Google Fi users get bill credit for ditching their old non-VoLTE phones

If you're a Google Fi customer and you're still using an older phone that doesn't support voice over LTE (VoLTE), you'll soon have to upgrade or risk losing cellular service. To encourage its customers to upgrade from their old devices, Google Fi is now offering a bill credit to subscribers who have a non-VoLTE handset active on the network.

There's an important reason wireless companies are pushing users to upgrade their phones — 3G networks are largely obsolete, plus VoLTE offers a boost in call quality. However, many people are still using phones that don't support VoLTE and they'd be unhappy if the legacy 3G networks were quickly shut down.

The transition to newer technology is inevitable and Google Fi is sounding the alarm for its customers. According to 9to5Google, Google Fi subscribers with an active non-VoLTE have been on the receiving end of an email offering a promotional $100 bill credit for buying a new phone that has VoLTE support.

Per the finer details, the new phone must be purchased from a first-party store and it has to be activated on Google Fi before December 31, otherwise, you won't get the bill credit. Likewise, Google will only offer the bill credit to eligible subscribers who receive the promotional email from the company.

The majority of smartphones now available to purchase support VoLTE, including Google's latest and greatest Pixel handsets. You can bring your phone to the Google Fi service, but if you want to make sure the device is compatible, you have the option of purchasing a smartphone directly from the Google Fi store; devices are offered with device payment plans and many have activation discounts if you're new to the service.