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Google Fi: Anyone care to post their experience?

Old Sep 3, 2017, 5:37 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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:
  • 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 547 Belize now appears on the "supported" international list
If you are having trouble connecting, level 1 Fi reps recommend you try the following steps before they will escalate. Try each step in the order listed below to see if it fixes your issue - if not, move on to next step.

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.
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Google Fi: Anyone care to post their experience?

Old Jun 6, 2016, 4:08 pm
  #181  
 
Join Date: May 2013
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Originally Posted by TMM1982
Anyone use this service? Have an upcoming trip to Europe and was thinking about purchasing some data through it. Verizon is a total rip for international data packages.
I use it, and it's decent for what it is, fairly slow but reliable data usable for email, maps, and basic web seraches -- although I must say Verizon has gotten much more competitive on data since November '15 with TravelPass ($10 a day for rather fast data in many countries).
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Old Jun 6, 2016, 4:16 pm
  #182  
 
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Originally Posted by Analise
Can it be a one-time purchase of a selected # of GBs for a specific trip or is it a commitment?
Neither -- it's a normal prepaid phone plan, with a selected # of GB on a data plan per month (at $10/GB); whatever you don't use is credited back to you the next month. It's not really for one time use for travel as it has a nominal $20/month plus taxes charge for the unlimited calling/text messaging part of the plan, although I suppose you could cancel that or suspend it between trips...
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Old Jun 6, 2016, 8:09 pm
  #183  
 
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Have both the Fi Sim activated on Nexus 6 for DW, loved it. My Nexus 5X still on T-Mobile as I sometimes use/need GB of data that can get expensive.

Just did a 7 day Bermuda cruise & use it @ 3G/HSPA speed, works great - not fast but very functional ... as if we're in the Caribbean islands, with the Welcome to Jamaica message once out of airplane mode. Total of about $3 dollars for 5 minutes of cellular calls at 20 cents/min & 200 MB data for $2 - can't beat those int'l pricing as "extra" services ... using less "home" data so it will likely be a wash on billing/rebate scheme.

Data sim associated with voice account was on unlocked iPad Mini, moved it to the Nexus 5X as a WiFi only device, took a reboot to get it working to use for Hangouts, Maps & web browsing all over the island. With no monthly maintenance fees, the data sim add-on is great, only paid for what's used when needed.

Account can be suspended for vacation/travel as necessary - self service options once logged into the account, live 24/7 help as needed (seldom)

P.S. Mods might want to merge this to the "main" ongoing Google Fi discussion.
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Old Jun 7, 2016, 4:55 am
  #184  
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Originally Posted by AussieExPat
I use it, and it's decent for what it is, fairly slow but reliable data usable for email, maps, and basic web seraches -- although I must say Verizon has gotten much more competitive on data since November '15 with TravelPass ($10 a day for rather fast data in many countries).
Ah thanks for this. Had no idea about the TravelPass option but that will work great for me!
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Old Jun 7, 2016, 11:50 am
  #185  
 
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Project Fi is fantastic for traveling at $10/gb you can call anywhere and the roaming charges are pretty affordable. I pair my data with rebtel when I want to make any calls outside US and it works really well for me. I first check if they have it available at your destination.
you can check the rates here.
https://fi.google.com/about/rates/
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Old Jun 7, 2016, 12:04 pm
  #186  
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I didn't realize I needed a Nexus. I'm not giving up my S7.
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Old Jun 7, 2016, 4:29 pm
  #187  
 
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You need a Nexus 6, 6P or 5X to initially setup the voice/data sim for activation - it is possible to move that nano Sim to another device. But, if you do succeed in making it work on another Android - some functions will not work (i.e. auto-switching/sensing networks to be connected to for use, and, most likely - stay on T-Mo's network & not Sprint.) Some users reported that they can manually force a switching for better coverage from T-Mo to Sprint, or vice versa.

If you do this, you are on own own as Fi Support would be unable to assist or help troubleshoot.
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Old Jun 8, 2016, 2:36 pm
  #188  
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US Cellular was just added as an official partner. This will have a huge impact on coverage, and rural availability. (Well, where they have coverage anyway.)

https://android.googleblog.com/2016/...th-us.html?m=1
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Old Jun 8, 2016, 11:11 pm
  #189  
 
Join Date: May 2007
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Yeah, that is big news, they typically have much better rural coverage around the midwest where I'm at..
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Old Jul 12, 2016, 11:47 am
  #190  
 
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Project Fi Boosts international data speeds

https://android.googleblog.com/2016/...igh-speed.html

Added 3 as a network and say they increased speeds. I don't go to Europe until September but I will report back. Probably going to 3G/HSPA speeds which would be great.
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Old Jul 12, 2016, 12:06 pm
  #191  
 
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Originally Posted by boerne
https://android.googleblog.com/2016/...igh-speed.html

Added 3 as a network and say they increased speeds. I don't go to Europe until September but I will report back. Probably going to 3G/HSPA speeds which would be great.
Was already at 3g speeds. Now it should connect to the fastest avaliable. So 4g LTE in many places.
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Old Jul 12, 2016, 12:11 pm
  #192  
 
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FWIW just ran the SpeedTest app and got 45mbps down in Montreal. ^^^
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Old Jul 12, 2016, 12:26 pm
  #193  
 
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Originally Posted by HGHUA
Was already at 3g speeds. Now it should connect to the fastest avaliable. So 4g LTE in many places.
Wow that is a massive change for the better.

I'll be in scotland in sept, I might not need to top up my 3.uk sim now for my hotspot.
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Old Jul 12, 2016, 5:15 pm
  #194  
 
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I've been using Project Fi lately and have been surprisingly happy with it. It's worked like a charm in Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Argentina, France, Canada and the Netherlands for me over the last few months. I activated my SIM in an old Nexus 6, but use it installed in my unlocked iPhone 6 Plus without any issues.

Typically, the device associates to the local network with full LTE coverage, but data rates were throttled to 256Kbps. Now that the Three announcement comes with a lifting of that throttling cap, it will be even better!
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Old Jul 12, 2016, 8:26 pm
  #195  
 
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I was looking at the new roaming arrangements and note Bermuda is no longer there.


Originally Posted by jtjiputr
Just got mine yesterday too. Only made two calls so far and it works great..
Been spending most of my time setting up the various apps and stuff.
I'll be trying out the international roaming feature in a few weeks. I'll report back then. My wife will be on T-Mobile free international roaming plan, so I'll be able to compare.

Jeff
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