Google Services Blocked over Roaming in China?

Mugsy on 19/05/2024 - 09:05

Just wondering if anyone has found that Google services are now blocked over international roaming with your Aussie mobile provider when in China?

Mum and Dad were there in Guangzhou and various parts of central China in March/April and their Amaysim international roaming couldn't get Google services and Whatsapp was very patchy… pictures could not be sent, messages would only sometimes send/receive but calls seemed to work.

One guy on WP who uses Boost had a similar experience but I haven't heard anyone else have similar issues.

I have different people on WP telling me that either roaming shouldn't be affected by the GFW of China whilst others saying international roaming would be subject to the internet laws in the country you're in. So very much interested in advice from another forum on this matter.

Many thanks in advance.

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Comments

  • EightImmortals on 19/05/2024 - 09:16
    +1

    Worked OK in 2019, using Telstra though (not sure if that makes a diff or not?)

    • Mugsy on 19/05/2024 - 09:50
      +1

      I'm mainly looking for experiences from after Oct 2023… my folks were in China in Oct 2023 as well and Amaysim roaming worked almost flawlessly that whole trip (I say almost because their first hotel had mobile reception issues, and the Optus network outage made Dad lose roaming too).

      • HeWhoKnows on 20/05/2024 - 22:20
        +1

        Best to use Wechat or a VPN

  • YodaBaby on 19/05/2024 - 11:00
    +3

    Yep Google won't work on the great firewall of China. You need a VPN.

    • Mugsy on 19/05/2024 - 16:00

      So from your experience it's blocked over international roaming too and not just local wifi or local mobile data?

      • YodaBaby on 19/05/2024 - 18:24
        +4

        Yes was on international roaming. Didn't work at all. I fired up my VPN, worked great.

        • Mugsy on 19/05/2024 - 18:28

          Cheers bud.

          I wish my folks were more tech savvy with VPNs but I fear it might cause more issues than it solves. I've bought them a G54 and have a TravelKon esim ready to go for their next trip to China.

      • rumblytangara on 19/05/2024 - 20:48
        +5

        'International roaming' still means that the phone is using the local mobile carrier networks for data. It doesn't magically connect to an Australian cell tower in Darwin, bypassing the Chinese networks.

        'International roaming' is still 'local mobile data.' It's just covered by your Australian contact for billing purposes.

        Whether this causes any issues with Google services is another matter.

        • Mugsy on 19/05/2024 - 21:35

          I probably should have said 'local sim's mobile data' i.e. a sim card bought in China.

          But your point on whether roaming using lical mibile data causes any issues with Google services being another matter is why i made this post.

          It seems the occasional person has issues whilst others don't.

        • YesPleaseThankYou on 25/05/2024 - 15:18
          +1

          I refer you to Figure 2.4 (page 11) https://www.aph.gov.au/parliamentary_business/committees/hou…

          Further, the data is encrypted and tunnelled back to the home provider, not visible to the local provider. Calls and SMS work differently, as explained in that same document.

          • Mugsy on 26/05/2024 - 02:31

            @YesPleaseThankYou: Cheers for that. So going by the figure and data is encrypted, we shouldn't have Google or Meta services blocked right?

            So i am wondering why those services aren't working on my parent's phones over roaming on their last trip to China?

            It shouldn't have happened but it was, even after various restarts. And throughout their while trip too.

  • 7ekn00 on 19/05/2024 - 11:56
    -7

    China has recently (ie start of 2024) beefed up their firewall rules and penalties for getting around it :/

    They have also banned the teaching of English in class rooms …
    (just incase the younger generation gets around the firewall, they can not read the "propaganda" found in English)

    • BigBirdy on 20/05/2024 - 10:02

      They have also banned the teaching of English in class rooms

      That's utter rubbish. In fact, numerous Australian (& British, American, etc) universities run courses in Chinese unis, not to mention all the Chinese students who come to Australia to further their studies, in English.

  • cauilfield on 19/05/2024 - 12:30
    +3

    I usually get a HK esim via MobiMatters or similar, they bypass the VPN. Felix mobile and Telstra also had no issues 3-4 months ago.

    • Mugsy on 19/05/2024 - 18:11

      Thank you for your experience. Interesting to hear 3-4 months ago things were still OK with Felix mobile and Telstra too.

      Just confirming this is without the need to turn on a VPN over roaming?

    • YesPleaseThankYou on 25/05/2024 - 18:30

      I usually get a HK esim via MobiMatters or similar, they bypass the VPN.

      Bypass the VPN? You mean bypass the 'great firewall'.

      HK = China. I would not be trusting a HK provider for network safety in China.

  • fonsii on 19/05/2024 - 16:12
    +2

    amaysim services was ok too during Jan 24, alternatively use letsvpn while in CN and use local wifi

    mate was in CN earlier this month and no problems with optus roaming

    another mate and his wife had no issues with taiwan sim last month

    • Mugsy on 19/05/2024 - 18:16

      Thanks for the reply with those experiences.

      Regarding your mate who was on Optus roaming, could I confirm that's without the need to use a VPN? And could I confirm which part of China they were in?

      I ask as both this user on WP and my parents had occasional issues in March using Boost and Amaysim respectively:

      https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/thread/9w08w0w3?p=75#r1489

      The blocking both parties experienced does seem to be patchy… it would happen sometimes and not at other times (moreso Whatsapp blocking was patchy for my folks. Google seemed fully blocked for my parents). It seems to be location dependent for the other user.

      • fonsii on 20/05/2024 - 17:17

        yeah, optus no vpn was fine afaik, they never got around using the vpn i recommended. they were in GZ

        parents were in GZ earlier this month and they had no issues with whatsapp but i also setup letsvpn for them (it's really a one click option)

        i should point out threehk roaming in chongqing (sept23) was atrocious and for most of china it's really slow, amaysim for me was more reliable

        in the end though for anything chinese web service based their local wifi or local sim is lighning fast, roaming needs a lot of patience

        • Mugsy on 20/05/2024 - 18:40

          Cheers for the extra info.

          I'm visiting my folks on Wednesday… taking the day off so I have more time to inspect their mobile phones properly rather than have 2hrs on a Friday night to do it in addition to various other things like most visits I make to their place to help with pre-international travel prep. Hopefully I can find something that is causing issues with them getting on Google services and Whatsapp in China when on Amaysim roaming. Hopefully it's something as simple as Dad having stupidly altered a setting and lied to me about doing it in fear of being seen as an idiot.

          The annoying part is that it's not like they don't have internet… they do… baidu is accessible and Amap, Alipay and Wechat all works. But Google and whatsapp doesn't. And the fact that there are others with the same experience makes me wonder if the blocking is random?

  • mashi on 19/05/2024 - 18:13
    -1

    stop being a tight ass and pay for vpn , or use one with the 100% cash back deals. zzzzzzzz

    • Mugsy on 19/05/2024 - 18:24
      +1

      I'll do you one better… already bought mum and dad a new Moto G54 and a TravelKon travel esim where Google services are confirmed to work (wife was in China in March and used the TravelKon 15Gb/180 day and 30day unlimited esims with full Google services available).

      Not going down the route of VPNs with my parents… they don't get it. Not going to introduce a VPN on their phones that may cause more issues than solves.

      But my parents have 10Gb of Amaysim roaming still available. If I can confirm that there's some issue with accessing Google services over international roaming, it'll save me a tonne of time trying to troubleshoot the issue before their next trip to China.

  • render on 19/05/2024 - 20:31
    +2

    Was there a few weeks ago. Used Vodafone $5/day roaming no additional VPN. Everything worked as usual (Google, Socials etc) averaged around 100mbps.

  • ocular on 19/05/2024 - 20:40

    Mrs has a Telstra postpaid worked with Google weeks ago in China, I had a Travelkon Aus purchased data SIM with built in VPN that also just worked with Google, signal, whatsapp too.

    • YesPleaseThankYou on 25/05/2024 - 15:19

      I had a Travelkon Aus purchased data SIM with built in VPN that also just worked with Google, signal, whatsapp too

      There is no built-in VPN, it's just how roaming works.

  • Buwwy on 20/05/2024 - 05:09
    +2

    In Guangzhou right now. Amaysim roaming pack. Brief periods where connectivity was lost but no issues accessing whatsapp/google etc without a vpn.
    Partner is using travelkon esim. Also no issues. But connection has been solid throughout. No dropouts noted.

    • datafellows on 20/05/2024 - 13:11
      +2

      I flew back on Sunday from GZ and i had roaming pack with Amaysim as well. I could browse Facebook, WhatsApp and Google as normal.

      During the last few days I lost connectivity couple of times for half an hour or so but it may have been my place where the reception is quite bad :)

  • Mugsy on 20/05/2024 - 08:16

    Cheers render, ocular and Bunwy.

    That's interesting that some have no issues over international roaming and others do.

    I'm confident it's not the phone settings for my folks. They had no issues in Vietnam earlier this year. They will be in Japan and Korea soon so i am keen to see how roaming performs this time.

  • ukulele on 20/05/2024 - 08:18
    +3

    went to qingdao over easter.

    Telstra roaming worked fine. no problems even with facebook. mrs had optus roaming, also fine.

  • Chiyoko on 21/05/2024 - 14:48
    +2

    Yeah, I am with you on the no VPN installation, especially since starting July 2024 due to the new cybersecurity regulations that are coming into effect which allows your phone and computers to be searched at the airport. You will be detained randomly and could be accused of spying.

    Apparently the authorities have already started but that is limited to certain tier 1 cities.

    Unless you know what you are doing, e.g. know how to get a reverse shell out to download a VPN whilst you are inside China, don't bother with a VPN, unless you like the look of a prison… Do not enter China in any circumstance where you have a VPN preinstalled.

    I am not kidding, it is a big risk that you do not need to take.

    I should mention the risk is not high of being searched, but if you do, then they are probably targeting you and you will not know of this in advance. Then what are you going to do? If you really need a VPN, you need to be able to set it up on the fly and delete it from your phone if you are searched. The new legislation is clearly targeted at intelligence operatives, but they do name these people the walking 100,000 yuan apparently as a euphemism due to the ability to earn 100,000 yuan by turning one into the public security bureau…

    • Mugsy on 21/05/2024 - 15:39

      Yeah, this is the other reason I won't put a VPN on my parents' phone. VPNs to access foreign content are technically illegal in China. If my Dad can't work something out on his phone… he will ask people for help. And I just don't know who he will ask and if that person may report Dad for having a VPN. Once airports start randomly searching phones and computers at the airport like you say, VPNs will be an absolute unnecessary risk.

      I have no idea why some people have Google/Meta services blocked over international roaming but others don't. Between WP, Discord, here, and the family member of a friend of my wife, I've now found 7 unique cases these services are blocked over roaming without a VPN. In all cases, they have working internet over roaming… they can access the stuff that isn't blocked by the GFW of China. So I don't think it's user error with settings.

      Hopefully there will continue to be travel esims that allow access to Google/Meta services.

  • branners on 25/05/2024 - 12:34
    +1

    I used an eSIM from Sims Direct when I was in China in March. Worked like a charm, no problems with Google apps

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