In today’s hectic world of consuming data, connecting with others, and sharing media, the smartphone has become the hub of our lives.

It is our greatest companion and our strongest ally, as it allows us to learn, share, and create at a phenomenal rate.

To provide us with the ability to make these connections and such, cellular service providers AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile – amongst many others – have made their living by selling phones and plans.

Now, a new contender has entered the ring.That new contender is Google.

How it works

In order to provide access to a cellular network, wireless carriers would have to set up cell towers.

These cell towers transmit calls, texts, and data. According to celltowerinfo.com, it costs around $100,000 for a 150-foot tower.

Google is in no doubt a deep-pocketed company, but by no means can they afford to set up $100K towers across the United States.

The alternative? Rent them.

Google has made deals with both T-Mobile and Sprint to utilize their 4G LTE networks whenever Wi-Fi isn’t available.

The advantage to having two networks is that when one network is weak, and the other is strong, your phone will connect to the one that is strongest.

So if Sprint’s network is sluggish in your home, but T-Mobile’s is stronger, Project Fi recognizes this and connects your phone to the T-Mobile network.

Whenever Wi-Fi is available, Google will automatically connect you to one of their one million “certified networks,” of which they promise are fast and reliable.

And once you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network, calls and text will operate over it instead of over a cellular network.

And if you’re making a call over Wi-Fi and the signal becomes weaker, Project Fi will move you on to a cellular network.

Google also promises that when you connect to a public Wi-Fi hotspot your data will be encrypted.

This will ensure that your data is safe and secure.

The cost

Project Fi starts at $30 per month for 1GB of data – $20 dollars of that price is for unlimited talk and text, and $10 of the price is for the gigabyte of data.

If you need more, it will add another $10 to the price for every gigabyte of data you add.

For example, if you want 5GB of data, it will cost you $20 for unlimited talk and text, and $50 for 5GB of data, with the final price being $70 per month.

The big advantage to Project Fi, an advantage that none of the big carriers offer, is that you will never pay for data you don’t use.

Let’s say you have a 5GB plan. Let’s also say that you use 2.5GB of that data on a cellular network (like 4G LTE) and the other 2.5GB of data on Wi-Fi.

The data you didn’t use would be deducted from your bill (each MB of unused data is 1 cent of credit).

In this case, $25 would be deducted from the bill, with the total coming in at $45.

The rate stays the same \Currently, Project Fi only works with the Nexus 6. After the Early Access Program has ended, it is very possible that will become available for use on Google’s new network.

Is it worth it?

Finding the perfect carrier is a challenge. With the introduction of contractless options like AT&T Next and Verizon Edge, deciding whether or not to sign up for a contract can be tough.

Some carriers, like T-Mobile, don’t even offer contracts at all.

Google’s plan offers the ability to pay for only what data is used, an option unavailable with other carriers.

And with a contract-less option, being able to switch to a new phone without an early termination fee is compelling.

This can save a lot of money for those who frequently use Wi-Fi networks.

And with a contract-less option, being able to switch to a new phone without an early termination fee is compelling.

Google’s Project Fi is an interesting concept, one very well worth considering when deciding which carrier to go with.

Project Fi is worth keeping in mind. The promises of savings and consisent, clear calls are tempting.

If you’re interested in Fi and own a Nexus 6, head on over to fi.google.com and request an invite to the beta.