Google announces Project Fi: Partners with Sprint and T-Mobile for Network Access (previous title: Google to start it's own Wireless Service; using T-Mobile/Sprint for it's Network Footprint.)

[Terrell352]

I've noticed after a few weeks using Fi that the switching between Sprint and T-mobile has gotten better. Whether that's due to backend changes or the network 'learning' the areas you frequent.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

So far mine stays on T-Mobile at all times still. Mostly on band 12 even if there is strong band 4. It will hold band 12 even if I pass a site with band 4 only and the band 12 signal starts to become bad.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[kmanracing24]

So far mine stays on T-Mobile at all times still. Mostly on band 12 even if there is strong band 4. It will hold band 12 even if I pass a site with band 4 only and the band 12 signal starts to become bad.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

I experienced the same thing besides the b12. Even hspa+ over b41. It gets better!

 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[Terrell352]

I experienced the same thing besides the b12. Even hspa+ over b41. It gets better!

 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

How long until yours started to change? And I wonder why it initially prefers T-Mobile over Sprint?

 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[kmanracing24]

How long until yours started to change? And I wonder why it initially prefers T-Mobile over Sprint?

 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

I was thinking that maybe the Sprint towers were congested at first but my issues occurred in a rural area at 5am. There was no way it was due to congestion. I did, however, contact CS about it and gave them the area that I was having issues with. It took about 2 weeks since then to really notice the change.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[tybo31316]

Maybe Google is paying T-Mobile less pre GB. So the devices are configured to stay on T-Mobile more.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6

[Terrell352]

It's a good service but I'm not sure if its for me. My city lacks wifi hotspots in alot of areas to the point where my Nexus 6 never connects to open wifi because there basically is not many here so I use a lot of data. I'm on almost 3 gigs and I have only had the service for a week. On Sprint only I use 8-11gb a month. It would probably be more if Sprint worked well in the congested parts. Since T-Mobile does I have been using way more data without meaning too. I don't like T-Mobile for voice as the quality is terrible since it won't do volte on Project Fi. So I try to use T-Mobile for data and Sprint for voice. Still it's starting to get expensive. I'm at $48.70 which is not bad but at my current rate I will use 12gb in months time and I'm not trying to pay $140 for one lines service. It's a good second line service. Or you know if you don't use alot of data.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[kmanracing24]

It's a good service but I'm not sure if its for me. My city lacks wifi hotspots in alot of areas to the point where my nexis never connects to open wifi because there basically is not many here. So I use a lot of data. I'm on almost 3 gigs and I have only had the service for a week. On Sprint only I use 8-11gb a month. It would probably be more if Sprint worked well in the congested parts. Since T-Mobile does I have been using way more data without meaning too. I don't like T-Mobile for voice as the quality is terrible since it won't do volte on Project Fi. So I try to use T-Mobile for data and Sprint for voice. Still it's starting to get expensive. I'm at $48.70 which is not bad but at my current rate I will use 12gb in months time and I'm not trying to pay $140 for one lines service. It's a good second line service.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

That's what I'm using it as. Sprint line = main number everyone knows. Fi line = used for roaming data after my 300mb run out + eip nexus 6.

 

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[travismheim]

Those super high speed tests are neat to see. However no one I know cares, or even bothers to check. All they care about is will Facebook, email, and whatever other app they are using load when they open it.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[Terrell352]

Those super high speed tests are neat to see. However no one I know cares, or even bothers to check. All they care about is will Facebook, email, and whatever other app they are using load when they open it.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

And if it doesn't then there is a problem. I only do speed tests if I'm in a new area and want to see the capacity there, if every app is working better than I previously had or if I can't load anything to see if the tower is at capacity. Every once in a while I will do it just because.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[david279]

I'm on fi now and see the same things. Stuck on T-Mobile but with I think is happening is were pretty much mapping coverage for fi using wifi as beacons. I manually switch to sprint thru the dialer codes but as soon as I get home and connect to my wifi I switch to t-mobile. Every time. It makes me think it uses wifi as location points of signal measure to know when to switch.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[Terrell352]

I'm on fi now and see the same things. Stuck on T-Mobile but with I think is happening is were pretty much mapping coverage for fi using wifi as beacons. I manually switch to sprint thru the dialer codes but as soon as I get home and connect to my wifi I switch to t-mobile. Every time. It makes me think it uses wifi as location points of signal measure to know when to switch.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

No I have been in plenty of non wifi zones and had it switch from Sprint to T-Mobile. I went to a dead zone for T-Mobile just last night taking a friend home in the boondocks and I lost service completely on T-Mobile and it never attempted to switch to Sprint. I airplane modes it and turned the phone off and back on and neither method worked. So I gave up and manually switched and sure enough Sprint had band 26 -109dbm. It's a problem that google needs to figure out.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[david279]

Yea I'm just thinking of theories but it's crazy soon as I hit my wifi it switches.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[jreuschl]

I wonder if Google is preferring it for data while on voice?

 

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

[cletus]

Just a bump for any Google Fi users: Google is offering installment payments for the newly released Nexus phones.

 

https://fi.google.com/about/faq/#supported-devices-2

Device	Buy today + applicable taxes	Pay over 24 months + applicable taxes
Nexus 5X - 16GB	$379	$15.79/month for 24 months
Nexus 5X - 32GB	$429	$17.88/month for 24 months
Nexus 6P - 32 GB	$499	$20.79/month for 24 months
Nexus 6P - 64 GB	$549	$22.88/month for 24 months
Nexus 6P - 128 GB	$649	$27.04/month for 24 months

[savageman13]

I waited till the new phones to request my invite, and it appears that they are giving instant invites.  Not sure if everywhere, but another friend in the Phoenix area and I both got instant invites.  SIM card will arrive 10/23-27 though, soon after my Nexus 5X will arrive! 

[transitwatch889]

Just tried that myself seems they were waiting for the new devices to drop.

[trojanman05]

I put in a request back in late July and got a 4-8 week estimated wait. Got the invite this evening after ordering the 6P this morning...just signed up for Fi and will be joining end of October/early November! Excited to try, especially to see how T-Mobile's coverage supplements Sprint in Southern California where B26 isn't available yet. I did test drive T-Mobile earlier this year, and I do know there is T-Mobile LTE at my gym, where Sprint has pretty much unusable 3G, so looking forward to that!

[gifters]

Yeah, I think I'm just going to go back to Verizon, the news nexus phones are meh. I had high hopes for switching to Fi from Sprint but I'm getting less excited about Fi's customer service, the main reason I won't renew with Sprint. Google should have made the Moto X Pure the next nexus phone. It seems like the finger print scanner adds a lot to the cost of the phone and I honestly don't see the need for one at this time. I've survived my whole life so far with out one.

[Paynefanbro]

Yeah, I think I'm just going to go back to Verizon, the news nexus phones are meh. I had high hopes for switching to Fi from Sprint but I'm getting less excited about Fi's customer service, the main reason I won't renew with Sprint. Google should have made the Moto X Pure the next nexus phone. It seems like the finger print scanner adds a lot to the cost of the phone and I honestly don't see the need for one at this time. I've survived my whole life so far with out one.

 

The new Nexus phones are cheaper than a lot of flagships. The Nexus 6P starts at $499 and according to DxOMark has the second best camera on a device after the GS6. Fingerprint scanners are becoming the norm and I wouldn't be surprised if the next Motorola flagship had one. Besides, Google was pushing fingerprint authentication with Marshmallow so we saw this coming from a mile away.

[Arysyn]

I figure Google is satisfied making alot of money licensing Android to various device manufacturers, which also has helped to build up their Play Store with apps. However, I have an idea that would ensure that stability, but also provide a possible new growth opportunity for Google, if they'd actually do something with the idea, rather than it ending up like another Motorola situation for them.

 

I'd like for Google to purchase Sony. I doubt it will happen, but still... I've been a longtime fan of Sony products and find it a huge shame how much Sony has lost over the years. I'd love to see Google revitalize Sony, even if Google only bought Sony's mobile division would be a great thing to see.

 

My idea goes further with Google using an exclusive operating system for the Google/Sony Nexus, that would make it more directly compete with Apple. Having an exclusive, top of the line Sony camera system, along with Sony's display technologies, would help it even more at that. Then if Sony were to create its own chipset, or make an exclusive deal with Nvidia to enter in the smartphone market, would be another wonderful addition.

[jreuschl]

Google is giving out immediate Project Fi invites for the next 24 hours FYI.

[Arysyn]

If only the per gb rate was $5 or less, I'd get Fi. Just too expensive of a rate for me at $10 per gb.

[mikejeep]

If only the per gb rate was $5 or less, I'd get Fi. Just too expensive of a rate for me at $10 per gb.

 

It's pro-rated though, which is unique as far as I have seen.. if you use less than you prepay for, you get a bill credit for your unused data. And it's not rounded to gigabytes. I wish they had a hotspot option where you could sign up for the same plan without the telephone features.

 

-Mike

[Arysyn]

It's pro-rated though, which is unique as far as I have seen.. if you use less than you prepay for, you get a bill credit for your unused data. And it's not rounded to gigabytes. I wish they had a hotspot option where you could sign up for the same plan without the telephone features.

 

-Mike

The pro-rated feature is good. I know GoogleFi is largely meant for WiFi usage, which in contrast to that aspect specifically, the cellular is good to have as a secondary option that offers the pro-rated feature as a part of that.

 

However, I got excited about, as did many people, of GoogleFi operating on both T-Mobile and Sprint, having the ability to use both networks adding that extra cellular coverage that would have been great for mid-range data use in the 10gb-15gb range. At $5 per gb, which seemed to be what alot of people, including myself, were expecting/hoping (from what I read online). That would have made the total bill before taxes around $70 to $95 monthly, just affordable enough at slightly below Verizon rates.

 

Although for light users on cellular usage, GoogleFi is a good option.

[lordsutch]

Since my 5X showed up today, I moved my Nexus 6 over to Project Fi and ported my old T-Mobile prepaid number over.

 

Interestingly, Fi seems to park on Sprint rather than T-Mobile here in Macon. Haven't had the chance to play with it much more yet.