As per screenshot, there is no ‘+’ icon to add APNs on either eSIM or SIM and the only option under the three dots menu top right is ‘Reset to default’ for both eSIM and SIM
I had assumed and some very in depth discussion with the Lebara tech support suggested the issue was with the phone being from the US and locked to some US network before being exported here - thus, I’m about to send it back.
Which suggests that the APN config isn’t locked down or part of the baseband firmware, but should be accessible to me from the /e/os system, either here: /data/user_de/0/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/telephony.db
Or, via a ‘secret’ background service ApnSourceService which I should be able to kill
Generally, is anyone able to shed any light on the above - all suggestions welcome.
More particularly, is anyone able to suggest how to list/ detect ApnSourceServic so I can kill it!
Your situation is not the same, just to help you get an idea of the depth when you ask
It seems a challenge for virtual providers to always have their SIM quickly find the correct network. Meanwhile /e/OS “presets” seem not to be offering anything to populate your APN page. Was that SIM eSIM onboard when First start wizard was run? (Guessing not, try just switch to airplane mode, wait 10 s, and see if anything changes.)
Edit ofc, an eSiM is at a disadvantage here, but their support should be able to help, without it becoming too complex.
Access Point Names settings are not available for this user
will find hits to point in the general direction.
Online search including carrier name may help more. I will see what I can find and update if useful.
In phoning carrier simply ask for an OTA Network reset if you have “Emergency calls only”. Is this available or missing?
I first read that as missing. However we expect only that. Did you try? and try combined with change to Airplane mode after … and if n/w again with Reboot the phone after. There are cases where this alone has caused the APN page to populate.
Edit
Access Point Names settings are not available for this user
The most important bit is to have the phone online with a good Wi-Fi connection to help avoid this error.
I really do not think this is an issue with having wrong APN details or failing to pick up the carrier’s settings - the SIM (cf. eSIM) is populated correctly:
I need to be able to enter APN settings, which I can’t. I’ve rebooted many times and reset. As the correct settings are already in the SIM APN then reset just presents the same correct settings, but uneditable. Resetting the eSIM APN similarly does nothing - see pic in first post.
(Lebara support have been very helpful, I’d recommend them above other networks.)
It seems to me that the phone is most likely restricted to a US carrier - whatever carrier dealt with the device before it fell off the back of a lorry, got exported and was sold to me - the question I’m asking myself: do I have to go through the hassle of sending the phone back and buying another, or can I salvage this one?
Which seemed the most relevant link in the referenced thread. Neither of the two options worked, but the second option, which is now out of date with ref to OS menus, did lead me to notice that what has now replaced ‘Network Operators’ is also greyed out, that is ‘Choose network’. There is no option to select my mobile network:
I’ve had a Pixel 5 running under /e/os and both SIM & eSIM working fine for the past couple of years (actually, I have a few eSIMs loaded and they’ve all worked).
Ah, yes. True.
Re IMS registration - interesting discoveries (wifi on):
Phone 0/ SIM 1 - ‘WiFi Calling’ (seems a misnomer) if set to mobile network, then
IMS registration = Registered
VoLTE = Available
VoWiFi = Unavailable
Phone 0/ SIM 1 - ‘WiFi Calling’ if set to WiFi network, then
IMS registration = Registered
VoLTE = Unavailable
VoWiFi - Available
Phone 1/ SIM 2 - ‘WiFi Calling’ if set to mobile network, then
IMS registration = Registered
VoLTE = Unavailable
VoWiFi = Available!!!
Phone 1/ SIM 2 - ‘WiFi Calling’ if set to WiFi network, then
IMS registration = Registered
VoLTE = Unavailable
VoWiFi = Available
So, SIM 2 (eSIM) is not doing mobile data - which, given the APN settings isn’t a surprise.
No, I had a dual-SIM setup working on a Pixel 5 for a couple of years, before it got nicked…!
Nope, I’m sendiing the phone back - the other nightmare I’m dealing with is switching phones, again!
However, I’m going to revert to stock-Google, so will test it like that before it’s sent.
I doubt it. The amount of times I’ve been round the blocks with this issue I would have cought it be now. I’ve purchased a replacement Pixel 8 - GPJ41 this time, AND it displays the same behaviour - but, it’s going back for a different reason: broken fingerprint reader. So, I’m beginning to wonder if it’s a /e/OS bug - quite a serious one - which I’ve been blaming the phone vendor for selling me a US/ network locked device.
I’ve read over that thread - from my experience, just install the new eSIM and if there are other eSIMs on the device it’s just a matter of choosing which eSIM to use. If it’s working, which it seems perhaps it’s not… I don’t recognise @rcember’s issue as being something I would expect.
The physical phone (baseband or whatever) is APN locked to the SIM/eSIM and those settings are unchangeable;
There seems some difficulty with /e/OS’ ability to pick up the APN settings from an eSIM.
I’m unsure if #2 might be solved by attempting to configure the eSIM on initial setup, I don’t recall being prompted to setup SIMs on first boot. In any case, it’s a major inconvenience issue to have to setup the device afresh every time an eSIM is added or changed!
If there’s anyone out there running /e/OS on a Pixel 8 that’s able to offer any anecdotes it would help.
Okay, installing - again - an eSIM on /e/OS powered Pixel 8 (GPJ41) and internet fails, no option for manual addition of APNs. This time installed eSIM from cold boot without physical SIM installed and WiFi service available after a ‘Reset mobile network settings’. I have calls and SMS. Interestingly, searching for networks revels only ‘G’ networks available instead of both ‘G’ and ‘4G’ showing as available on the physical SIM:
Conclusion: /e/OS doesn’t support eSIMs on Pixel 8 and Lebara UK network. Most likely on all eSIMs - but, I don’t have access to other eSIMs to test that. I’ll file a bug.
Personal observation. Where eSIM have been slow, difficult or impossible to get working, is the carrier using some Google dependent technology to either make the connection or confirm its security.
As I understand Murena has some field experience of this with their eSIM mobile Customers.
Thanks @rarjan , I’ll jump on the coat tails of that bug. It seems very similar, but not the same - have a read above. IIRC you don’t seem to be getting the unavailable APNs on your eSIM? See screenshot in the OP.
Yes, that’s correct. I get quite a few APNs of providers in the different countries which are in no way related to the provider I use (Vodafone NL) and won’t work apparently, except one low budget provider which is on the network of Vodafone NL. That is for the eSim aswell as a physical sim card.
Another thing is, and I think it is related, that I see as connected provider Vodafone NL in whatever country I am. Apparently it displays only the name of the (e)SIM instead of the foreign provider.
(There’s a smily to increase the character count…)
