New Google Fi Lines: 128GB Google Pixel 7a 5G Smartphone + $499 Bill Credit

Yes, Google Fi is bad in Bay, even in west bay (dublin, livermore, etc.). it's worse than Mint in most places. I've never had Verizon so I can't say. Also, my data usage on Fi is always 2-3x more because the the installed apps I think. I don't have this on mint, always below 2gig, but fi is 4-6gig.

Proceed with caution. Google Fi stated that they would perform a soft pull to check your device financing options - but they ended up with a HARD PULL - even if you opt not to buy anything or establish a new line. Others (and myself) got dinged with this.

I activated two of these in July. Waited for status to change to "activated device". Swapped SIM to my main phones and gifted the other two to my in-laws. Still getting bill credits to this day. You just have to read the terms. Sometimes it says just to activate and sometimes it says you have to use the phone for 120 days.

I wish I would got that damn samsung S23 Ultra when they had it for $799.

I tried to order 6 phones but the website won't let me checkout. Replacing the 6th phone with a sim card allows checkout. Even paying the full amount for the 6th phone won't allow me to checkout. There is a limit of 5 phones unless someone can find a workaround.

My take on it is can you afford the divorce? If you take a phone deal then they wrap it with a contract or bill "credits" for 24-36months meaning you can get divorced if the service sucks but you may have an unfortunate outlay (the remain) or you just suck it up w/ horrible service and most carriers know you won't break because humans hate to take loss.

Another approach is to rotate your phones, by taking advantage of asymmetric tradein offers, wait until the phone is almost 1 year out, or take bonus offers and flip the accessories.

In the end there is no free meal, they will get you one way of the other, the question is the phone more important than the service or not.

Even with this offer, if you are on a family plan Google only lets you do one of the lines and that is only if you are porting in multiples. So if you port in 4 lines (and abide by their 180 day rule) then only 1 of the 4 can get the deal.

If you are solo, you are paying a king's ransom so maybe a better prepaid option w/ a phone flip is in order.

Or gasp you get a refurb or slighly used phone and hold your own destiny.

I never take carrier deals anymore because if they screw up, I want the freedom to move and not suffer. Also doing the math, it almost always breaks even with bundled deals except now I don't need a Phd to figure out their edge.

The ONE exception to the rule is I did Verizon do more for a year but Verizon gave $500 per line BYOP (for 12 months) and I brought 4 lines for $2000. I had to jump through hoops wit esoteric gift card rules, but hey. That ended up working out to $35 a month for 4 phones service and was a one-time slip up by big red. They have corrected that loophole. If I had a phone under the command of the bill pay overloards I may have taken a hit to get that deal. Even when I moved to Cricket they gave me 4 new phones that I didnt need and no retention just to save the activation fees! Crazy.

I was able to order 6 Pixel 7a phones. The trick was to order 2 of each color.

Are you able to order all 6 and put on same family plan together? I want to do same for 4 but it is asking for credit check when I Add one to cart so I want to verify if this will work

I don't follow - are you saying if you come in as a family plan, you can only get one free device? I thought I see others here are buying 5 or 6? I tried doing it myself, but it seems to be requesting a credit pull so I want to be sure before going through the steps Thank you.

Yes I was able to get 6 on my family plan. You might have to pay for the phones up front if your credit isn't good enough.