Understanding Google’s Project Fi: Saving Money Isn’t the Point
But as Google’s actual announcement makes clear, saving money isn’t really the point of Project Fi. The service’s true goal is to change the way we think about wireless data service. The subtext of Project Fi is that traditional wireless carriers aren’t as important as they think.
There are a couple ways Google enforces this notion. First is through the actual connectivity, which is a patchwork of T-Mobile, Sprint, and Wi-Fi networks. Between the two carriers, Project Fi simply picks the fastest one, which is something no other wireless service can do.
But in many cases, users won’t need the carrier networks at all, because Project Fi can route calls and text messages over Wi-Fi. This routing not only includes home Wi-Fi networks, but public hotspots that Google deems fast and reliable. Project Fi forms an automatic, encrypted connection that doesn’t count against the user’s data plan. Whether it’s Wi-Fi or mobile broadband, Google is essentially saying that the best connection should win.
More: Understanding Google’s Project Fi: Saving Money Isn’t the Point