I've been a member since this was just called Project Fi. The first 3-5 years were exciting, regularly filled with "coming soon" announcements including new features and products. Once the pixel was introduced I feel like Google Fi stalled out. Except for a rebuilding of their service plans maybe 4-5 years ago there's been really no changes. In fact we've actually lost some of the innovative features like multi network access that was what drew me in the first place. I had hoped to be part of a network that continued to innovate. The future feels uncertain.

pls Google, do something.

Finished porting out my number from Fi yesterday to Visible, wanted to write up a quick post to commensurate the 9 years I've been with Fi and start a discussion on how much Fi has not kept up with the times.

I signed up for Project Fi back in 2016 when it was still a "quirky" cell phone provider that sometimes send you merch like socks in the mail. You paid $10 per GB, could toggle between different cell phone providers, and never have to deal with walking into a cellphone store like tmobile or at&t.

And now 9 years later, you can get 10GBs of data from an esim provider like Nomad for $15 versus the $10 per GB Fi still charges you. Although sometimes these esim providers have problems with things like speed and the fact that your IP sometimes shows up as in Singapore or the UK so I ended up trying Visible.

For the past 2 years or so, I've kept my Fi on Flexible and relied solely on Visible or Nomad for data, effectively paying ~$55 total a month. Yesterday I had an epiphany and decided to just port out my number, which only took 10 minutes.

Maybe I will see Fi again in November when a sweet new Pixel deal come out, which I never could get when I stayed loyal.

Back in September 2024, I'd received an email about Google Fi physical SIM cards being defective and that they had "resolved the production issues". My SIM stopped working 2-3 weeks after that email. I was overseas so couldn't enjoy my service until I came back home.

Came back home in March 2025, received a new SIM from them but it stopped working after about 3 weeks - my phone stopped detecting the SIM card.

I ordered two brand new ones over the past 3 weeks, neither worked on arrival. I've tested them on 2 Samsung Galaxy Phones and an iPhone, none of the phone could detect the SIM card. My friends' SIM cards from AT&T, Cricket Wireless, and even Fi's DATA-ONLY SIM worked fine on these phones.

Sure, one could use an eSIM. But not for me - when I travel overseas for more than 3 months, I need to reserve the eSIM spot for a local network and while still be able to receive my text messages (from friends, 2FA, etc ) through the Google Fi physical SIM.

EDIT:

Thanks for the responses! I now have a Galaxy S25 Ultra, which supports dual eSIM. If you are still receiving bad pSIMs from Fi, you are not alone and don't waste your time repeating their troubleshooting steps.

I'm looking into switching from Metro due to the Pixel 10, is the service any actual good these days?

I have had Fi for longer than I can remember, since the Project Fi days, but the quality of their cellular service is getting worse and worse. Recently I visited my dad in Eastern TN and had no service at all until I drove 30 minutes to the north. In previous visits, most recently less than a year ago, I had great 5G service all through the area. This was on two different devices. I've also had an issue with the network prioritizing a lower quality and lower strength LTE network instead of a stronger and higher quality 5G network where I work.

If anybody is listening that has any authority to actually change anything, your time is limited to do something before I change carriers.

It is 2025, this is not a new technology. It should just work...

I thought I'd save someone time and money and give an honest review of Google Fi services. I really wanted to love it, but.... I'm switching back to at&t. I'm in NJ and NYC area.

Pro's: good connection overseas, no issues connecting to network upon arrival to Europe ( compared to At&t ), no international data charges.

Con's: spotty connection, no connection at all in specific areas. IT support is useless and openly mean at times. I contacted them when I discovered that I have no network connection at work watsoever - no phone calls, no data (never had this issue with at&t), 2 weeks and 5 IT support reps later - the issue still persists. Notification "Sim card is not provisioned" and "emergency calls only" is a normal thing. I have Google 7 pro phone and iPhone on the second line ( with the same issues).