Newsletter
So, you’re stoked about Google’s Project Fi because it sounds like the holy answer to the daily hell your mobile carrier is putting you through. $20 flat fee for unlimited talk and text, plus only $10 per GB of 4G LTE data, and only paying for the exact amount of data you use. Coverage provided by a combination of T-Mobile and Sprint networks, for broad nationwide call coverage and super-fast data speeds in the city. And did I mention it’s super affordable!
What’s not to like about that, right? Well, if you’re also a Google Voice user, you have to make a decision: to keep Google Voice, or not to keep it, because you can’t have both on the same account.
But wait, there is an upside: you don’t have to give up your Google Voice number! Yes, you can keep that number if you sign up for Project Fi, even if you want a different number for your Fi line. In order to keep it, though, you have to decide whether you will use your GV number or your current mobile phone number with Fi. If you’re going to port a number from your existing carrier, you must transfer your GV number to a different Google account before you activate Fi; otherwise, you will permanently lose your Google Voice number in the transition to Fi.
In the invites Google has been sending out this week, the company has been stressing this point, due to concerns and wariness expressed by current Google Voice users. The porting process is not reversible, and the features list for Fi is significantly different than Google Voice, so it is wise to do thorough research before you make the switch, to be sure Project Fi is right for you.
At this time, Project Fi service is available only on the Nexus 6, though we can expect more Fi-compatible devices to be released going forward. Additionally, we might also see some compatibility with AT&T and Verizon networks here in the US with Project Fi in the future, instead of being stuck with T-Mobile and Sprint.