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Google Fi is rolling out significant updates to its mobile service plans, introducing a new, more affordable entry-level option and enhancing data allowances on existing tiers. These adjustments aim to provide subscribers with increased flexibility and value. The changes include a new ‘Unlimited Essentials’ plan, alongside refinements to the ‘Simply Unlimited’ and ‘Unlimited Plus’ offerings, now rebranded as ‘Unlimited Standard’ and ‘Unlimited Premium’, respectively. This evolution of Google Fi’s Unlimited Fi plans also brings technological advancements like broader eSIM support and expanded international capabilities.
Google Fi Introduces New Plan and Updates Existing Tiers
New Affordable Option: Unlimited Essentials
Leading the changes is the debut of the Unlimited Essentials plan, positioned as Google Fi’s most economical unlimited offering. Priced at $35 per month for a single line, this new Google Fi plan provides customers with unlimited calls, text messaging, and data usage. Users on this tier will have access to 30GB of high-speed data per month before potential speed reductions.
Enhancements to Standard and Premium Plans
Alongside the new tier, Google Fi is restructuring its portfolio:
- The plan previously known as Simply Unlimited is being renamed Unlimited Standard. Its monthly cost remains $50 for one line. However, the high-speed data allowance is increasing from 35GB to a more substantial 50GB. Furthermore, the high-speed hotspot tethering limit on this plan is seeing a significant boost, rising from 5GB to 25GB.
- The top-tier plan, Unlimited Plus, is now titled Unlimited Premium. The price for a single line stays at $65 per month. This plan’s high-speed data cap is doubling, jumping from 50GB to 100GB. It’s important to note that the Unlimited Premium plan will no longer feature unlimited high-speed hotspot tethering; this capability is now capped at 50GB per month.
Expanding Connectivity and Features
Data-Only eSIM Support for Secondary Devices
Beyond the plan adjustments, Google Fi is enhancing how users can connect secondary devices. Subscribers can now add a tablet or laptop to their plan using a data-only eSIM. This digital SIM capability is increasingly found in modern portable devices, such as recent Apple iPad Air and iPad Pro models. While Google Fi has long supported adding supplementary devices, the previous method required using a physical data-only SIM card.
Adding a device via eSIM is designed to be straightforward:
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- Access your Google Fi account management page (fi.google.com/account) from your mobile device.
- Select the option labeled Manage plan.
- Tap on Connect your tablet (or similar phrasing for other devices).
- Follow the on-screen prompts to scan a provided QR code using your secondary device (tablet or laptop).
This process enables the secondary device to utilize data connectivity under your existing Google Fi plan at no additional charge.
Improved International and Voicemail Capabilities
Further improvements are also being integrated into the Google Fi service:
- International 5G access is being expanded to support iPhones, in addition to Android devices. Global 5G coverage for users on the Unlimited Premium and Flexible plans now extends to over 92 countries.
- In the coming weeks, Google will introduce the ability for users to listen to their voicemails directly within their device’s native Phone application, offering an alternative to accessing messages solely through the Google Fi app.