Upgrade to Google Wifi from Google Fiber?

[wood 11766]

Just got the email today saying my current Google Fiber service will be discontinued Nov 30, with the option to upgrade to Google Wifi + a streaming service like Youtube TV, etc. 

I guess I have two options now - go with their Wifi & start streaming everything, or switch to Spectrum.

FML. Has anyone here made the upgrade to Google Wifi? How's your experience been? A tech told me a while back that they were no longer starting new Google Fiber accounts and were offering up Google Wifi for new customers. Said I could get it, too, but it was merely optional at the time. I kinda had a feeling it was leading up to something like this though.

[Horn_Spanker 524]

I got hooked up with fiber to the house last week?

[Updawg 2385]

Doing google fiber and YouTube streaming. Works fine. Unlimited dvr is nice. No boxes is nice. They give you two WiFi mesh with it

I assume you are still on the original google fiber and tv setup with boxes etc?

I was on that for a while and had the 100 Mb plan. Now google only does gig.

I’d do it over spectrum.

[wood 11766]

1 hour ago, Updawg said:

Doing google fiber and YouTube streaming. Works fine. Unlimited dvr is nice. No boxes is nice. They give you two WiFi mesh with it

I assume you are still on the original google fiber and tv setup with boxes etc?

I was on that for a while and had the 100 Mb plan. Now google only does gig.

I’d do it over spectrum.

Yeah that's pretty much how I figger we'll go. I hate Spectrum / Time Warner with the white-hot heat of a thousand suns.

How does the unlimited virtual DVR work? Do you have the option to keep some programs 'forever' or is there a limit? Also, are there any channels you'd like to have that aren't available on Youtube? Local channels?

[wood 11766]

2 hours ago, Horn_Spanker said:

I got hooked up with fiber to the house last week?

That's interesting. Where? 

[Updawg 2385]

I think the fiber and WiFi is being used interchangeably.

Google is getting rid of those old boxes and moving to their mesh wireless and YouTube tv. You still have the same fiber running into your house as before. It must be marketing lingo

Local channels and F1 are on YouTube tv. Just get fire sticks or whatever to run it.

[CooterBrown 18288]

Yeah that's pretty much how I figger we'll go. I hate Spectrum / Time Warner with the white-hot heat of a thousand suns.
How does the unlimited virtual DVR work? Do you have the option to keep some programs 'forever' or is there a limit? Also, are there any channels you'd like to have that aren't available on Youtube? Local channels?

They’re on the DVR for 9 months.

All the local networks are on YouTube TV. Only thing missing is the Longhorn Network.

[wood 11766]

1 hour ago, CooterBrown said:

They’re on the DVR for 9 months.

All the local networks are on YouTube TV. Only thing missing is the Longhorn Network.

Cool, and I guess LHN is going bye-bye soon anyway.

[wood 11766]

1 hour ago, Updawg said:

I think the fiber and WiFi is being used interchangeably.

Google is getting rid of those old boxes and moving to their mesh wireless and YouTube tv. You still have the same fiber running into your house as before. It must be marketing lingo

Local channels and F1 are on YouTube tv. Just get fire sticks or whatever to run it.

I was told by the tech that the best you can get with Fiber is 1Gig (probably because of hardware limitations - not the incoming fiber), and with Wifi, it's 2Gig.

Edited August 12, 2021 by wood

[CooterBrown 18288]

I will say the only thing I don't like about YouTube TV is the lack of channel numbers.  If you had a universal remote with a number pad, you could easily switch channels.  Since it doesn't, you have to scroll through the list. The scroll also doesn't go past the first channel up to the last channel. If you want to go to the last channel, you've got to click 70+ times to get there. That is a pain in the ass.  Luckily, from a desktop you can remove channels and order them however you like. Makes it a bit easier but having channel numbers would make it much easier.

 

[wood 11766]

1 hour ago, CooterBrown said:

I will say the only thing I don't like about YouTube TV is the lack of channel numbers.  If you had a universal remote with a number pad, you could easily switch channels.  Since it doesn't, you have to scroll through the list. The scroll also doesn't go past the first channel up to the last channel. If you want to go to the last channel, you've got to click 70+ times to get there. That is a pain in the ass.  Luckily, from a desktop you can remove channels and order them however you like. Makes it a bit easier but having channel numbers would make it much easier.

Thanks. I'd love to hear more about the little things y'all like or don't like about it. Also, is the 4k Plus worth the extra expense?

[PantsTent 2005]

I'm in the same boat.  Just to clarify, they are getting rid of "Fiber TV" which is basically their cable service.  You obviously can still get Google Fiber connectivity.  "Google Wifi" is their mesh system.

If you want a wifi/router update to a mesh system, might as well take that for free...you get one for every cable box you had I think.  I assume that is yours to keep as they figure you're going to keep the fiber internet service.  Can always then ditch whatever streaming service you sign up for for cable or satellite later if you hate it but got some free hardware out of it.

I tried to get free "google wifi" hardware last year and keep the cable boxes but they wouldn't go for it.  I ended up buying an Eero system instead.  So now I'm thinking about getting the free google hardware and selling one or the other.  Right in the middle of football season too...that's not when to switch TV providers!

 

[wood 11766]

19 minutes ago, PantsTent said:

I'm in the same boat.  Just to clarify, they are getting rid of "Fiber TV" which is basically their cable service.  You obviously can still get Google Fiber connectivity.  "Google Wifi" is their mesh system.

If you want a wifi/router update to a mesh system, might as well take that for free...you get one for every cable box you had I think.  I assume that is yours to keep as they figure you're going to keep the fiber internet service.  Can always then ditch whatever streaming service you sign up for for cable or satellite later if you hate it but got some free hardware out of it.

I tried to get free "google wifi" hardware last year and keep the cable boxes but they wouldn't go for it.  I ended up buying an Eero system instead.  So now I'm thinking about getting the free google hardware and selling one or the other.  Right in the middle of football season too...that's not when to switch TV providers!

Yep, thanks for clarifying. My bad on the phrasing. Good points, too.