Pixel 5 call screening not working?

Problem Solving
#1

What phone do you have? Google Pixel 5

What plan are you on? My Choice

Does your plan include data, or just talk & text? Data, talk, text

Issue Description

So I’ve been running a Pixel 3a on RW and at first the Google call screening didn’t work. After reading these forums it became clear that it was a Google issue and they eventually fixed it on their end.

I just switched to a Pixel 5 a few days ago and got a call today that I tried to screen and sure enough, it didn’t work again. I’m running the latest Android 11 with the same patches as my Pixel 3a (where it does work).

When I hit the screen caller button it doesn’t screen anything, it just connects you and there’s no screening text displayed or screening text relayed to the caller. It does this on both Wifi and using a cell connection.

Am I the only one with this problem? Does anyone have this working correctly on a Pixel 5?

#2

I don’t have a Pixel 5, but make sure your Phone by Google - Caller ID & Spam Protection app is up to date.

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#3

This is a common problem faced by all phones when the OS is updated, there is usually a lag before all apps catch-up (and in some cases the 3rd party developers are unable to update) Recently updated a Samsung to 11 and it took a few days to catch up

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#4

I believe everything is up to date. I go to the google play store and everything shows as updated. And I have the latest security patch as well.

I wish someone, anyone, with a Pixel 5 would chime in here.

Maybe RW can tell me? They have a BYOP plan for the Pixel 5, I think, so they should know whether it works on their Pixel 5 or not.

#5

Hi @robg.ev3gek,

Although we support the Pixel 5 for our service, that doesn’t necessarily mean that we support every feature the manufacturer offers, especially when an OS update may change something about that feature.

Our corporate office is taking a much-deserved holiday at this time, so I’m not able to get in touch with the team who has the Pixel 5 test devices for confirmation.

This is different than the issues we’ve seen in the past on the Pixels and even the Moto G Power and Stylus. In the past, the conflict has happened when the phone is on WiFi, and call screening has worked on cell. If it’s not working on either, that would suggest this is not an issue that would be specific to Republic, and I’d expect that you’d see complaints about the same thing on other forums.

I’m sorry no one with a Pixel 5 has chimed in. I’ve queried the Community user profiles and it appears no one has updated their Community profile to indicate that they are using a Pixel 5, so I don’t have a list of people I could mention here to try to encourage them to chime in.

@13iron, @absolutedbl, @rogerss, @muerte33 - you had expressed an interest in the Pixel 5 before it was supported. Did any of you get the Pixel 5, and if so, is call screening working for you?

@pixel_4a_5g_beta - is call screening working as expected on the Pixel 4a 5G?

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#6

I have the feature set for my 4a 5G, but TBH, have not paid close attention to it. I’ll try to do so over the next several days and will report back if I notice anything. I’d imagine there is a relatively likely chance that, if there is a bug, it would impact both models.

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#7

Thanks! The only item I’m concerned about is the call screening feature that you can activate when someone calls you and you press the blue “screen call” button rather than the answer button. On my 5G phone, it just connects the caller, there is no screening, and the dialog freezes up (you can’t close it).

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#8

I have call screening enabled and working on my 4a 5G without issue.

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#9

Hi @robg.ev3gek, :slight_smile:

While we wait for more info from other Members, would you try something please?

Go to your phones setting, apps, find the phone app, tap on “storage & cache” and clear both. Then test and see if the issue persists.

#10

Done. No change.

I did have to restart the phone after doing that or it wouldn’t even offer me the choice of screening. But after restarting it was right back to the way it was before, not working.

I hope we can get this to work on the Pixel 5. I did this a lot on my 3a, it was pretty handy.

#11

Works for me on the 4a5G. The past problem Republic had occurred when the phone was on wifi. They worked with Google to correct that issue. This sounds like an issue with the hardware.

#12

@robg.ev3gek,

Do you have Google Assistant enabled on the Pixel 5?

#13

I do, yes.

I can’t believe I’m the only one with a Pixel 5 on RW, lol.

I expected someone with a Pixel 5 to chime in by now.

#14

I don’t think you’re the only one with a Pixel 5, I think you’re just the only one with a Pixel 5 having such an issue. Unfortunately, if people aren’t having a similar issue, they may not be browsing our Community looking for someone to help. :crying_cat_face:

I also don’t see any similar questions in our Help tickets, nor do I see similar questions on other forums where Pixel 5 users are experiencing this. It seems to be something very unique to your set-up.

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#15

Now that everyone at RW has returned from their holiday vacations, do you suppose it might be possible for you to ask someone there to see if the call screening works on their Pixel 5 they used to test compatibility with RW?

I can open up a trouble ticket with Google but the last time I did that it turned into hours and hours of hassle followed by them making me reset my phone and that turned into days of additional work, all for nothing.

Someone with a Pixel 5 can test this in literally 30 seconds and we’d know for sure.

Note that the particular call screening that isn’t working is the one that pops up in the dialog box when you receive a call and it has the screen call option or answer (and I forget what the 3rd option is, don’t pick up or ignore or something).

#16

Hi @robg.ev3gek,

Our internal testing on a Pixel 5 with all OS updates and system apps updated indicates that call screening, both on WiFi and cell, works as designed. When the “screen call” button is tapped, the call is screened.

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#17

And I just figured out what’s going on.

I tried playing with a few things like giving Google permissions access to media files but that didn’t change anything.

Then I uninstalled the caller ID program Hiya, and boom! Google call screening started working again.

What’s interesting is that I ran this same program on my Pixel3a for a couple of years w/o issues.

When I have more time tomorrow, I’ll try reinstalling it and seeing if the problem reoccurs and I’ll update this thread.

Thanks for all the help!

2 Likes
#18

Thanks @robg.ev3gek, we’ll look forward to that update, and I’ll add the app to our list of conflicting apps or in our Help Center or write a Help Article about it if you confirm that is the culprit.

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