Google announced on Tuesday, July 12, that its Project Fi provides now its subscribers with access to wireless international data at speeds at least 10-20x faster than before.
According to Tech Crunch, the Project Fi from Google is an experimental cheap wireless service. Google's Project Fi already works in more than 135 countries. As part of the service, international data is included without a surcharge in the company's plans.
According to Project Fi's webpage, the plans start at $20 per month for unlimited texts and calls, Wi-Fi tethering and international coverage. An additional $10 is charged per GB of used data.
When traveling abroad, customers of Google's Project Fi only had access until now to 2G speeds. Project Fi opens now the access to the fastest available network, Instead of capping rates at 2G speeds.
Customers will be able to use LTE, 3G or 4G, depending on their availability and roaming agreements. Different countries have different speeds, but users of Project Fi will always get the fastest connection available on a given network.
The new feature is offered by Google thanks to the addition to the Project Fi network of international carrier Three. In order to provide the faster international coverage, Google also collaborate with several other carriers.
According to CNET, Project Fi can undercut traditional carriers by allowing users switch automatically between Wi-Fi signals and cellular service without disrupting a streaming video or dropping a call. Project Fi runs on the US Cellular, T-Mobile and Sprint networks.
Google developed Project Fi in order to test services and models that the wireless industry might adopt. Tech analysts believe that Google's new move will push other carriers to remove their international caps as well.
The Project Fi is part of Google's broader initiative to provide wireless access to more people. Other such Google initiatives are Project Loon that uses balloons to provide Wi-Fi signals in rural areas and Google Fiber that provides super-fast internet service.
