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.
Does GrapheneOS work with Google Fi
Standardwaste How did you get a physical sim for google fi?
They mail it to you.
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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.
Standardwaste Sprint was acquired by T-Mobile four years ago.
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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.
Standardwaste do you use the play store under your real name? If so, then probably no issues with using google FI since they likely know much about you.
You can elect to limit the sharing they will do as well. See last point on this webpage. https://support.google.com/fi/answer/6181037?hl=en#zippy=%2Chow-to-opt-in-or-out-of-sharing-cpni-with-alphabet-affiliates
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?
Standardwaste Location, call history,but check out their privacy policy
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.
Standardwaste For what it's worth, on GOS sandboxed fi app, CPNI sharing was toggled off by default, I didn't do it.
ViaductError
That's good news to me, thanks.
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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
Standardwaste Sorry I don't check the forum very often. I've seen threads about using eSim in that way. Personally I just followed a fairly normal provisioning through. There are a few threads on the topic like https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/3976-google-fi-privacy-benefits/6
a month later
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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.