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?
Sep 20, 2016, 4:34 am
#301
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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It should also be noted that while the new Pixel phones share a vague similarity in appearance with the regular HTC devices, the internals are very different.
At any rate, the 5X for $199 from Fi is a good deal.
At any rate, the 5X for $199 from Fi is a good deal.
Sep 20, 2016, 9:59 am
#302
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Denver, CO
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The HTC A9 is way overpriced (even when it was discounted to $299).
Best Buy is currently selling a refurbished Galaxy S7 for $370. You could still utilize your new qi battery pack.
Best Buy is currently selling a refurbished Galaxy S7 for $370. You could still utilize your new qi battery pack.
Sep 20, 2016, 11:25 am
#303
Moderator: Information Desk, Women Travelers, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 15,655
The HTC A9 is way overpriced (even when it was discounted to $299).
Best Buy is currently selling a refurbished Galaxy S7 for $370. You could still utilize your new qi battery pack.
Best Buy is currently selling a refurbished Galaxy S7 for $370. You could still utilize your new qi battery pack.
Sep 20, 2016, 11:54 am
#304
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: n.y.c.
Posts: 13,988
You lose ability to switch between carriers, and the hand-off between cellular and Wifi calling.
Sep 20, 2016, 12:57 pm
#305
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: LAX, SAN, ORD, MAA & COK
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Posts: 749
I've not had much luck with the call hand-offs between cellular and Wi-Fi on my Nexus 6P and the current connection persists until I terminate the current call and make a new call.
Sep 20, 2016, 2:32 pm
#306
Moderator: Information Desk, Women Travelers, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 15,655
Well, shoot. The phone I thought was a Nexus 5 turns out to be a Nexus 4. I just did a factory reset, but I doubt it can handle Nougat, let alone Marshmallow.
Having moved six months ago, it's anyone's guess where my Nexus 5 might be, but it's not in the boxes labeled Hardware or Software. I tossed a ton of older phones during the move, but would NOT have intentionally ditched the Nexus 5. This evening's not-so-fun activity may involve sorting through random spots in search of an elusive Nexus 5! Otherwise, I'm stuck with plan C or plan D, whatever those may be!
Having moved six months ago, it's anyone's guess where my Nexus 5 might be, but it's not in the boxes labeled Hardware or Software. I tossed a ton of older phones during the move, but would NOT have intentionally ditched the Nexus 5. This evening's not-so-fun activity may involve sorting through random spots in search of an elusive Nexus 5! Otherwise, I'm stuck with plan C or plan D, whatever those may be!
Sep 21, 2016, 12:17 pm
#307
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEL
Posts: 1,057
Sep 21, 2016, 2:14 pm
#308
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Menlo Park, CA, USA
Programs: UA 1MM 0P, AA, DL, *wood, Lifetime FPC Plat., IHG, HHD
Posts: 6,912
On Android phones you can use the app "Signal Spy" to view available carriers and their signal strengths and switch between them. The app maintains a history of network connections including Wi-Fi connections. The app is not available on iPhones.
I've not had much luck with the call hand-offs between cellular and Wi-Fi on my Nexus 6P and the current connection persists until I terminate the current call and make a new call.
I've not had much luck with the call hand-offs between cellular and Wi-Fi on my Nexus 6P and the current connection persists until I terminate the current call and make a new call.
Sep 21, 2016, 3:55 pm
#309
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: LAX, SAN, ORD, MAA & COK
Programs: AA EXP 6+ MM, AC, DL (MM) & LT SC; All Airlines 10+MM, Hilton LT Diamond, Marriott LT Plat
Posts: 749
The North America Nexus 6P I have was used only for activating the SIM but once the SIM was activated I've been able to use it on my iPhones 5s.
Sep 21, 2016, 4:31 pm
#310
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
I believe that outside the US that Project fi partners with numerous GSM providers but within the US it only GSM partner is TMobile and CDMA is Sprint & US Mobile?
If you saying that the Project Fi SIM does not work with carriers other than T-Mobile then my experience is quite different. I was in Europe for two weeks traveling around various countries with an iPhone 5s with the primary Project Fi SIM in it and had no problems with cellular roaming service on various European service providers.
The North America Nexus 6P I have was used only for activating the SIM but once the SIM was activated I've been able to use it on my iPhones 5s.
The North America Nexus 6P I have was used only for activating the SIM but once the SIM was activated I've been able to use it on my iPhones 5s.
Sep 22, 2016, 7:02 am
#311
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEL
Posts: 1,057
If you saying that the Project Fi SIM does not work with carriers other than T-Mobile then my experience is quite different. I was in Europe for two weeks traveling around various countries with an iPhone 5s with the primary Project Fi SIM in it and had no problems with cellular roaming service on various European service providers.
The North America Nexus 6P I have was used only for activating the SIM but once the SIM was activated I've been able to use it on my iPhones 5s.
The North America Nexus 6P I have was used only for activating the SIM but once the SIM was activated I've been able to use it on my iPhones 5s.
A Fi SIM in an iPhone is essentially a T-Mobile SIM, though Fi gives full-speed data abroad, which T-Mobile doesn't give to its own customers.
Of course it roams to other carriers in Europe--just like a T-Mobile branded SIM would--but the main claim to fame for Fi is that you have access to T-Mobile, Sprint and US Cellular (and their respective roaming partners) Stateside as well. In order to do that, you have to have the Project Fi app installed on a compatible phone (5X, 6 or 6P).
What I don't know is whether a Fi SIM in an unsupported device has access to Three and its roaming partners. I suspect the answer is no (or "not easily" since the Fi app does some APN and other sorcery in the background). The data SIM definitely does not.
Sep 24, 2016, 2:33 am
#312
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Cleveland, OH
Programs: UA-GS 1MM), Hertz Pres Circle, Starriott Titanium)
Posts: 1,966
Just a quick report: Last week I was in London and FI worked great. This week, I've been to Mumbai and am currently in Kochi and FI is working fantastic. LTE everywhere and decently fast download/upload speeds between 3-7mbps. This absolutely beats the pants off my previous experience on T-Mo.
PS. Even better my "free data sim" is also working great installed in my iPad Pro
PS. Even better my "free data sim" is also working great installed in my iPad Pro
Sep 28, 2016, 4:16 pm
#313
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
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Posts: 6,018
It's really nice to hop off a long flight, and turn off airplane mode and LTE/4g just pops up on the phone in Amsterdam. Made a quick wifi call (using airport wifi) easily enough. Same thing in edinburgh. Speed is pretty good. Obviously out in the highlands of scotland, you'll be lucky to get even 3g, and on skye you'll only get rare glimpses of 3g, usually from the weirdest spots. (like going from nothing to 5 bars of 3g over the span of about 200 yards, out in a field on the coast outside portree, surrounded by tall hills with no civilization in sight.) And not just a 3g signal, but effective access, I was getting emails, surfing web pages etc. The change from 256kb to full speed data is priceless. This is truly a world phone and world plan.
Sep 28, 2016, 4:34 pm
#314
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SJC
Programs: UA 1K, AA ExecPlat
Posts: 820
So far I have used the high speed data in Finland, Russia, Austria, UK, Germany, Hong Kong, and China. It has been great.
And once nice side effect of the tunneling of the connections back through the US with t-mobile is that China's Great Firewall did not block my connections and I was able to access sites like google maps as if I was in the US. That is a very nice benefit.
Sep 28, 2016, 6:45 pm
#315
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
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I'm not sure if it is exactly the speed that locals get since the connections are still tunneled back to the US via t-mobile, but it definitely feels a lot faster.
So far I have used the high speed data in Finland, Russia, Austria, UK, Germany, Hong Kong, and China. It has been great.
And once nice side effect of the tunneling of the connections back through the US with t-mobile is that China's Great Firewall did not block my connections and I was able to access sites like google maps as if I was in the US. That is a very nice benefit.
So far I have used the high speed data in Finland, Russia, Austria, UK, Germany, Hong Kong, and China. It has been great.
And once nice side effect of the tunneling of the connections back through the US with t-mobile is that China's Great Firewall did not block my connections and I was able to access sites like google maps as if I was in the US. That is a very nice benefit.