How to Switch to Google Fi (2025): Plans, Tips, and Advice

All of nan prices supra are for a azygous statement paid monthly. Google periodically offers half disconnected and different specials, usually only if you bring your ain phone.

Activate Your Chip

Once you've picked your scheme and signed up, Google will message retired a SIM card. It took a mates of days for my beingness SIM to arrive, but I'll gladly return nan flimsy hold if it saves maine from mounting ft successful a beingness bearer store. If you're utilizing an iPhone, Google Pixel, Samsung phone, aliases different instrumentality that supports eSIM, you tin group up Fi with an eSIM instantly.

Once your spot arrives, you'll request to usage a SIM instrumentality to propulsion retired nan SIM tray and insert nan SIM paper into your phone. Then, download nan Google Fi app (you'll request to beryllium connected Wi-Fi to do this since your spot won't link to nan web yet), and travel nan steps there. If you're porting successful your aged telephone number, it whitethorn return a small longer. For me, aft mounting up a caller number, Fi was up and moving aft astir 5 minutes. That's it, you're done.

I person traveled and lived successful agrarian areas for nan past 7 years, and I've tried conscionable astir each telephone and hotspot scheme around—none of them are anyplace adjacent this simple. The only 1 that comes adjacent is Red Pocket Mobile, which I still usage successful summation to Google Fi. There are cheaper plans retired there, but successful position of easiness of usage and reliability, Fi is difficult to beat.

Using Google Fi arsenic a Hotspot

You tin usage Google Fi arsenic a elemental measurement to adhd cellular connectivity to immoderate instrumentality that accepts a SIM card, for illustration a mobile hotspot. You'll request to activate your Google Fi SIM paper pinch a telephone utilizing nan Google Fi app, but erstwhile nan activation is done, you tin put that spot successful immoderate instrumentality your scheme allows. If you spell pinch nan Unlimited Plus plan, that intends you tin put your spot successful an iPad, Android tablet, aliases a 4G/5G mobile hotspot. You are still bound by nan 50-gigabyte information limit, though, truthful make judge you don't spell excessively crazy pinch Netflix.

Alternatively, see ordering a data-only SIM. Google allows you to person up to 4 if you're connected nan Unlimited Premium aliases Flexible plans, meaning you tin support 4 gadgets—a spare telephone aliases tablet—connected to nan internet. The caveat is that they can't spot telephone calls aliases person texts. You don't person to usage your telephone to activate nan SIM first. You tin bid a data-only SIM successful nan Plan conception of your account, nether Devices & subscriptions. If you person an eSIM-only instrumentality you want to connect, you tin pat Connect your tablet and Fi will connection a QR codification you tin scan to activate nan SIM.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Do I request a Google account? Yes, you do request a Google relationship to motion up for Google Fi, but you don't request to beryllium all-in connected Google to usage Fi. I person an Android phone, and I usage Google apps since that's what we usage present astatine WIRED, but extracurricular of activity I do not usage immoderate Google services different than Fi, and it still useful great.
• Is Google Fi search my each move? Yes, but truthful is your existent provider. Google Fi's position of work opportunity Google doesn't waste what's known arsenic customer proprietary web information—things for illustration telephone location, details, and features you use—to anyone else.
• I'm walking and want to usage Google Fi abroad. Will that work? Fi's position of work require you to activate your work successful nan US, but aft that, successful theory, it should activity anyplace Fi has partnered pinch an in-country network. WIRED editor Julian Chokkattu has utilized Fi successful aggregate countries while traveling. However, based connected feedback from WIRED readers, and reference done recreation forums, it seems that astir group are being trim disconnected if they're retired of nan US for much than a fewer weeks. I would opportunity don't scheme connected utilizing Google Fi to fulfill your integer nomad dreams.

Tips and Tricks

There are respective features disposable done nan Google Fi app you mightiness not observe astatine first. One of my favorites is an aged Google Voice characteristic that allows you to guardant calls to immoderate telephone you like. This is besides imaginable successful Google Fi. All you request to do is adhd a number to Fi's forwarding list, and immoderate clip you get a call, it will ringing some your compartment telephone and that secondary number—whether it's a location phone, 2nd cell, aliases nan telephone astatine nan Airbnb you're at. This is very useful successful places wherever your awesome spot is iffy—just way nan telephone to a landline. Similarly, it tin beryllium worthy enabling nan Wi-Fi calling characteristic for times erstwhile you person entree to Wi-Fi but not a compartment signal.

Another characteristic that's becoming much and much useful arsenic nan number of spam calls I get goes ever upward is telephone blocking. Android and iOS calling apps tin block calls, but that sends nan caller straight to voicemail, and you still extremity up getting nan voicemail. Block a telephone done nan Google Fi app, and nan callers get a connection saying your number has been disconnected aliases is nary longer successful service. As acold arsenic they know, you've changed numbers. To group this up, unfastened nan Fi app and look nether Privacy & information > Manage interaction settings > Manage blocked numbers, and past you tin adhd immoderate number you for illustration to nan list. If you alteration your mind, conscionable delete nan listing.

One last point worthy mentioning: I person not canceled my Google Fi work contempt switching to Starlink for astir of my hotspot needs. Instead, I conscionable suspended my Fi work utilizing nan app. That way, should I request it for immoderate reason, I tin reactivate it very quickly.