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Google is charging a significant markup over T-Mobile's existing rates ($30/month for 5Gb vs $70/month through Gooogle.) So Fi is really only interesting for pe

Google is charging a significant markup over T-Mobile's existing rates ($30/month for 5Gb vs $70/month through Gooogle.) So Fi is really only interesting for people doing significant international roaming.

chx 12y ago
T-Mobile gives you free 128kb/s international data though.
nandhp 12y ago
Except T-Mobile already has unlimited international roaming (text/data) on their postpaid plans. (Admittedly, the special $30/month plan costs less than the postpaid plans.)
h078 12y ago
T-mobile does not have unlimited calls for that plan. It is $30 per month — Unlimited web and text with 100 minutes talk 100 minutes talk | Unlimited text | First 5GB at up to 4G speeds
dragonwriter 12y ago
Or people whose data usage is substantially below the point where typical carrier plans per-GB rates are optimal.
bko 12y ago
Where did you get your numbers? T-Mobile site says 1 GB of 4G data with unlimited talk and text for $50 a month. 5 gigs of 4G data is $70 http://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phone-plans/individual.html http://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phone-plans/individual.html
- samsolomon 12y ago
  I can confirm, that's the exact plan I have. There are some cheaper pay-as-you-go plans, but those are actually Walmart's plans using T-Mobile's towers—similar to what Google is doing here.
- mcpherrinm 12y ago
  http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans If you scroll down, there's: $30 per month — Unlimited web and text with 100 minutes talk 100 minutes talk | Unlimited text | First 5GB at up to 4G speeds I'm considering switch from that plan to Google Fi for Canada data.
  - tertius 12y ago
    No tethering with that plan.
    - laurencerowe 12y ago
      Tethering works for me.
    - mcpherrinm 12y ago
      If you install the T-mobile app which lets you know your monthly usage, it claims I have 100 megabytes of tethering data. I rather quickly uninstalled it since it's a pain, but some limited tethering does seem to work for me -- I've only used it occasionally to SSH/mosh, but after a while it does an http redirect to a "No tethering for you!" screen; I assume after that 100mb cap is reached (though I haven't checked)
- StavrosK 12y ago
  I just got a T-mobile plan, the one you're referring to, an hour ago, and you are right, I paid $50 for the plan (plus $15 for the card).
dalanmiller 12y ago
Yeah but as a T-Mobile customer myself, that plan which is only available if you purchase the SIM card online or through Walmart, isn't sufficient for my needs. As much as I like being able to call via the Hangouts Dialer WiFi calling is still not of very good quality.
henryw 12y ago
I have this plan too, but pay $15 ($45 total for 5gb) so I can tether to the iPhone.
duaneb 12y ago
That's after a $50 charge for unlimited calls and texts, and unlimited edge data. Not that it's a trivial service, but I would save about ~$30-40 a month with no service loss. Probably a service gain, especially if they get AT&T or even a certain CDMA service provider (I can dream).
henrikg 12y ago
I've had TMO in the past, and the Google plan is attractive to me for a couple of reasons * T-Mobile customer service is inconsistent in messaging on the phone, via Facebook, stores * As a H1B visa holder I am, according to TMO, not able to get a postpaid plan * Prepaid plan does not work outside of the US * Prepaid plan has issues receiving short codes from Uber/Bank of America and possibly others - I've spent 8+ hours trying to get it resolved and just ended up giving up. * I currently use Cricket, due to the 20GB max, but the network is so incredibly slow that it's almost pointless. In NYC I often get at most 100kb/s downstream, when on LTE; that's just no good. * Spam calls to my Cricket number, and they are unable to do anything about the multiple calls I receive a day * I use Google Voice already, and it's incredible - except for international texting which they have crappy support for. * Google Voice has issues with short codes, kinda like TMO prepaid. Assuming the latter two has been solved with Project Fi + I can get proper network speeds + they filter out spam + automatic transcripts of voicemails (latter two being Google Voice features), then I'm a fan. Can't wait to get it for my Nexus 6.
- rizwank 12y ago
  TMO prepaid and TMO MVNOs now have full short code access. -citation: I confounded and run a U.S. MVNO.
- ericd 12y ago
  I think the text issues are due to Google Voice and not T-Mo (I have the GVoice+T-Mo unlimited data combo, and I think I only have short code issues with the GVoice number).
- mynameisvlad 12y ago
  > * As a H1B visa holder I am, according to TMO, not able to get a postpaid plan What? I'm on a TN and I have a postpaid plan and device payment plan. Your visa status doesn't really affect your phone plan eligibility.
  - vitobcn 12y ago
    Visa status does not affect your eligibility for payment plans. However, H1B holders are people having recently arrived to the US, and therefore with 0 credit history. This is what impacts the capability to get a postpaid plan, but after a few months to build it up there should be no problem. Personally, I find it ridiculous. Having money in the bank as well as a good salary, and not being able to sign up for a 30$ monthly plan; or applying for a credit card and getting either rejected or one with a 200$ credit limit.
runjake 12y ago
Or interesting for people who need more than 100 minutes for voice calls (that $30 plan is only 100 minutes voice), who want whatever benefit there is for additional Sprint coverage, or Wi-fi Calling usage with a Nexus 6.

chx 12y ago

T-Mobile gives you free 128kb/s international data though.

nandhp 12y ago

Except T-Mobile already has unlimited international roaming (text/data) on their postpaid plans. (Admittedly, the special $30/month plan costs less than the postpaid plans.)

h078 12y ago

T-mobile does not have unlimited calls for that plan. It is $30 per month — Unlimited web and text with 100 minutes talk 100 minutes talk | Unlimited text | First 5GB at up to 4G speeds

dragonwriter 12y ago

Or people whose data usage is substantially below the point where typical carrier plans per-GB rates are optimal.

bko 12y ago

Where did you get your numbers? T-Mobile site says 1 GB of 4G data with unlimited talk and text for $50 a month. 5 gigs of 4G data is $70 http://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phone-plans/individual.html http://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phone-plans/individual.html

samsolomon 12y ago
I can confirm, that's the exact plan I have. There are some cheaper pay-as-you-go plans, but those are actually Walmart's plans using T-Mobile's towers—similar to what Google is doing here.
mcpherrinm 12y ago
http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans If you scroll down, there's: $30 per month — Unlimited web and text with 100 minutes talk 100 minutes talk | Unlimited text | First 5GB at up to 4G speeds I'm considering switch from that plan to Google Fi for Canada data.
- tertius 12y ago
  No tethering with that plan.
  - laurencerowe 12y ago
    Tethering works for me.
  - mcpherrinm 12y ago
    If you install the T-mobile app which lets you know your monthly usage, it claims I have 100 megabytes of tethering data. I rather quickly uninstalled it since it's a pain, but some limited tethering does seem to work for me -- I've only used it occasionally to SSH/mosh, but after a while it does an http redirect to a "No tethering for you!" screen; I assume after that 100mb cap is reached (though I haven't checked)
StavrosK 12y ago
I just got a T-mobile plan, the one you're referring to, an hour ago, and you are right, I paid $50 for the plan (plus $15 for the card).

dalanmiller 12y ago

Yeah but as a T-Mobile customer myself, that plan which is only available if you purchase the SIM card online or through Walmart, isn't sufficient for my needs. As much as I like being able to call via the Hangouts Dialer WiFi calling is still not of very good quality.

henryw 12y ago

I have this plan too, but pay $15 ($45 total for 5gb) so I can tether to the iPhone.

duaneb 12y ago

That's after a $50 charge for unlimited calls and texts, and unlimited edge data. Not that it's a trivial service, but I would save about ~$30-40 a month with no service loss. Probably a service gain, especially if they get AT&T or even a certain CDMA service provider (I can dream).

henrikg 12y ago

I've had TMO in the past, and the Google plan is attractive to me for a couple of reasons * T-Mobile customer service is inconsistent in messaging on the phone, via Facebook, stores * As a H1B visa holder I am, according to TMO, not able to get a postpaid plan * Prepaid plan does not work outside of the US * Prepaid plan has issues receiving short codes from Uber/Bank of America and possibly others - I've spent 8+ hours trying to get it resolved and just ended up giving up. * I currently use Cricket, due to the 20GB max, but the network is so incredibly slow that it's almost pointless. In NYC I often get at most 100kb/s downstream, when on LTE; that's just no good. * Spam calls to my Cricket number, and they are unable to do anything about the multiple calls I receive a day * I use Google Voice already, and it's incredible - except for international texting which they have crappy support for. * Google Voice has issues with short codes, kinda like TMO prepaid. Assuming the latter two has been solved with Project Fi + I can get proper network speeds + they filter out spam + automatic transcripts of voicemails (latter two being Google Voice features), then I'm a fan. Can't wait to get it for my Nexus 6.

rizwank 12y ago
TMO prepaid and TMO MVNOs now have full short code access. -citation: I confounded and run a U.S. MVNO.
ericd 12y ago
I think the text issues are due to Google Voice and not T-Mo (I have the GVoice+T-Mo unlimited data combo, and I think I only have short code issues with the GVoice number).
mynameisvlad 12y ago
> * As a H1B visa holder I am, according to TMO, not able to get a postpaid plan What? I'm on a TN and I have a postpaid plan and device payment plan. Your visa status doesn't really affect your phone plan eligibility.
- vitobcn 12y ago
  Visa status does not affect your eligibility for payment plans. However, H1B holders are people having recently arrived to the US, and therefore with 0 credit history. This is what impacts the capability to get a postpaid plan, but after a few months to build it up there should be no problem. Personally, I find it ridiculous. Having money in the bank as well as a good salary, and not being able to sign up for a 30$ monthly plan; or applying for a credit card and getting either rejected or one with a 200$ credit limit.

runjake 12y ago

Or interesting for people who need more than 100 minutes for voice calls (that $30 plan is only 100 minutes voice), who want whatever benefit there is for additional Sprint coverage, or Wi-fi Calling usage with a Nexus 6.