Google launches Project Fi wireless service

If you’re an Android user, Google likely already manages your day: your email, your contacts, stories that are relevant to you, and even your fitness goals. Well, now it can be your wireless carrier, too (provided you use a Nexus 6).

After months of rumors, Google’s Project Fi is finally live. The search giant promises “fast speed in more places and better connections to Wi-Fi” by teaming up with Sprint and T-mobile to offer a wide swath of Wi-Fi and 4G LTE coverage. You can use Google’s handy search widget to see if the service is available in your area.

Basic plans cost $20 for unlimited calls and texts, plus $10 per GB for data. You have to specific how much data you want ahead of time (so, 4GB a month will cost you a total of $60), but Google has a twist: they’ll credit your bill for your unused data. There are no family plans available.

A phone with Project Fi will automatically connect to public, open Wi-Fi networks to make calls and transmit data. Google maintains a list of hotspots with robust and reliable connections. To secure your data, all transmissions over public Wi-Fi hotspots are encrypted.

Project Fi appears intended primarily for mobile coverage throughout the U.S., though there are international rates if you’re traveling overseas. These mirror T-Mobile’s offerings on post-paid plans: In 120 countries, you get free data (capped at 256kbps) and texts, while calls cost 20 cents a minute. There are also special rates for calling other countries from the US, which should bode well for those with family members spread throughout the world.

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