Google is entering the wireless service industry, it announced Wednesday.
The wireless service, called Project Fi, has been much-anticipated but will be available only by invitation and only for the Google Nexus 6 smartphone, which is the only phone available that is equipped to work on Google's network,
CNET is reporting.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Google's entrance into the telecom world is expected to add uncertainty to an industry that is engaged in an ongoing price war.
Google will use a different model for how it will bill for its service compared to traditional carriers, which charge a bulk rate for service, and will charge customers only for the data they actually use, which could result in massive savings for users.
Users will pay $20 a month for talk, text, Wi-Fi tethering and international coverage, and an additional $10 for each gigabyte of data consumed. If someone signs up for the 3GB plan, he will pay $30 a month but will be credited for any unused data.
Nick Fox, vice president of communications products at Google, said the goal of Project Fi is "to put you on the best network wherever you go," which he said could be a Wi-Fi hotspot or a particular 4G LTE network. To that end, Google is partnering with Sprint and T-Mobile.
"As you go about your day, Project Fi automatically connects you to more than a million free, open Wi-Fi hotspots we've verified as fast and reliable. Once you're connected, we help secure your data through encryption," Fox explained. "When you're not on Wi-Fi, we move you between whichever of our partner networks is delivering the fastest speed, so you get 4G LTE in more places.
"It's important that wireless connectivity and communication keep pace and be fast everywhere, easy to use, and accessible to everyone," he said.
"By designing across hardware, software and connectivity, we can more fully explore new ways for people to connect and communicate," he added.
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