r134a Update: The issue is happening again, I may have been a bit too eager to assume that it was a hardware issue. If it is, it doesn't haven't anything to do with the physical SIM tray I guess.

It's been a couple weeks and at this point I've switched back to GrapheneOS, and an eSIM. For a little over a week, everything seemed fine, but again recently, the issue has been happening again. So I've tried a few things to see if I can narrow it down at least:

  • Switching from LTE-Only mode to just 5G (Recommended) or LTE

  • Enabling some toggles I had disabled beforehand like "Allow 2G"

  • Enabling cellular networks along with Wi-Fi, since before (at home) I would just use Wi-Fi with airplane mode so it wouldn't contact cell towers when I didn't need to

None of these things have worked, I'm likely going to need a developer to help me, or someone that perhaps I can send logs to, since I don't exactly see any other way.

I did however see an interesting tidbit on GrapheneOS's usage guide under their "Carrier Functionality" section, which reads:

  • USA users only: You may need to request your carrier to enable CDMA-less mode if you have issues.

I am a "USA user", so I'm curious if this would work. However, I use T-Mobile, and I'm curious why there hasn't been any reports otherwise from anybody else, especially issues coming from a major cellular carrier, about the issue I've been having if it's really an issue with the carrier.

      • r134a

        • Post #15

        Hackneyed Unfortunate to hear the issue is still occuring, even with an esim. If i did understand correctly, the issue wasn't occuring on stock with esim in a period of a week more or less?

        Then u reverted back to grapheneOS, and recently the issue reoccured with esim? Did it appaer after a week? Frequently now or just random?

        It might still be a hardware issue though, perhaps with the baseband modem (speculation)?

        I'll hope indeed a developer can chime in and perhaps assist u in obtaining logs, perhaps these logs could contain data about for example the baseband modem failing (if the system can even catch that) , or point to something. I myself can't really add much anymore which would be of value. Maybe a developer or someone from the US could tell u if the issue u are experiencing would fit on cases where they would advice 'CDMA-less' as u brought up.

            r134a If i did understand correctly, the issue wasn't occuring on stock with esim in a period of a week more or less?

            I haven't tested it on stock specifically on an eSIM. When I converted over to an eSIM, I switched over to GrapheneOS basically immediately afterwards, thinking that I fixed the issue anyways.

            r134a Then u reverted back to grapheneOS, and recently the issue reoccured with esim? Did it appaer after a week? Frequently now or just random?

            The issue itself appeared again after switching back to GrapheneOS, being on it for a week or so with an eSIM (again, thinking it was the physical SIM that was the problem), and then it seemed to start happening again. Also it happens frequently.

            r134a I'll hope indeed a developer can chime in and perhaps assist u in obtaining logs, perhaps these logs could contain data about for example the baseband modem failing (if the system can even catch that) , or point to something. I myself can't really add much anymore which would be of value.

            Unfortunately I'm not exactly sure how common it is for developers to respond on the forum since it seems like perhaps they'd be more active in the Matrix server instead (quote from GrapheneOS's website: "The developers are active on the Matrix room but the broader community can usually answer most questions, and this allows the developers to focus their time and energy on the project.") If a developer, project manager, or someone who works directly with GrapheneOS could explain to me what I should do next (you're the only person that's replied to this thread, but I think some mods have added and removed the "Solved" tag, could be a bot though), I'd be happy to oblige. Thank you for all your help though. I have a very unique, frustrating issue clearly.

            I do have one more thing I'm doing though before I complain on the Matrix server, and that is disabling the "Always-on VPN" toggle. I use a VPN pretty much 24/7, always on, and it didn't occur to me until recently that a VPN could be problematic possibly. I got inspired because whenever I reset my "Mobile Network" settings, it also for some reason resets my VPN configuration, so that gave me an idea to maybe fiddle with that too. So far nothing has gone wrong, but it's too early to tell.

                    Hackneyed I haven't tested it on stock specifically on an eSIM. When I converted over to an eSIM, I switched over to GrapheneOS basically immediately afterwards, thinking that I fixed the issue anyways.

                    Well this probably will sound repetetive, and very unconveniant, but this basicly means that the potentional factor that it could be a hardware issue still undecided. Probably not what u want to hear, but it might be beneficial to ensure in a way that factor is known.

                    I'm not sure someone related to GrapheneOS will read through logs without rulling that big potentional cause out, since it is still unclear wether this issue is caused by using GrapheneOS specifically.

                    It would highly suprise me VPN config would have anything to do with this, i even think the 'part' u have issues with on your system bypasses vpn completely. Then again i'm not an expert on Android.

                    But your approach to try and do some 'problem solving' does no harm, and perhaps might be the right direction, i don't know. After all that's what i also was trying to do through this thread, trying to problem solve and potentionally point it in the right direction, by first ruling things out. As of now, one of the most feasible causes is still not ruled out.
                    I can imagine this is a high inconveniance, especially if after the process it would seem the issue is only occuring on GrapheneOS, but unfortunatly this is the only way since this potentional cause that it might be a hardware issue, is as of now the most likely.

                      Hackneyed I do have one more thing I'm doing though before I complain on the Matrix server [...]

                      I recommend against complaining as such -- in general, but especially in this case. As you mentioned, whatever is going on is pretty rare. If there were a general problem with T-Mobile in the U.S. on Pixel 8 Pro devices, I think there would be a lot of complaints!

                      So, while there might be some odd software problem, the possibility of a hardware problem must be seriously considered, because that is very plausible in a general sense and because it would be consistent with the current extremely small set of reports (right now: just one).

                      Perhaps a developer might find evidence in the system log of complaints about the cellular modem.

                      It might be good to keep a log of exactly when these outages happen, so it would be possible to compare the longest time between outages on GrapheneOS versus the amount of time running Google's stock OS. For example, if it's possible to go five to ten days on GrapheneOS without an outage, and the device was running the stock OS for only fourteen days without an outage, that might just have been luck.

                        17 days later

                        I have a similiar sim failure and stumpeled upon this thread in search of answers. I will try to investigate on my side and report back.

                        • Rrt0

                          • Post #20

                          Similar issue here.

                          Pixel 7 Pro with one pSIM and one eSIM. The latter was installed yesterday. Didn’t really test anything at that moment but rebooted the device after eSIM install.

                          This AM I was using the USB port for both file transfer from thumb drive and also with the hardware key; obviously not at the same time. I noticed that at least one of the SIMs disappeared from the Info Bar at the top of the screen. I can’t say for sure if it was the drive or key but removing the device(s) coincided with the SIM re-populating to the Info Bar. This was using one of the alt-Profiles (non-Owner).

                          I did attempt to recreate the issue and was unsuccessful. I will continue to monitor the situation and update this as necessary. I’ll be using the same items tomorrow AM as well.

                          Hope this helps, or affirms such issues are possible. To be clear, I am not suggesting a definitive culprit; GOS, drive, key or Pixel.

                          When the error hapens the state of the sim card under about the phone is not available. I am running a Pixel 6a.

                          I have a log where I am somewhat sure that time of the error correlates with some log lines.

                          Does anyone have any insight in what to look out for in the logs?

                          For further troubleshooting. The error hapens about 0-2 times a day, sometimes more, sometimes less. Reboot usually solves the problem. But since there is no notification about the error I need to check it manually. Since I do not have to manipulate physically I am wondering how likely a hardwareproblem is.

                          I am also wondering how to rule out SIM or Phone hardwareproblem efficiently. If I get a replacement SIM or use this SIM in another phone, would be sufficient to rule out SIM failure? Is a phone side failure likely?

                          Grateful for any ideas.

                          Parts of my log:

                          03-16 19:26:26.579  1000  1316 15750 I Telecom : TelecomServiceImpl$1: registerPhoneAccount: account=[[ ] PhoneAccount: ComponentInfo{com.android.phone/com.android.services.telephony.TelephonyConnectionService}, 1, UserHandle{0} Capabilities: CallProvider MultiUser PlaceEmerg SimSub  Audio Routes: BESW Schemes: tel voicemail  Extras: Bundle[{android.telecom.extra.SUPPORTS_VIDEO_CALLING_FALLBACK=true}] GroupId: *** SC Restrictions: [ ]]: TSI.rPA(cap)@COE
03-16 19:26:26.583  1000  1316 15750 I Telecom : PhoneAccountRegistrar: Modify account: [ComponentInfo{com.android.phone/com.android.services.telephony.TelephonyConnectionService}, 1, UserHandle{0}]: TSI.rPA(cap)@COE
03-16 19:26:26.585  1000  1316 15750 I Telecom : CallsManager: handlePhoneAccountChanged: phoneAccount=[[X] PhoneAccount: ComponentInfo{com.android.phone/com.android.services.telephony.TelephonyConnectionService}, 1, UserHandle{0} Capabilities: CallProvider MultiUser PlaceEmerg SimSub  Audio Routes: BESW Schemes: tel voicemail  Extras: Bundle[{android.telecom.extra.SUPPORTS_VIDEO_CALLING_FALLBACK=true}] GroupId: *** SC Restrictions: [ ]]: TSI.rPA(cap)@COE
03-16 19:26:26.588  1000  1316 15750 I Telecom : PhoneAccountRegistrar: getSimCallManager: SimCallManager for subId 1 queried, returning: null: TSI.rPA(cap)@COE
03-16 19:26:26.588  1000  1316 15750 I Telecom : PhoneAccountRegistrar: Notifying telephony of voice service override change for 1 SIMs, hasService = false: TSI.rPA(cap)@COE
03-16 19:26:26.595  1000  1316  1817 W PermissionService: getPermissionFlags: Unknown user -1
03-16 19:26:26.595  1000  1316  1817 W PermissionService: getPermissionFlags: Unknown user -1
                          • de0u replied to this.

                            Talon If I get a replacement SIM or use this SIM in another phone, would be sufficient to rule out SIM failure?

                            At the rate of zero to two times per day, putting the SIM into another phone for a couple of days might be indicative, though if it isn't easy to detect an outage event then it might not be that conclusive. Carriers are often very willing to issue a replacement SIM card.

                            Talon Is a phone side failure likely?

                            Unfortunately it is possible. If using a physical SIM, the internal contacts that touch the SIM could go bad. Or the cellular modem could go bad. Or something else!

                            What have you tried so far? Have you tried "Reset Mobile Network Settings"? If you have set a cellular-band/protocol preference (4G-only, 5G-only, etc.), has that been undone?

                                Since my last message I pulled out the sim card and gave it a dry cleaning. There was no real dirt, obvious contact issure or anything, but maybe a very slight transparent coating. After cleaning I got no further problems so far. Will report back if the error comes back.

                                Thanks for the hell.

                                • de0u replied to this.

                                  Talon Thanks for the interim report. Please do follow up!

                                    6 days later

                                    For now no more issues. Maybe some sort of moist and dust can bild up upon the sim card, I dont know. Alternatively it is just a little bit changed in position. If anything comes up I will follow up. Thanks again for the help.

                                      Talon Thanks for taking the tine to report back!