
Google Fi’s Unlimited plan: more data at home and abroad - anuragsoni
https://www.blog.google/products/google-fi/google-fis-unlimited-plan-more-data-home-and-abroad/
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Strom
Apparently the word _unlimited_ now means 22GB. [1] Also no international
tethering. [2] Then you need to also account for the fact that if anything
happens with your Google account (say an AdSense terms violation) you will
also lose your phone service. All of that for a whopping $70/month. Seems
pretty crazy to me.

I'm currently paying 17€/month for unlimited calling, texts & data. Not sure
what the actual data cap on my unlimited plan is, but I haven't reached it
yet. For example I've used about 160GB with iOS tethering during the last week
alone and everything still works fine, currently at 85Mbps down / 65Mbps up
from where I'm standing. I can stream 4K no problems and I do.

Now my current plan has only 10GB EU-wide data and no non-EU data. However my
operator (Tele2) does offer a 50€/month package for EU-wide unlimited all. No
international unlimited all package from them yet though.

\--

[1] From the article: _we will reduce speeds after 22GB of usage per person in
a given month_

[2] _international tethering not supported on iOS_
[https://fi.google.com/compatibility](https://fi.google.com/compatibility)

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mcperr3
I can see how this plan might not work for everyone but as an American who
rarely travels internationally this is fine. And if I tried my best I could
probably only consume 10-15GB a month so it's essentially unlimited to me.

~~~
Avshalom
Really cause 10-15 is like one movie a night at ye olde standard def

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Someone1234
Many people are likely better off with Fi's existing plan:

\- $20 month + $10/GB up to 6 GB ($60) then unlimited. Full resolution video.
Up to 15 GB usage before it is slowed. Cost: $20~80 (+T&Fs) depending on
usage.

Vs.

\- $70 month unlimited. Includes Google One. Limited 480p video. Cost: $70
(+T&Fs) regardless of usage.

If you're using 5 GB or more every month, you should switch, but if your usage
is variable and the average is less than 5 GB you should likely stick with
their existing plan (to save money). Unless Google One is a worthwhile perk
for you of course (and you don't mind the video downgrade).

More choices are nice. If they forced me onto this I'd just switch to T-Mobile
since it would cost similar and the side benefits are greater.

~~~
londons_explore
The unlimited plan also has free phone calls...

~~~
flyingfences
So does the regular plan...

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Yabood
Looked like a no-brainer till I read “international tethering not supported on
iOS”. I currently use AT&T International day pass which gives me unlimited
text, data, and calls for $10 a day. Works flawlessly, but can get expensive
for extended travel.

Hopefully they’ll address all the iOS related issues soon.

~~~
londons_explore
That has to be a technical rather than business decision...

I wonder what the limitation is?

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taurath
Anyone know why the iphone can't handle the network switching aspect?

~~~
anoncareer0212
iOS apps cant make iOS understand it's allowed to switch between Sprint and
T-Mobile - Fi is an MVNO and rents access to their networks. Fi in iOS is
locked to T-Mobile.

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kalleboo
Isn't that the job of the SIM card, not an app? SIM cards have been able to
support roaming and multiple networks since day 1.

~~~
londons_explore
I think the issue is that while the phone network standards allow a single sim
card to be authorised to connect and roam between different phone networks, it
relies on the networks themselves having infrastructure in place to, for
example, migrate IP addresses from one provider to another in realtime.

Phone networks didn't want to make the massive infrastructure changes to allow
that, so Google took a different route. Instead, you effectively have two
services - one from each network. I believe they both have their own phone
numbers etc. An app switches from one to the other, and all calls and data are
directed over VoIP and VPN to googles servers, which then route calls and data
packets so that a switch can occur mid-call without the call being dropped.

All that added complexity on-top requires a fragile software stack on the
phone, which is why Android phone support is patchy, and iOS support is only
partial.

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xster
Fi could otherwise be a great smart watch plan too since they don't charge per
additional device. Unfortunately, they don't support eSIMs beside pixel
devices.

