Google Fi, the company’s new wireless service, is modeled after Comcast Xfinity’s W+ service. Both services offer a wide range of features and options, including voice and data service, TV and phone support, and a variety of add-ons. One of the most important differences between Fi and W+ is that Fi does not require a contract. You can sign up for Fi today and start using it tomorrow. This makes Fi an ideal choice for people who are not comfortable with contracts or who do not want to be tied down to a specific provider. Another key difference between Fi and W+ is that Fi does not have any monthly fees. You will pay your monthly fee when you first sign up for Fi, but you will never have to pay a monthly fee again if you decide to upgrade or change your service plan. This makesFi an ideal choice for people who are not interested in paying large sums of money every month for their wireless service. Finally, Fi offers a variety of add-ons that can make your experience even better. For example, you can get free unlimited talk minutes with your first month of service; free streaming on devices like Roku and Apple TV; or free 2GB of data per month. These add-ons makeFi an perfect choice for people who want the best possible wireless experience without spending too much money each month.
Google Fi is a wireless network operated by Google that originally focused on low data usage, but recently expanded into unlimited plans. Now the carrier has a new “W+” feature to help expand network coverage.
As spotted by 9to5Google, Google has quietly published a support article explaining a new W+ network feature. “When you’re in a covered area,” the company says, “you’ll be connected to the W+ network. W+ uses select secure, high quality Wi-Fi networks to improve your mobile data connection. W+ is available in areas where coverage can often be low, like certain airports, malls, or stadiums. Coverage will expand over time.” You’ll see a “W+” icon in the status bar when the feature is in use.
If you have a Google Pixel phone running Android 12 or newer, your phone will connect to W+ networks wherever available, which are actually public Wi-Fi networks. The effort seems to be based on Orion Wifi, which Google’s Area 120 division announced in 2020 as a way for public venues to sell Wi-Fi capacity to cellular carriers — similar to how companies like AT&T and Verizon sell network coverage to MVNOs like Boost Mobile or Mint Mobile.
Of course, using public Wi-Fi networks to improve mobile coverage is nothing new. Xfinity Mobile, a mobile carrier operated by Comcast/Xfinity, has “millions” of secure Wi-Fi hotspots across the country (mostly broadcasted from Xfinity home internet routers) that phones automatically connect to when available. AT&T also has many public Wi-Fi networks available to some AT&T customers.
However, unlike Wi-Fi hotspots operated by Xfinity and AT&T, Google Fi W+ networks actually counts against your monthly data cap — just like mobile data. That means the only benefit for Fi subscribers is improved coverage wherever a W+ network is available.
Google’s support article doesn’t say if the owner of the Wi-Fi hotspot can observe your network traffic, but the company said in 2020 that the underlying Orion technology “cannot access users’ Internet traffic.” You can turn off W+ by opening the Settings app and navigating to Network & Internet > SIM > Google Fi > W+ Connections.
Source: 9to5Google, Google Support
