Google Fi Military Discount | Best Cell Phone Plan for OCONUS Military Travelers

Update 2024: I am a happy Google Fi customer going on 7 years now. I use a Google Pixel 7 Pro. I now live OCONUS so I disabled the international data. I left the military and if you use too much overseas data, you get suspended from using the overseas data, unless you are on active duty orders overseas for the State Department or Department of Defense.

I just use a local sim card in my current home country. I keep text and phone calls on Google Fi, as you can use that unlimited overseas.

Original article from 2018:

Google Fi blows T-Mobile's international coverage out of the water. Google Fi is at least 4G and usually 4G LTE everywhere I go in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. The coverage in the States is also great, with 5G coverage with the right phone.

I used to be a big fan of another mobile carrier. They offered a reasonably priced unlimited talk, text, and data plan and had good coverage where I lived in the States. The international plan was also decent, offering 20 cent per minute phone calls, free texts, and 3G data in 140+ countries.

If you sign up through my link, you'll receive $20 towards your bill and I'll receive $20 as well.

Update 2024: I referred too many people and I don't get the $20 off any more :) But you will still get $20 off if you use my referral link, thanks!

Fi has a simple pricing structure: $20 for unlimited talk and text for the first person, then $15 more for every other person you add to your plan. Data is $10/GB but “bill protection” kicks in at $100 for 2 users and $60 for 1 subscriber. So for 2 people on a plan every GB after 10GB is free. For 1 subscriber every GB after 6GB is free.

They recently added an unlimited option as well. It's $120 per month for my wife and I.

The Google Fi Unlimited includes free phone calls to international mobile and landline phone numbers in over 50 countries. You also get 100GB of Google One storage.

For example, if you and your spouse use 11GB in a month, your total bill will be $135, assuming you didn't have additional charges. If you are the only one on the plan, the max you'll pay for talk, text, and data is $80/month ($60/data + $20 talk and text). Taxes and regulatory fees add another $6-7 per month for my account.

For international fees, Fi offers free texting and data is still only $10/GB, just like in the States. If you place phone calls, the fee is 20 cents per minute. Additionally if you are calling a number outside the USA there may be additional international dialing fees, but I have never seen these on my bill.

Google's Project Fi is Perfect for OCONUS TDY

The greatest thing about Google Fi is every time I travel to a different country I never really have to worry about cell phone coverage, outrageous international fees (looking at you Verizon and AT&T), or data coverage.

I usually try to buy a local SIM card if I'm going to be in the country for a while, sometimes this is expensive or too difficult to do based on my location. That's when Google Fi really shines.

Just in the past month I've been to six countries on three continents. Each time after I landed it took Google Fi less than a minute to find a signal, connect, and get me re-connected with my friends and family. Most importantly, I'm never lost when I travel now because I always have Google Maps to help me get around and find the best local food.

If you've ever been TDY/TCS/TAD to a foreign land and hunting desperately for a Wi-Fi signal, you need to get Google Fi. Trust me, the coverage is great, the service is fast, and if you travel internationally frequently you will wonder how you lived without it before. Make the switch today.

Google Fi When Deployed or PCS OCONUS

If you are stationed or deployed overseas, you can port your cell phone number into Google Fi to maintain it and even use it overseas as you would normally.