• General

  • Does GrapheneOS work with Google Fi

[deleted] Hey man. Thanks for your reply. I have a related question. So I have a complicated situation. My partner just recently got a Pixel 7 under a Google Fi deal. So here's my question. What's the best way to use Grapheneos with Google FI, but maintaining the multiple profile setup that we grapheners so dig without facing the "MMS delivery failure" non-sense the best? Does it make Graphene + Google FI users have Google Play Services in their main profile running always in the background? its something I don't like doing as I use secondary profiles for sandboxed play services that stay dormant all the time. But do let me know the best way for handling devices that are linked to google fi plans.

Again. A huge thanks for your input on the matter

    lcalamar So you mean, having the Fi App (along with having the physical SIM) in a secondary profile to ping to google every now and then won't raise suspicion? Is that all we need? Or does it need to ping google daily?

      10 months later

      You do have to actually turn on eSIM support before you activate Google Fi, I learned the hard way. Just sharing this to make that clear.

      After a fresh installation of Graphene OS, Google Fi support helped me fix error T120 while activating Google Fi with eSIM. Here's what I did:

      • Google Fi app settings -> Mobile data usage -> turn on "Unrestricted data usage"
      • Google Fi app settings -> Permissions -> turn on Phone, SMS, and Location
      • Phone settings -> Network & internet -> turn on "eSIM support"

      I had also turned on a bunch of permissions for Google Play Services and Google Fi app before contacting support. Not sure if those were necessary.

      16 days later

      lcalamar

      How did you get a physical sim for google fi? I am considering switching to google fi under an alias, paying with a privacy dot com card, etc, for $800 off the P9PXL. I would prefer a sim card I can remove and place in a backup phone if neccessary.

          Are there any privacy sacrifices that would be made using google fi as a service provider over say Sprint, T-Mobile or Verizon? I am located in the USA, and currently have the Play Store and google services enabled on GOS on another major carrier.

            Ah, good to know. But I'm still curious what the privacy implications could be of switching to Google as a network carrier if I already use the play store, maps, etc.

              Bootlace1170
              I do not currently use my real name with google, and would create another fake google acct for the purchase and activation. All they would have is cell tower location data which my current carrier already has. Or am I missing something?

                  Bootlace1170

                  I see they listed

                  • Customer Proprietary network information - destination and technical information of calls, texts, services etc.
                  • account information - Name, address, email etc.
                  • Usage information - Device Performance, Location data, wi-fi access.

                  I communicate mainly through signal, over a paid always-on vpn directly on the phone. I will also be running grapheneOs. I understand I will still be leaking location data, and plain calls and texts, but that was going to my previous carrier regardless so I do not see it as a net negative. I figure the vpn will obfuscate my browsing, emailing (paid non-google) and they cannot see the content of signal messenger.

                  I made use of the opt-out link you provided, thank you for that, and plan on deleting the advertising id from the device.

                  I have decided to give it a try, and will see how it goes.

                      ViaductError

                      I saw another post recommending setting up the esim on a stock pixel, then installing GOS. I'm curious, if activating service through a Google fi sim card, would I be able to go straight to GOS before service activation?

                          7 days later
                          a month later

                          I just installed GrapheneOS onto a Pixel 8 pro with Google FI. I had to fiddle a bit to get the eSim working. Seems to work fine.

                          I got Google messages to work, but I can't get it to sync. I enabled all permissions for Google Fi and Google Messages. I disabled RCS, apparently that doesn't work with the web version of messages.
                          When I try to get things to sync I go to messages -> settings -> advanced -> google Fi Wireless calling (sync texts) -> Sign in with your Google Fi account -> My account and email is displayed. When I click on it the bottom of the screen says "to continue signing in select the google fi account used on this device".

                          I then get into an infinite look asking me to sign in, showing my account, failing with the "to continue..." message.

                          The fi app however seems to work fine, I can click on the app, review my account, etc.

                            spikebike More ominously I had an older phone with this working. I was using google fi, google messages, and sync was working. Inside Google messages I clicked on sign out from google fi, then sign in, and it failed in the same way as described above.