Today is the day many if you have been waiting for as Google officially announced the details and launching of its MVNO service which it has dubbed "Project Fi."
It turns out many of the previously leaked details are true. The service will start off at first with availability limited to the Nexus 6. It will run on the Sprint and T-Mobile networks and also use Wi-Fi to place calls and texts. Software on the phone will allow it to seamlessly connect to whichever network is offering the best signal switching between Wi-Fi and 4G LTE networks.
Google also says your phone number will live in the cloud, so if you ever lose your phone you can still place and receive calls and texts via your pc or tablet. This of course means the service is likely powered by Google Voice/Hangouts.
Service will cost you $20 a month and that will get you talk, text, Wi-Fi tethering, and international coverage in 120+ countries. There is a flat fee of $10 per GB for cellular data while in the U.S. and abroad. Similar to what Republic Wireless recently announced, any unused data in your account at the end of your billing cycle will be refunded in the form of an account credit on your next months bill.
Service like with all new products Google offers is by invite only. You can request an invite with this link, Project Fi.
Although they were not able to significantly undercut all competitors, all in all Google's new service seems to offer excellent value to the consumer. The service will be a welcomed addition to the cheapest cell phone plans list.
So what do you think of Google's new service? Did it meet or beat your expectations or leave you wanting for more?
@bestmvnocom:disqus
I’ve been reading up more on the Project Fi from service in order to deduce whether or not customers are forced into using Hangouts for all calls and sms.
From reading a bit more today it seems that Hangouts is only used if “consumers opt-in” to call/ receive calls and send/receive sms via Nexus 6,PCs, Macs & Tabs at the same time while signed into one’s google/gmail account. (Guessing here)!!
So if I don’t have the need to receive calls or send and receive sms via other smart devices I can still use the default dialer app and sms app or sms app of my choosing correct???
And if I decide to not opt into Hangouts I will still be able to seamlessly go from cellular networks (T-Mobile & Sprint) and or Wifi, which is accomplished “automatically selected” by the Project Fi app installed on Nexus 6?
Am I interpreting this right? Could you share your expertise/your opinion of how this works?
*If I don’t need to use hangouts then jumping ship might be worth it.*
A lot of people are griping about the fact that only the NEXUS 6 is supported, but if you consider they are seamlessly handing off your call between 3 possible networks. I can could count on 1 hand the number of devices that carries radios for GSM and CDMA. Aside from NEXUS 5 and 4 the iPHONE is the only other device I am aware of that has both radios. Apple is probably not gung ho about having iphones on a GOOGLE only network, so I bet the NEXUS 5 might be the next logical device to be added.
Kudos to google for creating waves in the cell market like they are doing with google fiber internet service. While for some using google hangouts for all calls and messages is not an issue; it will be for others.
There is definitley a privacy concern involved and this will keel me from jumping ship. I prefer not to use hangouts and it is disabled on my android phone, it’s just too intrusive IMO.
Again for some this will not be an issue and since Project Fi has partnered with both T-Mobile & Sprint, users should have a better cell coverage experience. I would love to sign up now but google hangouts is not for me.
The Nexus 6 has no slots for sdcards so this is would keep me from jumping over as well.