Project Fi, What Am I Missing?

[Heat_Fan89]

OK, I use prepaid Mint Mobile which cost me $15 per month plus BS recovery fees and taxes which works out to be around $201 for 12 months. So i'm intrigued by Project Fi and their subscription service which says for $15 per month you get a new P4a, plus device protection, plus 2 yr upgrade to a new device AND you get to keep the P4a. Sounds to good to be true so what am I missing? Is it wrong to think that when you upgrade to a NEW qualifying device it won't be $15 per month?

The other thing worth noting it says you can save $133 over the life of the plan. However $15x24 months comes out to be $360, so where's the savings when the P4a is $349??????

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I assume the Project Fi calling and data plan are not included. Anyone else here using Project Fi and what are your thoughts?

 

[tbayrgs]

Have to add cost of Google’s protection plan, which is $99 for the 4a. Bought on its own, the 4a with device protection is $448+tax in the US.

IIRC, Google Fi costs $30/mo + cost of data used so you’ll lose any savings vs. what you pay for Mint.

 

[ramram55]

Just curious how long have you been with Mint Mobile ?

 

[Heat_Fan89]

Just curious how long have you been with Mint Mobile ?

Close to 2 yrs, just reupped for a 3rd yr, very happy with the service. I couldn't pass up on the $45 AMEX cashback credit for spending over $90 with Mint Mobile. In my area it's much better than Straight Talk which is based on AT&T. Mint Mobile is on the T-Mobile network.

 

[ramram55]

Thanks, about to use Huawei P30 Pro on Mint Mobile as my second line.

 

[hallux]

Have to add cost of Google’s protection plan

Not according to what Im seeing (see attachment, taken right off the Fi page). The phone is $9, mandatory protection plan is $6, totaling $15/month for the phone and protection plan.

IIRC, Google Fi costs $30/mo + cost of data used

No, it's $20 for the base plan (single line) plus whatever data is used, data is billed per MB. Price protection kicks in at 6 GB, no further data charges until 15 GB if you want 4G speeds after 15 GB. There is also an "unlimited" plan.

The other thing worth noting it says you can save $133 over the life of the plan. However $15x24 months comes out to be $360, so where's the savings when the P4a is $349??????

The thing you're missing is that the $360 includes device protection over the course of those 2 years.

I'm on Fi (FYI, "Project" was dropped a while ago), I still have some referral codes, gets both of us a $20 bill credit after the plan has been active over a month, but at the least I'd see your real name, you may also see mine.

 

[tbayrgs]

Not according to what Im seeing (see attachment, taken right off the Fi page). The phone is $9, mandatory protection plan is $6, totaling $15/month for the phone and protection plan.

No, it's $20 for the base plan (single line) plus whatever data is used, data is billed per MB. Price protection kicks in at 6 GB, no further data charges until 15 GB if you want 4G speeds after 15 GB. There is also an "unlimited" plan.


The thing you're missing is that the $360 includes device protection over the course of those 2 years.

I'm on Fi (FYI, "Project" was dropped a while ago), I still have some referral codes, gets both of us a $20 bill credit after the plan has been active over a month, but at the least I'd see your real name, you may also see mine.

Not according to what Im seeing (see attachment, taken right off the Fi page). The phone is $9, mandatory protection plan is $6, totaling $15/month for the phone and protection plan.

No, it's $20 for the base plan (single line) plus whatever data is used, data is billed per MB. Price protection kicks in at 6 GB, no further data charges until 15 GB if you want 4G speeds after 15 GB. There is also an "unlimited" plan.


The thing you're missing is that the $360 includes device protection over the course of those 2 years.

I'm on Fi (FYI, "Project" was dropped a while ago), I still have some referral codes, gets both of us a $20 bill credit after the plan has been active over a month, but at the least I'd see your real name, you may also see mine.

I wasn’t saying you needed to add the protection plan—the OP wasn’t accounting for the cost of the protection plan in his savings calculation. He was comparing the $360 total cost to the $349 retail price of the 4a without also adding the $89 you’d have to pay for the protection plan.

 

[Heat_Fan89]

I'm on Fi (FYI, "Project" was dropped a while ago), I still have some referral codes, gets both of us a $20 bill credit after the plan has been active over a month, but at the least I'd see your real name, you may also see mine.

Thanks for the offer but Mint Mobile at least for me is the better deal. For $15 a month I get 3GB unlimited data, I can use all my data as a Hotspot, unlimited everything else and the service has been stellar. I even took advantage of a $45 Mint Mobile credit back to my AMEX card so I really paid $135 which comes out to around $11.35 per month. I have considered Project Fi in the past but it still can't beat Mint Mobile.

 

[lordhamster]

Google FI isn't for:

• Data hogs
• Folks trying to get cheapest possible phone plan
• People who stay exclusively domestic

If you use more than 1-2GB of data per month, FI will be more expensive. Honestly for me the best "value" phone service out there right now is Visible by Verizon. You get unlimited everything (albeit de-prioritized) for $25/month with their Party pay scheme... which is brilliant.

Google FI is hands down the best service for folks like me, who pre-covid traveled overseas extensively. I was overseas 1-3x per month on average and landing and having full speed data at the same price as at home was always fantastic.