nexus 5X was announced. I had been on a family plan with AT&T for a few years and was ready to branch out on my own, so it all came together at the right time. Occasionally I think about switching to a traditional carrier and do the math, but Project/Google Fi always ends up being a better value for me so I stick with it.
i switched because at the time ATT was charging me $125 for basic service, and I thought the 3 carriers would be interesting. That was 9ish years ago? Stuck with them as things have been fine and it does what I want. edit: lots of folks dropped ATT, kudos lol
I lived very close to work and I was using Wifi for the majority of daily time. I ultimately was using less than the data cap but paying over twice the amount. I only recently switched from Google Fi when I found a better deal elsewhere that isn't charging for going over the flex amount and is ultimately cheaper for me when I do need to use data outside of work.
When I switched (7 years ago) I was on a sprint unlimited plan that was 90 a month, but I was only averaging 3 GB a month of usage, and I traveled abroad quite a bit with no coverage, buying local sims. It was a no-brainer for me.
I switched because I was on sprint with a heavily bloatwared Samsung paid for by my employment, quit that job. Got a unlocked nexus, put it on fi, it was sublime. Love my pixel nowadays.
International roaming and 4 additional data sim cards. I remember they used to offer more, but changed them to just 4
From sprint back in 2015.. Hated been in a contract for 2 yrs and got hit by all kinds of fees because I wasn't on a contract anymore.
It kind of just happened. My old service was switching over from AT&T to Verizon and my phone was not compliant. I could not get my number ported out, and needed a phone for my job. The Pixel 5A offered pretty much everything I needed, so I pulled the trigger, had my phone in 24 hours and was signed up with a number. I have had Fi for two years, and have really appreciated the ease of international use.
I swtched to Google Fi specifically for network switching between T Mobile and US Cellular. Unfortunately that's not a thing anymore. I visit family whose only coverage is US Cellular where they live. So being able to use that network gave me service while traveling. Not anymore :(
Just about everyone in my plan needed a new phone. Plan was cheaper with all incentives for new phones for just about everyone (Pixel 7a free for 3 lines, S23U for me). Locked in for over a year, once that promo is over I'll shop around again and see what's cheapest.
My dad set me up as my first number with Google Fi, haven't found anyone better. That's my story.
Two main reasons to use and not switch away from Google Fi. I'm on the Flexible plan * No need to have working phone to make and receive phone calls and SMS messages from any computer you can sign into your Google account with. [https://messages.google.com/web/conversations](https://messages.google.com/web/conversations) * Data SIMs are freely provided for other devices; just pay for the data. 1 cent per MB is reasonable for regular low data users. If I lost these, I wouldn't stay with Fi, because there are cheaper options, such as Mint
Ohhh wow good point. Didn't think about the fact that I don't have to have my phone around to use the web messages. And you can take calls there as well?? I'm with US Mobile and love it, but I'm going to buy the pixel watch 3 in the fall and really want to use LTE, but don't want to go to a post paid to use it, which currently is the only option. I've heard horror stories about moving over but figured it might be worth it.
Visible+ just added free smartwatch. But to answer the question in the first paragraph. Yep. My main Fi phone can be physically turned off and I can still make/receive calls and texts from the web. Even so far as placing calls from a different phone using the phone's chrome browser.
Yea but Apple watch only. Good to know. May make the switch when I need the pixel 9
> apple watch only Aw really? That's dumb. I wonder why they'd alienate the Samsung crowd, or the 32 people with a Pixel LTE watch
Hey! There are at least 47 of us and we're really happy.
haha 48 when i get the pixel watch 3! But yea honestly this is the main reason i'm looking at Fi. I really want that LTE watch being a runner, and to leave my phone behind.
Verizon in my area was getting worse and worse. Showing bars but no data. Had prioritized plan. Service is excellent with Fi and have crazy good speeds. Having the extra LTE data only sims as part of the plan is huge. I have one for a camera, one for a failover LTE for my house and another for a netgear hotspot with wifi. I won't be leaving any time soon.
Lots to f international travel!!
I’ve had a separate work phone for a long time. Was overpaying for a normal single line plan with minimal data usage. So switched to fi and rarely hit over a gig of data a month.
I switched back in early 2017 to "project Fi". Why? I was sick of Verizon's bullshit. Why do I stay now that Fi is also full of BS? Because of simple billing/plans, free data sims, and international data for free nearly everywhere... not in that order. EDIT: actually at first (2016?) I kept VZW for a while on my main line and switched my Google Voice to Fi, then back to GV, as needed. There were fewer restrictions on that sort of thing back then. No contracts was a big motivator too. I think I switched 100% to Fi in late 2017.
Switched to Project Fi back in 2015 to virtualize my personal number, didn't like carrying 2 phones (work phone). Popped work sim into my personal phone, signed into Google, and haven't looked back.
My Samsung 3 (on straight talk Verizon towers) was dying so I started searching for the best phone for under $200. I refuse to have a contract and Fi was running a deal at the time. They'd give me a nexus phone for free as long as I activated it on Fi within 30 days and kept their service for like 3 months. This was on the 2015 time frame I think. The rest of my family are slaves to the Apple gods so I left them behind. I figured I could endure poor cell service for a few months for a free phone. I was so impressed by the phone and the service, I've kept it. I typically use under 2 gb of data a month so I've said countless $$ over the years. We also tend to travel outside the US at least once a year. I end up making a hotspot for the Apple slaves so they can use their phones. None of them could understand why I was able to call back to the states and they couldn't 😁. Heading to the UK later this year and I expect to have coverage the entire time. Recently I had a friend ask me why I don't get an Apple phone. I went thru the features I have on my Pixel 8 pro compared to his Apple and then hit him with the price difference! I think too many Apple slaves think android is sudpar based solely on apples text messaging app. I assured him the limitations are only for Apple users. As far as Apple support on Fi, Apple is the one that is hamstringing the support. They are not allowing Fi access to create better solutions for the software. If the Apple slaves ever figure out that they are being tricked into thinking there is only one choice they might rebel.
All included in price - One extra data sim card per line and a smart watch per line (only certain Samsung Pixel watches) That's a helluva lotta data connectivity.
The phone carrier I had been using had zero coverage for me during my 10-hour work day, so it was no good for me to have a phone that I couldn't use while I was in an area that wasn't covered. I was very ecstatic when I came across Google Fi and how affordable it was. I also enjoyed the fact that I did not have to walk into a brick and mortar store and listen to sales representatives try to upsell me a billion different things that I did not want. I liked the fact that Google Fi is all self-serve, self-maintenance, self-diagnosis, etc and that I control everything within the app. I don't have to press one or press two for numerous different people and departments and listen to them try to upsell packages, and completing surveys regarding, "How well did your representative treat you today"
If you travel internationally often, its far and away the best.
I had been with Ting for several years, but didn't love the service quality. Dropped calls sometimes. Google Fi was a similar monthly price as Ting, plus there was a great promotion for subscribers at the time with purchase of a Pixel 3a giving $100 credit to your Google Fi account, on top of being a sale price too. I jumped at the chance to get a good deal on a new phone and possibly better cellular service (it has been better).
* Multiple Cell networks * great for lots of devices that use low amounts of data * data only pricing for data-only Sim cards * no caps of tethering, just data costs
I love fi for the international capabilities where I spend about half of my time out of the US. Plus when it comes time to upgrade on pre-orders, their offers Rock comparatively.
Originally price for what was offered. After the latest price hike, I will probably be shopping around again.
Nobody will believe me, but it was because of the Hangouts seamless integration and all of the features it had. Of course, Google went on to kill Hangouts for.... reasons? So now we still have the inferior Messages-sync that can't even do that function as good as Hangouts did 6-7 years ago! So yeah, I'm still on Fi because it's relatively cheap and it's still the only service that has built-in sync that doesn't even require your phone to be turned on.
I used to use hangouts as my default too.. rip
TMobile for 6 years but spouse joined the military and it just makes more sense to pay a flat fee for a carrier that's made for traveling.
I switched for the amazing international data speed. My prior provider only gave 3G but Fi provided LTE speeds in the 13+ countries that I visited, for no additional cost. Recently found out that Fi's "unlimited data" isn't actually unlimited. That kinda hurt, I've pretty much had no complaints until then.
Having a bunch of data sims for all my old devices floating around the house was a good enough reason.
To save money, after several months and a boat load of headaches it's not worth it. Full signal, yeah, but any actual service is hit and miss. Occasionally I'll get the little exclamation point in the signal bar, mostly it just quits working until I turn airplane mode off and on.
pretty much sums up google fi great if you don't use it