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?
Jan 10, 2019, 7:09 am
#796
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,992
How does Google think this is acceptable? Up until this point I had nothing but a positive experience with Fi. Problem is, what other cellphone company can you to go that has such cheap service, even more so when it comes to international use?
The other issue is being so reliant on one company for everything. Gmail, Youtube TV, Google Pay etc.....
The other issue is being so reliant on one company for everything. Gmail, Youtube TV, Google Pay etc.....
Jan 10, 2019, 8:46 am
#797
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By the end of the 21st century, I wonder if our allegiances to multinational corporations will supercede traditional nationalities as far as our identities go. Whose robots and AI are you rooting for in the 2096 Olympics? Amazon or Google?
Jan 10, 2019, 10:56 am
#798
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: bay area, ca
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Posts: 4,833
T mo was slower for international internet but it worked!
Jan 10, 2019, 11:46 am
#799
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Domestically, Republic Wireless is cheaper. $15 for unlimited talk/text, plus $5/G for data. But international service is limited to wifi calling only.
Jan 10, 2019, 1:22 pm
#800
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEL
Posts: 1,057
If you travel a lot, especially if your time in each country is short, Fi is great (when it works), but for domestic US use it's not a particularly good value.
Jan 10, 2019, 4:12 pm
#801
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
You're not wrong that there are cheaper alternatives and that Fi has limitations particularly when it comes to Customer Service but there are upsides that make the higher cost than prepaid service but generally lower than the big 3's standard plans. The 3 system roaming has done well by me and the high speed international service has also worked well for me. I found Tmobile & Sprint's standard global roaming is too slow for much use and if paying for upgraded the costs are higher than Fi.
And if you use more than about 2GB/month, literally everyone is cheaper than Fi. Even Verizon prepaid is $35 for 3gb plus unlimited calls/SMS, where Fi would be $50.
If you travel a lot, especially if your time in each country is short, Fi is great (when it works), but for domestic US use it's not a particularly good value.
If you travel a lot, especially if your time in each country is short, Fi is great (when it works), but for domestic US use it's not a particularly good value.
Jan 10, 2019, 4:25 pm
#802
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Yeah, I'm finding that my Fi bill for 4 lines is going to be a little higher than a BYOD plan with a traditional carrier. We aren't data hogs but it's pretty easy for four people to consume 14 gigs even with good home and work Wifi.
I'm pretty sure that the minute the Southwest gift cards are in my grubby paws, I'm going to hit up whatever BYOD promo offer is out there at the time.
I'm pretty sure that the minute the Southwest gift cards are in my grubby paws, I'm going to hit up whatever BYOD promo offer is out there at the time.
Jan 10, 2019, 4:48 pm
#803
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The gift card T&C said "the customer will receive an email from Google Fi (around 75 - 90 days after device activation) with instructions on how to obtain a gift card" but also "If Fi service is paused for more than 7 days or cancelled within 120 days of activation, the value of the gift card will be charged to your Google Payments account to match the purchased price of the device."
So you shouldn't have to wait four months to get the gift card, but you need to keep the service for the full four months or you'll end up paying for them.
So you shouldn't have to wait four months to get the gift card, but you need to keep the service for the full four months or you'll end up paying for them.
Jan 10, 2019, 6:20 pm
#804
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I figured it'd be 120 days, and then they'd start slow-playing some sort of intentionally inefficient process of procuring and delivering the gift cards, meaning I'd be on Fi for closer to five months.
Jan 11, 2019, 1:18 am
#805
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PDX
Posts: 908
There are even cheaper MVNOs in the US. For example, Mint Mobile offers $15/2Gb (soon will be 3Gb) + unlimited voice/text. As for international travel, it depends on where you go and for how long. For Europe, there is a bunch of much cheaper local plans than Fi.
Jan 11, 2019, 7:36 am
#806
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What's the cheapest U.S. MVNO for unlimited LTE + talk + text? (Or at least "unlimited" up to a reasonably high throttle point.)
On most of my international business trips, I have good hotel wifi and good office wifi. All of Fi's international coverage is nice but I'm not sure how badly I really *need* it.
On most of my international business trips, I have good hotel wifi and good office wifi. All of Fi's international coverage is nice but I'm not sure how badly I really *need* it.
Jan 11, 2019, 8:38 am
#807
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
Probably Mint's 5 or 10 GB, then throttled, plans would work for most people. They're $20 & $25 a month respectively.
What's the cheapest U.S. MVNO for unlimited LTE + talk + text? (Or at least "unlimited" up to a reasonably high throttle point.)
On most of my international business trips, I have good hotel wifi and good office wifi. All of Fi's international coverage is nice but I'm not sure how badly I really *need* it.
On most of my international business trips, I have good hotel wifi and good office wifi. All of Fi's international coverage is nice but I'm not sure how badly I really *need* it.
Jan 11, 2019, 8:53 am
#808
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Minor nuisance that there's no pooling across all your account's SIMs, but at those prices I guess it's hard to complain too much.
Anyone know if they ever do sign-up promotions?
Jan 11, 2019, 9:33 am
#809
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New York, NY
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With 4 lines you would do better using Metro or one of the other services without having to pay upfront.
Yeah, $1200 up front for a year of reasonably unlimited service isn't bad. Two of my 4 devices could live on the $20 plan so actually a little lower...
Minor nuisance that there's no pooling across all your account's SIMs, but at those prices I guess it's hard to complain too much.
Anyone know if they ever do sign-up promotions?
Minor nuisance that there's no pooling across all your account's SIMs, but at those prices I guess it's hard to complain too much.
Anyone know if they ever do sign-up promotions?
Jan 12, 2019, 7:50 am
#810
Moderator: Avianca, Travel Photography, Travel Technology & USA
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Let's stay apolitical
A gentle moderation reminder. This isn't a thread in Omni. We are discussing the pro's and con's of the Fi service. A debate over Google becoming the Borg 
or its macro business practices shouldn't end up in this Travel Technology forum.
Thanks
or its macro business practices shouldn't end up in this Travel Technology forum. Thanks