TIPS Cellular.everything

[wardmundy]

Well, there's another Google Fi GOTCHA, too. It seems the data-only SIMs are only available on the Unlimited Plus and Flexible Plans now. So on the Plus plan, that would bump up the monthly cost to $40 with 4-6 people on the plan.

 

[kenn10]

I'm still pretty happy with my T-Mobile seniors plan. The advantage I see with Google Fi is that they also roam onto US Cellular which seems to fill in a lot of rural areas but I'd take that with a grain of salt. The coverage maps are wishful thinking in most cases.

 

[wardmundy]

The major advantage of Google Fi (at least to me) would be the free data-only SIMs which can be used in iPads, tablets, other cell phones, and routers like this one. With two people, that would reduce the monthly cost to $55 plus tax with 50GB of data per person per month. The additional cost of a single data-only SIM with T-Mobile is $50. So... you're basically getting the cell service for (almost) free if you need at least one data-only SIM. With more than one SIM, it's a real bargain. And you can still make VoIP and Google Voice calls with a data-only SIM so there's no need for cell service on any iPhone, iPad, or Android device.

 

[dicko]

And you can set Fi to simultaneously ring that voip number so incoming calls to your main number would also ring on your data only phone/tablet as well

 

[jrglass]

View attachment 4977

Need 3 to 5 more subscribers. Then we need to decide on the $20 or $40 plan. I prefer the $20 plan:

Unlimited data, calls, and texts within the US, Canada, and Mexico
Unlimited data, with slower data after 35 GB per person
5 GB of hotspot tethering
Free data-only SIMs
Lots of great cellphone deals (including free)

How will this work with an apple watch?

 

[wardmundy]

How will this work with an apple watch?

It won't. Android watches only so far... but no $10 a month either.

 

[phonebuff]

Well, there's another Google Fi GOTCHA, too. It seems the data-only SIMs are only available on the Unlimited Plus and Flexible Plans now. So on the Plus plan, that would bump up the monthly cost to $40 with 4-6 people on the plan.

So if I opt-in it's $40.00 / month for a Voice SIM (Number) and two Data SIMS as well.

How would I be billed by Fi directly or does one member need to be the Billing Party ?

 

[dicko]

As far as I know

one member need to be the Billing Party

 

[wardmundy]

"The Fi app even has an option to set it up so that members of your plan get "billed" for their portion of the total each month and can pay you [me] back with a couple of taps using Google Pay. As the primary account-holder, you also have the ability to pause any member's service or data at any point in a billing cycle..."

 

[wardmundy]

So if I opt-in it's $40.00 / month for a Voice SIM (Number) and two Data SIMS as well.

Unlimited Plus plan prices​

Unlimited Plus plans are priced per month based on how many lines you have. The rate is determined by the number of people in the plan.

• $65 per month for 1 line
• $110 a month for 2 lines ($55 per line)
• $135 per month for 3 lines ($45 per line)
• $160 per month for 4 lines ($40 per line)
• $200 per month for 5 lines ($40 per line)
• $240 per month for 6 lines ($40 per line)

 

[JFrost]

But fi allows 4 data sims as well as a phone sim if your usage fits within 50GB for $40, 35GB for $20 but not so global.

The ZBT's are very economical and well built routers running OpenWRT or Rooter project (a fork) you can even install asterisk on the 32gb versions if you want.

IMHO very good value when compared to Mikrotik's or CLiNet's as multi WAN routers.

Wrt Fi, your point works if I need many sims. Then it becomes more economical. I need one, so therein lies the rub for me.

I didn't know the ZTE can run openwrt - that could be a plus. On the other hand, it's for a client so rock solid is more important than gadgets on this one.
In comp, a mikrotik wAP last I checked was around $40 and I'd choose a 'tik L4 license over wrt all day but wAP is not battery op and still needs a usb for sim card. So the ZTE is still an interesting option. Thx for that.

 

[dicko]

I have used a waP R which has a miniPCI-E so I added a quectel cat4. It runs in 9 volts poe and up so that or a 12-24v ups , they work fine but routeros isn't IMHO as good or as 'hackable' as openWRT but they are weatherproof

MikroTik

MikroTik makes networking hardware and software, which is used in nearly all countries of the world. Our mission is to make existing Internet technologies faster, more powerful and affordable to wider range of users.

mikrotik.com

 

[JFrost]

I have used a waP R which has a miniPCI-E so I added a quectel cat4. It runs in 9 volts poe and up so that or a 12-24v ups , they work fine but routeros isn't IMHO as good or as 'hackable' as openWRT but they are weatherproof

MikroTik

MikroTik makes networking hardware and software, which is used in nearly all countries of the world. Our mission is to make existing Internet technologies faster, more powerful and affordable to wider range of users.

mikrotik.com

WRT over ROS? That's an interesting position. I'd love to hear why (take it to pm or another thread if you feel like we're gonna hijack).

As for the Quectel, You're in the US? Did you use the EC25 or EG25-G? and I'm assuming this was wtih Fi or was it another provider?

Thx.

 

[dicko]

openWRT is pure linux and opkg has among lots of packages wirequard, wrtbwmon (for scripting) and acme.sh (also asterisk if you have the memory) , routeros is not such a beast. (Actually I prefer the ROOter project/fork for multiwans so ideal for a Smart RV, one wifi for the camp wwan, one for the cabin wlan, wIred for monitoring solar chargers and other IOT candidates with Fi for wwan backup or on the move and with more than one Fi data sim for when you need more than 50GB)

ec25-aux , but also Sierra Wireless which are incredible cheap but take a little more work, Fi is kinda US mostly, so yes US mostly also ;-)

 

[dicko]

Unlimited Plus plan prices​

Unlimited Plus plans are priced per month based on how many lines you have. The rate is determined by the number of people in the plan.

• $65 per month for 1 line
• $110 a month for 2 lines ($55 per line)
• $135 per month for 3 lines ($45 per line)
• $160 per month for 4 lines ($40 per line)
• $200 per month for 5 lines ($40 per line)
• $240 per month for 6 lines ($40 per line)

For wallet-pain free data sim usage, sample for $15

Alcatel WiFi Hotspot MW41MP | eBay

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They work fine, just set the APN to h2g2 and you have a reasonable cat4 LTE Fi connection

 

[wardmundy]

One final gotcha is Google Fi's addition of "taxes and fees" which depend upon where you live. This can be a real deal-breaker for some and make T-Mobile service with zero taxes and fees a steal. For planning purposes, you probably should count on at least 15% and it could be much higher. Google is your friend when it comes to deciphering the correct number in your locality.

 

[rick]

Just to chime in on the subject, I'm using Google FI for 2-phones @$50/month both phones and 1-gig of data each if I need more they charge extra. Never got much of bill over $50/month. Use wifi everywhere I go.

I did order that T-Mobile gateway at $50 which is unlimited internet 3-weeks ago. Ask for a static IP for $3.00 extra. The device came and would not connect to their network but my devices would connect to the unit itself, no internet. They send me a second unit and it did the same thing. Then they send another sim card. No connection to their cell network.

After long discussion with my salesman saying I should have a different gateway that support static IP. That was the reason the first two units did not work.

Should get the correct gateway today, it's in transit, UPS says there is a delay of some kind.
The new gateway is a Inseego Wavemaker 5G indoor router and it is free.

Other routers/gateways they are using and charging extra:
inhand networks, and cradle point, all 5G rated.
Bottom line is $53.00/mo., no tax.
I am thinking of getting another style of gateway to improve reception something with paddle antennas. Will need something when I start RVing.
Stay tuned for the update.

 

[wardmundy]

The Google Fi dealbreaker for us was the 50GB cap. We are a moderate use family with a couple hours of streaming TV a day and two people actively using the Internet for about 15 total hours a day. Once in a while there's some development time. That works out to about 100GB of data a week according to our Comcast stats. So T-Mobile Home Internet appears to be the more reasonable choice... and pricing, especially at $30 a month if you're already on one of their qualifying plans. GoogleFi would be triple the cost with half of the needed bandwidth.

 

[MGD4me]

It seems like only 'yesterday' that 100GB of data per week was a benchmark never to be achieved! We've come a long way from dial-up!!

 

[wardmundy]

So... our other project was finding a reliable cellular backup platform to address Comcast and Spectrum outages. The idea was to find the cheapest pay-as-you-go cell plans and switch as often as necessary to take advantage of deals.

For the cell provider, we settled on Boost Mobile which has a 5GB special plan for a couple more days. It's $15 for 3 months from Best Buy.

Then we finally found a near perfect 4G LTE Router with automatic WAN failover for $129. After enabling the Boost SIM in a cellphone, we moved the SIM to the Cudy LT500D. It was literally plug-and-play. I updated the firmware just to be on the safe side, and everything came right up. We even got a congratulatory email from BoostMobile about the device swap. OpenVPN works great as well.