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 28, 2016, 6:56 pm
#316
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SJC
Programs: UA 1K, AA ExecPlat
Posts: 820
And all data used is charged at the same rate as domestic data, $10/GB.
Sep 28, 2016, 7:05 pm
#317
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
Posts: 6,018
I did use it prior to the speed cap, and yes it is quite a bit faster. I didn't take speed measurements since I'm paying for the data though, but was definitely a nice improvement over what it was before.
And all data used is charged at the same rate as domestic data, $10/GB.
And all data used is charged at the same rate as domestic data, $10/GB.
I find the T-mobile 2g version simply too slow. I am currently in Japan using LTE and it is definitely faster. If Google Fi is always like this (or better) then it is worth switching. LTE here is showing .15 Mbps up/down.
Sep 29, 2016, 2:05 pm
#318
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Detroit; Formerly Dubai
Posts: 3,652
Check out these threads as possible. What I am seeing is most people are very pleased with the speeds. For me, I can tell you that the speeds were great in Canada, Mexico, the UK, France, and the UAE. What seems to be the bigger problem is seamless connections when you first land. Many people report and hour or two before things seem to shake out. A minority (but real amount) of people have needed to enter codes, reboot, or manually to get things sailing.
https://productforums.google.com/for...rum/project-fi
Sticking with the sailing metaphor, the question is whether this is the "shake out cruise." My instinct is "yes."
https://productforums.google.com/for...rum/project-fi
Sticking with the sailing metaphor, the question is whether this is the "shake out cruise." My instinct is "yes."
Sep 29, 2016, 8:13 pm
#319
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
Posts: 6,018
Check out these threads as possible. What I am seeing is most people are very pleased with the speeds. For me, I can tell you that the speeds were great in Canada, Mexico, the UK, France, and the UAE. What seems to be the bigger problem is seamless connections when you first land. Many people report and hour or two before things seem to shake out. A minority (but real amount) of people have needed to enter codes, reboot, or manually to get things sailing.
https://productforums.google.com/for...rum/project-fi
Sticking with the sailing metaphor, the question is whether this is the "shake out cruise." My instinct is "yes."
https://productforums.google.com/for...rum/project-fi
Sticking with the sailing metaphor, the question is whether this is the "shake out cruise." My instinct is "yes."
They also pointed me to this wiki about how Fi works and where: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...UZOE5lhVU/edit
I'm surprised FT hasn't made this thread a wiki so we can do the same. The FT T-Mo thread IS a wiki and is very helpful: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...erage-100.html
Sep 30, 2016, 1:59 pm
#320
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 189
I only have a couple of data points, but when in scotland and amsterdam recently, the speeds were excellent (I'd basically say as good as they here at home, but I also don't do much in the way of streaming video etc), and while it took a bit longer than usual for data to fire up, it was up and running before we were to the gate.
Oct 3, 2016, 10:53 am
#321
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Cleveland, OH
Programs: UA-GS 1MM), Hertz Pres Circle, Starriott Titanium)
Posts: 1,966
Having come from T-Mobile, I can tell you that FI is not unique in having to do some fiddling before things work. In Southern India, I ALWAYS had trouble on T-Mo... all in all Fi worked Orders of magnitude better. Even on T-Mo landing in some countries required "trying" which combination of carrier and network type worked best... I think this is just the nature of these types of roaming agreements. As for the delays.. I personally only experienced one delay in Kochi India on getting data, which I'm starting to think was due to a local carrier outage... not FI.
Thanks for that link. It seems clear the speeds are unbelievable (as they would be if you had a local SIM). However for some reason it appears some users have trouble in some countries accessing data. That is concerning (I've had delays with T-Mo but rarely). Users on that thread report 4-5 hour delays before data "started" if it started at all. Weirdly however some users got data in the same country without issue and others did not.
They also pointed me to this wiki about how Fi works and where: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...UZOE5lhVU/edit
I'm surprised FT hasn't made this thread a wiki so we can do the same. The FT T-Mo thread IS a wiki and is very helpful: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...erage-100.html
They also pointed me to this wiki about how Fi works and where: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...UZOE5lhVU/edit
I'm surprised FT hasn't made this thread a wiki so we can do the same. The FT T-Mo thread IS a wiki and is very helpful: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...erage-100.html
Oct 3, 2016, 2:28 pm
#322
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
My fi service has been rather good overall. Works great in the US (as expected) and in Qatar & South Africa things have been going pretty well. Initial recognition of networks and network registration takes a few moments on up to minutes but once registered it has worked well with good speeds. My friend on Tmobile that is traveling with me had slightly faster initial connection but slower service.
Having come from T-Mobile, I can tell you that FI is not unique in having to do some fiddling before things work. In Southern India, I ALWAYS had trouble on T-Mo... all in all Fi worked Orders of magnitude better. Even on T-Mo landing in some countries required "trying" which combination of carrier and network type worked best... I think this is just the nature of these types of roaming agreements. As for the delays.. I personally only experienced one delay in Kochi India on getting data, which I'm starting to think was due to a local carrier outage... not FI.
Oct 4, 2016, 10:24 pm
#323
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: CGK/LAX
Programs: KF,JMB, OZ, SPG,AA,UA,AS
Posts: 1,163
Ran a speed test in Tokyo, Singapore and Surabaya (Indonesia) this week.
Here are the results:
Tokyo: 2.66 Mbps Down, 1.30 Mbps Up, 531 ms Ping
Singapore: 3.14 Mbps Down, .49 Mbps Up, 422 ms Ping
Surabaya: 7.44 Mbps Down, 3.52 Mbps Up, 550 ms Ping
Overall very satisfied and much better than T-Mobile.
Here are the results:
Tokyo: 2.66 Mbps Down, 1.30 Mbps Up, 531 ms Ping
Singapore: 3.14 Mbps Down, .49 Mbps Up, 422 ms Ping
Surabaya: 7.44 Mbps Down, 3.52 Mbps Up, 550 ms Ping
Overall very satisfied and much better than T-Mobile.
Oct 5, 2016, 7:22 am
#327
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: TPA
Programs: Hilton Gold, DL DIrt Medallion
Posts: 38,267
Oct 5, 2016, 8:13 am
#328
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEL
Posts: 1,057
Ran a speed test in Tokyo, Singapore and Surabaya (Indonesia) this week.
Here are the results:
Tokyo: 2.66 Mbps Down, 1.30 Mbps Up, 531 ms Ping
Singapore: 3.14 Mbps Down, .49 Mbps Up, 422 ms Ping
Surabaya: 7.44 Mbps Down, 3.52 Mbps Up, 550 ms Ping
Overall very satisfied and much better than T-Mobile.
Here are the results:
Tokyo: 2.66 Mbps Down, 1.30 Mbps Up, 531 ms Ping
Singapore: 3.14 Mbps Down, .49 Mbps Up, 422 ms Ping
Surabaya: 7.44 Mbps Down, 3.52 Mbps Up, 550 ms Ping
Overall very satisfied and much better than T-Mobile.
The latency is always going to be high because roaming traffic routes back to the US. Nice when you want to listen to Pandora in Japan, not so nice for speed. (Incidentally this is why FreedomPop's GSM service sucks so bad in the US--it's actually a 3 UK SIM)
Oct 5, 2016, 8:40 am
#329
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
Posts: 6,018
Ran a speed test in Tokyo, Singapore and Surabaya (Indonesia) this week.
Here are the results:
Tokyo: 2.66 Mbps Down, 1.30 Mbps Up, 531 ms Ping
Singapore: 3.14 Mbps Down, .49 Mbps Up, 422 ms Ping
Surabaya: 7.44 Mbps Down, 3.52 Mbps Up, 550 ms Ping
Overall very satisfied and much better than T-Mobile.
Here are the results:
Tokyo: 2.66 Mbps Down, 1.30 Mbps Up, 531 ms Ping
Singapore: 3.14 Mbps Down, .49 Mbps Up, 422 ms Ping
Surabaya: 7.44 Mbps Down, 3.52 Mbps Up, 550 ms Ping
Overall very satisfied and much better than T-Mobile.
Not local SIM speed - but better than T-Mo for sure and makes the web useful.
Happy to pay at these speeds.
Just pre-ordered the Pixel today on the Google Store. Darn thing is pricey especially at 128GB. But I still ordered it and am looking forward to switching to Fi upon its arrival.
Oct 5, 2016, 12:54 pm
#330
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Cleveland, OH
Programs: UA-GS 1MM), Hertz Pres Circle, Starriott Titanium)
Posts: 1,966
I can't speak for Singapore, but on a prepaid data SIM in Tokyo (using docomo's network) I was seeing pings under 100ms and 25+ mbps down pretty regularly.
The latency is always going to be high because roaming traffic routes back to the US. Nice when you want to listen to Pandora in Japan, not so nice for speed. (Incidentally this is why FreedomPop's GSM service sucks so bad in the US--it's actually a 3 UK SIM)
The latency is always going to be high because roaming traffic routes back to the US. Nice when you want to listen to Pandora in Japan, not so nice for speed. (Incidentally this is why FreedomPop's GSM service sucks so bad in the US--it's actually a 3 UK SIM)