Google FI internet speeds

[Sequoia1321]

For some reason I still keep getting H or H+ speeds for Google Fi in my Recoletta Airbnb. Other places I’m getting LTE.

 

[jblaze5779]

Go get a local sim card and call it a day.

 

[FrankPintor]

For some reason I still keep getting H or H+ speeds for Google Fi in my Recoletta Airbnb. Other places I’m getting LTE.

I know nothing about Google Fi, but some quick googling leads me to understand you're using a normal Android phone, and you're roaming on one of the local mobile networks here. Plus, with Google Fi, your phone will try to connect via WiFi when it can. Do you have a local SIM card?

Do you see H or H+ icons in your phone display? Or are you intuiting the technology from the speed of your connection?

Does your mobile phone support LTE band 28 (700MHz)? This is the band used for in-building coverage here, since low bands propagate better than high bands through bricks and concrete. If your phone doesn't support B28, in deep indoor coverage it might well get service on 3G (H/H+) in bands 5 (850MHz) or 1 (900MHz). Once you're out and about, your phone will have no problem getting service on band 4 or 7 (high bands).

 

[Sequoia1321]

Go get a local sim card and call it a day.

I've been thinking about it but have been busy and don't know which one is best. Which do you recommend?

 

[jblaze5779]

I've been thinking about it but have been busy and don't know which one is best. Which do you recommend?

claro or personal. I would go to whichever is closer to your house.

 

[Sequoia1321]

I know nothing about Google Fi, but some quick googling leads me to understand you're using a normal Android phone, and you're roaming on one of the local mobile networks here. Plus, with Google Fi, your phone will try to connect via WiFi when it can. Do you have a local SIM card?

Do you see H or H+ icons in your phone display? Or are you intuiting the technology from the speed of your connection?

Does your mobile phone support LTE band 28 (700MHz)? This is the band used for in-building coverage here, since low bands propagate better than high bands through bricks and concrete. If your phone doesn't support B28, in deep indoor coverage it might well get service on 3G (H/H+) in bands 5 (850MHz) or 1 (900MHz). Once you're out and about, your phone will have no problem getting service on band 4 or 7 (high bands).

Interesting. Yes I see the mention of the H bands in my phone notification area or whatever that's called. I'm using Google Pixel 5 phone. No local sim yet. It seems to have this band you mention:

What bands does Pixel 5 support?


4080mAh

Network	Technology	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
	CDMA 800 / 1700 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
	CDMA2000 1xEV-DO
4G bands	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71

 

[SecretShopper]

Compared to practically every other country I've been in, Google fi sucks here for data speeds.

 

[lunar]

The phone has plenty of LTE bands that are used here.
Most likely it is just pessimized by the provider.
You are not getting full speeds, because you are not their customer.

 

[FrankPintor]

The phone has plenty of LTE bands that are used here.
Most likely it is just pessimized by the provider.
You are not getting full speeds, because you are not their customer.

Yes, that's what I'm thinking. Roaming customers can be and are treated differently to local customers, including being barred from LTE, for example. There seems to be no technical reason why the Pixel 5 wouldn't have LTE band 28 indoor service. Probably best to just get a local SIM.

Summary of 4G bands used in Argentina here: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anexo:Localidades_con_cobertura_de_telefonía_móvil_4G_en_Argentina

 

[FrankPintor]

claro or personal. I would go to whichever is closer to your house.

I'm not sure that all offices can deal with foreigners, at least for Personal that isn't the case. The Personal office in Palermo, on Honduras, does.

I think we see Personal as being better for speed (I just got 80Mbps download with Speedtest indoors in Palermo now), but with smaller data packages, while Claro is slower (maybe someone can check what speed they see) but has enormous data packages.

For my Personal SIM I just add money to my account (Mercadopago, kiosk, or the recharging terminals), and buy 2 / 3 GB packages as required via text message, or the app on my phone.