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?
Dec 25, 2018, 4:15 pm
#781
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: I 35 south bound, finally stopped
Programs: LT Plt, 4mm, *A GLD, burned out medical provider, executing our estate plan
Posts: 1,665
)https://forum.xda-developers.com/nex...force-t3132393
Dec 26, 2018, 12:25 am
#782
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: bay area, ca
Programs: UA plat, , aa plat, marriott LT titanium
Posts: 4,833
I dont see where you tried to chat with google fi. I could not connect in Copenhagen on my Fi Moto X4 last year, but I got on with chat and they gave me the force dialer codes. Here is a Reddit thread from 2015 and I feel confident there are newer threads to help you.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/nex...force-t3132393
https://forum.xda-developers.com/nex...force-t3132393
I have spent about 50 hours over the last week on chat for technical support (waiting time, chatting, etc) The first 2 reps refused to let me talk on to an escalated person. 3 days after a promised 2 days response from escalation I was able to chat with someone who claimed he was consulting with an higher person - after hours of trying various things (including my having manually connected to EVERY carrier my phone shows - even tho I know their partner is AIS - the agent didn't even know who their partner/partners were in Thailand) including them "reactivating" my sim still not able to make or receive calls.
The only solution seems to be to pay for a vpn! (or if I had a pixel maybe put the sim in a pixel then back in my android - alto every time I've taken the sim out and replaced it in the same phone (eg to change sd card) the phone has told me I have to activate my account and I have been told that I have to be in the US to do this
So after all these hours the "solution" per the "escalated" agent is - sorry we can't do anything!!!!
I am beyond frustrated that their cs is horrible, that they are selling a service that doesn't work and they (apparently) don't have any way to "open a ticket" and have someone pursue the problem to get it fixed - just tell me "sorry we can't do anything"
So I can make calls using hangouts only if I pay for a vpn!!! (btw a service that allegedly is included if I had a "made for fi" phone)
btw - I've also posted on reddit about this and emailed support - maybe I'm the only one using samsung 8 in Thailand trying to make calls)
Dec 26, 2018, 6:24 pm
#783
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: I 35 south bound, finally stopped
Programs: LT Plt, 4mm, *A GLD, burned out medical provider, executing our estate plan
Posts: 1,665
Dec 27, 2018, 5:56 am
#784
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: bay area, ca
Programs: UA plat, , aa plat, marriott LT titanium
Posts: 4,833
One thing someone mentioned is getting a fi account but not through google (is that even possible) b/c then they could use hangouts in Thailand - would like to know how to do this.
Today was even worse - data lost when I really needed it for directions - had to restart phone multiple times, etc until after 30 minutes I could use maps again - no clue why this happened except kept getting conflicting messages (eg cannot connect to data, cannot search for other networks while connected to data!)
Anyway it is teaching me to deal with frustration I guess (and not to trust google fi for sure! - esp with a non fi phone)
Dec 27, 2018, 7:11 am
#785
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: NYC
Posts: 6,433
Today was even worse - data lost when I really needed it for directions - had to restart phone multiple times, etc until after 30 minutes I could use maps again - no clue why this happened except kept getting conflicting messages (eg cannot connect to data, cannot search for other networks while connected to data!)
Jan 9, 2019, 6:55 am
#787
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: MSY; 2-time FT Fantasy Football Champ, now in recovery.
Programs: AA lifetime GLD; UA Silver; Marriott LTTE; IHG Plat,
Posts: 14,518
Tiffany at OMAAT (who has been a big Fi fan for years) shares a Google Fi horror story.
https://onemileatatime.com/google-fi-review/
Basically, her husband bought a Fi phone during the November promotion, but Chase flagged the transaction as fraudulent. Google went ahead and shipped the phone anyway, then later put a security/fraud flag on his account. They've been trying for weeks to get it resolved - which should be as simple as giving Google a different card to charge - but no one has been able to help. Meanwhile, his service is suspended, he can't even transfer his number to another carrier, or make any other purchases in the Google ecosystem (Play store, youtube, etc).
Has anyone else had anything like this happen? Any advice how to minimize the chances of it happening to me? Should I add additional backup credit cards to my Google account? I can deal with the usual cell phone headaches - dropped calls, international calling issues - but the idea of no service for weeks or losing my long time number is worrying.
https://onemileatatime.com/google-fi-review/
Basically, her husband bought a Fi phone during the November promotion, but Chase flagged the transaction as fraudulent. Google went ahead and shipped the phone anyway, then later put a security/fraud flag on his account. They've been trying for weeks to get it resolved - which should be as simple as giving Google a different card to charge - but no one has been able to help. Meanwhile, his service is suspended, he can't even transfer his number to another carrier, or make any other purchases in the Google ecosystem (Play store, youtube, etc).
Has anyone else had anything like this happen? Any advice how to minimize the chances of it happening to me? Should I add additional backup credit cards to my Google account? I can deal with the usual cell phone headaches - dropped calls, international calling issues - but the idea of no service for weeks or losing my long time number is worrying.
Jan 9, 2019, 9:27 am
#788
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: 52,570
Yikes. That sounds bad, and I'm glad that didn't happen to me. But one thing is clear: if you need any kind of human intervention, it's just not going to happen with Google Fi. This is an absolutely bare-bones product with almost zero human support. Neat idea if it all works...horror story if anything goes wrong.
People keep referring to online chat. That's been down every time I've attempted to use it.
My service is working fine so far, about 1 month in (after my horrible experience simply getting my phones).
People keep referring to online chat. That's been down every time I've attempted to use it.
My service is working fine so far, about 1 month in (after my horrible experience simply getting my phones).
Jan 9, 2019, 9:29 am
#789
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: bay area, ca
Programs: UA plat, , aa plat, marriott LT titanium
Posts: 4,833
Tiffany at OMAAT (who has been a big Fi fan for years) shares a Google Fi horror story.
https://onemileatatime.com/google-fi-review/
Basically, her husband bought a Fi phone during the November promotion, but Chase flagged the transaction as fraudulent. Google went ahead and shipped the phone anyway, then later put a security/fraud flag on his account. They've been trying for weeks to get it resolved - which should be as simple as giving Google a different card to charge - but no one has been able to help. Meanwhile, his service is suspended, he can't even transfer his number to another carrier, or make any other purchases in the Google ecosystem (Play store, youtube, etc).
Has anyone else had anything like this happen? Any advice how to minimize the chances of it happening to me? Should I add additional backup credit cards to my Google account? I can deal with the usual cell phone headaches - dropped calls, international calling issues - but the idea of no service for weeks or losing my long time number is worrying.
https://onemileatatime.com/google-fi-review/
Basically, her husband bought a Fi phone during the November promotion, but Chase flagged the transaction as fraudulent. Google went ahead and shipped the phone anyway, then later put a security/fraud flag on his account. They've been trying for weeks to get it resolved - which should be as simple as giving Google a different card to charge - but no one has been able to help. Meanwhile, his service is suspended, he can't even transfer his number to another carrier, or make any other purchases in the Google ecosystem (Play store, youtube, etc).
Has anyone else had anything like this happen? Any advice how to minimize the chances of it happening to me? Should I add additional backup credit cards to my Google account? I can deal with the usual cell phone headaches - dropped calls, international calling issues - but the idea of no service for weeks or losing my long time number is worrying.
Jan 9, 2019, 4:25 pm
#790
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 392
They're showing that I didn't activate my account under their 11/28 promo.
If I look at billing, it shows usage since the day after I received my phone.
That's just one click away from the promo saying I didn't activate.
I emailed them. Chat has literally never been a non-grayed-out option since I've been active.
But I emailed them once before about a month ago, and I still haven't heard back on that.
If I look at billing, it shows usage since the day after I received my phone.
That's just one click away from the promo saying I didn't activate.
I emailed them. Chat has literally never been a non-grayed-out option since I've been active.
But I emailed them once before about a month ago, and I still haven't heard back on that.
Jan 9, 2019, 4:42 pm
#791
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Menlo Park, CA, USA
Programs: UA 1MM 0P, AA, DL, *wood, Lifetime FPC Plat., IHG, HHD
Posts: 6,912
They're showing that I didn't activate my account under their 11/28 promo.
If I look at billing, it shows usage since the day after I received my phone.
That's just one click away from the promo saying I didn't activate.
I emailed them. Chat has literally never been a non-grayed-out option since I've been active.
But I emailed them once before about a month ago, and I still haven't heard back on that.
If I look at billing, it shows usage since the day after I received my phone.
That's just one click away from the promo saying I didn't activate.
I emailed them. Chat has literally never been a non-grayed-out option since I've been active.
But I emailed them once before about a month ago, and I still haven't heard back on that.
Jan 10, 2019, 1:56 am
#793
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEL
Posts: 1,057
Has anyone else had anything like this happen? Any advice how to minimize the chances of it happening to me? Should I add additional backup credit cards to my Google account? I can deal with the usual cell phone headaches - dropped calls, international calling issues - but the idea of no service for weeks or losing my long time number is worrying.
- If you're a Google Voice user, you can keep GV (and you can retain access to GV while you've suspended Fi as well)
- You can sign multiple phones/devices into your Fi account without allowing those devices into your "real" gmail, payments, etc.
- If Google drops the ball on billing, only that Google Payments account is blocked
Jan 10, 2019, 6:17 am
#795
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEL
Posts: 1,057
The service is not that great and the data is way overpriced, but no other provider lets me suspend and resume at will. My alternative is buying a month of service every time I spend a week in the US.