Google Fi: Google charges you $20 per line and $10 per gigabyte (that includes unlimited talk and text). Please also consider subscribing to WIRED. If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. For less-drastic options, we have a few alternative and affordable carriers for you to consider. To get around the SMS and calling issue, you could use an instant-messaging app like iMessage or WhatsApp as well as audio- or video-calling apps like FaceTime and Google Duo over Wi-Fi. The downside? You lose cellular data connectivity, and you cannot make or receive phone calls or texts.īut your phone will be able to connect to Wi-Fi networks, like the one you might have in your home, allowing you to use almost all your usual apps. It lets the carrier hold onto your phone number and account, and while you still pay a small monthly fee, it's a way to save a little money month to month. If you've thought the same, well, you have a few options.įirst, you can suspend your phone service.
Yet my family has paid around $200 per month for our five-member unlimited-data family plan on AT&T. In the past few months, I've used very, very little cellular data.
