Google's Wireless Service Project Fi Announced

[Ryukouki]

​

A little bit earlier today, Google announced the initiation of Project Fi. You mean, that companion from The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is back? Nope, it's the beginning of a new wireless service created by Google that shakes things up a little bit to allow for us to maintain our lives in a world constantly dominated by communications.​

​

Google Fi opts to use a pay as you go sort of plan, which is detailed below as an example:​

​

Project Fi takes a fresh approach to how you pay for wireless, manage your service, and get in touch when you need help. We offer one simple plan at one price with 24/7 support. Here's how it works: for $20 a month you get all the basics (talk, text, Wi-Fi tethering, and international coverage in 120+ countries), and then it's a flat $10 per GB for cellular data while in the U.S. and abroad. 1GB is $10/month, 2GB is $20/month, 3GB is $30/month, and so on. Since it's hard to predict your data usage, you'll get credit for the full value of your unused data. Let's say you go with 3GB for $30 and only use 1.4GB one month. You'll get $16 back, so you only pay for what you use.

​

Unfortunately, the caveat is that right now the only way to access it is to sign up for an invitation, and furthermore you must have access to a Nexus 6 smartphone to be able to utilize Fi. The details are all below in the links provided, but what do you guys think? Recently, Android as a whole has been getting my attention and interest ever since a colleague was able and willing to give me his old and rather vulnerable smartphone for my enjoyment, so I've been a little eager to see what I've missed out on, especially with this whole Lollipop operating system. Let's hear your thoughts on this!​

​

Project Fi Overview​

Project Fi - Plan Details​

 

[flame1234]

Call me crazy, but what would you do if you wanted to make a call?
For this reason, the service is for technical wizards.

For everyone else, there's Ting. Ting is an MVNO on the Sprint network. Google is an MVNO on the T-Mobile network. Ting has pay as you go billing and, if you'd like to, you can actually make and receive calls. What a concept.

 

[Originality]

Wasn't that already included in the "talk, text, wifi tethering" bit?

 

[Nathan Drake]

Although I recently got a Nexus 6 for myself, I still find my current plan better. My friend and I split a $100/month unlimited plan from T-Mobile for our two lines. When you get down to it, that means I only pay $50 a month for unlimited talk, text, and data. This comes with the convenience of being able to relax about data usage, of being able to Netflix on the go if I want to, and of not being bound by stable, fast, wifi networks. I guess this pay as you go system could be good for those that don't really utilize data all that much, or for people stuck overpaying from providers like Verizon and AT&T that treat 1GB of data like it's as valuable as a pound of gold.

 

[Duo8]

That's way more expensive than over here. Granted, we don't have multi-GB plans, but 600MB ~ $4

 

[Nathan Drake]

That's way more expensive than over here. Granted, we don't have multi-GB plans, but 600MB ~ $4

I'm not sure how it is in most other countries, but at least in the US, wireless tends to be pricey. Data especially is treated like a commodity and most providers charge somewhere in the neighborhood of $15 to $20 a month per GB that you may want.

 

[Luckkill4u]

Canada needs this so badly... I bleed from my wallet...

 

[loco365]

Canada needs this so badly... I bleed from my wallet...

I'd kill for a plan like this tbh. The plans here are absurdly expensive. The only good plan I've come across was an employee-only plan from Koodo. Otherwise, it's a complete ripoff here. The CRTC really needs to intervene and lower the prices. In the USA, some plans give you unlimited data for $35/mo, while I pay $40/mo and have a dismal 300MB.

If Google brings Fi to Canada, I'll gladly ditch my Alcatel for a Nexus 6 and I'd sign up for this immediately.

 

[Duo8]

while I pay $40/mo and have a dismal 300MB.

woah

I pay 10 times less for double that.
I still have no idea why it's so cheap here. Or rather, why it's so expensive there.

 

[WhiteMaze]

I'm sorry, this is ridiculous. Am I the only one here that thinks 10$ per GB is a complete rip off?

What the hell is this? 1995?

This pricing joke is what operators do CURRENTLY. There is nothing new to see here.

Disappointing..

 

[loco365]

woah

I pay 10 times less for double that.
I still have no idea why it's so cheap here. Or rather, why it's so expensive there.

Well, my plan is as follows:

1. Unlimited Evenings/Weekends starting at 6PM
2. Unlimited texting worldwide
3. Unlimited MMS to Canada/USA
4. 300 Anytime minutes

It's not bad for Canada, but if I were to go to the USA, I could get a much better plan for the same price. That plan at Koodo I mentioned was like, unlimited evenings/weekends, 6GB of data, and unlimited texting for $16. I'd love that, but I'd have to work there first.

 

[nryn99]

Well, getting back your money for unused data allocation is the best thing I see here. The pricing may be cheap or expensive depending where you live.

For me in the PH, the pricing is so-so, compared to the plans offered.

 

[RevPokemon]

One thing I like is the get your money back if you don't use it all.

 

[grossaffe]

I'm sorry, this is ridiculous. Am I the only one here that thinks 10$ per GB is a complete rip off?

What the hell is this? 1995?

This pricing joke is what operators do CURRENTLY. There is nothing new to see here.

Disappointing..

what do you pay for data?

 

[Zerousen]

woah

I pay 10 times less for double that.
I still have no idea why it's so cheap here. Or rather, why it's so expensive there.

The cost of living in Vietnam is like 1/7th of the cost of living in the US, which is why my parents plan to go back after they retire.

 

[Duo8]

The cost of living in Vietnam is like 1/7th of the cost of living in the US, which is why my parents plan to go back after they retire.

Well, might be a good idea after you retire.
Minimum salary here is like $100/mo.

 

[Joe88]

What I am more interested in is the coverage, I assume they are going to rent towers and such from already established networks but who exactly?

 

[FAST6191]

Oooh this is getting close to block plans a la some usenet providers.

One day, I might even contemplate having a mobile phone on that day. Only for a few seconds but I would still take the time to contemplate it.

 

[WhiteMaze]

what do you pay for data?

What I pay is pretty much exactly the same as what google will offer.

Which leaves the question, why would I switch to google service again?

Yes, they may give you your money back if you dont use all the data in a given month, but since I almost every month use all of it, I don't see the point.

This would have been breaking news if they offered half the price, or something like that. For me, there is nothing new to see here.

 

[FireGrey]

The implementation of having your phone in the cloud and then tunnel all communications to another device like your smartphone or tablet is a brilliant idea.
Same said about the way it jumps between different networks like 4G and Wifi.
What sucks is the pricing and the phones that support it (currently only the nexus 6).
I am anticipating that this either drops it's price or someone else does something similar (Apple, existing telco, startup, etc...) but with a lower price.
That would certainly be revolutionary.