Can't get Google Fi working

Robduarte

I'm starting a new thread so I can be very specific about what I've done, twice now - to see if anyone has any other ideas.

Followed the GrapheneOS install instructions to the letter, but left "Disable OEM Unlocking" turned off (this time)
Installed sandboxed Google Play store which also installs Google Play Services
Installed Google Fi app from Google Play Store
Allowed location, phone, and sms permissions for Google Fi app
Enabled unrestricted mobile data usage in the Google Fi app settings
Turned on ESim Support in the System Settings
Opened Google Fi app and followed the guide

When it tries to make the eSim work, I get "Can't connect to Fi" "Try restarting your phone and reopening the Fi app." I have done that many times, of course, and have also tried clearing the storage/cache for the app and running through the wizard again. Clicking "need more help?" on the error page shows that the error code is "EOXFFFFFFFE. Previously it said that the error was "T120".

I have also called the USSD code ##4636## and verified that "enable DSDS" is turned on.

I seem to be getting nowhere with the installation. I've been without a phone for a couple days, which has been nice, but once spring break is finished, I will have to have a working phone.

Any ideas? I have seen many people saying that GrapheneOS works with Google Fi, so I don't understand. This is a Pixel 9a btw.

Thanks for any help,
Rob

n3t_admin

Robduarte have you tried everything from this Github comment? https://github.com/GrapheneOS/os-issue-tracker/issues/3191#issuecomment-2283018678

Also don't just grant permissions to Fi. Grant every possible permission to Play Services and Play Store as well, for the time being. You can revoke them later and see if anything breaks.

Novalissoide

Robduarte but left "Disable OEM Unlocking" turned off

Why this?

Robduarte

n3t_admin Yes, that post is where I got most of the things I tried above. I have also turned on every possible permission for Play Service and Play Store.

n3t_admin

Robduarte and you are on a working Wi-Fi connection with no VPN active and in the owner profile?

Sorry I don't have more ideas (and I don't even have a GOS phone to test) than that.

Johnnyloans

Airplane mode off
Reset mobile settings
Do all of this in the owner profile, not private space.
Grant googlefi app all permissions.
Grant google play services all permissions.
Reboot

Johnnyloans

Delete storage and cache of googlefi then add back its permissions, exploit compatibility mode or whatever else.

Robduarte

Unfortunately, I have done all of that. At this point I have scrubbed my plan to install GrapheneOS and reimaged the phone with Android 16 using the Google web installer. The Fi app still won't give me an eSim (error T120). I've gone through all the Google tech support options and nothing is working. Now they are sending me a physical SIM. I don't know if I dare try GrapheneOS when I get it. This hasn't been a good install experience, unfortunately. (again, this is a phone that I've been using with Google Fi and an eSim for over year)

Rob

Johnnyloans

Robduarte

Physical sims are straightforward and problem-free

Only esims have issues for some users. Certain carriers more problematic than others.

I prefer physical sims due to this reason.

Whatever OS makes you comfortable, sorry for the esim hassle. It'd certainly be frustrating after hours/days

n3t_admin

Robduarte the blame here is not on GrapheneOS but on Google, who opted into creating a completely retarded system of eSIM provisioning that I have not seen anywhere else (personally, those may exist). I honestly think you will have more luck with a physical SIM, so don't give up yet!

Robduarte

I get it, but unfortunately it's still not good for GrapheneOS. I expect most people who are already Pixel users are coming from Google Fi and every one of them is going to have an eSIM. If the goal is to get more people to use GrapheneOS and make the transition as smooth as possible, this is a problem. I think I'm probably (as are you) more technically adept than 90% of people out there and if I managed to brick my phone for a week, it's not hard to imagine it happening to many others. :(
Rob

n3t_admin

Robduarte most people who are already Pixel users are coming from Google Fi and every one of them is going to have an eSIM

I don't have any hard numbers to back this up, but I think the real number of Fi users here is somewhere around 0.1%. It's only affecting a small percentage of users and thus it would be a waste of time trying to fix an inherently broken system (that is for Google to fix in the first place!).

Novalissoide

Robduarte are developer options enabled on your device?

Robduarte

n3t_admin That's surprising to me. I assume most people who get a Pixel are getting it the way me and my family/friends did - by getting it from Google when signing up to Google Fi, or upgrading when that phone is paid off through their incentives. Seems to me the natural way to get a Google Pixel is from Google, who is obviously also pushing their Google Fi service. Are you assuming that most people using GrapheneOS are people buying older pixels on eBay? It does seem that there are a lot of those folks in the forum/reddit, but I would imagine that the goals of the project are to get disaffected Google users to abandon ship - and I imagine a good number of those Google users are Google Fi subscribers. Like I said, I'm just guessing but now I'm curious what the real numbers are.

Robduarte

Novalissoide Saw it in a forum post - if none of the other stuff worked. I have tried it both ways. I have also tried with developer options on and off.

Rob

nologo

Robduarte Seems to me the natural way to get a Google Pixel is from Google, who is obviously also pushing their Google Fi service.

Google Fi only exists in the US. Pixels and GOS are used worldwide.

n3t_admin

Robduarte are people buying older pixels on eBay

No, they are buying new, unlocked Pixels straight from the Google Store or certified retailers.

Robduarte

I am going to try again once I get my SIM card on Monday/Tuesday. If it works, I would like to suggest to the GrapheneOS folks that they just recommend users with Google Fi eSIMs order a physical SIM from Google before they start. Google support is terrible and getting people into a position where they have to deal with them will always reflect badly on GOS.

Johnnyloans

50% of gos users are in Europe
30% Americas
20% APAC

Robduarte

Johnnyloans Interesting. How did you get that data?

userofgos

Johnnyloans

Johnnyloans I have not seen any source for this, or any quotes from the project detailing this. The only usage date I've seen is in reference to the total estimated GOS users which is >400K

https://xcancel.com/GrapheneOS/search?f=tweets&q=400k&since=&until=&min_faves=

Johnnyloans

Robduarte

I counted with 2 hands!

In all seriousness, I couldn't find it. There's "news" going public on the forum, discord, ycombinator, twitter, or mastadon.

Perhaps @userofgos saw it.