Google Fi

jdcyclone19

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Apr 14, 2017
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Has anyone used an Iphone on Fi? Curious as to their experience. I'd really like to get off sprint but i use quite a bit of data so I would have to go the unlimited route and 50 a month is hard to beat as a single. (Trying to recruit my gf and her mom to get on a plan together.)

Iphone will be locked to only Tmobile towers.
 

dmclone

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I usually use Google Fi when going international and it works great. With that said, for one phone I'd rather try something like Visible, which uses Verizon, for $40 month and gets you unlimited everything.
 
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cyfanatic

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Oct 18, 2006
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I usually use Google Fi when going international and it works great. With that said, for one phone I'd rather try something like Visible, which uses Verizon, for $40 month and gets you unlimited everything.

Sorry...off topic...but I have always wondered why people would use Verizon (or any provider) when a service like the one you mentioned exists? That said...I am a US Cellular user so I am guilty of not looking into these types of offerings. Is there a disadvantage to using something like Visible?

I wanted to use Project Fi (now Google Fi) so bad on my last go around with mobile phones but my wife needed/wanted an iPhone so at that time it wasn't going to work for me. But this time...maybe!
 

dmclone

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Sorry...off topic...but I have always wondered why people would use Verizon (or any provider) when a service like the one you mentioned exists? That said...I am a US Cellular user so I am guilty of not looking into these types of offerings. Is there a disadvantage to using something like Visible?

I wanted to use Project Fi (now Google Fi) so bad on my last go around with mobile phones but my wife needed/wanted an iPhone so at that time it wasn't going to work for me. But this time...maybe!

In my case, I'm grandfathered into an employee discount plan with Verizon and have 3 phones so it wouldn't save me much money. In addition, I received a $300 discount on my wife's Iphone 11.

In visibile's case, it doesn't look like they offer a discount based on number of lines. It seems to be made for one line customers.
 
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simply1

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Sorry...off topic...but I have always wondered why people would use Verizon (or any provider) when a service like the one you mentioned exists? That said...I am a US Cellular user so I am guilty of not looking into these types of offerings. Is there a disadvantage to using something like Visible?

I wanted to use Project Fi (now Google Fi) so bad on my last go around with mobile phones but my wife needed/wanted an iPhone so at that time it wasn't going to work for me. But this time...maybe!
If you ever need customer service you’ll be in pain with visible.
 
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OnlyCyclones

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Feb 27, 2017
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I've had Google Fi for three years now. It was a godsend for trekking across Europe, and 99% of the time I have no problems in the U.S.

Sometimes I have coverage issues in rural areas, and I thought about switching to Verizon when I was losing signal a lot during work out in the boonies. But I haven't switched and overall I recommend it. I spend $30-$35 a month.

Anyone with Google Fi should look into the FiSwitch app. It makes it easy to switch among your carriers, and often helps me get data at ISU games when others can't.
 
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Boxerdaddy

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Iphone will be locked to only Tmobile towers.
https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/28/18116333/google-project-fi-apple-iphone

You’re fine if you have an iPhone 5S, 6, SE or newer, provided that it has been carrier unlocked. Though if you have a newer iPhone, this shouldn’t matter as much, as new iPhones can use LTE on any American LTE networks. This makes Google Fi’s caveats for iOS all the more disappointing, as it won’t allow carrier switching but will automatically default to T-Mobile’s network for calls, texts, and data. You’ll also have to update your MMS settings to send and receive texts to non-iPhones, but iMessage will work right out of the box. Google also says you might have to update these settings a couple of times a year if they get changed due to an iOS update.

This is a bummer as I don't think this would be palatable to the gf
 

wxman1

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https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/28/18116333/google-project-fi-apple-iphone

You’re fine if you have an iPhone 5S, 6, SE or newer, provided that it has been carrier unlocked. Though if you have a newer iPhone, this shouldn’t matter as much, as new iPhones can use LTE on any American LTE networks. This makes Google Fi’s caveats for iOS all the more disappointing, as it won’t allow carrier switching but will automatically default to T-Mobile’s network for calls, texts, and data. You’ll also have to update your MMS settings to send and receive texts to non-iPhones, but iMessage will work right out of the box. Google also says you might have to update these settings a couple of times a year if they get changed due to an iOS update.

This is a bummer as I don't think this would be palatable to the gf

I am fine with working with some settings to make it work but the lack of network switching makes it useless to me. For the most part we would be fine with switching to a Pixel but I am hesitant to switch to Garmin Pilot for my electronic flight bag which is the only good one available IMO on Android.
 

Cyclones_R_GR8

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Got my new phone earlier in the week. Finally got it activated today and got my work apps working.
 

jbhtexas

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Oct 20, 2006
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Sorry...off topic...but I have always wondered why people would use Verizon (or any provider) when a service like the one you mentioned exists? That said...I am a US Cellular user so I am guilty of not looking into these types of offerings. Is there a disadvantage to using something like Visible?

I wanted to use Project Fi (now Google Fi) so bad on my last go around with mobile phones but my wife needed/wanted an iPhone so at that time it wasn't going to work for me. But this time...maybe!

Although Visible's data streaming cap has been lifted for the time being, Visible still caps video streaming quality at 480p. On the android side, it is only compatible with certain phones. The data streaming is uncapped now, but it was in the past, and may be again in the future.

https://www.tomsguide.com/us/visible-wireless,review-6036.html
 
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