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?
Feb 7, 2019, 1:40 pm
#871
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
Since these promotion deadlines are starting to approach everyone should check their special promotions page https://fi.google.com/account#specialpromo to verify their account is qualifying. My initial phone got lost by FedEx and a second was shipped to me so the fi system shows that I didn't activate my phone by the deadline. It's been a bit of an easy but drawn-out resolution so far.
Feb 7, 2019, 4:37 pm
#872
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: bay area, ca
Programs: UA plat, , aa plat, marriott LT titanium
Posts: 4,833
) Yes definitely a google ban
Feb 7, 2019, 4:40 pm
#873
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: bay area, ca
Programs: UA plat, , aa plat, marriott LT titanium
Posts: 4,833
Feb 8, 2019, 8:58 am
#874
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,575
Since these promotion deadlines are starting to approach everyone should check their special promotions page https://fi.google.com/account#specialpromo to verify their account is qualifying. My initial phone got lost by FedEx and a second was shipped to me so the fi system shows that I didn't activate my phone by the deadline. It's been a bit of an easy but drawn-out resolution so far.
But it does not have the $200 for my BYOD phone. Hmmm. I do have a chat log where an agent says I'll get the credit on Day 60, so there's that...
Feb 8, 2019, 9:24 am
#875
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
The $200 promo didn't show up on my promotions screen either but i did get it in email and actual credit on my account along with a few other credits.
Feb 8, 2019, 3:25 pm
#877
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: K+K
Programs: *G
Posts: 4,871
I've used Fi sporadically, and it works. I'm using a flagship carrier for my main service, with Fi on second SIM slot as secondary/backup service.
Roaming in EU is virtually free with my carrier by regulation, so I don't turn on the 2nd SIM often. But sometimes I don't get good strength even in home country, such as 2G/EDGE (=virtually useless), and there Fi usually grabs 4G/LTE signal from TMobile.
Sustained bandwidth is usually decent at 5, 10, 20, 40mbps....but ping is ALWAYS at 200ms+ maybe do do extra switching and hopping and routing....
Roaming in EU is virtually free with my carrier by regulation, so I don't turn on the 2nd SIM often. But sometimes I don't get good strength even in home country, such as 2G/EDGE (=virtually useless), and there Fi usually grabs 4G/LTE signal from TMobile.
Sustained bandwidth is usually decent at 5, 10, 20, 40mbps....but ping is ALWAYS at 200ms+ maybe do do extra switching and hopping and routing....
Feb 8, 2019, 7:30 pm
#878
Moderator, El Al and Marriott Bonvoy, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ*G, Mar LTT, Hyatt Glb, AA LTG, LY, HH, IC, BA, DL, UA SLV
Posts: 12,018
After working smoothly a few days in Kyoto and transit in Incheon in my iPhone, Fi wouldn’t connect to a network in Singapore. Rather than troubleshoot, popped in my local SIM.
Feb 8, 2019, 7:48 pm
#879
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester
Posts: 18,933
Huh, other than a half day where I couldn't get data, I've had good Fi service in Singapore. Hopefully it's just a transient blip.
Feb 8, 2019, 8:15 pm
#880
Moderator, El Al and Marriott Bonvoy, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ*G, Mar LTT, Hyatt Glb, AA LTG, LY, HH, IC, BA, DL, UA SLV
Posts: 12,018
Based on previous experience I could have popped the SIM in my pixel and then back in the iPhone and it would have been ok.
Feb 8, 2019, 10:59 pm
#881
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: bay area, ca
Programs: UA plat, , aa plat, marriott LT titanium
Posts: 4,833
IME fi support is pretty useless - can't work out any problem - for example I have a problem with vm (among many others) - they don't have a clue and seem to have no mechanism for working out anything on a 'compatible" phone. By contrast when I had issues with tmo they had a record every time I called of what I had reported and whether or not they had feedback from whoever it had been escalated to - fi assigns a new case # for every contact AND THEY ARE NOT CROSS LINKED so they have no idea what has been done for a particular problem
People with pixels seem to have great service - but with a "compatible" I'm going to use up my credit (if I can stand it) then switch to a service that works - eg lets me use my phone as a phone - vm, text, able to make and receive calls, oh and use wifi calling when out of the country (and no hangouts is not the substitute b/c it is blocked in many of the countries I frequent)
Feb 9, 2019, 11:17 am
#883
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
Feb 11, 2019, 7:43 am
#884
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,575
One of my Fi lines is on an iPhone 7. We haven't had any problems. If we're missing any of the automatic network-switching functionality, it hasn't impacted the user experience for us. Data speed is fine. Texts/calls work fine.
Feb 11, 2019, 11:06 am
#885
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: n.y.c.
Posts: 13,988
Google Fi SIM cards now available at Best Buy:
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/google-...?skuId=6325631
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/google-...?skuId=6325631