Google plans to expand its horizons to an occupied territory: wireless service. Project Fi’s main selling point is a pay for what you use service. The service will minimize network usage by shifting between WiFi networks and cellular carrier networks.

Project Fi is currently only available on Google’s phone, the nexus 6. Google wants to reconcile the perceived differences in carriers and instead focus on quality network service. Google will not build cell towers, but rather lease them from major carriers. Phone users will achieve the best signal by shifting service through different carrier towers based on whichever tower has a stronger signal. In addition to the carrier networks, Project Fi allows shifting into WiFi hotspots to reduce data usage – an additional reduction in cost.

“As mobile devices continually improve how you connect to people and information, it’s important that wireless connectivity and communication keep pace and be fast everywhere, easy to use, and accessible to everyone,” Nick Fox, the Google executive of Project Fi wrote.

This new service is powered by a ‘multi-profile SIM’ that can handle multiple carriers. After the FCC has forbid locking phones to carriers on certain terms, this SIM and service are now possible. So far two companies are already on board including T-Mobile and Sprint.

“Anything that shakes up the industry status quo is a good thing — for both US wireless customers and T-Mobile,” John Legere, CEO of T-Mobile wrote in a blog post.

Google has much to gain from the inception of this service; its many services currently include YouTube, Google+, Search, and AdSense. With users able to use its services easily and more affordably, there is no doubt Google has incentive.

For $30 a month, Nexus 6 users can tap into the affordable $10 per gigabyte plan, and even receive refunds for unused data.

FSA Practice Questions

1. What does the word incentive mean? 2.
2. What is the main idea of the article?
3. How does the author feel about the topic? 4.
4. Select a sentence that summarizes the article.
5. Do other service carriers support Google’s project?