Last Updated on October 11, 2023 by Ron D. Morgan
Did you travel with your Google Fi phone and have issues using the service outside the United States? This post is for you.
The Google Fi service is supported in over 200 countries outside the United States. You can travel with your Google Fi phone to any of these countries and enjoy the service there.
If your Google Fi service is not working internationally, it’s a sign that something is wrong.
The issue could be that you have not activated the International plan feature on your Google Fi account. Also, it could be that your location is outside the 200 Google-Fi-supported countries.
Whichever the issue, this post is here to guide you on steps to take to get your Google Fi service working internationally in no time.
Quick Fix To Get Google Fi To Work Internationally
Here is a breakdown of possible tips to fix the issue. Before each tip, you will find a brief outline of the issue.
a. Power Cycle Device
Let’s consider the basic stuff first. The issue with your device may surprisingly be a minor glitch on your device and not from the Google Fi network. Having several apps running in the background can cause this too.
Thankfully, an easy power cycle on the device can fix this. To power cycle, a device means to forcefully restart the device. The easy process can fix any minor glitch or cache affecting the device.
Before performing a power cycling process on your device, first, turn on airplane mode. Wait for 30 seconds and turn off airplane mode.
If the above doesn’t solve the issue, proceed with the power cycling process. To power cycle your device, press and hold down the power button of your device.
For some devices, you may have to hold down the power button and either of the volume buttons simultaneously. Restart the device and try using it.
If it still doesn’t work, try either of the tips below to fix the issue.
b. Turn On Google Fi International Feature
Another reason could be that you are yet to turn on the Google Fi international features. You do this on the Google Fi app or the site.
It is advisable to turn on this feature before your trip. Follow the steps below to turn on this feature:
. Sign into your account on either the Google Fi site or the mobile app.
. Click on Manage Plan on the Home options.
. Click on Service Outside the US and Calls to Non-US Numbers under the International Features option.
c. Confirm Location
As mentioned, the Google Fi network is supported in over 200 countries. If you can’t use your Google Fi phone in the country, you have to confirm if the country is included in the list of Google Fi-supported countries.
Here is a list of the supported countries. Check to confirm that your location is included in the supported destinations.
d. Turn On Data and Data Roaming
If the issue is that you can’t use your Google Fi mobile data internationally, it’s most likely because you’ve not turned on the data roaming features.
First, you turn on your mobile data, and then you activate data roaming on your device.
. Tap the Settings Icon on your device.
. Scroll down and tap on Network & Internet.
. Select SIMs and tap on Mobile Data.
If your device does not select a network by default, continue with the steps below to do a manual setup:
. Tap the Settings Icon on your device.
. Scroll down and tap on Network & Internet.
. Select SIMs and turn off Automatically Select Network.
Turn On Data Roaming On Google Fi Network
. Tap the Settings Icon on your device.
. Scroll down and tap on Network & Internet.
. Tap on Roaming to turn on the data roaming option.
For some devices, you can turn on data roaming by simply dialing #766#.
e. Apply Number Dial Format
When using the Google Fi service internationally, you have to ensure you enter the number format correctly. Your call may not go through if you use the wrong number dial format.
The right number dial format depends on if you are calling a local number in your destination or an international country. When dialing a local number, simply enter the area code and local number in that format.
For international numbers, first, dial the + sign, then the country code+ area code + local number. The + sign will show if you hold down the 0 button for some seconds.
Hi, I’m Ron D. Morgan. TECODY IS MY BRAINCHILD. I’ve worked in a tech startup in the last 7 years. I decided to branch out and start TECODY as a side project to provide tech troubleshooting tips for readers.
Got my two friends who are Nerd Heads too and here we are. The aim here is to provide readers with accurate info to help them resolve basic troubleshooting issues with Network and devices. You can always reach out to us via our Contact Us Page.