Hi folks:
This is a super deal. Google Fi works all over Europe and in the vast majority of countries in the world. This is a good phone (I am using it). You have to pay for Fi service based on actual usage, not some data blocks pre-determined by telecoms.
It is a good price and the Pixel phones have several advantages (the quality of the camera is one). There also are large discounts available for some new Samsung phones, too. A little confusing about how long you have to keep your Google Fi service to keep the discount. In one spot it looks like 2 years, but in another it is 120 days.
For travelers, the big advantage of Fi is that the phone service works in most of the world and the data, I think, is at high speeds, unlike T-Mobile, for example, which gives you free data, but at slower speeds unless you pay extra.
Getting off the plane and having your phone just work like it does every other day is a great experience.
Another advantage is that Google Fi roams with various network operators. On the other hand, I think T-mobile roams with fewer operators.
Regarding Samsung phones--they are way overpriced for what they offer. They are not durable and their software is terrible.
Other than Google's Pixel phones, I recommend Sony phones. They are not cheap as they focus on higher end models, but they last forever and come with excellent cameras. My previous phone was a Sony and I didn't want to part with it, until the latest Andorid operating system stopped supporting it.
Thanks, Google Fi is on my radar when I'm ready to replace my phone.
Hi there! I know the Pixels take great photos but I'm a little confused about this -- when you say it works all over Europe do you pay roaming? If I'm in Greece for 2 weeks and want to use this there (but not replace my US/Verizon iPhone) can I do that for $200 plus a small fee over there? Thanks for clarifying -- I would basically use this phone as a travel phone and a domestic camera!
There is no roaming charge. You just have to pay for data that you actually use.
I believe Google Fi's data charge is $10 per GB of data used. It is pro-rated, so if you use 100 MB (1/10 GB), you will pay just $1 for the data. There is a cap that offers some protection to those who are extremely heavy consumers of cellular data.
The basic monthly charge for Google Fi phone service was in the $20 range when I switched to Google Fi last year. I haven't yet used it in Europe and rarely require cellular data at home, so I have no personal knowledge of the data speed. It is supposed to be somewhat faster than T-Mobile, though. Paying separately for data is saving me over $30/month on my cellphone bill since I can do just about everything I need to do on Wi-Fi when I'm not traveling.
I monitored my data usage during my last trip to Europe and never hit 1 GB over a one-month period. In some respects I'm a light user; I don't stream videos and do most of my web surfing over Wi-Fi at my hotel. However, I do spend a lot of time on this forum when I'm sitting on buses or trains, and I use cellular data then if Wi-Fi isn't available.
I'm trying to figure out why it's $199 not $299 as it says on their website? That is, if I pay for the phone outright, it's $199, assuming I port an existing number to Google Fi and keep my service for at least 90 consecutive days.
Moving to Google Fi will raise my monthly bill by about $25/month so add $75 to the price for me. It's still a good price if it's $199...but not as amazing if it's $299.. I'm only going to save $75, because I don't want/need to keep my phone on Google Fi.
I believe $199 was for a special promotion that is now over.
I’ve had Google Fi for four years. We have two phones, two numbers and our bills are around fifty a month for the two of us. Once we hit $100 when someone was doing a lot of downloads and didn’t realize the wifi had been turned off.
We’ve used the phone all over Europe, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and even Madeira in the Atlantic Ocean. The service picks up the signal within a minute and we’re good to go.
My husband has a 5G phone, so maybe it’s time for me to move up, too.
Right I see now the original posting date - sorry, wasn't paying attention.
The Pixel 6a is coming out in summer and therefore there may be a deal for Pixel 6 and other models.
If you can wait, then wait.
