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GrapheneOS / os-issue-tracker

Issue tracker for GrapheneOS Android Open Source Project hardening work. Standalone projects like Auditor, AttestationServer and hardened_malloc have their own dedicated trackers.
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Can't connect to mobile data (TracFone) #2299

Closed peteforsyth closed 9 months ago

peteforsyth commented 1 year ago

I have tried with two TracFone SIMs (both Verizon) to connect to mobile data without any luck. (Phone and SMS are functioning.)

I have tried adding the APN settings outlined on this page: https://www.aptdot.com/tracfone-apn-settings/

I am unable to add APN settings with all these items. If I add some, I can save the APN. I then have two APNs listed: the default (called "Verizon") and the new one (called "TracFone"). But when I add the last of the settings (such as MCC or APN protocol) to "TracFone", and try to save, the TracFone APN disappears.

It is not possible to edit or delete the "Verizon" APN (greyed out).

I found a similar issue in the database, but the solution that worked there didn't work for me. https://github.com/GrapheneOS/os-issue-tracker/issues/420

peteforsyth commented 1 year ago

This is on a fresh install of GrapheneOS on a Pixel 6a.

sawft99 commented 1 year ago

I'm having the same issue with my new sim. Its with mint mobile. Tracfone and Mint are both mvno. May be related or not.

I'm on a 7.

peteforsyth commented 1 year ago

I've now tried the same SIM on a fresh install of GrapheneOS on a Pixel 4, with the same result.

It would be helpful to know:

  1. Do the instructions I linked above seem correct, i.e. am I just following bad instructions?
  2. Is it expected behavior that the APN that shows up by default, called "Verizon", is not editable?
  3. Is there any known reason that changing the "MCC" and "MNC" values, then saving, would cause the new APN setting (which I'm calling "TracFone" per instructions) to disappear?
  4. The instructions say "Leave at default (470)" for MCC and "Leave at default (02)" for MNC. However, the initial/pre-populated values for these are very different numbers: 311 and 480, respectively. Is that a clue?

Thanks for confirming you are having similar issues @sawft99. Do you know if the Mint Mobile SIM you have is also for use with the Verizon network? It's my understanding that TracFone issues SIMs that work with at least two different major carriers, so maybe I can get my hands on a TracFone SIM that works with AT&T or T-Mobile. That would be sort of OK, but the Verizon network is the strongest in my home, so I haven't explored that yet.

I am wondering whether the existence of a "similar" APN settings is somehow interfering with the creation of a new APN setting.

peteforsyth commented 1 year ago

Update: I suspect the issue is with TracFone. Inspecting my account more closely online, it reflects no specific info about my plan (which includes data, phone minutes, and text, of which none are depleted) -- but the information online does not reflect any of the details about the plan, only the expiration date.

I will contact TracFone as soon as I can which may not be until Monday, but I think the issue may be that TracFone messed up my account -- not a problem with GrapheneOS, my phone, or my settings.

sawft99 commented 1 year ago

I've now tried the same SIM on a fresh install of GrapheneOS on a Pixel 4, with the same result.

It would be helpful to know:

  1. Do the instructions I linked above seem correct, i.e. am I just following bad instructions?
  2. Is it expected behavior that the APN that shows up by default, called "Verizon", is not editable?
  3. Is there any known reason that changing the "MCC" and "MNC" values, then saving, would cause the new APN setting (which I'm calling "TracFone" per instructions) to disappear?
  4. The instructions say "Leave at default (470)" for MCC and "Leave at default (02)" for MNC. However, the initial/pre-populated values for these are very different numbers: 311 and 480, respectively. Is that a clue?

Thanks for confirming you are having similar issues @sawft99. Do you know if the Mint Mobile SIM you have is also for use with the Verizon network? It's my understanding that TracFone issues SIMs that work with at least two different major carriers, so maybe I can get my hands on a TracFone SIM that works with AT&T or T-Mobile. That would be sort of OK, but the Verizon network is the strongest in my home, so I haven't explored that yet.

I am wondering whether the existence of a "similar" APN settings is somehow interfering with the creation of a new APN setting.

I actually have Verizon already with no issues. Not through another service or company. Just plain Verizon. Mint as far as I know is only using tmobile.

sawft99 commented 1 year ago

It actually looks like this may be a Mint or base Android issue. Per their FAQ

"MNC: Leave as is, never change : SIMs issues starting in 2022 are 240, older ones are 260. If you try to change it the APN will not save."

Couldn't say for Tracfone but I would imagine it is the same.

lexuschris commented 1 year ago

I had this issue setting up a Tracfone Verizon SIM on a Pixel 6 Pro last summer. After several days with Tracfone support and GrapheneOS re-installs, I got data to work but it broke SMS/MMS. Not an agreeable trade-off, so I finally switched to their AT&T SIM from the same SIM pack, and had no issues since.

matchboxbananasynergy commented 9 months ago

Can somebody confirm if this is still an issue?

sawft99 commented 9 months ago

I had tossed my track phone since then unfortunately.

lexuschris commented 9 months ago

Well, Tracfone was purchased by Verizon and slowly started encouraging everyone to switch to Verizon SIM cards. I did not. Then about 2 months ago, my phone service just stopped, and they forced me to switch to a Verizon SIM. I had the exact same problem as before. Either you get DATA, or you get SMS.. .pick one. Having had enough, I went and got a Mint Mobile SIM pack (Tmobile network) and it works perfectly again.

sawft99 commented 9 months ago

Weird, Verizon has always worked for me.

lexuschris commented 9 months ago

I think it was the APN profile that Tracfone was sending to its Verizon SIM. I played around with manual APN profiles that I found online, but none of them worked for long. At least with monthly purchased prepaid data cards, I was never out of much money when I switched to something else. YMMV...

matchboxbananasynergy commented 9 months ago

In that case, it sounds like this has been (indirectly) resolved. Thanks everyone for the updates.