Originally Posted by Polytonic (Post 34368893)

There are some workarounds depending on what you're trying to do.

For example, if you have another primary carrier you can use the Fi data line to make calls from say, a T-Mobile or Verizon primary number.

You can also order a couple Data-Only SIMs to stick in tablets (I have one in my iPad) and it shares data with the cell line.

Really the big losers here are laptops, but I've since stopped bringing my laptop internationally so it's not a huge loss to me.

Originally Posted by boerne (Post 34380159)

I found this on reddit about avoiding the iphone Google Fi flail, internationally. I personally use a second Pixel 5a to get around this. Link below then interesting comment.

https://www.reddit.com/r/GoogleFi/co...wifi_calling/I have been through this already.

The answer is NO, there is no preference in Google Voice or Google Fi to use Wi-Fi only for calls. Google Fi makes a fortune on calls at $0.20 per minute from outside the U.S. to a U.S. number. These calls are free over Wi-Fi and Google Voice.

In Google Voice, the preference is PREFER Wi-Fi, which means GV can and will, all on its own, switch your call from Wi-Fi (free) to Google Fi (paid) and you'll never even know until you see the bill.

A one-hour call to the U.S. using Google Fi over cellular will cost you $12.00.

If you are using an iPhone (I know nothing about Android and have so far avoided ever using one) you can write an easy shortcut in the Shortcuts app, to turn on Airplane Mode whenever you launch Google Voice. Airplane Mode turns off the cellular radios, keeping your call on Wi-Fi.

Except there is a bug in Shortcuts. If you need to push the call into the background, so you can look up some information to share with the person on the call with you, Shortcuts sees that as closing the app, even though the conversation continues. Because once you are connected and talking, you don't really need a dial pad on the screen.

With Airplane Mode off, Google Voice will now be able to find the radios and use them.

Here's my answer: I dumped both Google Voice and Google Fi. The last straw was getting a letter from Google Fi that they were turning off my international data roaming because I wasn't in the U.S. enough.

Google Fi is not designed for frequent international travelers, and they have started monitoring what cellular carriers you are roaming on and turning off cellular data roaming service with 30 days notice. SMS and Voice still works, but you'll pay for every call or text.

Supposedly they will turn it back on when you are back in the U.S. but unless you will be abroad less than 30 days for each trip, you will get caught and have your data roaming shut off. Eventually, they will just cancel your service entirely. The heck with that. Dump Google, which is what they want you to do. Make them happy and cancel your Google services.

Google did not try to raise rates for digital nomads or change their terms to remove free data after $60 when outside the U.S.

GOOGLE DOES NOT WANT YOUR TELEPHONY BUSINESS IF YOU ARE NOT LIVING I N THE U.S. MOST OF THE TIME.

SOLUTION: Port your Google phone numbers to iPlum.com. The service is $4.99 a month, includes voice mail, SMS, and all the things you might expect with a VoIP provider. Iplum can be set to only work with Wi-Fi or to use your cellular data, but you make the decision, not the software.

The $4.99 a month includes 200 credits a month. Each credit is worth $0.01 US. A penny. Calls to the U.S. from anywhere are one credit per minute. A one-hour call to the U.S. is $0.60 instead of $12.00. You can buy more credits, and they don't expire. Every quarter, I buy 2,000 credits for $20. I never worry about calling back to the U.S. SMS texts are one credit.

So, as long as I'm on Wi-Fi, my phone bill is really low. If I am overseas and need to call locally or to another country other than the U.S. the rates are equally low, it just might be more credits per minute.

Now, when you go outside and there is no Wi-Fi, you still need Internet. I solved that with an eSIM package from GigSky. Global Use (similar to all the countries where Fi works) is $12 per GB instead of $10 that Fi charges. Sold as 5 GB for $59.95. It is prepaid, and you use it or lose it, but you can monitor your use to see how much you've used and how much is left.

But there is no $20 monthly service charge with GigSky. Fi charges that just to give you a phone number and free service in the U.S.

Now, if you don't need Global coverage, you can buy smaller geographies. I am in South American for the next few months at least, so I bought just South America. That's $8 per GB compared to Fi's $10 per GB plus monthly service.

I no longer have any cellular package from any cellular provider on my iPhone. I'm paying $40 for GigSky + $4.99 for iPlum for the phone number, plus pennies for voice calls per minute.|

I am super pleased with iPlum and GigSky, and happy to be rid of Google and their insane rules and horrible support from India.

Happy to answer any questions. I spent a long time researching this. It works, it is cheap but not as cheap as a local SIM.

Originally Posted by lsquare (Post 34382948)

Why?

Originally Posted by lsquare (Post 34382954)

When did you get that letter? How much data were you using outside the US? All the dps that I read were pre-COVID, but it was enough to be a deterrent to signing up. If your dp is from 2022, then that just confirms my suspicions that Fi is not the right service for me or any other nomads.

Originally Posted by TGarza (Post 34383390)

The T&C clearly indicate Fi is not for nomads. Similar T&C for AT&T & Cricket plans which include roaming in North America and South America

“The Services are offered only to residents of the United States. The Services must be primarily used in the United States (territories not included) and are not intended for extended international use. Further, the Services are designed for use predominantly within our network. If your usage outside our network is excessive, abnormally high, or cause us to incur too much cost, we may, at our option and sole discretion, suspend your Google Fi account, terminate your service, or limit your use of roaming.”

Originally Posted by TGarza (Post 34382025)

Strange since both my WiFi only and cellular iPad have this setting in the GV app which was added in 2019 because Hangouts was deprecated. Which GV version is installed?

Originally Posted by serpens (Post 34383630)

Apparently, even if I check Prefer Wi-Fi and mobile data (which was checked already), Voice might still use the phone. But for incoming calls, there is a setting where the linked number is turned off.

Originally Posted by Dubai Stu (Post 34598195)

Fi is also enabling hotspot tethering and wifi calling on iPhones outside the US, but I'm waiting for them to get 5g working in the US on an iPhone.

https://9to5google.com/2022/09/08/go...wi-fi-calling/

Originally Posted by noe94131 (Post 34602998)

As a iPhone user, anyone want to guess when the tethering would be available?

"Google is adding international hotspot tethering to your device (iPhones), as well as WiFi calling"

Restarting some international travel and love to use Fi primarily for data tethering. If not coming soon, may buy a cheap Android phone to use as a hotspot until it rolls out.

Thanks.