Lei feng's network (search for "Lei feng's network", public interest): the author Luo Runxin, Shanghai New York interactive media arts at the University of reading.
Talking about United States several major mobile operators, in the United States who spent his time probably won't have an unfavorable to them.
Expensive rates, inefficient customer service hotline, cheating packages and coverage are often complain about content. While t-mobile is leading the wave of change, such as canceling long-term contracts and equipment network lock, but the process is still fraught with conflict and unhappiness, and some such as the U.S. Cellular operators still using older billing model.
For these reasons, many users turn to more segments of the market of virtual operators. Virtual base station network operator does not own operation, but leased from the other larger carriers, and design their own billing and service. Virtual operators usually targeted to provide special services, such as for non-English speaking users, provides users with unlimited international calling service, even in their native language customer service telephone. Search engine giant Google, rely on unique methods into the battlefield.
Project Fi
In early 2015, there are rumors suggested that Google is preparing its own mobile operator services, then Google to hand over their answers: Project Fi. It is also a virtual network operator, which means that Google needs to hire resources from other operators. For virtual operators, leased network means more than a higher starting point, also means subject to dependency network. But this is not a problem for Project Fi.
It uses more than one operator's network (T-Mobile,Sprint,U.S. Cellular and Three), and automatically switch between networks based on signal strength. Integration with Hangouts/Google Voice also means that the user can use the synchronize other devices receiving calls and text messages, open WiFi coverage WiFi can also be used to provide communication services and WiFi signal becomes weak when the call transfer to mobile phone networks.
Behind the complex operation on the contrary, its billing method is very simple. Base monthly fee of $20 per month, plus $10/GB flow cost, can provide to the United States and Canada unlimited calling, unlimited worldwide SMS, Mobile HotSpot sharing (not wrong, many operators of this function is to charge) and by default contains the global roaming service, traffic while roaming charges, unlimited speed.
Practical experience
This sounds great with how do we service? Author is arrived in New York September 2015. In the United States in a year, use the t-mobile virtual network operator China Telecom Americas Corporation, also use AT&T services, and finally turned toward the Project Fi.
Signal quality FENDI iPhone 6 Plus Case
T-mobile coverage can be said very well in New York City, in a number of places in AT&T. But out of the big cities, t-mobile's coverage is obviously inadequate, on the tour bus Verizon and AT&T users in cell phones, t-mobile signal has begun intermittent or is lost entirely. Fendi case
When in the city, because of Manhattan's architectural complex, AT&T in my dorm only 1 signal, or no signal in many restaurants.
After Project Fi swap, be able to continue to use t-mobile's strong coverage in urban area, and in some traditional coverage blind spots can automatically switch to Sprint's CDMA network, 800MHz low frequency CDMA network means more powerful cover.
Use rates
Rates, when used AT&T, I was sharing with a friend plan monthly fee $30 includes 2GB shares of flow, each device needs to pay the access fee of $25 per month, excluding taxes and other charges are monthly charges for each person needs to spend $40. Switch to the Project after the Fi, even if I personally use 2GB, also $40 costs. If the flow is not used up, AT&T will scroll to the next cycle of the unused parts, ultra 1GB supplementary package, needs to $15 and in the current cycle is finished.
And Project Fi not so many troubling things to think about, if you don't use the full flow of the month, the remaining flows will be calculated according to the price and as a cash back to the next Bill to offset, with Super $10/GB in part the price charged. In other words, if using AT&T, I used super 100MB, $15 cost will be charged and Project Fi, I will be more than cost of $1, fill less back.
Incidentally, Project Fi allow users to apply for up to 9 additional traffic card, shared with the main card traffic. In AT&T, add a flow device to charge $10-$20 cost, depending on the device type.
Services
Major carriers online self-service features are available, and Google as an Internet business, this piece of nature is very good.
Different from other carrier complex old interface, Project Fi interface is very clean and beautiful, account more than one flow usage was clearly separate labeling of equipment and can even look up each call duration, rate and actual charges. And it has improved the help documentation.
In times of need manual service, operators will provide voice, chat and messages through various channels is different, Project Fi artificial service is 24 hours a week all year round. In addition to traditional line mode, Google also promotes user page or within the app using words, user and customer service dialing, eliminating dial the hotline waiting for a long time.
Previously, I upgraded Android n experience version ran nearly 700MB flow and flow within the system is emptied due to data impossible to verify, called Project Fi customer service asking for a background check to the flow going. Customer service representatives said they could not query the user's private data, inconvenience to this they are willing to return to compensate the full flow of the day, within a few minutes, the author appeared a deduction within the account record and offset traffic costs, overall service experience was very pleasant, even if the error can be caused by user error.
Trials for Project Fi network is a large area of travel. In May this year, the author to the United States the circumference made a number of trips in the Midwest, route map with a red dot on marking area, continued in use for some time after the return to China during taste of network switch mystery, also experience the shortage of Project Fi.
Save 10 operators SIM card data card
After some of the signal is not very good in the areas (forests, mountains), Project Fi switch carriers, and advocacy. But the switching process is not seamless. Because the Project Fi network switching capacity depends on its special SIM card, the SIM card is special because it can save up to 10 operator's card data. SIM card users the equivalent of carrying a dozen, by Project Fi software according to decide which one to use.
Switch network scenario, the SIM card will be completed according to the instructions of the software virtual drawing cards, trading cards and action cards. So the whole process would go through about 8 seconds of disconnection from the Internet signal is not good or fast-moving scenario, the time may be longer. Frequent network switch will cause intermittent network experience, and increase power consumption. The other hand, due to the switching network can lead to disconnection from the Internet so it will not take the initiative according to switch signal strength, but the signal is extremely weak or broken cases will start to search for other networks. This led occurs when there's T-Mobile 4G coverage, and users still use Sprint 3G. This phenomenon especially in mountainous areas, U.S. Cellular has not joined the Project Fi, mountains covered in addition to t-mobile and Sprint, and they hire domestic roaming partner.
The so-called domestic roaming, usually refers to a home base station coverage areas provide services using other operators ' base stations, usually each month there will be some traffic restrictions. In poor signal areas such as mountains, Project Fi will choose to use the Sprint card roaming typically roam to a Verizon CDMA networks and some local operators, because CDMA network coverage in these areas more broadly.
They haven't dropped the case, it will not take the initiative to switch to another signal better cards. Project Fi although no domestic roaming traffic restrictions, but domestic roaming means lower the network priority will sometimes encounter speed limits (t-mobile roaming card to AT&T will make some serious speed limit), and generally not using roaming traders 4G. There are even a few roaming operators do not provide data roaming, provided only voice and text messaging services. Here are several author records of roaming operators:
Verizon, pay attention to the Fi to automatically connect to an open WiFi hotspots and open VPN service provided by Google to protect privacy.
AT&T, severe speed limits.
Union Telco/APC Sprint, only EDGE and there is no data connection.
There are several in the mountainous area see operators, I have previously heard
International roaming, this time when I came back was lucky enough to experience in mainland China.
International roaming policy, July 12 is a dividing line. International roaming if connection before LTE network will be limited to 256Kbps. Now, Google will cancel this limitation, how fast can run will be determined by the network conditions. It is regrettable that, the American version of Nexus devices roaming experience can be said to be polarized in the city, very good in good, bad time to break.
City, hosted by China mobile roaming services, the network is operated by GSM/EDGE, TD-SCDMA, and B39 B40, B41 TDD-LTE. And the US version compatible with Nexus 6P only GSM/EDGE and B41 LTE. B41 signals can be seen only outside in the city, once it enters the inside buildings or remote areas, usually only the EDGE network is available. Network latency coupled with international roaming, experience is very bad, open Google home page will need 5-10 seconds in some cases packet loss altogether.
This phenomenon when roaming in other countries may also be encountered, only the next generation of Nexus devices truly global Netcom, this phenomenon could change.
Following are roaming under the EDGE and LTE signal test results:
Signal indicator on the exclamation mark is due to the author to amend its own Captive Portal Server address, without affecting the speed test. 340ms delay was all the network traffic back to the original operator billing-"detour" that brings. Benefit would be like in the United States as barrier-free use overseas services, because the export of mobile phones IP address is United States.
Conclusion
But even if the experimental service has many imperfections, it still saw the light, after the fresh power of the Internet into the traditional telecommunications industry, consumers have a more diverse selection, also has put pressure on traditional carriers.
Project Fi many imperfections are slowly improving. Thanks to air the SIM card and software upgrade, users do not need to change the card to obtain such as the addition of new carriers and international roaming speed limit upgrades. For permanent residence in the city, and who don't use a Nexus device, this service is expensive. For regular users of international travel, it is a very attractive choice, and the experience is painless because the user can move their numbers to other carriers at any time, without restriction.
Anyway, Project Fi there is still some distance away from success. Google subversion of traditional communication operators have only just begun ... ...
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