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?
#211
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SJC
Programs: UA 1K, AA ExecPlat
Posts: 820
Just wanted to add my experience so far to this thread. I've traveled a bit with Fi and it has worked pretty well. Places I've been to include Guam, Hong Kong, UK, Finland, Estonia, Ukraine and Turkey. Those were all before high speed data was offered, so I'm looking forward to my next trip where I can try out the faster data.
And despite the warnings, I'm using my Fi sim on an iPhone 6s and haven't really run into any problems yet, only a few annoyances.
And despite the warnings, I'm using my Fi sim on an iPhone 6s and haven't really run into any problems yet, only a few annoyances.
#212
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Liberty International...
Programs: OMNI Platinum
Posts: 9,721
Thanks for the replies. I manged to source a nexus 6 from a buddy who is using it on Ring Plus and I'm wondering if I can "borrow it" to set up the Fi service and just use it with the iphone or should I get a data sim* ? After Fi is set up, can he go back to Ring Plus, or does the phone have to be active for the data sim/ Fi to work?
*I don't really need phone service, just data to use while abroad
*I don't really need phone service, just data to use while abroad
#214
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,304
Thanks for the replies. I manged to source a nexus 6 from a buddy who is using it on Ring Plus and I'm wondering if I can "borrow it" to set up the Fi service and just use it with the iphone or should I get a data sim* ? After Fi is set up, can he go back to Ring Plus, or does the phone have to be active for the data sim/ Fi to work?
*I don't really need phone service, just data to use while abroad
*I don't really need phone service, just data to use while abroad
#215
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Liberty International...
Programs: OMNI Platinum
Posts: 9,721
The data sim can only be purchased and attached to a standard voice+sms+data Fi account. So you can have a Fi sim without a data sim but not the other way around. If you don't use the data on the Fi sim, you'll get a credit applied toward your next month's prepay bill. I don't think you can activate Fi and data sim, then cancel Fi but keep the data sim active.
I'm not canceling Fi. I'm looking to see once it's activated on a Nexus phone can I remove the sim and put it on my iPhone and can the Nexus go back to Ringplus for either the Fi or data only sim to work?
#216
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Houston, TX USA
Programs: United Platinum, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, Avis President's Circle
Posts: 569
Just wanted to add my experience so far to this thread. I've traveled a bit with Fi and it has worked pretty well. Places I've been to include Guam, Hong Kong, UK, Finland, Estonia, Ukraine and Turkey. Those were all before high speed data was offered, so I'm looking forward to my next trip where I can try out the faster data.
And despite the warnings, I'm using my Fi sim on an iPhone 6s and haven't really run into any problems yet, only a few annoyances.
And despite the warnings, I'm using my Fi sim on an iPhone 6s and haven't really run into any problems yet, only a few annoyances.
My wife & I are iPhone people, and are sick enough with AT&T to consider switching. However, she hates too much "tech" and likes stuff to just work, so I'm nervous that "annoyances" are going to be a deal-breaker...
CLG
#218
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,304
http://www.androidpolice.com/2015/11...ice-on-sprint/
https://social.ringplus.net/discussi...fi-to-ringplus
Look into my case study, when I submitted activation request for my Nexus along with ICCID obtained from Fi SIM, I guess Ring+ passed along the request to Sprint: the ICCID is checked if it is in Sprint database (of course it is as it was activated with Sprint through Fi); the ESN/MEID is checked for FED, lost/stolen, activated under another account (my Nexus's MEID was clean as it was released from Fi). As all checks passed, Ring+ activated my Nexus. At the time Ring+ forward the LTE data request to Sprint, Sprint recognized that the requesting ICCID is associated with a deactivated account (my Fi account) and therefore refused the request. This would explain why I only got voice/text/3G on my Nexus through Ring+ while using Fi SIM even after factory reset.
https://productforums.google.com/for...rum/project-fi
https://www.reddit.com/r/ProjectFi/c...lan_it/cypqh56
https://www.reddit.com/r/ProjectFi/c..._fi_to_sprint/
#219
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SJC
Programs: UA 1K, AA ExecPlat
Posts: 820
Another annoyance is that MMS messages sent via SMS (not iMessage) seem to have problems. I've had images sent via Hangouts arrive fine (although at low res, but that's a known issue), and images/videos sent using iMessage are fine. But I think when ExpertFlyer sends me an alert using the email gateway, I get an MMS delivery failure message from Project Fi. It doesn't really bother me as I get the same information in emails anyway.
What else... missed phone calls will not show up in your Hangouts history, but they will show up in your iPhone history. Wifi calling is not as integrated as it was with T-mobile, but if connected to wifi, you can still send/receive calls and txt messages through Hangouts (not sure if the regular phone app would ring though). I think I had to set the APN settings to get data to work, but that was a one-time thing. Lastly I also set the Enable LTE option for data only since Project Fi doesn't support VoLTE, and if you set your phone to use LTE for Voice & Data, then it may have problems completing calls.
Other than that, tethering works well, data roaming works well, and this past weekend I got LTE when in Costa Rica with speeds of 15Mbps down and 6.5Mbps up!
If you have any other questions, let me know. Project Fi has been really great for my usage patterns!
#220
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 380
I'm still holding on to my Verizon unlimited data and have been keeping the
monthly usage below 70gb. Since Project Fi charges $10 per GB, that's
$700 for me. However, I've been testing to see possibly surviving with just
5gb to 10gb per month. If I can survive that, I guess I can make the switch
over to Project Fi. (which will save me a TON of $$$ when I do international
roaming)
#221
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Liberty International...
Programs: OMNI Platinum
Posts: 9,721
Once again thanks for the replies. I looked a bit more and like the above poster said, if you try going back to sprint it might mess up the connection, and that's a risk one has to to take. I haven't fully committed to doing that just yet, and always keeping an eye out for a nexus deal. In the mean time, I may just look at buying a UK 3 sim and use it for data.
#223
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SJC
Programs: UA 1K, AA ExecPlat
Posts: 820
Sorry, I haven't switched carriers since switching to Fi.
#224
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SJC
Programs: UA 1K, AA ExecPlat
Posts: 820
The only thing that's holding me back is the amount of mobile data that I use.
I'm still holding on to my Verizon unlimited data and have been keeping the
monthly usage below 70gb. Since Project Fi charges $10 per GB, that's
$700 for me. However, I've been testing to see possibly surviving with just
5gb to 10gb per month. If I can survive that, I guess I can make the switch
over to Project Fi. (which will save me a TON of $$$ when I do international
roaming)
I'm still holding on to my Verizon unlimited data and have been keeping the
monthly usage below 70gb. Since Project Fi charges $10 per GB, that's
$700 for me. However, I've been testing to see possibly surviving with just
5gb to 10gb per month. If I can survive that, I guess I can make the switch
over to Project Fi. (which will save me a TON of $$$ when I do international
roaming)
#225
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 380
then suspend it the next month... then activate it again the next month?
I intend to use the Project Fi SIM in a non-Nexus phone.(most likely my
Galaxy Note 5 or S7) I was told on by Project Fi that the suspending
and reactivating of the Project Fi acct has to be done on a Nexus phone
only. Is this correct?
Thanks!