Google Fi now hops between two 5G networks on Pixel 9 and newer
Google Fi on Pixel 9 and newer can now jump to a second 5G network when your signal drops, plus auto-connect to faster Wi-Fi. It costs nothing extra.
SUMO· the number puzzle
Dialo· learn languages by speaking
ediviewer· read EDI files like documents
giftdetect· the right gift in minutesIf your phone signal has ever died in the middle of a street, Google Fi has a fix: it can now switch to a second 5G network on its own. The feature is free and rolling out today to Pixel 9 phones and newer.
Google calls the package a "super network", and it has two parts. The first watches your connection. If the main network slows down or turns unstable, Fi moves you to a secondary one, so you get the faster option when things are fine and fewer dead zones when they are not. The second, Wi-Fi Auto Connect+, joins premium Wi-Fi in millions of places such as airports and malls without a login page or a trip into settings.
How does Google Fi's network switching work?
It relies on MEP, short for Multiple Enabled Profiles. That lets one eSIM chip hold and run several SIM profiles at once. Google's footnotes say any non-Fi SIMs need to be disabled.
Google did not name the two networks, only calling them "two of America's best 5G cellular networks". Fi usually runs on T-Mobile, so the second is probably AT&T or Verizon, but that is a guess. ZDNET has asked Google.
There is some history here. When Fi launched a decade ago, it switched between Sprint and T-Mobile. Those two merged in 2020, which ended the trick.
What does Wi-Fi Auto Connect+ do?
It connects you to faster Wi-Fi automatically and encrypts the connection. Google defines faster as twice the reliability and 30% lower latency (the delay before data starts moving) compared with normal Fi cellular.
The Wi-Fi feature is also headed to Samsung phones on One UI 9 or higher and select modern Motorola phones.
Who gets it and what does it cost?
Both features are included on the Unlimited Premium and Flexible plans at no extra charge, and Google says they are available internationally. Non-customers can try Fi free for seven days alongside their current carrier.
Apps worth a look
SUMO: the number puzzleTap the right tiles, add them up, hit the target. Easy to learn, hard to master. Free, for all ages.
Dialo: learn languages by speakingTalk to an AI conversation partner; every sentence comes back corrected and explained in your language. 9 languages, A1 to C2.
ediviewer: read EDI files like documentsOpen EDIFACT and X12 messages, see every segment explained, convert to JSON/XML, export PDF and Excel. Runs locally, no upload.
giftdetect: the right gift in minutesPick who it is for, the occasion and their personality. The search engine reads product descriptions from local shops and ranks what fits. Free, no sign-up.
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