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0 pointsSohcahtoa823y ago0 comments

+1 for Google Fi

I use Google Fi and I've been to the Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy, and Switzerland. When I landed, I'd get a text message saying something like "Welcome to $COUNTRY! Your data is $DATA_RATE per gigabyte and voice calls are $VOICE_RATE per minute. It may take a couple minutes to get connected"

DATA_RATE has always been the standard Google Fi rate of $10/GB (with data free after a certain point, and free but throttled at another threshold), and the voice rate is typically 10 cents/minute.

For people that do a lot of travel and use a lot of data, you can even get an unlimited international data plan.

But yeah, I can go to nearly any first world country, and even some 3rd world countries, and not pay extra for my data. The fact that Verizon/TMobile/Sprint/etc. can't get their shit together and make this happen for their customers feels like a scam.

0 comments

throwaway298123y ago

-1 For Google Fi. I traveled to 2 countries on their list of "compatible" places where data should work, it didn't. Called support, no explanation. Bought a cheap local sim card instead, which always makes more sense to do. Now that Whatsapp and iMessage both let you "roam" on a different sim while keeping your phone number, there's no reason to try and roam with your original plan.

snazz3y ago

If you have a dual-SIM phone and your primary plan supports Wi-Fi calling, you don't even need to "roam" on a different SIM. You can use a local SIM card as your data plan and route your calls and texts over that network. There are a few iPhone apps I've used that allow you to download an eSIM in a couple minutes for five bucks.

SergeAx3y ago

Parent comment mentioned iMessage, that means iPhone. Are there any dual-SIM iPhones?

snazz3y ago

I think all of them since the XR/XS era, 2018 ish? My iPhone 13 mini does dual eSIM (I used both AT&T and T-Mobile when I was in a remote area and it worked great).

xur173y ago

> The fact that Verizon/TMobile/Sprint/etc. can't get their shit together and make this happen for their customers feels like a scam.

TMobile provides this same service for free for international travel (I actually wonder if this is where Google Fi gets the service for it from).

meragrin_3y ago

> The fact that Verizon/TMobile/Sprint/etc. can't get their shit together and make this happen for their customers feels like a scam.

Or maybe it is not worth it because the cost of doing so is not worth the possibly small number of people who would use it? A good number of people never even leave the country. I wouldn't be surprised if the vast majority of people in the US leave the country five or fewer times in their lifetime.

lotsofpulp3y ago

ATT is $10 per day, up to $100 per month after which the rest of the month is no extra charge. It starts and stops automatically when you start and stop using international data/voice/SMS/MMS.

https://www.att.com/international/day-pass/

Sohcahtoa82OP3y ago

Which is beyond ridiculous.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

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throwaway298123y ago

snazz3y ago

SergeAx3y ago

Parent comment mentioned iMessage, that means iPhone. Are there any dual-SIM iPhones?

snazz3y ago

I think all of them since the XR/XS era, 2018 ish? My iPhone 13 mini does dual eSIM (I used both AT&T and T-Mobile when I was in a remote area and it worked great).

xur173y ago

> The fact that Verizon/TMobile/Sprint/etc. can't get their shit together and make this happen for their customers feels like a scam.

TMobile provides this same service for free for international travel (I actually wonder if this is where Google Fi gets the service for it from).

meragrin_3y ago

> The fact that Verizon/TMobile/Sprint/etc. can't get their shit together and make this happen for their customers feels like a scam.

lotsofpulp3y ago

ATT is $10 per day, up to $100 per month after which the rest of the month is no extra charge. It starts and stops automatically when you start and stop using international data/voice/SMS/MMS.

https://www.att.com/international/day-pass/

Sohcahtoa82OP3y ago

Which is beyond ridiculous.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse