• Google testing carrier services patch





We unabashedly love Google's latest phones, but they aren't without their fair share of problems. Many of the early bugs that afflicted Pixel 6 owners were fixed with this month's update, but unfortunately, an all-new issue has been plaguing people everywhere. If you've had issues with your mobile network post-update, upgrading a single app on your phone to a beta version might be enough to fix it.






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How to install the Carrier Services beta


This fix (via Reddit) only takes a couple of minutes to implement, and while it's not guaranteed to work, many Reddit users have seen success in reconnecting to their carrier. All you'll need to do is install the latest beta for Google's Carrier Services application.


Unfortunately, you can no longer do this just by joining the beta program through the Play Store. Google shut down its invite system, presumably after an influx of users attempted to join in order to, you know, fix an issue that the company caused in the first place. As frustrating as that might be, you aren't totally out of luck. You'll just need to install the beta APK from APK Mirror, rather than through the Play Store itself.


To start, download this APK onto your Pixel by following the link, then selecting the download icon from the available files. Once it's saved to your phone, either open the link directly from Chrome or find it in your downloads folder. If prompted, you may have to grant Android access to install apps from unknown sources. If you want, you can disable this setting after you've installed this update, though it's really up to you. Many of our readers likely already have this option enabled on their phones, so it might not apply to you at all.


Once you've updated Carrier Services, there are a couple of extra steps it might be worth taking to ensure the best performance possible. Open your Pixel's settings menu, select apps, then find Carrier Services. Force stop the app, then head into storage to clear your data. Finally, for good measure, restart your phone.


And that's it! This method should restore your phone's ability to connect to your mobile network and — if comments on the original Reddit thread are correct — possibly even improved compared to when the device launched.


Other solutions


According to 9to5Google, select Pixel 6 users who submitted bug reports regarding their post-December update experience were asked to submit their IMEI codes to receive a software patch currently being tested. Once updated, their carrier settings version was bumped from 48 to 49, dated December 20th, 2021. If you're willing to submit feedback to Google, you may receive an invitation to try out this software. However, at least two users did not see results from this patch. It's a different method of fixing carrier settings than through the beta version of the app available above, so it might be worth a shot to try both.


Meanwhile, t's possible Google may eventually restore the ability to join the beta program for Carrier Services before an official update rolls out. If that does happen, here's how you can join. Start by opening the Play Store on your phone and typing Carrier Services into the search bar at the top of the page. Select the app from the list, then look for the "Join the beta" section near the bottom of this page. Tap "Join," then confirm your decision on the pop-up message. The Play Store will inform you that the signup process is occurring in the background, so wait a few minutes for it to complete.


Next, you need to update the app. Although the Play Store will automatically add the patch to your queue once it's ready, I found that closing and re-opening it speeds up the process. Head back to the Carrier Services page and hit the green "Update" button to finish installing the app.


Once it's installed, follow the steps above to clear the app's data and restart your phone.



With any luck, this software patch will hit Pixel 6 devices sometime in the near future, giving users more access to a fix without having to jump through a bunch of hoops. However, with the holidays right around the corner, this quick solution is a great way to get your phone back to its usual operation.




UPDATE: 2021/12/23 14:26 EST BY WILL SATTELBERG




Google testing carrier services patch


Google is currently rolling out a fix to select users who submitted bug reports regarding their experiences with reduced cell coverage. We've updated this article to include that information.