What is Google Project Fi ? Google As Your Cell Phone Carrier?

Did you know Google has a cell phone carrier service?

Project Fi is a cell service by Google that has some unique features. Mainly, they have three partner cell companies that work with the service, and with it your phone will automatically switch between whichever cell signal is the strongest at the time. So it's like having three cell phone companies in one. These companies are Sprint, T-Mobile, and U.S. Cellular, plus WiFi hotspots. Normally you can only use this on Nexus and Pixel phones, but I also show you how it can work on almost any other phone as well.

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[TomAmeen]

I have a Nexus 6p so I decided to jump the gun and try Project Fi. I have to say I've been really loving it so far. It works for me because I do not use a lot of data, and I rarely go over one gig because I don't do any streaming. I don't think it will be worth it if you use a lot of data, but for me it's a really nice plan and I get very good coverage pretty much wherever I go. Great video.

[comet]

3:33 1 cent per gigabyte seems like a good deal.

[KcilamX]

You forgot to mention international service with no crazy fees

[terrence]

You are very smart and good explaining the complex stuff. Im a 55yr.old man trying to get the best affordable service these days with a little bit of data. Thanks Thio Joe

[jeri]

You are an EXCELLENT speaker. Thanks for being so thorough making several points. I appreciate your effort explaining full details. I am often miserable trying to get through videos where people just point the camera on them and they talk in circles with lots of "ummms".

[diamondslashes]

I tried to have a staring contest with you, I failed.... Badly.

[PeggyKTC]

Fair review. I'm a Fi customer and I would love for the data to be cheaper. One of the cool things you can do if you are a Project Fi customer is use Hangouts to make/receive Project Fi phone calls and SMS messages on any device that's signed into your account, including your desktop compute.

[ChozoSR]

My question is, "Why Fi?" Ooohhhh, I see what they did there...Well-played Google. Well-played.

[pichicho]

Hi ThioJoe, I am following you because simply you know what you are talking about...I am waiting for a while that you talk about a CALL RECORDER in Android without asking so many peromissions that they have my phone ( a Samsung Note 4 with 6.01) to spy everything I have in my SD card and the whole phone...I need to hear again because some clients ask me thiings that I have to prepare. I am a musician and have to prepare the list of songs they ask me... OR perhaps you know a call recorder that doesn't demand to get in my phone ...thans you, you are a guy I really follow and you made my computer faster with your tutorials....THANKS!!!

[BruceM]

I know you posted this a long time ago, but I just viewed it. As it happens, I just signed up for Google Fi and ordered a new phone from them, which I haven't received. The new phone is a Motorola, so I guess they are offering a couple other brands now that are fully compatible with their service.

I enjoyed the video, but what you and other YouTubers don't seem to appreciate about Google Fi is how easy it is to use while traveling abroad. Texting costs no more than in the U.S., WiFi can easily be used, and phone calls are on the order of 20c a minute for calls to or from countries other than the U.S., which is a deal. What primarily attracted me to Fi, in addition to its low basic costs, is this international usage. Internationally, mobile carriers often use other transmission services, and Fi will access them without it being a big deal that must be arranged ahead of time at added cost.

I'm not a techie, and maybe I've got the facts or terminology a bit wrong, but I think my basics are on target. For an international traveler who's not a big data user (sounds like me!), it seems like a great deal.

[cullenblazek]

This man speaks the truth. I've been using Project Find for for a few weeks. Service is pretty good.

[jdacsdw]

Ur absolutely right about those cellular phone companies= great video

[JacobWood]

I use Project Fi on a Google Pixel and I love it. I agree that the Pay First, Refund Later pricing scheme for data is odd, but the fact that I'm almost always connected to WiFi means I use very little mobile data anyway and typically get 75% of my cost back. That means pay about $23 for my service, plus my device payments and taxes / fees. It's not a bad price, and I appreciate not having to pay for data that I'm not using.

[gortiz]

I understand stand of the good and bad of Fi. But you forget about the the reason to have. It's the best when I comes down to traveling. I just spent 6 months in Europe using Fi. And it was the cheapest cell service. with $20 unlimited texting, us calling, and Wi-Fi calling. $.20 when calling without Wi-Fi. Data stay the same at $10 per GB. But in a world the there is always Wi-Fi. It is the best service domestic or travelling.

[legion]

Joe u are the grestest.i don't know how u know all u do but ure the shot bro.th.u

[ChrissonatorOFL]

I switched to Google Fi recently, it's literally shaved around $30-40 off my phone bill each month, since I don't need to add my watch as a separate line like I did with T-Mobile. I'm also using the Flexible plan, so I pay for what I use, not what I don't use.

[stkg]

I've been considering Fi for a while, since you showed me the walk around with the sim card, I'm ordering this week. thanks Thiojoe. Also I commented to Google b4 pertaining their Fi service that I think it's funny they are going to have a cell phone call center, where people will be calling about other Google inquiries lol. you know it's very hard to get 'em on the phone lol

[klbittick]

fair review. I work for one of the major carriers he mentioned. I will admit that the prices are a bit expensive for just about all carriers out there and would love to see the prices decrease for about half of what they charge. However he is right the major cable companies will not allow it because otherwise they would be put out of business. the fcc actually mandates a lot of how that works under the fair trade act. it's quite ridiculous. I personally would like to see cheaper prices and more options like many of the customers I handle but until the laws change I don't see truly unlimited high speed anything coming to anyone any time soon.

[erichill]

Update 2018: Fi also doesn’t charge extra for using phone as hot spot, it uses the data you already paid for. You can get a data only SIM free which I got for my Verizon Jetpack (hot spot), worked fine so no $10 a month to Verizon just in case I need the jetpack. Some Motorola and LG phones now work on Fi. Phones need to be unlocked and work on both GSM & CDMA networks to make use of network switching. You can use google hangouts to make calls, text & email with your other devices running Chrome. International rates with Fi are the same as in U.S. Now you get unlimited data for $60 a month + the $20 for the basic service. A couple of down sides: To make phone calls my Cell signal is poor at home (-117 dBm) but phone will not use my own WIFI to make calls. Verizon still has better coverage in the West – CO, WY, AZ, etc. which Fi doesn’t use. Still, I like it and it saves me $$ over Verizon, in my case most data is used with WIFI so bill is a little over $20 a month.

[luketick]

I like your "rant". Truth need be told!! Zero efforts yield zero results.