The Mate 20 series is one of the hottest phones on the market right now, and as a longtime Huawei fan, I really have to say how impressed I've been by this series: it looks great, it's got a very strong NPU, a super-cool three lens camera system. I love the Mate 20 series and picked a Chinese version up as soon as I could. As somebody who regularly travels internationally, I also pay close attention to the differences between the domestic and overseas versions of devices like this. So I'm sure that a lot of other people are wondering the same thing: if I try to use my Chinese Mate 20 series while overseas, will I run into any problems? If something happens, what should I do? To answer these questions, I checked out some materials on Huawei's official website, spoke to their customer service, and conducted my own little experiments, and I'd like to share what I found with all of you.
First off, the Chinese and overseas versions of the Mate 20 series are actually different model numbers: the overseas versions include the L29, the L09, and the L0C, while the Chinese versions include the AL and the TL. These differences in model numbers reflect different specifications. For example, there is a 4 GB+128 GB (RAM+ROM) model, a 6 GB+64 GB model, and a 6 GB+128 GB model. The Chinese and overseas versions also support different network frequencies. For example, the overseas version supports the B28 frequency band, while the Chinese version does not.
Further, the models for some overseas countries and regions have had to be intensely customized in partnership with local network providers in order to provide full compatibility.
Thus, the unmodified Chinese version may experience compatibility issues in some of these overseas countries and regions. Therefore, if you wish to use your phone as you travel overseas, it is recommended that you purchase the overseas version of the Mate 20 for optimum user experience and more rapid maintenance and other services.
If you have already purchased the Chinese version of the Mate 20 and regularly travel abroad, you may wonder what kind of problems you can expect and how to resolve them. Based on my own experiences, I've found a few possible problems that you might encounter, and through consultation with Huawei's customer service and my own experimentation, I've discovered some possible solutions for each. Although you may not encounter all or any of these, it's always best to be prepared, and I hope this information is helpful to you.
Problem 1：When using a SIM card such as the kind used by Germany's Virtual National Roaming system (this card with two numbers assigned to it, which allows you to freely roam between two countries and their respective mobile networks), you can't access the 4G network while roaming, and can't even call the emergency numbers.
Solution：Try the following:APN: Go to Settings > Wireless & networks > Mobile network > Access Point Names and choose to create the correct APN appropriate to your network provider.
Problem 2 ：I encountered an error with the number of my voice mailbox, and it won't work.
Solution：Try the following:Go to Dialer > ︙ (menu in the upper right corner) > Settings > More > Voicemail and reset your voice mailbox number (to find your correct voice mailbox number, please check with your network provider).
Problem 3：The method of fee/deduction on my phone is different from what it's supposed to be.
Solution：This is commonly caused by errors in setting up the phone's pre-pay/post-pay system. Go to Settings > Wireless & networks > Mobile network > Access Point Names and choose to reactivate the correct APN for your network provider.
Problem 4 ：I can't send text SMS messages.
Solution：Go to Messaging > ︙ (menu in the upper right corner) > Settings > Advanced > SMS center number, and enter the correct SMS center number for your network provider. (The SMS Center is only available when a SIM card is inserted in slot 1, and the correct SMS center number should be that which corresponds to your network provider)
Problem 5 ：The overseas version closes my apps while they're running in the background or when the screen is locked.
Solution：Go to Phone Manager > App launch, then set your apps to manual management and enable them to run in the background.
Problem 6 ：I don't know how to disable the Record call function.
Solution：The Record call function is able to record your calls with other parties, and this must be done in accordance with local laws and regulations. If you have enabled the Auto-record calls function, and wish to disable it, go to Dialer > ︙ (menu in the upper right corner) > Settings > Auto-record calls and choose to disable Auto-record calls. Even while the Auto-record calls function is disabled, you can still manually switch Record call back on for individual calls.
Problem 7 ：I don't know how to disable the Call Translation function.
Solution：As part of my research, I learned that the Chinese version of the Huawei Mate 20 Porsche Design has the Call Translation function that supports ten different languages. You can choose the languages involved in the translation on the Call settings screen, and touch the icon of Call Translation in the upper right corner of the screen to enable it. After the Call Translation function has been enabled, your call recording with other parties and both the text and audio record of the translation will be deleted from your phone after the call. (P.S.: This is really useful when traveling abroad; I really wish I had gotten the Porsche Design.)
Problem 8 ：Emergency numbers are shown in the call log, and are not automatically hidden or deleted.
Solution：If needed, I recommend manually deleting each emergency call from the call log after the call is complete.
Problem 9 ：I can't use Google apps (for example, opening the Google Play store shows an error code; Google Maps can't find my location; Google apps close on startup, etc.)
Solution：Being unable to use Google apps while overseas can be very annoying. Based on my experience, I recommend checking the following solutions, one at a time, in the following order:
1. Check whether your phone has been pre-installed with Google Play services. Go to Settings > Apps > Apps and check whether Google Play services is in the list. (I checked Mate 20, P20, and Honor 10 devices; a lot of the higher-end Huawei models had the service package pre-installed). If Google Play services has not been pre-installed, you will be unable to use Google apps on your device while abroad. You will only be able to open their webpage versions in your browser.
2. Check whether you access the Internet through a Chinese SIM card and roaming data plan. While roaming, your mobile data is actually still being processed through the Chinese network, so you will still be unable to access Google servers, same as if you were in China. Therefore, I recommend you pick up Huawei SkyTone data plan before going abroad, which will let you use your roaming service worldwide and is extremely convenient.
3. Check whether your app management is set to manual. Go to Phone Manager > App launch, and set Google Play services to manual management.
4. You may be experiencing compatibility issues with your version of Google Play services. Go to Settings > Apps > Apps > Google Play services, and perform the following:
a. Touch DISABLE, if it is available. Alternatively, touch the three-dot menu in the upper right corner and then touch Uninstall updates.
b. Go to Storage > MANAGE SPACE, and touch CLEAR ALL DATA.
5. Uninstall and then reinstall the Google Play app, Google Maps, or other Google apps.
awesome! gonna buy one ^_^
Very useful article.
just want to in put 1 more thing about the chinese variant which i have right now, AL00. make sure you are buying the 8gb version if you want the on screen fingerprint for your pro version. it will say it on sites such as aliexpress.
Is Google Pay working well on it? I used a phone with Chinese ROM before, I managed to install Google Pay but failed to add credit cards.
re-install, see if it corrects
Related
Unlike users of networks such as Three/Telstra, who sometimes roam while this is undetected by their Android phone - my situation (and those of many other users) is similar, though not so easily solved by tweaking APN's.
In this particular case, Android detects the network of the own provider as roaming, resulting in a phone that prevents synchroisation with Exchange irrespective of settings that force data connections to be established during roaming.
I have called my provider, HTC and even an independent third party for a solution. Initially, they were all blaming other parties but themselves, but it seems that the real problem is not with the provider or HTC, but it is with Android; when my SIM card was inserted in a Nokia or WM smartphone, it worked normally, but it did not in every other Android based phone.
So, the question that remains is obviously: can this problem be solved - either by tweaking the simcard, by a small piece of software or by a cooked ROM? I'm hoping on the XDA community to give some insights into a possible solution.
Any news about this? A lot of people in The Netherlands have the same problem (Telfort on KPN!)
Jelski said:
In this particular case, Android detects the network of the own provider as roaming, resulting in a phone that prevents synchroisation with Exchange irrespective of settings that force data connections to be established during roaming.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Translated from Dutch:
Settings -> Sync -> Exchange -> Menu -> Sync while roaming!
Hello.
I have a 4G/LTE Nexus 9 Tablet . In my Country in order to use internet through data services like 3G & 4G on Telecom Carriers (service provider) , I have to "DIAL" a code (or a Number) like:
*141* pin number # (to charge my account / pin number is bought from Service Provide website)
*141*1# (to know about reminder of my credit and in response the service provider should inform me by a text message in default cell phones)
As I know , the nexus 9 doesn't support "DIALING Numbers" in GSM band.(It only Support SMS) ,So It's not possible to CALL (DIAL) the mentioned formatted numbers and it seems I can not buy charge,check my account info and use 3G & 4G Services.
Would you please help me with this problem and give me advices about solutions that help me to use 3G & 4G data services .(Maybe I 'm wrong and the tablet has capabilities to address this problem.)
I hope to receive a reply.
Thank You.
I understand your frustration about this issue.
Are you using a Prepaid package from your service provider? This is kind a tricky when subscribing an internet plan in Nexus 9.
I got some ideas about solving the problem.
First, I'm not sure but try go to Setting, More network, select mobile plan and see if you can select from there.
Second, eject the sim card and insert into a Smartphone (that has a dial app) and subscribe the plan you wanted and put back into Nexus 9 after response or replied from service provider.
Third, find out whether your service provider provides any online service that can subscribe a Prepaid plan for your current number either from their website or a downloaded app.
Hope it helps.
I'm newbie anyway.
can't we just dload a dial app from the playstore like truecaller app , truedialer app ?
No you can't, caller dialler app you mentioned are not working in Nexus 9 as it has no call facility, only smartphone or tablet with a built in dialler can install that. You cannot make any service call (phone call using sim) but you can make internet call like hangout, Skype, FB messenger.
Hi Guys,
1. I am NOT an expert as to how VoLTE works in the back end.
VoLTE is the use of LTE to carry voice calls, as opposed to falling back onto 3G / 2G to carry the voice call. Advantages include, lower connection time, wideband audio, etc.
I've recently spent some time changing the CID and firmaware on my HTC 10 to one that is region specific to enable VoLTE on my handset.
It appears the way Apple implements carrier settings means that different carrier settings can be delivered to any iPhone, but it appears Android is currently managing this differently, as OEMs are creating variants of the software to cater for each region/carrier's variations.
What this means for me is, even if I purchase an unlocked device, if it isnt from my region, I will likely have to do extensive modification to enable VoLTE.
Does anyone know if Android N manages VoLTE differently? What's el-Goog thingking here?
I switched from my Nexus 5X to the HTC U11, and I inserted my Project Fi SIM card into the U11. Everything seems to be running fine except for one issue. Every SMS message I get ends with a ~ followed by 15 random characters. I know the workaround to not seeing that gibberish string is to use Hangouts to intercept all Project Fi SMS messages.
Does anyone know of a workaround that would work for the default Android Messages app? I prefer not to log into a Google account to use Hangouts unless truly necessary.
u11projectfi said:
I switched from my Nexus 5X to the HTC U11, and I inserted my Project Fi SIM card into the U11. Everything seems to be running fine except for one issue. Every SMS message I get ends with a ~ followed by 15 random characters. I know the workaround to not seeing that gibberish string is to use Hangouts to intercept all Project Fi SMS messages.
Does anyone know of a workaround that would work for the default Android Messages app? I prefer not to log into a Google account to use Hangouts unless truly necessary.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, here's everything you need to know about using Project Fi on unsupported devices. This is from my own personal experience and it took a while for me to learn everything because there are so many different posts on line concerning this topic and I've realized that most of it is inaccurate. I hope this helps you out!
Activate Project Fi account from an unsupported device (Successfully Accomplished)
**Although I accomplished this on a OP5T, theres no reason why the steps below shouldn't work on just about any other Android device, the Fi app is what activates everything as well as sets the proper settings for MMS and VVM. As long as the Fi app believes the device it's installed on is one of the officially supported Fi devices then it will proceed with the activation of a new sim card**
Project Fi is an amazing mnvo with one absolutely annoying bottleneck... Your service can only be activated from a handful of devices. You can sign up for service and you'll be sent a sim if thats the route you want to go and the account can only be activated for use once you've signed into your account (with new sim inserted) on one of those phones (5 total I believe)... Now once your sim is activated it can then be used just fine in any T-Mobile supported phone (with a loss of the ability to transition between multiple networks as supported by official devices) but that's the only downside. If you have great T-Mobile service in your area then you're fine and you could have cell service for like $27 a month....
I've been experimenting with activating service on a phone that's not officially supported and I am here to tell you that I've successfully managed to do so using a OnePlus 5T which is not an officially supported Fi device. The process was insanely simple and I've actually wondered from day one whether or not the process I accomplished this with would work, but I figured it was too simple for Google to not have considered and so I never attempted it. This was literally the final attempt I was going to make on this and it worked flawlessly.
STEP 1
Root your phone, go /system and edit the build.prop.... (/system means the "system" folder in the root partition, known as "/")
Change the following entries to what I have indicated, (you're only editing the words after the "=" sign)
Each entry below will say something different following the "=" sign depending on which phone you happen to be using... Everything to the left of the "=" sign should be universal across all Android devices...
So if you have a OnePlus 5 for example, then you will initially see "ro.product.model=OnePlus 5" and "ro.product.name=cheeseburger" you'll only change "OnePlus 5" and "cheeseburger" to match what I have written below....
***THESE OPTIONS ARE CASE SENSITIVE!! SO IF YOU WRITE "Taimen" INSTEAD OF "taimen" THEN IT WILL NOT WORK***
ro.product.model=Pixel 2 XL
ro.product.brand=Google
ro.product.name=taimen
ro.product.device=taimen
ro.product.manufacturer=Google
ro.build.product=taimen
ADD THE FOLLOWING ENTRY TO THE BOTTOM OF YOUR BUILD.PROP (the complete line, not just "true")
ro.opa.eligible_device=true
STEP 2
Save the new options added to build.prop and REBOOT YOUR PHONE BEFORE PROCEEDING! If you did everything correctly, then after a reboot when you go to "system" and then "about" you should see the device info reporting that your phone is a "Pixel 2 XL". This is how we are managing the activation, because the Project Fi app will check the device info when you open it the first time and based on the info it sees, it will either treat the phone as an official device, or one that's using a data only sim (which can not activate Project Fi account). Data only devices are restricted in that LTE speeds are reduced substantially, VVM does not work, it's possible to call and text with a few tweaks but MMS will not work outside of the Hangouts app. Official devices have no restrictions. As long as it believes the device is official, it will allow the activation to proceed regardless of the device you're using.
STEP 3
(For the next part:
DO NOT GRANT PERMISSIONS TO PROJECT FI APP UNTIL AFTER YOU'VE OPENED THE APP AND ACTIVATED THE SERVICE!! Upon completing this task you can then grant the necessary permissions to Project Fi app. If you have already granted permissions then clear app data for Project Fi app, uninstall, reinstall and follow my directions)
Download "Project Fi" app and insert the sim you ordered from Google. Open Fi app and choose the correct account (if theres more than one google account signed in on your device) and if you've done everything correctly then the service will activate. I've done this successfully on 3 different devices already.
Once you've completed this you can then revert all changes to the build.prop back to original settings and your account will be activated and the sim can be used in any GSM device compatible with T-Mobile's network from then on.
FYI:
If you want to be able to send mms messages from any text app besides Hangouts and have visual voicemail working as well then you should leave the build.prop the way it is after adding in the Pixel info. All services (except for network transitioning, you'll be limited to T-Mobiles service which is amazing in most areas anyway) will function properly when the device is seen as being a Pixel 2 XL. If you revert the build.prop back to stock following the initial activation of your sim card the you will lose visual vm, mms messaging (except if you don't mind using hangouts for text and mms), you'll have to add the correct apn info, and you'll only get LTE speeds of about 10 Mbps. Leave it the way you changed it to for activation and the phone will function exactly as it does on supported devices with the ability to mms from any text app, working visual vm and the APN will configure itself and your LTE speeds will improve substantially. I hit 60 Mbps consistently. There's an easy way to tell. If your carrier label states "Project Fi" then the build.prop is showing the phone as a device thats not officially supported and you'll have to deal with the extra issues I've stated above. If the carrier label reads "Fi Network" then you phone is seen as a supported device and everything will work perfectly with the exception of seamless network transitioning.
Hope this helps some people out!
u11projectfi said:
I switched from my Nexus 5X to the HTC U11, and I inserted my Project Fi SIM card into the U11. Everything seems to be running fine except for one issue. Every SMS message I get ends with a ~ followed by 15 random characters. I know the workaround to not seeing that gibberish string is to use Hangouts to intercept all Project Fi SMS messages.
Does anyone know of a workaround that would work for the default Android Messages app? I prefer not to log into a Google account to use Hangouts unless truly necessary.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, the information is in the guide I wrote up below. I copied and pasted it from a different post I created but the info you're looking for is present in my post. Just follow the directions and if you get stuck feel free to contact me!
Activate Project Fi account from an unsupported device (Successfully Accomplished)
**Although I accomplished this on a OP5T, theres no reason why the steps below shouldn't work on just about any other Android device, the Fi app is what activates everything as well as sets the proper settings for MMS and VVM. As long as the Fi app believes the device it's installed on is one of the officially supported Fi devices then it will proceed with the activation of a new sim card**
Project Fi is an amazing mnvo with one absolutely annoying bottleneck... Your service can only be activated from a handful of devices. You can sign up for service and you'll be sent a sim if thats the route you want to go and the account can only be activated for use once you've signed into your account (with new sim inserted) on one of those phones (5 total I believe)... Now once your sim is activated it can then be used just fine in any T-Mobile supported phone (with a loss of the ability to transition between multiple networks as supported by official devices) but that's the only downside. If you have great T-Mobile service in your area then you're fine and you could have cell service for like $27 a month....
I've been experimenting with activating service on a phone that's not officially supported and I am here to tell you that I've successfully managed to do so using a OnePlus 5T which is not an officially supported Fi device. The process was insanely simple and I've actually wondered from day one whether or not the process I accomplished this with would work, but I figured it was too simple for Google to not have considered and so I never attempted it. This was literally the final attempt I was going to make on this and it worked flawlessly.
STEP 1
Root your phone, go /system and edit the build.prop.... (/system means the "system" folder in the root partition, known as "/")
Change the following entries to what I have indicated, (you're only editing the words after the "=" sign)
Each entry below will say something different following the "=" sign depending on which phone you happen to be using... Everything to the left of the "=" sign should be universal across all Android devices...
So if you have a OnePlus 5 for example, then you will initially see "ro.product.model=OnePlus 5" and "ro.product.name=cheeseburger" you'll only change "OnePlus 5" and "cheeseburger" to match what I have written below....
***THESE OPTIONS ARE CASE SENSITIVE!! SO IF YOU WRITE "Taimen" INSTEAD OF "taimen" THEN IT WILL NOT WORK***
ro.product.model=Pixel 2 XL
ro.product.brand=Google
ro.product.name=taimen
ro.product.device=taimen
ro.product.manufacturer=Google
ro.build.product=taimen
ADD THE FOLLOWING ENTRY TO THE BOTTOM OF YOUR BUILD.PROP (the complete line, not just "true")
ro.opa.eligible_device=true
STEP 2
Save the new options added to build.prop and REBOOT YOUR PHONE BEFORE PROCEEDING! If you did everything correctly, then after a reboot when you go to "system" and then "about" you should see the device info reporting that your phone is a "Pixel 2 XL". This is how we are managing the activation, because the Project Fi app will check the device info when you open it the first time and based on the info it sees, it will either treat the phone as an official device, or one that's using a data only sim (which can not activate Project Fi account). Data only devices are restricted in that LTE speeds are reduced substantially, VVM does not work, it's possible to call and text with a few tweaks but MMS will not work outside of the Hangouts app. Official devices have no restrictions. As long as it believes the device is official, it will allow the activation to proceed regardless of the device you're using.
STEP 3
(For the next part:
DO NOT GRANT PERMISSIONS TO PROJECT FI APP UNTIL AFTER YOU'VE OPENED THE APP AND ACTIVATED THE SERVICE!! Upon completing this task you can then grant the necessary permissions to Project Fi app. If you have already granted permissions then clear app data for Project Fi app, uninstall, reinstall and follow my directions)
Download "Project Fi" app and insert the sim you ordered from Google. Open Fi app and choose the correct account (if theres more than one google account signed in on your device) and if you've done everything correctly then the service will activate. I've done this successfully on 3 different devices already.
Once you've completed this you can then revert all changes to the build.prop back to original settings and your account will be activated and the sim can be used in any GSM device compatible with T-Mobile's network from then on.
FYI:
If you want to be able to send mms messages from any text app besides Hangouts and have visual voicemail working as well then you should leave the build.prop the way it is after adding in the Pixel info. All services (except for network transitioning, you'll be limited to T-Mobiles service which is amazing in most areas anyway) will function properly when the device is seen as being a Pixel 2 XL. If you revert the build.prop back to stock following the initial activation of your sim card the you will lose visual vm, mms messaging (except if you don't mind using hangouts for text and mms), you'll have to add the correct apn info, and you'll only get LTE speeds of about 10 Mbps. Leave it the way you changed it to for activation and the phone will function exactly as it does on supported devices with the ability to mms from any text app, working visual vm and the APN will configure itself and your LTE speeds will improve substantially. I hit 60 Mbps consistently. There's an easy way to tell. If your carrier label states "Project Fi" then the build.prop is showing the phone as a device thats not officially supported and you'll have to deal with the extra issues I've stated above. If the carrier label reads "Fi Network" then you phone is seen as a supported device and everything will work perfectly with the exception of seamless network transitioning.
Hope this helps some people out!
Sass86oh said:
Yea, here's everything you need to know about using Project Fi on unsupported devices. This is from my own personal experience and it took a while for me to learn everything because there are so many different posts on line concerning this topic and I've realized that most of it is inaccurate. I hope this helps you out!
Activate Project Fi account from an unsupported device (Successfully Accomplished)
**Although I accomplished this on a OP5T, theres no reason why the steps below shouldn't work on just about any other Android device, the Fi app is what activates everything as well as sets the proper settings for MMS and VVM. As long as the Fi app believes the device it's installed on is one of the officially supported Fi devices then it will proceed with the activation of a new sim card**
Project Fi is an amazing mnvo with one absolutely annoying bottleneck... Your service can only be activated from a handful of devices. You can sign up for service and you'll be sent a sim if thats the route you want to go and the account can only be activated for use once you've signed into your account (with new sim inserted) on one of those phones (5 total I believe)... Now once your sim is activated it can then be used just fine in any T-Mobile supported phone (with a loss of the ability to transition between multiple networks as supported by official devices) but that's the only downside. If you have great T-Mobile service in your area then you're fine and you could have cell service for like $27 a month....
I've been experimenting with activating service on a phone that's not officially supported and I am here to tell you that I've successfully managed to do so using a OnePlus 5T which is not an officially supported Fi device. The process was insanely simple and I've actually wondered from day one whether or not the process I accomplished this with would work, but I figured it was too simple for Google to not have considered and so I never attempted it. This was literally the final attempt I was going to make on this and it worked flawlessly.
STEP 1
Root your phone, go /system and edit the build.prop.... (/system means the "system" folder in the root partition, known as "/")
Change the following entries to what I have indicated, (you're only editing the words after the "=" sign)
Each entry below will say something different following the "=" sign depending on which phone you happen to be using... Everything to the left of the "=" sign should be universal across all Android devices...
So if you have a OnePlus 5 for example, then you will initially see "ro.product.model=OnePlus 5" and "ro.product.name=cheeseburger" you'll only change "OnePlus 5" and "cheeseburger" to match what I have written below....
***THESE OPTIONS ARE CASE SENSITIVE!! SO IF YOU WRITE "Taimen" INSTEAD OF "taimen" THEN IT WILL NOT WORK***
ro.product.model=Pixel 2 XL
ro.product.brand=Google
ro.product.name=taimen
ro.product.device=taimen
ro.product.manufacturer=Google
ro.build.product=taimen
ADD THE FOLLOWING ENTRY TO THE BOTTOM OF YOUR BUILD.PROP (the complete line, not just "true")
ro.opa.eligible_device=true
STEP 2
Save the new options added to build.prop and REBOOT YOUR PHONE BEFORE PROCEEDING! If you did everything correctly, then after a reboot when you go to "system" and then "about" you should see the device info reporting that your phone is a "Pixel 2 XL". This is how we are managing the activation, because the Project Fi app will check the device info when you open it the first time and based on the info it sees, it will either treat the phone as an official device, or one that's using a data only sim (which can not activate Project Fi account). Data only devices are restricted in that LTE speeds are reduced substantially, VVM does not work, it's possible to call and text with a few tweaks but MMS will not work outside of the Hangouts app. Official devices have no restrictions. As long as it believes the device is official, it will allow the activation to proceed regardless of the device you're using.
STEP 3
(For the next part:
DO NOT GRANT PERMISSIONS TO PROJECT FI APP UNTIL AFTER YOU'VE OPENED THE APP AND ACTIVATED THE SERVICE!! Upon completing this task you can then grant the necessary permissions to Project Fi app. If you have already granted permissions then clear app data for Project Fi app, uninstall, reinstall and follow my directions)
Download "Project Fi" app and insert the sim you ordered from Google. Open Fi app and choose the correct account (if theres more than one google account signed in on your device) and if you've done everything correctly then the service will activate. I've done this successfully on 3 different devices already.
Once you've completed this you can then revert all changes to the build.prop back to original settings and your account will be activated and the sim can be used in any GSM device compatible with T-Mobile's network from then on.
FYI:
If you want to be able to send mms messages from any text app besides Hangouts and have visual voicemail working as well then you should leave the build.prop the way it is after adding in the Pixel info. All services (except for network transitioning, you'll be limited to T-Mobiles service which is amazing in most areas anyway) will function properly when the device is seen as being a Pixel 2 XL. If you revert the build.prop back to stock following the initial activation of your sim card the you will lose visual vm, mms messaging (except if you don't mind using hangouts for text and mms), you'll have to add the correct apn info, and you'll only get LTE speeds of about 10 Mbps. Leave it the way you changed it to for activation and the phone will function exactly as it does on supported devices with the ability to mms from any text app, working visual vm and the APN will configure itself and your LTE speeds will improve substantially. I hit 60 Mbps consistently. There's an easy way to tell. If your carrier label states "Project Fi" then the build.prop is showing the phone as a device thats not officially supported and you'll have to deal with the extra issues I've stated above. If the carrier label reads "Fi Network" then you phone is seen as a supported device and everything will work perfectly with the exception of seamless network transitioning.
Hope this helps some people out!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the info and comprehensive guide!
I've tried this method with no luck, the text lines are slightly different on a oneplus 5 running 8.1, I could not get anything to change on the actual phone but the text in the build.prop were changed, as many lines as I could find even remotely similar to these, some are the same but it seems the most important ones are different.
"edit" I tried this method once more, I changed all the similar lines that I could find, and I changed one or two more saying oneplus 5 and another one I felt was needed. I rebooted my phone and it still said oneplus 5 and such, saw no difference in any of my settings after editing the build.prop. So I just thought to give it a try and it worked 100% first try. If anyone else needs any help feel free to ask.
Is there any way to get SMS/MMS working properly using a SIM card that is already activated or does spoofing a Pixel 2 XL only work if you activate a new SIM card? I don't see this method would work as the IMEI number of the unsupported phone would specify that the device not at approved. FWIW, I followed these instructions exactly as written and have not been able to activate phone with working SIM card from my Pixel or a new (unactivated) SIM card. Not sure whether this method still works or what I'm missing but attempting to active device with Fi app gives error message,
Unfortunately, your Project Fi service can't be activated right now.
ID: B042
Use old APK of Project Fi
I rooted my Unihertz Atom and was trying to get MMS to work. After updating build.prop and rebooting I was unable to activate through the Project Fi app. (error id: G003). I went to APK Mirror and downloaded an older version of Project Fi V3 from April 2018 and was able to activate as per OP.
So I got the phone and it's working really well. My biggest issue is the lack of VoWifi. I called T-Mobile and the tech felt it should have it.
When I dialed *#*#4636#*#* (I think it's that), VoWifi is greyed out. Is there any way to use ADB or anything to force-enable it? There's no way, with the LTE/5G bands it has that it cannot be enabled on T-Mobile...
Dometalican said:
So I got the phone and it's working really well. My biggest issue is the lack of VoWifi. I called T-Mobile and the tech felt it should have it.
When I dialed *#*#4636#*#* (I think it's that), VoWifi is greyed out. Is there any way to use ADB or anything to force-enable it? There's no way, with the LTE/5G bands it has that it cannot be enabled on T-Mobile...
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It can be related to your provider or it's SIM settings. I use Dual SIM. My Vodafone (NL) in SIM bay 1 has the WiFi-calling option. My KPN (NL) in bay 2 doesn't have it.
jordidejongh said:
It can be related to your provider or it's SIM settings. I use Dual SIM. My Vodafone (NL) in SIM bay 1 has the WiFi-calling option. My KPN (NL) in bay 2 doesn't have it.
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You will only get wifi calling on Google fi on xperia 1, xperia 1 ii and xperia 1 iii. I have used all three phones on tmobile and it doesnt get wifi calling but on Google fi they do.
leony74 said:
You will only get wifi calling on Google fi on xperia 1, xperia 1 ii and xperia 1 iii. I have used all three phones on tmobile and it doesnt get wifi calling but on Google fi they do.
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That's because Google has its own WiFi calling implementation, not using VoWIFI. It should work on just about any device.
I am able to get VoWIFI on T-Mobile after flashing Sony's Developer Binary (for the Xperia 1 ii), but unfortunately that one comes with some other unacceptable compromises (like no task switcher). Anyway the attached screenshot shows the service screen (dial *#*#INFO#*#*) on T-Mobile with this firmware. T-Mobile WiFi calling also works with even more out-of-fashion phones like my Nokia 9 PureView, so I would say this is definitely a Sony firmware issue.
In turn, the WiFi hotspot function does not work on Google Fi on any of my Xperias (1 ii, 5 ii, 1 iii). The client (e.g. laptop) connects to the phone and gets an IP address, but can never reach any website. It works fine with other phones (Nokia, Samsung,. ... and even the same developer image), and it works fine also with the Xperia on T-Mobile and AT&T. I suspect some iptables/firewall incompatibility between Fi and Sony's stock firmware.
I returned my phone back to sony because of missing vowifi.
T-mobile expert said its fully compatible but Sony expert said All Sony Phone dont have vowifi (disabled by software)
So I bought Xperia 1 III (along with a prepaid 3HK SIM card) when I was traveling in Hong Kong.
I inserted that 3HK SIM card to Sony phone, the Wi-Fi Calling was an option in the setting menu.
But after I returned to US, I swapped an Ultra Mobile SIM card to the Xperia 1 III, the Wi-Fi calling option is gone.
Before that, the Ultra Mobile SIM card worked perfectly on a Samsung Note 9 (also Hong Kong version) with Wi-Fi calling enabled. So it looks like it's a software problem.
Tried Google Fi SIM card, I was able to activate Wi-Fi Calling in Google Fi app, but not in phone setting menu.
T-Mobile VoWiFi is incompatible with the stock Sony firmware. You can get it back by flashing one of Sony's developer binaries onto your OEM partition (for "open devices" like the Xperia 1 ii and 5 ii but not 1 iii); however this also makes the phone not really suitable for day-to-day use (for instance, no "recent apps" switcher).
FWIW, T-Mobile VoWiFi works great on my older Nokia 9 PureView, which is definitely not a "known" device as far as T-Mobile is concerned. So the issue is limited to the combination of T-Mobile USA and stock Sony firmware. (Of course, VoWiFi also does not work on AT&T, but that's expected since they only provision AT&T-branded phones).
WiFi calling works on Google Fi, because they use their own implementation (not VoWiFi). Alas, WiFi hotspot functionality is broken on Fi - there seems to be something like a firewall/iptables incompatibilty between Fi and the Sony firrmware. The client (e.g. laptop) is able to obtain an IP address and ping the phone, but is not able to then connect to the Internet. (This, too, is fixed with the developer image above).
FWIW, as a workaround, you can install the T-Mobile DIGITS application and enable this feature on your account to make calls over WiFi. The only caveat, as I learned today, is that this does not let you make international calls. :-(
Hlorri said:
T-Mobile VoWiFi is incompatible with the stock Sony firmware. You can get it back by flashing one of Sony's developer binaries onto your OEM partition (for "open devices" like the Xperia 1 ii and 5 ii but not 1 iii); however this also makes the phone not really suitable for day-to-day use (for instance, no "recent apps" switcher).
FWIW, T-Mobile VoWiFi works great on my older Nokia 9 PureView, which is definitely not a "known" device as far as T-Mobile is concerned. So the issue is limited to the combination of T-Mobile USA and stock Sony firmware. (Of course, VoWiFi also does not work on AT&T, but that's expected since they only provision AT&T-branded phones).
WiFi calling works on Google Fi, because they use their own implementation (not VoWiFi). Alas, WiFi hotspot functionality is broken on Fi - there seems to be something like a firewall/iptables incompatibilty between Fi and the Sony firrmware. The client (e.g. laptop) is able to obtain an IP address and ping the phone, but is not able to then connect to the Internet. (This, too, is fixed with the developer image above).
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What does developer binaries do? What can you achieve with this and how do you install it
Hazzay88 said:
What does developer binaries do? What can you achieve with this and how do you install it
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They are actually just meant to bring back some of the original Sony functionality (e.g. camera) on top of a plain-vanilla AOSP build. For instance you can build and install AOSP 12 and then flash this image to the OEM partition. Won't give you Google Play services though, so not really useful for most people.
However you can also flash it on a stock Sony firmware. (Just apply step 7 in the AOSP instructions above, without doing the rest). Fixes some issues, including VoWIFI on T-Mobile and WiFi hotspot on Google Fi, but unfortunately the recent apps switcher is then gone.
Only available for "Open Devices" like the Xperia 1 ii and 5 ii, but not 1 iii.
I know this is a roundabout solution, but it worked for me:
Port your number(s) to Google Voice. This will end your current wireless subscription.
Sign up for a new wireless plan, with new numbers. (*) If you order a new plan online, it's a good idea to do this first so that the SIMs arrive ready for activation before you start the previous step.
Set up Google Voice to forward your calls to that number. Or better yet, install the Voice app on your phone - you can redirect both inbound and outbound calls via this app/service. (I.e. you can use the native dialer to make Voice calls; however for text messages and voicemail you need to use the Voice app).
Optional: In the native phone app, block all inbound calls directly to the new number (remember, your primary one is now on Google Voice).
This also gives you the ability to send/receive calls, voicemail, text messages on a web browser. In other words, all of this is essentially a roundabout way of getting functionality similar to Google Fi; but remember, Fi's hotspot does not work on the Xperia.
(*) Apparently if your carrier is T-Mobile, cancelling 3+ lines and then signing up for 3+ new ones won't give you the same discount as the original signup. According to a local T-Mobile store rep I talked to, if you cancel and recreate service within 90 days, the system thinks you are trying to somehow cheat on discounts. Weird -- I ended up going (back) to AT&T for this reason. You may also consider T-Mobile MVNOs such as Mint Mobile. (**)
(**) Oddly enough, in addition to better overall coverage, I get much higher download speeds on AT&T LTE/LTE+ compared to T-Mobile 5G (NR/NSA) - even in a place with full bars on both carriers. I did a test today with two SIMs in the phone - on AT&T I got 100 Mbps down on first try, whereas on T-Mobile the best I ever got (20+ tries) was ~30 Mbps down; typically 15-20. Not sure if this is another artifact of the Sony firmware, YMMV.
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Course, if you only need to make domestic calls while on WiFi, T-Mobile DIGITS is the path of least resitance.