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Google Communications Network The Almighty Buck

Project Fi Creates Its Own Version of An Unlimited Plan (theverge.com) 61

Posted by BeauHD from the new-and-improved dept.
Google's Project Fi mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) has launched a new feature called Bill Protection that will cap your $10 per GB data bill at $60 a month, while still allowing you to use as much data as you want, essentially creating its own version of an unlimited data plan. The Verge reports: Prior to today, Project Fi users were charged $10 per GB no matter how much data they used, which could become quite costly for heavy users. Bill Protection should help alleviate those worries for most users. Google says those who use up to 15GB of data in a month won't experience any throttling, but if they cross that threshold -- Google says less than 1 percent of its users pass that mark -- they will "experience slower data" with speeds going down to 256kbps. If you don't want to be throttled when you pass 15GB in a month, Google says you can pay the usual $10 per GB to opt out of the slower speeds. It also noted that Bill Protection for Project Fi users on group plans will kick in at different usage levels, depending on the size of your group.
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Project Fi Creates Its Own Version of An Unlimited Plan More

Project Fi Creates Its Own Version of An Unlimited Plan

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  • Other networks give more GB's at full speed some with just lower priority on the tower after going over.

    • The throttling 24/7 (not just during times of congestion) is pretty aggressive too.

    • Yeah, but do other networks allow me to use the data in 100+ other countries with no extra charges or anything needed to be done by me?

      I could also opt out and just pay the extra money to make the "problem" go away.

      Either way it's a win / win situation from what we had a month ago. A month ago 15GB of data would have cost $150 instead of the now $60. This means paying full price for higher usage literally doesn't change, but from 6-15GB can be over 50% cheaper.

      Other networks also don't work out as cheap for

      • Comment removed based on user account deletion

    • Re:Other networks give more GB's at full speed som (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Falconnan ( 4073277 ) on Thursday January 18, 2018 @01:58AM (#55951495)

      True, but that's not the full story...

      Base plan: $20/month for unlimited talk and text. $10/GB used, prorated, not charged for what you don't use. Add taxes and regulatory fees. So, if you use not tower data, you pay something like $23/month. Now add that you pay the prorated amount without overages... This is more like a flex plan. Soft cap, yes. Is the throttled speed low? Yes. But with most unlimited plans you pay the full amount even if you use no data.

      I'll stick to my previous position for anyone contemplating Fi that I've been saying from when I first switched: If you're not a heavy data user, it's nearly perfect. This just made it better for moderate users.

  • I set myself up for 2GB a month. (Score:5, Informative)

    by pecosdave ( 536896 ) on Wednesday January 17, 2018 @06:19PM (#55949803) Homepage Journal

    I've passed it three time.

    Two times an app that's supposed to download podcasts over WiFi only decided to use normal data. Another I needed to webcast an announcement for a political connection and it was better than the hotel WiFi.

    In short - if the places I hung around (work) had better WiFi so that my automated downloader didn't hiccup and/or fail to download on a regular basis I would practically never exceed my bandwidth. The program itself seems to be pretty good about not doing it on mobile data, it's when I manually force it, it will use anything.

    fi had been great. I'm rarely without a signal. During Hurricane Harvey Sprint and T-Mobile had great signals but zero backhaul. I was able to force it over to US Cellular (a carrier that doesn't really exist as an entity down here but still have coverage for their travelers) and even though the signal was weak I could let people know we were safe. What other carrier can you switch your carrier on when a local connection sucks?

    • I'm a slightly heavier user; I usually use a little under my nominal 4 GB per month. However, with this change, I'm pretty much just going to stop caring about my data usage, which will probably lead me to use 10-12 GB per month. They'll get a little more money from me, I'll get a lot more data from them. Works for me.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by fubarrr ( 884157 )

      Envy mortals -> https://propakistani.pk/packag... [propakistani.pk]

      The glorious nation of Pakistan has 200GB data plans for $30 bucks

      • You know, I know where a really nice three bedroom, two bath two car garage brick home with a large living room from the 1980's in great condition sold for $35,000 - yes in the United States.

        If you have to live in a shit-hole to get a deal, is it really a deal?

  • My wife and I average $50 a month. It's hard to beat that. I certainly don't see anything on the T-Mobile site that can beat that. That's $50 *total*, by the way, not per person. The T-Mobile pure pay as you go plan would end up being more because of text and voice. Getting an unlimited text/talk + limited data plan would definitely be more. The multiple network coverage is nice, though usually not a big deal. Flexibility is also nice. Normally we are around wifi all the time, but occasionally when we t

  • If it limits your bandwidth.

    Let's face it: Every plan is limited. time-of-month x bandwith = limit of your data. If it is the full bandwidth you may call it unlimited (in bandwidth).
    When you start to throttle at some point the bandwidth you reduce the data with respect to the data of an "unlimited" plan.

  • Great plan! I would switch immediately if I can use my iPhone under FI plan.

  • Where Fi really works for me is the per device cost. I've got a phone and cellular tablet but I'm barely using only about .9 - 1.1 GB / month of mobile data between the both of them. Fi only charges for data costs on data-only devices.

    So with Fi I'm playing $30-33(+taxes) for both devices. T-mobile wants 90/month for the same number of devices. Even when I was grandfathered in with T-Mobile, It would have been $70/month for both devices on T-Mobile. Verizon wants 75/month for just one line alone... And T-m

  • I can control my bill so that I pay as little as $30 but never more than $80. I pay for exactly what I use and nothing more. Unlike some other carriers I get excellent receiption in rural areas thanks to U.S. Cellular. In addition, I've used my phone in Canada, Ecuador, Hong Kong and Indonesia with no issues and no additional Sims or added charges. Best of all, no contracts or early termination fees what so ever. This makes me even happier I switched to Project Fi.

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