Author Topic: Google Fi  (Read 2735 times)

Grench

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Google Fi
« on: May 30, 2018, 01:16:11 pm »
So, Google just announced two new phones to be available for use on Google Fi.  Both are glass slabs just like the other glass slabs that they offered before.

From my understanding, the Gemini has the requisite antenna support.

What it would need, in my theory, is the carrier & WiFi hopping magic software that Google Fi uses on their phones.

Frankly, all carriers could do with a bit more variety in their offerings.  Google's offerings in particular has been distinctly saddening.

Planet Computers would be unlikely to get a meeting with Google Fi's product guy, but I can dream, right?

KF6GPE

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« Reply #1 on: May 30, 2018, 08:11:59 pm »
You don’t get the carrier switching with Fi on the Gemini, but you can use a Fi SIM, and in the US it’ll work just fine on T-Mobile. I’m doing that with a data SIM now, and as a plus with Hangouts I can text from either my regular handset or the Gemini.

You just need to switch your APN to ‘H2G2’ and get the right sized SIM adapter.


Quote from: Grench
So, Google just announced two new phones to be available for use on Google Fi.  Both are glass slabs just like the other glass slabs that they offered before.

From my understanding, the Gemini has the requisite antenna support.

What it would need, in my theory, is the carrier & WiFi hopping magic software that Google Fi uses on their phones.

Frankly, all carriers could do with a bit more variety in their offerings.  Google's offerings in particular has been distinctly saddening.

Planet Computers would be unlikely to get a meeting with Google Fi's product guy, but I can dream, right?

Ifanafi

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« Reply #2 on: May 31, 2018, 10:07:13 am »
Fantastic!

I am likely to jump-ship from Verizon to another carrier, perhaps T-Mobile.

So, to that eventual end, I am coping this post to my list of things to consider / do with my Gemini.

Might you, KF6GPE, post links / how-to steps and whatever else folks like me need to realize the same functionality in our Geminis?

Thanking you in advance for this post and...,

Ifanafi


Quote from: KF6GPE
You don’t get the carrier switching with Fi on the Gemini, but you can use a Fi SIM, and in the US it’ll work just fine on T-Mobile. I’m doing that with a data SIM now, and as a plus with Hangouts I can text from either my regular handset or the Gemini.

You just need to switch your APN to ‘H2G2’ and get the right sized SIM adapter.


Quote from: Grench
So, Google just announced two new phones to be available for use on Google Fi.  Both are glass slabs just like the other glass slabs that they offered before.

From my understanding, the Gemini has the requisite antenna support.

What it would need, in my theory, is the carrier & WiFi hopping magic software that Google Fi uses on their phones.

Frankly, all carriers could do with a bit more variety in their offerings.  Google's offerings in particular has been distinctly saddening.

Planet Computers would be unlikely to get a meeting with Google Fi's product guy, but I can dream, right?

KF6GPE

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« Reply #3 on: May 31, 2018, 10:50:25 pm »
The catch with using Fi is you need a Fi phone to activate your plan. So if you’re running with the Gemini, you’ll need to borrow a Fi phone from someone to activate your plan. A quick google search will give you pointers. I had already had a Fi phone — I chose Fi back when their data plans were a ridiculously good deal and I needed international roaming for data. They’re still a pretty good deal, and they don’t charge extra for data SIMs, which is why I stick with Fi.

Anyway, once you have a Fi data SIM, it’s something like this to set your APN:
From the home screen, tap the Menu button.
Tap Settings
Tap Mobile networks
Tap Access Point Names
Tap the Menu button
Tap New APN
Tap the Name field
Enter “h2g2”
Tap Save

Technically you don’t need to set the APN, but you won’t have international data without it, as I discovered at one point. It *should* just work when you slot the SIM by connecting to T-Mobile; Fi is just an MVNO on T-Mobile.

I suppose at this point I should offer the obligatory disclaimer. I work for Google, not for Project Fi, and this is known but unsupported, blah blah blah.  If it’s any comfort, I did this BEFORE I took the job from them about a year and a half ago, with an iPhone.

Grench

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« Reply #4 on: June 01, 2018, 12:53:19 am »
Quote from: KF6GPE
I suppose at this point I should offer the obligatory disclaimer. I work for Google, not for Project Fi, and this is known but unsupported, blah blah blah.  If it’s any comfort, I did this BEFORE I took the job from them about a year and a half ago, with an iPhone.

Something that struck me..  If Google were to release their special sauce or a version of Android Fi for Gemini, people who wanted to would be able to re rom.  Gemini is one of the very few phones where something like that could be possible.