Sep 3, 2017, 5:37 am
Last edit by: Zorak
Which countries are supported?
https://support.google.com/fi/answer...intl_countries
Note that in some locations Hangouts (and Gmail) are not available (e.g., China, Russia, Thailand, South Korea, Mexico, Argentina, and more: see link below for full list of excluded countries), so you will need a VPN to access them (or to make VOIP calls via Hangouts Dialer)
https://support.google.com/hangouts/answer/3205646
Exceptions:
Listed, but no/spotty service:
Not listed, *did* have service
1- Reboot phone
2- Toggle "airplane mode" on/off. Wait five seconds after toggling off (it resets phone modem).
3- Try manually connecting to each available network (rather than using the auto select feature).
4- Toggle down from 4g to 3g (removing the recommended 4g option) and then try manually connecting to each available network.
5- Toggle down from 3g to 2g and then try manually connecting to each available network.
https://support.google.com/fi/answer...intl_countries
Note that in some locations Hangouts (and Gmail) are not available (e.g., China, Russia, Thailand, South Korea, Mexico, Argentina, and more: see link below for full list of excluded countries), so you will need a VPN to access them (or to make VOIP calls via Hangouts Dialer)
https://support.google.com/hangouts/answer/3205646
Exceptions:
Listed, but no/spotty service:
- Ukraine (Aug 2018) - no service, all providers listed as "forbidden". Post #660
- Alaska (Jul 2018) -- had voice service, but inconsistent/spotty data (try forcing Sprint)
- Peru (Sep 2016) post 341, 360
- Grand Cayman Island (Jan 2018) post 547
Not listed, *did* have service
Belize (Jan 2018) post 547Belize now appears on the "supported" international list
1- Reboot phone
2- Toggle "airplane mode" on/off. Wait five seconds after toggling off (it resets phone modem).
3- Try manually connecting to each available network (rather than using the auto select feature).
4- Toggle down from 4g to 3g (removing the recommended 4g option) and then try manually connecting to each available network.
5- Toggle down from 3g to 2g and then try manually connecting to each available network.
Google Fi: Anyone care to post their experience?
Jan 16, 2017, 6:05 am
#406
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Key West
Programs: DL Silver, AA EXP, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 401
I have had mostly good experience with the Pixel. I did have a bit of a shock the other day while on Delta's Gogo. Phone was in airplane mode and I was reading emails when my phone rang. I rejected the call but the voip definitely worked.
Jan 17, 2017, 3:28 pm
#407
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
Posts: 6,017
I've been traveling around AsiaPac for a while with my Pixel and Fi. It's fantastic. Much better than T-mo with usable speeds just like when I was in the States. Finally a global option for us road warriors.
Jan 17, 2017, 6:51 pm
#408
Join Date: Aug 2013
Programs: AA PPro, Marriott Gold, IHG Gold, Hilton Silver, Hyatt Explorist, DL Silver
Posts: 34
Signed up for a Nexus 6P for some travel taking place next month. Took it on a domestic trip last week to test it out. Powered up when landing for a layover in PHX.
Where it promptly welcomed me to China. LOL. Went back into airplane mode for a minute, turned it off, and it got my location right. Thought it was funny.
So far domestically, it's working okay. Can't wait to try it out in 3 weeks overseas.
Where it promptly welcomed me to China. LOL. Went back into airplane mode for a minute, turned it off, and it got my location right. Thought it was funny.
So far domestically, it's working okay. Can't wait to try it out in 3 weeks overseas.
Jan 18, 2017, 12:11 pm
#409
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Cleveland, OH
Programs: UA-GS 1MM), Hertz Pres Circle, Starriott Titanium)
Posts: 1,966
This. Best thing Evah. I've loved landing in UK, Germany, India, Chile, Canada, Qatar, UAE and others this year and having full blast LTE instantly.
Jan 20, 2017, 1:28 am
#410
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Newport Beach / San Francisco / Seattle
Programs: UA GS 1MM, Amex Centurion, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 289
ever since the speed bump to LTE, I've more or less stopped procuring local SIMs upon arrival. In the last 2 months, I've had a great experience with Fi on my 5x (phone is only used for travel w/Fi) and the data-only SIM in a Huawei hotspot in China, Japan, Germany, and Taiwan.
Jan 20, 2017, 1:43 am
#411
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester
Posts: 18,933
ever since the speed bump to LTE, I've more or less stopped procuring local SIMs upon arrival. In the last 2 months, I've had a great experience with Fi on my 5x (phone is only used for travel w/Fi) and the data-only SIM in a Huawei hotspot in China, Japan, Germany, and Taiwan.
Asking because I had a shorter trip where I let companions tether off my 6P but have an upcoming longer trip and was debating getting a hotspot (which model of Huawei do you have?). Or, since it's a longer trip, hotspot + local tourist SIM with unlimited data might work out cheaper for 2+ people than $10/GB.
Jan 20, 2017, 1:59 am
#412
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Newport Beach / San Francisco / Seattle
Programs: UA GS 1MM, Amex Centurion, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 289
Can you talk a bit more about about your decision process between phone vs. hotspot? e.g. traveling with others and wanted to provide wifi to them but didn't want to tether off of phone, or...?
Asking because I had a shorter trip where I let companions tether off my 6P but have an upcoming longer trip and was debating getting a hotspot (which model of Huawei do you have?). Or, since it's a longer trip, hotspot + local tourist SIM with unlimited data might work out cheaper for 2+ people than $10/GB.
Asking because I had a shorter trip where I let companions tether off my 6P but have an upcoming longer trip and was debating getting a hotspot (which model of Huawei do you have?). Or, since it's a longer trip, hotspot + local tourist SIM with unlimited data might work out cheaper for 2+ people than $10/GB.
And, you guessed the other reason. On certain trips, a local data SIM w/unlimited winds up being cheaper when I'm travelling with others. I'm pretty good about not feeling the urge to go on Facebook or doing other data-intensive tasks, but that's just me
I'm using the Huawei E5377 and am happy with it ^
Jan 30, 2017, 9:14 pm
#414
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 222
+1, used it smoothly in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Okinawa with good data speed. I have TMo as well, but, at best 2G speed in the Asia. Ordered a data only sim to explore more.
Feb 1, 2017, 4:27 pm
#415
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: La Jolla, California
Programs: KrisFlyer Gold, SWA CP
Posts: 1,124
I got stuck in the Note7 disaster and converted to the Pixel XL. In the process, I changed from Verizon to Fi.
Here's my report:
- Note7 was better than the Pixel XL. THAT was a great phone ...
- Service in La Jolla under Fi is *much* better than Verizon.
- For international travel, Fi is much, much cheaper. My bill is now about 20% of what I was paying Verizon.
- I've had service in all the countries I have visited, but sometimes the data rate is poor. Here is the list:
India Hyderabad (poor)
Mexico Cancun (poor)
HK (good)
Bangkok (good)
Tokyo (good)
Very happy and not going back anytime soon ...
Here's my report:
- Note7 was better than the Pixel XL. THAT was a great phone ...
- Service in La Jolla under Fi is *much* better than Verizon.
- For international travel, Fi is much, much cheaper. My bill is now about 20% of what I was paying Verizon.
- I've had service in all the countries I have visited, but sometimes the data rate is poor. Here is the list:
India Hyderabad (poor)
Mexico Cancun (poor)
HK (good)
Bangkok (good)
Tokyo (good)
Very happy and not going back anytime soon ...
Feb 1, 2017, 5:25 pm
#416
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA Gold. UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt (Lifetime Diamond downgraded to Explorist)
Posts: 6,776
Out of curiosity do you know the data strength in Hyderabad and/or Cancun from previous experience?
I got stuck in the Note7 disaster and converted to the Pixel XL. In the process, I changed from Verizon to Fi.
Here's my report:
- Note7 was better than the Pixel XL. THAT was a great phone ...
- Service in La Jolla under Fi is *much* better than Verizon.
- For international travel, Fi is much, much cheaper. My bill is now about 20% of what I was paying Verizon.
- I've had service in all the countries I have visited, but sometimes the data rate is poor. Here is the list:
India Hyderabad (poor)
Mexico Cancun (poor)
HK (good)
Bangkok (good)
Tokyo (good)
Very happy and not going back anytime soon ...
Here's my report:
- Note7 was better than the Pixel XL. THAT was a great phone ...
- Service in La Jolla under Fi is *much* better than Verizon.
- For international travel, Fi is much, much cheaper. My bill is now about 20% of what I was paying Verizon.
- I've had service in all the countries I have visited, but sometimes the data rate is poor. Here is the list:
India Hyderabad (poor)
Mexico Cancun (poor)
HK (good)
Bangkok (good)
Tokyo (good)
Very happy and not going back anytime soon ...
Feb 1, 2017, 5:56 pm
#418
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: La Jolla, California
Programs: KrisFlyer Gold, SWA CP
Posts: 1,124
Feb 1, 2017, 7:37 pm
#419
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,507
I'm currently running Fi on my development phone (Nexus 5X) and I've noticed that here in SD, it's almost always on T-Mobile. That's probably for the best though because Sprint isn't all that good here. Haven't tried to use Fi elsewhere yet.
Feb 2, 2017, 6:46 am
#420
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
Posts: 6,017