Google Fi gets a cheaper “unlimited” plan, bundled cloud storage

Google Fi, Google’s MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) cellular service, is launching a second plan for users today. Besides the original pay-per-megabyte plan with unlimited calls and text, Google Fi is now launching a full blown “Unlimited” plan (with throttling after 22GB) for $70, and it comes with 100GB of cloud storage thanks to a bundled “Google One” membership.

In 2018, Google Fi introduced “Bill Protection,” a tweak to the pay-per-MB plan that capped monthly bills at $80, making it an “unlimited” plan that throttled after 15GB. This new $70 plan is $10 cheaper and comes with more unthrottled data, and the bundled 100GB of Google One storage saves you another $2 a month. Google One is a monthly subscription service that gives you more storage for your Google account. Free Google accounts get 15GB across Gmail, Drive, and Google Photos, and Google One allows you to purchase anywhere from 100GB to 30TB of online storage.

The new Fi plan supports Google’s family bundling, too. The unlimited plan is $70 a month for a single person, $60 a month each for two accounts ($120 total), $50 each for three accounts ($150 total) and $45 each for four accounts or more ( $180 total). With this plan, you’ll get 22GB of unthrottled data and 100GB of storage per person, not shared across the whole family, which sounds like a good deal.

So there are two Fi plans now, the new “Unlimited” and the older “Flexible” plan:

Google Fi is a unique cellular service that can save you money depending on how you use your mobile device. As long as you pay for the data you use, (as pay-per-MB or with the new unlimited plan) the fees pretty much stop there. You can get multiple data-only SIM cards for free for your other devices, free hotspot capabilities, and international data in more than 135 countries, all at the normal rate. You get unlimited calls and texts, and your phone number lives in the cloud, so you get Google Voice-style features like call forwarding, online voicemail, Wi-Fi calling, and texts and calls on any device through the Google Hangouts app or website. There are no contracts, and you can quickly cancel and restart your Fi service at any time through the Fi app.

There are two classes of device support for Fi. Phones that are “Designed for Fi” (here’s a compatibility list) let you combine service from Sprint, T-Mobile, and US Cellular into one big super network and get an always-on VPN. In the past year, Fi was expanded to work with non-Fi phones, but instead of switching between three services, you just get T-Mobile service with the Fi pricing and services intact.

The Fi Store is also offering 50% off Pixel 3s right now to “celebrate” the new unlimited plan. This also works out to be a clearance sale, since the Pixel 4 is right around the corner. 

https://arstechnica.com/?p=1569561