Project Fi is Being Renamed to Google Fi

Image credit: Reddit

There’s no official announcement yet, but it looks like Google will soon rename its Project Fi wireless service to Google Fi.

News of the name change comes via Reddit, where a contributor posted a photo of a pamphlet that came with his new Google Pixel purchase. It uses Google Fi branding instead of Project Fi.

This change is in keeping with the broader branding shift that I noted in Android: Going, Going, Gone (Premium): Google, like Microsoft before it, is emphasizing its own corporate brand wherever possible over individual product brands.

But it may also signal that Project Fi has left the “project” stage and that it is now a mature Google service with a future. I hope so: I rely on Project Fi and value this service immensely.

Anyway, the name change is great.

 

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  • Skolvikings

    01 November, 2018 - 2:22 pm

    <p>Can someone remind me what network Project Fi uses? Where I live, Verizon is head and shoulders the best in network and call quality. AT&amp;T is okay but has sporadic issues, and we don't get Sprint or T-Mobile at all. Their maps say we do, but we really don't, and least nothing reliable.</p>

    • jgraebner

      Premium Member
      01 November, 2018 - 2:43 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#359413">In reply to Skolvikings:</a></em></blockquote><p>It uses a combination of Sprint, T-Mobile, and US Cellular. The reason why it requires a specific set of phones is because of the firmware required to switch between the networks based on their strength in a given location. </p><p><br></p><p>I think if you use a Fi SIM card in a phone without the switching capability, it just uses T-Mobile's network.</p>

    • nicholas_kathrein

      Premium Member
      01 November, 2018 - 2:46 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#359413"><em>In reply to Skolvikings</em></a></blockquote><p>They use T-Mobile, Sprint, and best of all US Cellular which is great in many areas where the big guys don't care much about. </p>

  • nicholas_kathrein

    Premium Member
    01 November, 2018 - 2:39 pm

    <p>Makes sense. I'm sure some heard the name "Project" Fi and found it confusing. T-mobile is out there with their rebinding of "Metro by T-mobile" which is their low cost service. </p>

  • chaoticwhizz

    01 November, 2018 - 2:49 pm

    <p>I have been using Google Fi for about a year and I have always called it that instead of Project Fi. It just seems natural to me. THe only confusing part is people think you are talking about Google Fiber, their Internet service.</p>

  • jgraebner

    Premium Member
    01 November, 2018 - 2:49 pm

    <p>I'm surprised they didn't call it Google Fi from the beginning. I didn't even catch that it had been changed in the pamphlet that came with my Pixel 3.</p><p><br></p><p>It also constantly throws me off that the phone app is alphabetized under "P" instead of "F". If they rename it to "Google Fi", it will at least be closer to where I expect it. :)</p>

  • waethorn

    01 November, 2018 - 3:07 pm

    <p>Why don't they just call it GooFi?</p>

  • Bats

    01 November, 2018 - 3:10 pm

    <p>Finally! LOL…it seems that I am always evangelizing for this service and everytime I say "Project Fi" to people they think it's some top secret experiment. </p><p><br></p><p>Hopefully when I get my Pixel 3 XL (Mary Jo Foley edition), I can stick my "Google" Fi Sim into the Pixel 2 XL.</p>

  • beckerrt

    Premium Member
    01 November, 2018 - 3:15 pm

    <p>Now that Google Fiber isn't really a thing anymore, this can be Google Fi without causing any confusion. </p>

  • dcdevito

    01 November, 2018 - 3:27 pm

    <p>I am hoping for more features and slightly cheaper pricing. </p>

    • wright_is

      Premium Member
      02 November, 2018 - 8:21 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#359465">In reply to dcdevito:</a></em></blockquote><p>From what I've heard, the prices are very high. I head Paul and Leo (Windows Weekly) saying they pay around $10 a gigabyte. Over here, depending on the plan, a GB of data costs around $1 – $4, with flat rate calls and SMS. (Although you usually have to have a 3GB minimum.) I currently have a 30€ plan with 10GB, but it is expensive, so I'm currently looking around for a cheaper plan, so far it looks like I can keep the 10GB and drop the price down to around 15€ or go for less data and only 10€…</p>

      • karlinhigh

        Premium Member
        02 November, 2018 - 12:28 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#359635">In reply to wright_is:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>Yes, $10 per gigabyte. That's probably where they're making their profits.</p><p>However, Google Fi has a "bill protection" feature, where there's only so many $10/gig charges they'll do. It effectively goes unlimited after that, and then later data is throttled unless the user pays more $10 fees. <a href="https://support.google.com/fi/answer/6201699?hl=en&amp;ref_topic=4596407&quot; target="_blank">Full details</a> at Google's place.</p><p><br></p><p>But for me? I care not at all about their data prices, because I have the phone on WiFi most of the time.</p>

        • wright_is

          Premium Member
          03 November, 2018 - 5:25 am

          <blockquote><em><a href="#359790">In reply to karlinhigh:</a></em></blockquote><p>I get 10GB full speed, after which it is throttled to 3G and I can spend 5€ for an additional GB of full speed, if I want/need it.</p><p>That said, even staying away for a week in a hotel and using my 10GB allowance, because the hotel wanted 15€ for Wi-Fi, I haven't come close to using all 10GB in a month, I think 6GB is the max I've used.</p>

  • RM

    01 November, 2018 - 3:59 pm

    <p>What is "Fi"? Why is it not named something like Google Wireless?</p>

  • lezmaka

    Premium Member
    01 November, 2018 - 4:19 pm

    <p>If you plan on using the XS/XR, apparently you can use a Project/Google Fi data-only sim. So you keep your number but have Fi data. I don't know if Fi voice is cheap(er) international though.</p><p><br></p><p><a href="https://runningwithmiles.boardingarea.com/new-iphone-xs-models-great-google-fi-international-travel/&quot; target="_blank">https://runningwithmiles.boardingarea.com/new-iphone-xs-models-great-google-fi-international-travel/</a></p&gt;

  • skane2600

    02 November, 2018 - 4:09 pm

    <p>Sure, there's Google Fi, but what about Google Fee, Fo, and Fum?</p>

  • yashwant1337

    03 November, 2018 - 10:00 pm

    <p>awesome post Google Fi<a href="http://funnywifi-names.com/funny-wifi-names/&quot; target="_blank"> Funny names</a></p><p><br></p>

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    04 November, 2018 - 1:26 am

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  • asimth

    04 November, 2018 - 2:17 am

    <p>Funny wifi getting this name</p>

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