Project Fi Test Group - Who's in ?

[lparsons21]

No. I have a Nexus 5X with the full SIM in it. The data SIM allows for other devices to share in the cell data on your Project Fi account. With Project Fi there is only one plan, there is no data only plan.



Lloyd

 

[Mustang02]

I just plan on using hotspot.

 

[lparsons21]

The hotspot will work fine too. So turn on phone, go to settings, turn on hotspot. Go to device and start using or...

Turn on device and start using!
It is all about convenience and since it doesn't cost anything different whichever way you do it, why not do it the most convenient way. Of course, cell equipped tablets are a bit more pricey...


Lloyd

 

[Mustang02]

The hotspot will work fine too. So turn on phone, go to settings, turn on hotspot. Go to device and start using or...

Turn on device and start using!
It is all about convenience and since it doesn't cost anything different whichever way you do it, why not do it the most convenient way. Of course, cell equipped tablets are a bit more pricey...


Lloyd

Ugh yea I've been hotspotting since my first phone.

My tablets stay home so wifi is great.

 

[cr6]

Welcome to the forum Lloyd!

S5 tap'n

 

[lparsons21]

Cr6 - thanks for the welcome.

But today I cancelled out Project Fi and got a return set up on the Nexus 5X. I liked the idea of how Fi works, and it did work just fine, but Android and using Hangouts just doesn't give me the one feature I didn't know was missing when using with iOS/OSX.

On an iOS device unless you are connected power, Hangouts will not wake it up to notify that a call is coming in. I use that feature most of the time at home and it is very handy. When a call comes in from my iPhone it also 'rings' the iPad Pro and MacBook. At home one of those is usually what is right beside me and the phone is in the bedroom. I love that feature!!

I could and did find some workarounds, but they were a bit kludgy and just not fun!

BTW, if that could have been done in some sane way I would have stayed with it. The Nexus 5X is a very nice phone and even though I prefer iOS to Android overall, I could have enjoyed using the Nexus.

Now I'll just go into lurk mode...


Lloyd

 

[cr6]

Well, don't hesitate to give us a holler if there's anything else we can try and give you a hand with.


S5 tap'n

 

[lparsons21]

I will. I do have a couple Nook HDs and a Fire HD. The Nooks are running some very old version of Android and I don't use them much anymore. The FireHD is of course, Amazon's somewhat locked down Android. I'm sure I'm gonna side load something just to say I did. And I have a Pixel Chromebook (2015) that runs some Android software. So it's not like I'm completely out of the Android world.

Hell, I've even got a Lumia Icon and a Lumia 640 Windows phone. Haven't turned them on in a long time, probably never will.



Lloyd

 

[Mustang02]

Downtown Cleveland has some speed. Currently on T-Mobile.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

 

[lparsons21]

I was thinking about Project Fi today. This came into fruition quite quickly if you think about it. From invites to open was a very short period of time. And they've offered pretty good phones to go with the program.
It will be interesting going forward to see if they open it up to at minimum, more Android phones and hopefully at some point, iPhones. For us relatively low data users Project Fi is like manna from heaven. Inexpensive and with the ability to add lots of cell equipped tablets/phones/computers with data only for no charge except for data used is really a great idea.
I have to wonder what the technical challenges are to making other phones be able to do the automatic provider switching. IOW, is it daunting enough or does it require doing something on other phones that the special SIM can't do?


Lloyd

 

[Mustang02]

I was thinking about Project Fi today. This came into fruition quite quickly if you think about it. From invites to open was a very short period of time. And they've offered pretty good phones to go with the program.
It will be interesting going forward to see if they open it up to at minimum, more Android phones and hopefully at some point, iPhones. For us relatively low data users Project Fi is like manna from heaven. Inexpensive and with the ability to add lots of cell equipped tablets/phones/computers with data only for no charge except for data used is really a great idea.
I have to wonder what the technical challenges are to making other phones be able to do the automatic provider switching. IOW, is it daunting enough or does it require doing something on other phones that the special SIM can't do?


Lloyd

It took almost a year for the invite program to cease. I highly doubt many non-nexus phones will be on fi. The radios are the biggest challenge, Lack of frequencies and the ability to automatically switch from GSM(T-Mobile) to CDMA(sprint).

In my week of testing I've been on T-Mobile the most. Sprint was the first day and I had horrible cell reception. I've also noticed some lag while texting. From sending to sent can range from 2 to 7 seconds. Not a deal breaker but Verizon is almost instant.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

 

[lparsons21]

Lack of frequencies is becoming a non-starter as more and more unlocked phones are covering them all. I figure in another year or less, new models that are available unlocked will have all the frequencies and cover GSM and CDMA as well. Switching between them may be the balking point. I know my iPhone 6+ has no issues with any carrier, or at least I've been told so. I've used it on T-Mobile and Verizon with no issues. No way to test Sprint here because while they claim some coverage, from talking to those that tried it, it is nearly non-existent unless you are outside, near the interstate or on the corridor on one of the local highways.

I noticed that texts took a bit longer when I was using Project Fi, even when sending via wifi at home. Texts sent from my other number with Google Voice didn't have that lag. Oft times the lag was in minutes. As you noted, that was never an issue with Verizon.

With Project Fi my bill would have been about $20 for the plan, $5 data, and about $4 taxes. Total $29. I liked that!

Switching to any other was higher. Some examples:
1. T-Mobile - $40+$3.50 sales tax - $43.50. Unlimited talk/text/3Gb high speed data. Note the $30 plan which has restricted minutes sounds good until you find out they charge minutes when you use their wifi calling on prepaid.

2. AT&T = $40+ sales tax wi/autopay. Unlimited talk/text, 2Gb data

3. Verizon = $45+sales tax. Unlimited talk/text, 2Gb data. If you do autopay they give another 1Gb of data.


Lloyd

 

[Mustang02]

My god. T-Mobile speed test.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

 

[Mustang02]

Verizon in same spot.

 

[Mustang02]

Once again tmo killing vzw.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk