Groups > misc.phone.mobile.iphone > #92574

Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment?

From	Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net>
Newsgroups	misc.phone.mobile.iphone, comp.mobile.android, alt.internet.wireless
Subject	Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment?
Date	2016-09-18 05:38 +0000
Organization	Aioe.org NNTP Server
Message-ID	<nrl99c$1drk$1@gioia.aioe.org> (permalink)
References	<nrklir$o0j$3@gioia.aioe.org> <cpvrtbt5c8b8gargljkobn00409k8o2bkn@4ax.com>

Cross-posted to 3 groups.

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On Sat, 17 Sep 2016 20:00:05 -0700, Jeff Liebermann wrote:

> "Nexus plus Project Fi:  Should you sign up for Google's wireless
> service?"
> <http://www.computerworld.com/article/2998266/mobile-wireless/nexus-5x-6p-project-fi.html>
> Read the section on "Understanding Project Fi".

Thanks Jeff for that URL:
http://www.computerworld.com/article/2998266/mobile-wireless/nexus-5x-6p-project-fi.html

It basically says that Google tries to "make it simple", which is a really
lousy value equation, since using a cellphone is already ridiculously
simple.

So, I'm not sure *what* Google Fi is trying to make simple.

They say that simplicity is the primary goal again, here:
http://www.computerworld.com/article/2999427/mobile-wireless/project-fi-google-voice.html

But anyway, they discuss right off the bat that Google Fi uses VPN when
connected to a public WiFi hotspot, but, as anyone knows, it's ridiculously
simple already to use VPN (I'm never NOT on a free VPN, for example) on
either iOS or Android devices.

So, as with most well MARKETED things, they're only making it simple for
the morons who don't know how to use a freeware VPN at public WiFi hotspots
(which isn't likely anyone on this newsgroup other than the common trolls).

At the time of that publicication, you needed an *invitation* to sign up,
and that took weeks, they said (which is a negative if it's still so).

The advantage, he says, is that if T-Mobile coverage isn't available, it
falls back on Sprint, and if a WiFi is stronger, it uses that (but really,
where do you folks find free public WiFi of any decent quality?).

So, in reality, since Sprint sucks, and free public WiFI basically doesn't
exist (and even if it did - you could use it *without* Google Fi!), it's
really just a T-Mobile network (which is easier to get with a cheaper
T-Mobile plan).

The *one* advantage is that switching between WiFI callinga and cellular
calling didn't *drop* the connection. OK. That's nice. But is it worth a
*special* phone and service for that one nicety?

This sub link has the best summary of what Google FI is (which, to me, is
no big deal whatsoever, and certainly not worth anything yet):
http://www.computerworld.com/article/2913639/mobile-wireless/google-project-fi-wireless-service.html

"The gist of it is this: Project Fi lets you use a combination of different
mobile data networks -- Sprint's and T-Mobile's, for the moment -- along
with public and authorized private Wi-Fi networks (with added security) to
make and receive calls, send texts, and get online".

Shortened, and simplified, Google Fi is just another 'carrier' who has a
simple cost structure which is about the same cost as your current carrier
for about the same service. If you're a moron who can't figure out how to
set up a free VPN at public WiFi hotspots, you'll like what they call the
"simplicity" of Google Fi. If you use a lot of data (over 3GB), you'll like
the simple cost structure of the data plan (although T-Mobile already has a
simple data cost plan of about the same price anyway). If Sprint has great
coverage by you, then maybe Google Fi is for you; otherwise, it's hard to
justify the purchase of four specific new phones just to use a system which
has no advantages over your current setup.

Thread

What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 00:02 +0000
  Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-09-17 20:10 -0400
    Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 00:34 +0000
      Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-09-17 20:37 -0400
        Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 00:56 +0000
    Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Bert <bert@iphouse.com> - 2016-09-18 14:10 +0000
      Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-09-18 10:20 -0400
        Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? ElfinArc6 <elfinarc6@gmail.com> - 2016-09-18 09:31 -0500
      Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? ElfinArc6 <elfinarc6@gmail.com> - 2016-09-18 09:22 -0500
  Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 00:31 +0000
    Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-09-17 20:34 -0400
      Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 00:54 +0000
      Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Elfin <elfinarc6@gmail.com> - 2016-09-17 20:21 -0500
    Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 00:54 +0000
      Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 01:08 +0000
        Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 01:15 +0000
          Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-09-17 21:34 -0400
            Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Elfin <elfinarc6@gmail.com> - 2016-09-17 20:47 -0500
          Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Bert <bert@iphouse.com> - 2016-09-18 14:12 +0000
        Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Savageduck <savageduck1@{REMOVESPAM}me.com> - 2016-09-17 18:27 -0700
          Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 01:48 +0000
            Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-09-17 21:50 -0400
              Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 02:07 +0000
                Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-09-17 22:11 -0400
                Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 04:16 +0000
            Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Elfin <elfinarc6@gmail.com> - 2016-09-17 20:51 -0500
              Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 07:31 +0000
                Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Elfin <elfinarc6@gmail.com> - 2016-09-18 07:27 -0500
                Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 23:00 +0000
      Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Elfin <elfinarc6@gmail.com> - 2016-09-17 20:23 -0500
        Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 04:16 +0000
  Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 01:22 +0000
    Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Char Jackson <none@none.invalid> - 2016-09-26 18:11 -0500
      Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2016-09-26 23:39 +0000
        Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Char Jackson <none@none.invalid> - 2016-09-27 02:16 -0500
          Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2016-09-27 07:28 +0000
  Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com> - 2016-09-17 20:00 -0700
    Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 04:00 +0000
    Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 05:09 +0000
      Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-09-18 06:45 -0400
        Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 23:00 +0000
          Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> - 2016-09-18 23:55 -0400
            Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-19 16:22 +0000
    Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 05:38 +0000
    Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 05:57 +0000
    Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 05:57 +0000
  Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 06:31 +0000
    Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 07:11 +0000
      Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Gordon Levi <gordon@address.invalid> - 2016-09-18 18:41 +1000
        Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? "Percival P. Cassidy" <Nobody@NotMyISP.net> - 2016-09-18 15:37 -0400
          Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 23:00 +0000
        Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-18 23:00 +0000
          Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-09-18 19:47 -0400
            Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Elfin <elfinarc6@gmail.com> - 2016-09-18 18:51 -0500
              Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-09-18 19:53 -0400
                Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Elfin <elfinarc6@gmail.com> - 2016-09-18 19:33 -0500
                Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-19 16:25 +0000
                Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-19 04:14 +0000
                Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Elfin <elfinarc6@gmail.com> - 2016-09-19 05:31 -0500
                Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-19 16:22 +0000
                Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Elfin <elfinarc6@gmail.com> - 2016-09-19 11:31 -0500
              Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-19 04:14 +0000
                Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Elfin <elfinarc6@gmail.com> - 2016-09-19 05:30 -0500
                Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-19 16:25 +0000
                Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Elfin <elfinarc6@gmail.com> - 2016-09-19 11:34 -0500
            Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? "Percival P. Cassidy" <Nobody@NotMyISP.net> - 2016-09-18 21:12 -0400
              Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-19 04:14 +0000
            Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-19 04:14 +0000
      Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? "Percival P. Cassidy" <Nobody@NotMyISP.net> - 2016-09-18 21:42 -0400
        Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? The Real Bev <bashley101@gmail.com> - 2016-09-18 19:17 -0700
          Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-09-18 22:27 -0400
            Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> - 2016-09-19 00:07 -0400
              Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? The Real Bev <bashley101@gmail.com> - 2016-09-18 21:16 -0700
                Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-19 16:22 +0000
                Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-09-19 17:52 -0400
                Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> - 2016-09-20 18:06 -0400
                Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-09-20 18:22 -0400
              Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-19 16:22 +0000
              Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-09-19 17:52 -0400
                Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> - 2016-09-20 18:09 -0400
                Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Horace Algier <horatio@horatio.net> - 2016-09-21 05:02 +0000
                Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> - 2016-09-21 17:10 +1000
          Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> - 2016-09-19 00:05 -0400
        Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? "Percival P. Cassidy" <Nobody@NotMyISP.net> - 2016-10-12 18:04 -0400
          Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? ElfinArc <elfinarc6@gmail.com> - 2016-10-12 17:27 -0500
            Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Bert <bert@iphouse.com> - 2016-10-13 13:53 +0000
              Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? ElfinArc <elfinarc6@gmail.com> - 2016-10-13 09:41 -0500
              Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-10-13 11:22 -0400
                Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? Elfin <elfinarc6@gmail.com> - 2016-10-13 11:12 -0500
                Re: What is Google Fi and what does it mean for Android & iOS equipment? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-10-13 15:30 -0400

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