If you are one person who does a lot of roaming, Google Project Fi could just be what you have been looking for all along.
With this service, you don’t need to purchase a new SIM card whenever you are visiting a different country. As at the time of this writing, Google Project Fi is supported across 135 countries all over the world.
One thing you need to know is that Project Fi is meant for those who live in the U.S. and do a lot of travelling. For just $10, you get 1GB of data that can be used when visiting any of the covered countries around the world. In the U.S., the Fi service currently piggybacks off the likes of Sprint, T-Mobile, and U.S. Cellular, but the coverage is growing day by day as more countries and carriers continue to embrace the service.
In addition to enjoying reasonable pricing for the 1GB of data, you also get to make calls for just 20 cents per minute or even less when using Wi-Fi. To enjoy unlimited calling and messaging services throughout the month, you have to part with $20, even if you don’t use them. The 1GB of data available is actually the minimum package, but the good thing is that if the month ends when the paid-for data is not completely used up, Google Fi will refund you the excess.
So, what is happening here is that you will be parting with just $20 per month and keep your one SIM card regardless of the number of countries you visit during the same month. Sometimes, getting a new SIM card in a new country and registering it can be a cumbersome process, something that Project Fi aims to eliminate with its services.
Google Project Fi has no contracts and allows one to switch whenever they wish to. You also get a global number that you can be reached by regardless of the country you are currently visiting. This purchased data can also be used on other devices via tethering. You will be sure to save more cellular data with Project Fi’s Wi-Fi Assistant, which automatically scans the area for open Wi-Fi hotspots that have stronger connections than what you are currently using and connects to it, thus saving your data.
However, the major downside of Google Project Fi is that it only works with a set of Google Nexus handsets. As noted earlier, the service is meant for those in the U.S. and as such, registering first needs you to have U.S. address for SIM delivery.
Although not perfect, there is no doubt that Project Fi is one great service and as mentioned earlier, it perfectly fits the bills of those who are always on the go, visiting different countries, where they still need to keep in touch with the rest of the world in a hassle-free manner.