Google Becomes a Mobile Carrier With Project Fi

Google's Project Fi will offer a pay-as-you-go plan.

ByABC News
April 22, 2015, 3:15 PM
Google is introducing a new wireless titled "Project Fi."
Google is introducing a new wireless titled "Project Fi."
Google

— -- Google is officially joining the world of mobile carriers with an easy-to-use wireless network that offers fast connections at a cheaper price.

The search giant today announced the highly anticipated Project Fi mobile network, taking an unorthodox approach to mobile coverage.

Building Project Fi on top of Sprint and T-Mobile's networks, Google said subscribers will be able to pass between both networks, depending on which has the strongest signal in the area.

Subscribers will also be connected to open Wi-Fi hotspots that Google has determined are fast and secure -- allowing users to get faster service and to use less data.

With Project Fi, a subscriber's phone number would live in the cloud, allowing them to make calls from multiple screens -- something that could be useful when dealing with a misplace phone.

"Project Fi has the potential to be a game changer for the U.S. market," Patrick Moorhead, an analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy, told ABC News. "It aligns closer to the way consumers want to buy and use their services versus what many carriers are offering currently."

The network is by invite-only and is currently limited to Nexus 6 users. The payment structure is also something different for the wireless industry, allowing subscribers to pay $20 for unlimited talk and text, and an additional $10 per GB of data.

Don't use it all? Google will refund you what you paid for your unused plan at the end of the month.