Tag Archives: Google Fi

Save money with the new Google Fi phone subscription program

Google Fi is known for pricing that’s easy to understand and coverage that helps you stay connected, but your phone is about more than the service plan. Choosing and upgrading to a new phone can be time consuming, complicated and expensive. So today, Google Fi is announcing our new phone subscription program: for just$15 per month1, you get the top-rated Pixel 4a, device protection, and a phone upgrade after two years. This amounts to saving $133 over two years. You can pair the phone subscription program with the Fi Flexible plan or the Fi Unlimited Plan for everything you need to connect with friends and family.  

The Pixel 4a comes packed with the things you want the most in a phone, like a camera that takes great low-light photos, a battery that lasts up to 24 hours and the Google Assistant. With device protection, you can get device replacement or repair for damage from cracks, drops, spills and more (deductibles apply). When you upgrade to a new phone after two years, the Pixel 4a is yours to keep for no further cost.

So if you’re ready to get everything you need in a simple package and save every month, you can join our phone subscription program now.  

1 Price doesn't include required service. Prices for optional upgrade and device protection may vary according to upgrade device. Terms.

The latest on Google Hangouts and the upgrade to Google Chat

Over the past few years, we’ve invested in building helpful and secure products you can use to communicate and stay connected with the people in your life. This month, we unveiled Google Workspace, which includes everything you need—Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Chat, Meet and more—to get anything done, now in one place. Google Workspace is generally available to all our business customers and next year we’ll bring it to everyone else, too. 


Today we’re sharing an update on what this change means for Hangouts users, including those who use Hangouts with Google Fi and Google Voice. And we’re providing details about the future upgrade from Hangouts to Chat.

Google Chat for everyone coming next year

Next year, Chat will become available as a free service—both in the integrated experience in Gmail and the Chat standalone app. Chat includes familiar Hangouts features like direct and group messaging, with helpful additions like send to inbox, faster search, emoji reactions and suggested replies. With Chat, you can more easily plan with others on goals and similar interests, share and collaborate on files, and assign tasks to help keep everyone on the same page. In addition, Chat features the same strong phishing protections we built in Gmail, so if a link is sent to you via Chat, it will be checked against real-time data from Safe Browsing and flagged if it’s found to be malicious.


Starting in the first half of 2021, everyone can begin upgrading from Hangouts to Chat. To ensure a smooth transition, we will help automatically migrate your Hangouts conversations, along with contacts and saved history. We'll share more specific guidance on what steps you can take when we begin the transition process.

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We will help automatically migrate your Hangouts conversations, along with contacts and saved history.

Changes to Hangouts with Google Fi

As we’ve improved the texting and calling experiences available to Fi users over the years, we’ve seen more users shift away from using Hangouts to manage their texting and calling needs. Early next year, we’ll remove Fi support in Hangouts.


Fi users have historically been able to manage SMS and phone calls from Hangouts. In the next few weeks, Messages by Google will provide a similar experience. Fi users will be able to make voice calls and check voicemail from Messages for web, manage conversations from Messages across devices (even when their phone is off) and migrate their existing Hangouts conversations. Beginning this month, we’ll provide guidance about these changes and direct Hangouts Fi users to Messages or the default SMS app on their phone.

Changes to Hangouts with Google Voice 

Similarly, Voice users have historically been able to get calls to their Google Voice number using Hangouts. Over the years, we’ve improved the native Voice experience to offer easy switching between internet and carrier calls, enhanced internet calling reliability, and updated experiences on web and mobile platforms to help users manage everything from one place. Beginning this month, we’ll direct Hangouts Voice users to the Voice app for text messaging and calling going forward, and early next year, we’ll remove Voice support in Hangouts.

Upcoming feature changes in Hangouts

New telecommunications regulations are being introduced in the EU and U.S. beginning in 2021. To comply with these new regulations, we need to remove the call phones feature in Hangouts. In October, we’ll start showing affected users an in-product notification with guidance on how to receive refunds on their remaining calling credits, and early next year, we’ll remove the feature entirely. Separately, in November, we’ll update the group video calling experience in Hangouts with Meet to provide better quality meetings.

Changes to Hangouts for business users

Last June, we introduced the Chat preferred setting in the Admin console to allow any admin to opt-in to migrate all end users to Chat in Google Workspace. We also made Chat preferred configurable at the organizational unit level. In the coming months, we’ll send notifications to Google Workspace admins to detail the final migration stages. Learn more in our Google Workspace Updates blog post.

Empowering our users going forward

As with any engineering project, it’s important to note that timing may shift. Yet we want to give you as much specific information as we can so you know what to expect. We’d like to thank all our users for staying on this journey with us, and we remain committed to delivering a more helpful communications experience for all.

Faster coverage and more options with Fi and new 5G phones

Image above shows Samsung 5G phones

When it comes to wireless service, your experience should be simple, straightforward, and always improving. On Google Fi, that means being able to join from the comfort of your home, connecting all your devices with full-speed tethering at no extra charge, and choosing a plan that’s right for you—whether that’s the Unlimited plan or just paying for what you use.


We’ve heard that you want to see the full Fi experience brought to a wider selection of phones, so today we're expanding our designed for Fi portfolio to include new 5G phones from Samsung and Google. With these phones, you’ll get the benefits of Fi, plus a faster connection with 5G coverage nationwide included as part of your plan.1 


You can now use Fi with Samsung's latest 5G phones: Galaxy Note20 5G, Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G, Galaxy S20 5G, Galaxy S20+ 5G, Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G, and Galaxy A71 5G.


The Galaxy Note20 5G and Note20 Ultra 5G come with features built for efficiency, such as an advanced S Pen offering more lifelike precision, as well as a Samsung Notes app that lets you capture, edit and share your ideas across your phone, tablet or PC. With the Samsung Galaxy S20 5G, Galaxy S20+ 5G, and Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G, you can capture multiple images and video at once, as well as enhance your mobile gaming experience with an intelligent battery and a fast screen refresh rate. Finally, the Galaxy A71 5G offers a powerful rear quad-camera system that gives you the tools you need to capture the world in stunning detail, at an accessible price. 


Fi is also now available on Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a (5G). With Pixel 5, we brought together the ultimate Google phone and the speed of 5G. It’s the fast Google phone at a helpful price. And Pixel 4a (5G) is the budget-friendly, super fast phone from Google. It has the helpful stuff you need in a phone, with an extra boost of 5G speed with Fi. 


When using these Samsung and Pixel phones on Fi, you get access to 5G—the next generation of mobile network technology that lets you do things like download a high-res, full-length movie on your phone in minutes. And 5G speeds will help you use Full HD video calling (1080p) on Google Duo to connect with loved ones faster and with more clarity. Fi’s 5G coverage is nationwide and comes included in all plans. You can get more details on 5G coverage in your area by entering your address or zip code in our coverage map, which we’ll continue to update as our 5G network expands.
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Fi’s 5G network (dark green) works nationwide. Check coverage where you live on Fi’s coverage map.

For a limited time, you’ll get $300 Fi credit when you purchase Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G or Note20 Ultra 5G, save $300 on all Samsung Galaxy S20 5G phones, and save $150 on Samsung Galaxy A71 5G when you buy and activate on Fi, subject to terms. You can browse all 5G phones designed for Fi on our website or bring any unlocked phone compatible with T-Mobile’s 5G network to Fi.

1. 5G service not available in all areas. 5G service, speed and performance depend on many factors including, but not limited to, carrier network capabilities, device configuration and capabilities, network traffic, location, signal strength and signal obstruction. Actual results may vary. Some features not available in all areas. Data rates may apply. For info on Fi speeds, see g.co/fi/broadband. For Pixel, see g.co/pixel/networkinfo for info.

Google Fi brings spam warnings and Wi-Fi calling to more phones

No matter what phone you use with Google Fi, our phone plan in the U.S., you’ll get great features—like reliable coverage, easy group plans and high speed international data coverage for the same rates you pay at home. 


We’ve been working to bring the Google Fi experience to more people across the U.S., and last year we expanded Fi plans to the majority of Android devices and iPhones. Today, we’re bringing some favorite Fi features to these devices.  


Spam call warnings and the ability to block specific numbers are now available on all phones compatible with Fi—including iPhone—so you don’t have to worry about unwanted calls.
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Plus, we are extending our enhanced VPN network and WiFi calling to all Android phones on Fi. When you use our enhanced VPN network, all of your cellular and WiFi traffic are encrypted so you have peace of mind, knowing nobody else can see your online activity. And with WiFi calling, you can make and receive calls as long as you have a WiFi connection, even when you don’t have cellular coverage. 

To use these features, download the Google Fi app and then look for Phone Settings in the app.


Better coverage with Fi’s dual connect technology

Fi helps you get the highest-quality connection on your phone, no matter where you are. For Designed for Fi devices, our network switches between three 4G LTE networks and gives you free, secure access to 2 million Wi-Fi hotspots around the world. Our enhanced network provides you with more security and privacy across all your connections, specifically when you are switching between Wi-Fi and cellular on the go.

Fi's new dual connect technology, available first on Pixel 4, gives you even better coverage by connecting you to two LTE networks at once. This means that if you’re watching a video and Fi switches you to a better network, you won't experience any delays or pauses—you won’t even notice.

Curious how this works? Connecting to two networks at once is possible with Dual Sim Dual Standby (DSDS) hardware. While one network is used at a time for sending data or making phone calls, dual connect technology improves your connection by keeping both networks ready for use at a moment’s notice, and allows for more frequent network switching. To use DSDS to connect to two networks simultaneously, Fi uses a SIM card and the eSIM at the same time.

If you purchased a Pixel 4 from Google Fi or the Google Store, your phone will be ready for dual connect technology as it becomes available over the next few weeks. Over time, we’ll expand dual connect technology to more Designed for Fi devices. 

Google Fi’s Unlimited plan: more data at home and abroad

Since Fi’s launch in 2015, we’ve had one plan, the Fi Flexible plan, that gives you the flexibility to pay for just the data you use.  As we’ve grown, we’ve heard that many of you want the simplicity and predictability that comes with paying the same price each month. So today, for the first time ever, Fi is adding a second plan: our Google Fi Unlimited plan.

The new Unlimited plan gives you unlimited data, calls and texts at a low cost for multiple members of your family. You’ll also be covered when you connect with friends and family at home or abroad, as our plan includes free international calls from the U.S. to 50 countries and territories, and unlimited data and texting abroad in 200 destinations at no extra charge (and with no setup required). 

Our Unlimited plan also comes with a Google One membership with 100 GB of cloud storage and extra benefits like expert support across Google, discounts on Google products, and more. Plus, if you’re using an Android device, you can automatically backup your phone to keep all of your important files and photos safe.

Unlimited_Pricing

We want you to know that with our Unlimited plan, we will reduce speeds after 22GB of usage per person in a given month (this applies only to the heaviest data users, less than 1 percent of Fi's current users). We may also optimize video streaming quality to 480p (DVD quality).


Our Unlimited plan gives you peace of mind knowing that you can reach family and friends wherever they are, while keeping costs low. If you prefer to just pay for the data you use, our Flexible plan isn’t going anywhere. And as always, Fi has no contracts or activation fees. 


To help you get started, until September 18 (or while our supply of phones lasts), you can get 50 percent off a Pixel 3 or Pixel 3XL when you purchase and activate on Google Fi. You can also join today with your own phone by checking its compatibility. Whether you already use Fi or are thinking about giving it a try, we hope you give one of our plans a spin.

Google Fi welcomes a new phone from Motorola

Last year, we brought more devices to Google Fi, and now there’s a new phone designed for Fi on board: the budget-friendly, moto g7.


With the moto g7 you can easily capture high quality portraits and even low light snapshots on a two camera system with 12 megapixels, and view your photos on a 6.2” display. If you see something that piques your curiosity—whether it’s a dish on the menu or an unfamiliar landmark—you can even use your camera to search what you see with Google Lens.


When it’s time to get things done, the moto g7 has you covered. Thanks to a fast processor and plenty of memory for multitasking with 4 GB of RAM, you can quickly and easily take care of everyday tasks, whether you’re checking your email or taking a break to stream the latest episode of your favorite TV show. A long lasting battery and quick TurboPower™ charging ensure your moto g7 is ready to go whenever you need it.


Finally, as a phone designed for Fi, the moto g7 unlocks access to all Google Fi features, from the ability to seamlessly switch between networks at home to our enhanced network that automatically provides additional security and privacy.


Want to be the first to get your hands on the moto g7? You can preorder the moto g7 for just $249 (typically $299) on the Google Fi website.

What’s new with Google Fi in 2019

As we dive into 2019, we’re bringing new updates to Google Fi subscribers. Starting today, we’re upgrading default messaging on eligible phones to RCS, and in the coming weeks, if you’re using a phone designed for Fi, you’ll get faster data coverage in more places around the world.


Richer messaging with RCS


With RCS in Messages, you can do and share more when you message friends, family members, groups, and even businesses who are on RCS. You’ll be able to see typing indicators and read receipts, share high-resolution videos, and message over Wi-Fi or data with others that have RCS enabled.


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RCS will be available on phones designed for Fi and compatible Android phones. If you’re using a phone designed for Fi, RCS will be automatically enabled. If you’re on a compatible Android phone, you’ll need to download Messages and set it as your default messaging app. Then you’ll see some simple prompts to enable RCS.


Faster coverage abroad


When you travel with Google Fi, you already have automatic data coverage for the same price you pay at home in 200+ countries and territories. Over the next few weeks we’ll upgrade 33 of these countries to faster 4G LTE coverage on phones designed for Fi. So whether you’re looking for directions to your grandma’s place in Hong Kong or sharing scenic photos of your adventures in Iceland with friends back home, you’ll enjoy even faster data speeds while you travel.
Fi_Coverage

We can’t wait for you to try these new features, and we look forward to bringing you even more from Google Fi in the new year.

Ending the year on a Fi note

It’s been another great year, more exciting than ever.
It’s time to look back at our biggest moments together.

This year, Fi subscribers got peace of mind with Bill Protection,
And scooped up new phones from our expanded device selection.

We traveled the world with coverage in all sorts of new places,
Thanks to your trusty referrals, we welcomed more smiling faces.

Little ones joined group plans with Family Link—hooray!
It’s easier than ever to customize your plan, your way.

We strive to provide the best privacy and protection,
So we built new network tools for faster, more secure connections.

A celebration! Said “hello” to Google Fi, for our Project was outgrown,
We opened our doors to all sorts of new phones.

We thank you for another wonderful year, and
Now it’s time to share holiday cheer.

Join us for a game with our Fi-nosaur friend
To find your special gift awaiting at the end!