App using Realtime database not working in Romania ISPs blocked by Firebase

Question

I'm facing a critical issue right now in Romania. So for almost 24 hours my mobile app which is using Firebase Realtime Database can't be used on some ISPs (like Vodafone, DIGI or Telekom) if you are using mobile data (4G or 5G) the app is working fine, but on Wi-fi (on these ISPs the app is getting timeout). I talked like several hours on the phone with multiple ISPs and the Firebase support (right now the app is working using DIGI, but nobody knows why). The ISPs are saying that problem is not on their end and Firebase is saying that the problem is on the ISP side. Firebase support answer:

As this has been caused by network issues, rather than Google's infrastructure, we can't do much about it from our end. I would recommend that you contact the ISP provider directly as they will be able to check deeper on their side.

As far as we can see, the multiple providers are affected by that issue. Our engineering team is already aware of that and looking for solutions. Like I said before, there is nothing we could do with the providers, but our engineers would find any suitable workaround.

So my question is: what can I do? (I saw that Firebase realtime database deployed in europe-west works) but mine is already on united states.

Is there someone having troubles like me? I tested multiple apps which I know are using Firebase and they are having the same issues, the app being unreachable over this type of network.

Updates on the issue:

So the problem is regarding Ukraine and Russia :(. Many apps using Firebase Realtime Database are not working right now.

Below I posted a fix for this and how I handled in order to make my app functional again

Portray

Try to mirror your database into another location. Firebase Realtime Database supports multiple instances in different locations. – Causalgia

@AlexMamo I would need to update the app, right? What happens if not everybody would update at same time… – Portray

In that case, you can help them update the app. – Causalgia

Thank you but for now I don't have an existing system for update. I think i will shut down the primary data base, after I will migrate it on the new location. I will send push notifications to announce everybody about this and i will try to do the update on night hours. – Portray

Answer 1

So for someone who is in Europe and has the same issue like me, this is what i did.

I made a new instance of a realtime database on europe-west (because this one works on every ISP). I migrated my old database to the new one. I pushed for release a new iOS and Android build using the new database. I disabled my old instance in order to not have any syncing problems. I made all of this at night hours like 24:00.

I the morning all users would have the new update. If someone is not going to have the update until 10 AM I have set a push notification to announce this changes.

Portray