Android customers are now officially invited to the Project Fi party. Google launched the invite-only service in 2015, and on Monday officially launched the service, making it available to all. Google is trying to make its mark on the wireless industry with Project Fi, bringing a fast, easy wireless experience to its users.
Google set out to accomplish this goal in a variety of ways. First, subscribers of the service will benefit from Google’s use of both Sprint and T-Mobile towers. Phones will automatically switch to whichever network offers the better signal, even in mid-call, and can also transfer to a WiFi connection if available.
Customers will need a Google-specific SIM card and their own phone. Popular Science reports that Fi “can toss calls back and forth between WiFi and 4G without interrupting the conversation.” Fi offers unlimited domestic calls, unlimited international texts and coverage in 120 countries. Additionally, it offers the ability to use your compatible phone as a hotspot and 24/7 phone support.
Forbes reports that Project Fi managers have been collecting Project Fi data over the last 10 months, and more than 15 percent of the early customers used Fi phones abroad. So far, theverge.com reports 50% of customers connect to WiFi each week, and the average data use each month is 1.6GB, which amounted to about $16. Project Fi also benefits from being very inexpensive compared to most wireless contracts. 1 GB of data costs $10 per month, and users are refunded money for the data they do not use.
Fi is limited to use only on Nexus phones, and there are no current plans to expand that market, at least not for the near future. Every level of data costs another $10 more than the last—2GB for $20, 3GB for $30. Project Fi is only available for LG’s Nexus 5X, Huawei’s Nexus 6P and the older Nexus 6 by Motorola, according to Popular Science.
While there are no plans to expand to non-Nexus devices “at the moment,” Popular Science says that “Google has never been shy about wanting as many users as possible on its services.”
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