Here's one great reason to switch to Google's new wireless service
Based on what Google has said about the service so far, it sounds like it has a few benefits compared to other carriers.
But one of the biggest ones is the fact that Google won't hit you with roaming fees when you use its service internationally.
Here's what Google's blog post about the announcement says:
Here's how it works: for $20 a month you get all the basics (talk, text, Wi-Fi tethering, and international coverage in 120+ countries), and then it's a flat $10 per GB for cellular data while in the U.S. and abroad.
Google is working with Sprint and T-Mobile on the service, which is probably why its able to offer free international coverage.
T-Mobile also offers this option, as the description for its Simple Choice plan says on its website:
Regardless, it's still worth noting - most carriers charge crazy fees once you continue to use their service outside of the US. Verizon, for example, tacks $25 on to your monthly fee per line for 100MB of international data.
Then, you need to pay $15 per line to add 100 minutes, 100 sent texts, and unlimited received texts. (In Mexico and Canada it's a bit cheaper, $10 per line and $5 for minutes and texts). That's in addition to whatever you're used to paying for your monthly plan. There are also other more flexible pay-as-you-go options, but they still require you to be wary of how often you're using your phone when you're traveling.
AT&T's international Passport plans range from $30 to $120 per month depending on how much data you want ($30 for 120MB, $60 for 300MB, and $120 for 800MB). You also get charged per megabyte for going over your allotted amount of data. Plus, you have to pay per minute for calls.
With Google's Project Fi, you don't have to worry about any of this - simply pay $20 for the basic plan that gets you texting, calling, and Wi-Fi access outside of the US, and then pay $10 per GB for data whether you're domestic or international.