bukzin

What is meant by the Pixel 3 sharing hotel wifi? Do you mean a hotspot? Will my Pixel 2 do this as well? Thx

Zorak

Arrived in JNB earlier today and it took the better part of an hour before I finally had data service. During this time I also got an ominous-looking popup saying something like "SIM not provisioned for voice service". Dunno if this is a function of where I was physically and maybe not having a good connection to the "right" tower?

But as I waiting for pushback on a connecting flight I finally got Edge followed very quickly by LTE indicator, and had immediate data service upon arrival in CPT.

tmiw

I used Fi going in the other direction today (call to an international number from the US) and it worked pretty well. The extra per minute charges (much more reasonable than my primary T-Mobile plan, BTW) are also already appearing in the Fi app.

The only thing is that the ringing tone sounded like the normal US one instead of the the one I expected (double ring due to the number being an Irish one). I'm not sure if this is normal or not, however.

Dubai Stu

I’m a Michigander. I’m generally not in US Cellular territory, but our Upper Peninsula is US cellular territory. Also US Cellular gives you EVDO roaming on Verizon.

boerne

Sorry just saw this. For sure my Pixel 3 XL will share a wifi connection, like a hotel wifi, or ship wifi. The pixel 2 will not. The Pixel 3a reportedly will, and I think I posted that somewhere in another thread with a link. Not sure about the Pixel 4. There are some very competitive prices this weekend on these phones.

Simply log on to the wifi of your hotel with your phone, then turn on the phone hotspot feature and voila. I have had 4 devices sharing this. What was interesting was that the wifi hotspot sharing on the Pixel 3 was actually faster than my wife's chromebook trying to connect directly. only one data point, tested with speedtest.net.

draver

I have a JailBroken iPad 4 with the PDANet app that allows that WiFi pass through. I was told it connects to the provider on the 5Ghz band and then rebroadcasts the service on the 2.4Ghz band, but I have no idea if that’s how it functions or not. It does make sense though. Nice to have on paid WiFi service though, like some cruise ships where each device is charged full price regardless of the generally poor quality of service. I use it for convenience sake rather than trying to get over on the provider. I can switch between my mini & Pro iPads and my phone without all the log off/log in hassle.

Some devices used to allow Bluetooth hotspot, so that could also be an alternative I suppose.

Need

You don't really need Fi to get that rate. You could just install Hangout and dial from the app and you get the same international calling rate from Google. I installed it on my wife's iPhone (T-mobile) so she could call oversea.

bukzin

Have any of you added a esim to your Google Fi account?

List of providers here... esimdb.com. Does anyone know of a esim provider that runs on Verizon?

freecia

Verizon postpay supports esim. I haven't heard of a Verizon esim on prepaid, MVNO, or roaming. Verizon's prepaid LTE only offering Visible doesn't offer esim.

bukzin

What I am wanting to do is to add an additional esim to my Android 10 phone. Hoping to find a non-contract version
to use in the US that runs off Verizon.

I’m guessing that the providers found on sites like ‘esimdb.com’ are resellers/MVNO’s. Would love to buy some data
to switch over to when Verizon is the strongest tower.

Thoughts?

wco81

You could do that with regular SIMs. It would be a PITA to switch SIMs over manually.

Of course you'd have to carry a hefty Verizon postpaid bill.

The US carriers these days, their game seems to be to try to get customers to add multiple lines. At least that's where the promotions are. So in addition to trying to lure new subscribers over, they want to get existing subscribers to pay more for additional lines, which they may not need.

bukzin

I bought one of the eSIM 'cards' with really low data rates.

(from Airalo which runs on ATT towers, worked OK)

Swapping back and forth between eSIM's is easy
so I'm still looking for a pre paid one with fair data rates running Verizon

Need

So you are looking for a non-US eSIM company that will roam on Verizon while using in the US. Or you are looking for a Mobile Virtual Network Operator in the US that uses Verizon network and offer prepaid eSIM. Here is a list of Verizon MVNOs, but don't know if any of them offer eSIMs:
https://www.whistleout.com/CellPhone.../verizon-mvnos

bukzin

I guess either one. Looking for an eSIM with affordable data rates on Verizon for use in US.

I have a Pixel 3 (unlocked of course) which is working for me now with an eSIM.

estnet

I often pause my service when in a country where fi doesn't work well. Surprise - arrived at sfo and their free internet (the ONLY one available) didn't work at international terminal - not at baggage claim, not at departures, etc.
So found a kind soul who let me use his phone to call them - after 20 minutes and multiple verifications of who I am he said cannot resume my service has to be done from my phone!!! Asked him if I could do it from browser by signing in on another phone - he said yes - so I did that BUT account said I am not calling from my phone so had to send a verification text to my phone (the one that was paused and therefore wouldn't receive a text)!!!!!
No way to resume without wifi - which wasn't available anywhere (unless I bought a ticket and went to lounge inside security - not really possible with luggage, etc). Finally after an hour I someone who had a wifi hot spot and let me use it - Bingo - within 2 seconds I was saved.
SFO knows that their wifi has been not working for a long time for many phones (and also tried my laptop which got the same 502 error).
So can't call for a ride, or contact lyft or uber, etc without data - REALLY THINK FI SHOULD WARN that u CANNOT resume service unless u have wifi!