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Google Launches Project Fi Mobile Phone Service

Posted by samzenpus on from the new-carrier-in-town dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Google unveiled today a new cell phone service called Project Fi. It offers the same basic functionality as traditional wireless carriers, such as voice, text and Internet access, but at a lower price than most common plans. From the article: "Google hopes to stand out by changing the way it charges customers. Typically, smartphone owners pay wireless carriers like AT&T and Verizon a bulk rate for a certain amount of data. Google says it will let customers pay for only what data they use on their phones, from doing things like making calls, listening to music and using apps, potentially saving them significant amounts of money. For now, the program is invite-only and will only be available on Google's Nexus 6 smartphone."

6 of 112 comments (clear)

  1. Too expensive. by BenJeremy · · Score: 5, Interesting

    $50 a month to match my son's BoostMobile plan, except he still gets data (at 2G speeds) after he exceeds his limit, and pays $40/month.

    Come on, Google, you used to be cool.

    1. Re:Too expensive. by RevWaldo · · Score: 5, Funny

      So the fee makes you a fi foe?

      .

      --
      Prisencolinensinainciusol. Ol Rait!
  2. Google should just buy Sprint and T-Mo by swb · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Google should just buy Sprint and T-Mobile, merge their networks to optimize their coverage footprints and backhaul and then sell this plan to anyone and any device.

  3. tethering by bigmo · · Score: 5, Interesting

    One plus is the ability to tether. I have to pay an extra $50 a month with Verizon for a jet pack. This would cut that out entirely.

  4. Why all the complaining? by sirwired · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This deal is good for some people, not good for others. If you think it'll work for you, sign up, if you don't, then don't. It seems more than a bit of a stretch to proclaim that the plan is a colossal failure because it does not meet your particular needs.

    For somebody regularly near Wi-Fi (and therefore a low user of data), it's a pretty good plan, with only $20/mo for the unlimited T&T, and data that is reasonably priced if you don't use that much of it.

  5. Re: $10/GB is a bit pricey by jratcliffe · · Score: 4, Informative

    You only get billed for cellular data, not Wifi. From the official announcement:

    "and then it's a flat $10 per GB for cellular data while in the U.S. and abroad"

    http://googleblog.blogspot.com...