That means extra privacy and security.
On Tuesday, Google announced its new “enhanced network” for Project Fi.
For those who don’t know, Project Fi is Google’s very own wireless phone service. You pay $20 for unlimited calls and texts, and then $10 extra for every GB of data you use (until you hit 6GB, then extra data is free). In the US it switches you between Sprint, T-Mobile and U. S. Cellular coverage depending on what’s available, but it also works in 170+ countries — making it a good option for people who travel a lot.
Now, with its new “enhanced network,” Project Fi automatically puts you on a virtual private network (VPN) for every connection. That means you’re using a VPN whenever you connect to Wi-Fi or mobile data. This gives you an extra layer of security when you’re online and keeps your browsing information private. Google also says VPN traffic isn’t tied to your Google account.
Project Fi also announced a feature that automatically detects when your Wi-Fi connection is shoddy and switches you over to mobile data so you don’t lose connection — similar to Apple’s Wi-Fi Assist. You can control whether this feature turns on or off in your phone’s settings, which is a good way to ensure you don’t use too much data.
Google says it’s rolling out these features over the next week to Project Fi-compatible phones running Android Pie .
