FlyerTalk Forums - Google Fi: Anyone care to post their experience?

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Thought I got an email recently for a free phone of the latest version.

I am not changing until it breaks. Still using my 4a and all is well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Repooc17 (Post 35734955)

Thought I got an email recently for a free phone of the latest version.

I am not changing until it breaks. Still using my 4a and all is well.

That was with free with activation of a new line of service.

The discount for the Pixel 8 Pro is $400. However, the trade in value of my Pixel 6A seems to have plummeted...I think it was $300 a couple of weeks ago, now it's only $100.

Unlocked Pixel 7A was $349.99 at Sam’s Club. The offer expired 11/8. I expect an additional offers in the next few weeks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Middle_Seat (Post 35736154)

The discount for the Pixel 8 Pro is $400. However, the trade in value of my Pixel 6A seems to have plummeted...I think it was $300 a couple of weeks ago, now it's only $100.

$100 seems more like it for a 2-year-old phone that you can buy new for $349 right now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by IMH (Post 35659970)

Following up on my last posts and people's suggestions, above, a brief update: I recently cancelled Fi by porting my number out to a virtual provider. In the 5+ years since I left the US, Google never capped my service or issued a warning.

In mid-2018 I moved to Germany. I set up local service, but also retained Fi. During 2018 and into 2019 I made a lot of calls to, and received calls from, the US. I rarely used data service in Germany, but visited Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, India and Japan. I also visited the US frequently, however.

Covid 19 meant that between February 2020 and late 2022 I didn't leave Europe. During that period I didn't actively use Fi service, although Google's servers will have seen the phone when I occasionally checked for messages and software updates. For the past year my travel has been somewhat more normal, with trips to SE Asia and Canada sandwiched between three trips to the US, and I've used Fi for data and calls whenever I've left Europe.

Short version: if you don't take the mickey, Google will probably take your money and leave you in peace even if you don't touch US soil very often.

Fi has recently clarified their International roaming policy:

Quote:

Activation: Google Fi’s Terms of Service require you to activate and use Google Fi service mainly in the United States (not including territories) for at least one day before using Fi abroad. Learn more about activating Fi service. You can reactivate your plan while abroad. For example, you could switch devices or perform a factory reset.

Extent of use: If the majority of your usage occurs outside of the United States over a consecutive 90-day period, we will suspend your international data (your account stays active). You can avoid a suspension by returning to the US for at least a week. You’ll receive a warning email and notification in the Fi app 30 days before suspension.

Suspension exit: When your data has been suspended for extended international use, you can still use your phone to call and text, but you will lose international data access until we have observed significant usage in the United States for at least 30 days.

Exceptions: We grant international exceptions for military and State Department employees who serve abroad through verification of government status.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nerd (Post 35734481)

Some nice discounts on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro for existing Fi customers:

https://fi.google.com/about/promo-te...d=CakBc_AyBgYA

Looks like the offer expires Nov. 15th.

Black Friday deals out now. Nothing too exciting. The $300 discount for the Pixel 8 is extended thru the end of the year. Samsung discounts $500-600. Pixel 2 watch $75 off.

So far so good.

Google Fi is currently offering $500 off Samsung Galaxy S23 phones so long as you port in a number and stay with Google Fi for just 120 days. No trade-in required; offer valid until sometime in January.

Purchased three Galaxy S23 phones on December 9; instant $1500 discount; 256GB models, so $360 each plus tax
Phones arrived about five days later (one phone was first projected not to arrive until January, but suddenly changed to a day later than the two other phones)
Called T-Mobile to tell them I'm porting the numbers, and they gave me my account number and told me how to generate a Transfer PIN on the T-Mobile app
- The Transfer PIN is only valid for exactly seven days (168 hours); if you don't get the porting completed within that time, you will need to request a new PIN
- As an aside, and they can see we've been with them for 22 years, T-Mobile basically just said, "see ya later." Not even a hint of an attempt for retention.
In order to port Miss Swede's number for two days after she gets back from college (in case things went sideways), I had to wait two days to request the Transfer PIN
Baby Swede was the guinea pig; transferred data to her new phone, then installed the Google Fi app and initiated the porting request
Eventually a notification popped up saying the port was successful, but there was an issue connecting to the Google Fi network and to contact support.
While contacting support, I sent a text message to Baby Swede's number, and it was received. Closed the chat.
The following night, I ported my phone number. Also got the same connection issue message. I waited a few minutes, and I was able to send/receive text messages.
Last night, I migrated Mrs. Swede and Miss Swede (iPhone 15 user); Mrs. Swede also got the same connection issue notification, but cleared up within minutes.
Miss Swede's seldomly-used Gmail account was locked out because it ran out of storage due to her using Google Photos (they were also being backed up to iCloud and OneDrive at the same time); once I cleared out enough space, it took multiple tries before the Google Fi invite was received
I followed the instructions on Google Fi's website to install the new eSIM on her phone, she manually updated the network properties as direct, and all she had to do was reboot her phone to get service.
Today, I confirmed with T-Mobile that my account was cancelled (which happens as soon as all numbers in the account are ported out).

Reception has been pretty much the same since they use the same T-Mobile towers. My only frustration is that I'm in the middle of a 1/2-mile area where service is just awful for all cell phone carriers. About a mile west of my house, I'm getting almost 500mbps download speeds; at my house, 3mbps on a good day.

If the service truly sucks, I can become a free agent again in 120 days (180 days if I want to go back to T-Mobile).

Since last week, my Google Fi service has gone off seemingly for no reasons.

I didn't notice at first, especially with active WiFi, then I realized I couldn't make and receive calls. Msg from Fi app said activate to get voice, data, and texts; except I have been with Fi for a while now. Contacted Google, and fixed, or somi thought.

Every day since, I keep getting the same message, no SIMs, need to activate, etc, except the SIM card has never left the phone. A phone restart does the trick, but having to do it frequently is not a solution. Any idea? Has anyone encountered the same, or something similar?

Phone is Pixel 4a (5G).

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Repooc17 (Post 36022707)

Every day since, I keep getting the same message, no SIMs, need to activate, etc, except the SIM card has never left the phone. A phone restart does the trick, but having to do it frequently is not a solution. Any idea? Has anyone encountered the same, or something similar?

Phone is Pixel 4a (5G).

Thanks!

Sounds like a misaligned or failing SIM card, IMO. Take it out, gently wipe the contacts with something like a handkerchief, and reinsert it. If that fails to fix the problem, I would contact your provider's customer service about putting in a new SIM. Had a T-Mobile (my backup phone) SIM fail after about 4 years, and a new SIM from them instantly solved the problem.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig6z (Post 36022838)

Thanks for the suggestion. Was still having issues after removing and reinserting SIM.

Reluctantly, "re-activated" my Fi service, worked for a while and then the same. After a second try, it's been holding so far, and going on about 24 hrs almost.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Repooc17 (Post 36022707)

No esim?

Love that i could add fi as an e-sim to my galaxy s24 in the 2nd slot. Now I dont have to carry a 2nd sim in my phone case that eventually gets lost.

Recently turned it back on for my trip to egypt with layovers in vienna and london. Had 0 problems. I was primarily in the cairo area and had very fast speeds. Worked at both vienna airport and heathrow.

I don’t know why our phones have habitual issues when abroad. Mine was fine this summer in France but son’s was not. Other son’s didn’t work in Greece. Last month mine didn’t work in Mexico. Eventually we get them to work. Like after hours of help from their CS and after fiddling with settings (even when said settings worked abroad the day before). I’m keeping Fi for now bc the convenience and price are good. But if these next two trips create hours of problems then it’s not going to be so convenient anymore.

Anyone else have a random service outage this morning? It's fine again after I went through Fi setup on my phone again. Wonder if my SIM card is going bad or something...