I got a runner and tried to run it, but the build failed. I may need some assistance with Gitlab as I haven't used it before. I'm more used to building on a local machine. It will take me a while to read up on it, and I don't want to slow anyone down.

Here are the changes I made to deviceinfo if someone wants to fork and try it on their own:

deviceinfo_kernel_cmdline="console=ttyMSM0,115200n8 androidboot.console=ttyMSM0 printk.devkmsg=on msm_rtb.filter=0x237 ehci-hcd.park=3 service_locator.enable=1 firmware_class.path=/vendor/firmware cgroup.memory=nokmem lpm_levels.sleep_disabled=1 loop.max_part=7 androidboot.boot_devices=soc/7c4000.sdhci androidboot.super_partition=system buildvariant=user"

deviceinfo_bootimg_header_version="2"
deviceinfo_bootimg_os_version="12.0.0"
deviceinfo_bootimg_os_patch_level="2022-05"

This was taken from sargo-sp2a.220505.008-factory-071e368a which is the September 2022 build -
12.1.0 (SP2A.220505.008, Sep 2022).

It looks like the pipeline is stuck. I'm getting this on GitLab:

"This job is stuck because of one of the following problems. There are no active runners online, no runners for the protected branch , or no runners that match all of the job's tags: ubports
Go to project CI settings"

@Eric-H

I'm performing this step now. I'm currently waiting on it to complete.

@Eric-H said in VoLTE Implementation For Google Pixel 3a/3a XL:

Now that the project has been forked, you can proceed to step 2.
In the new fork, in the left menu, go to Build->Pipelines

click on new pipeline button.
confirm.
Wait - the build process might take several tens of minutes.
.img files can be downloaded from the devel-flashable artifact

I'm assuming the step you listed above handles this part from the documentation, now?

Building, installing and running

After you’ve completed your deviceinfo and filled in all needed stuff, its time you get to the main part, the build. For this just run: ./build.sh -b workdir

That should download all the needed toolchains and then the kernel, and finally build everything. This process may take about 5 to 50 minutes to build the kernel.

After your kernel is done building, you will have to build the rootfs. For this, just execute this:

./build/prepare-fake-ota.sh out/device_<your device's codename>_usrmerge.tar.xz ota This will download the rootfs, extract it and pack it into tarballs for our final script to create flashable images.

Next up, run:

./build/system-image-from-ota.sh ota/ubuntu_command images This will convert the tarballs into flashable images, and your images will be stored in the images/ directory. There will be a number of files depending on how you configured your deviceinfo. But the basic file structure will be as given:
images/
├── boot.img
├── rootfs.img
└── system.img

The boot.img will be flashed onto the boot partition of the phone. The system.img and rootfs.img are interchangable. rootfs.img is pushed to the data partition as ubuntu.img if you didn’t include systempart in deviceinfo’s cmdline. Otherwise, system.img is flashed to your system partition.

@Eric-H

The GitLab has been updated. It looks like we are ready for the build now, right?

https://gitlab.com/atarilinux/ubports-ubuntu-touch-google-sargo-volte/-/blob/main/deviceinfo

@mr_growl

Great! Thanks so much!

@ElliotLurie @Eric-H

Please see below. Does this look like what you need for device_info_kernel_cmdline? Will this complete the device_info file?

@JayH said in VoLTE Implementation For Google Pixel 3a/3a XL:

@atarilinux From the boot.img on lineageOS 22.2-20250817 with working Verizon SIMM:

console=ttyMSM0,115200n8 androidboot.console=ttyMSM0 printk.devkmsg=on msm_rtb.filter=0x237 ehci-hcd.park=3 service_locator.enable=1 firmware_class.path=/vendor/firmware cgroup.memory=nokmem lpm_levels.sleep_disabled=1 loop.max_part=7 androidboot.boot_devices=soc/7c4000.sdhci androidboot.super_partition=system

@JayH

It looks kind of similar. Here is one from a UB Ports sample file that I am using for reference.

deviceinfo_kernel_cmdline="console=ttyMSM0,115200n8 earlycon=msm_geni_serial,0xA84000 androidboot.console=ttyMSM0 printk.devkmsg=on androidboot.hardware=qcom video=vfb:640x400,bpp=32,memsize=3072000 androidboot.configfs=true loop.max_part=7 msm_rtb.filter=0x237 ehci-hcd.park=3 service_locator.enable=1 androidboot.memcg=1 cgroup.memory=nokmem androidboot.usbcontroller=a600000.dwc3 swiotlb=2048 androidboot.boot_devices=soc/1d84000.ufshc systempart=/dev/mapper/system"

@JayH @mr_growl

Thanks! This looks like what we need! Is this from a Google Pixe 3a? Also, I wonder if there is any difference in the output between this and Lineage OS 19.1.

@mr_growl

Thanks for checking! Unfortunately, I don't think that's it. I don't see the output beginning with console=.
Did this come from deviceinfo_kernel_cmdline?

@AetheralMeowstic

We have confirmed VoLTE is possible with Ubuntu Touch for the Google Pixel 3a. The VoLTE patch is included in this port. We just need to finish this port to get everything up an running. Currently, we need to get the device info file built.

The Ubuntu Touch community does see the need to get VoLTE up and running for those in the US and elsewhere. A number of phones are already running VoLTE. However, a number of these may be hard to get in the US or expensive. For example, the Fairphone 5 can run VoLTE in the US. Trying to find one in the US may be difficult or expensive. That is part of the reason why we are trying to get this port up and running. This could also help our European friends and others if their carrier has not dropped the Google Pixel 3a or does not include VoLTE Roaming.

Unfortunately, the original developer's carrier dropped the Google Pixel 3a, and this is the main reason why this port is unfinished. We already have confirmed that some carriers in the US still support the Google Pixel 3a and VoLTE Roaming. Therefore, we can continue this project for the original developer. We are always looking for people to help test and contribute!

@mr_growl

Do you still have Lineage OS on your phone? We are looking at completing the device info file for this port. The kernel cmdline part is missing. Please see below from the KB Knowledge base. I'm thinking we can pull this info from Lineage OS and use it here if I am understanding correctly.

The kernel cmdline is one of the key things that is required to make the kernel boot. It has special parameters that allow the kernel to determine which features/things need to be enabled, and which need to be disabled. The Ubuntu Touch rootfs also relies on some key cmdlines which is required to boot, most specifically “console=tty0”. To adapt this to your device, try unpacking your boot image (section 8.3) and copying the cmdline from there, or take the help of a LineageOS device tree if it is available. “console=tty0” is a must for cmdline and should not be removed no matter what. Rest of the things can be removed and you can adjust these to your device. console=tty0 is a requirement for the rootfs to properly boot. systempart is added if you want to boot your rootfs from your system partition. It is supposed to point to your system partition.
deviceinfo_kernel_cmdline="console=tty0 bootopt=64S3,32N2,64N2 systempart=/dev/mapper/system"

@Eric-H

Thanks! I'll take a look at this!

I got some information on the deviceinfo file, the Fastbootd process, and Retrofit partitions. Now I need to piece everything together, look at the code in the port, and see why some data is lost in the DeviceInfo file after the build process.

Android API for DeviceInfo
https://developer.android.com/reference/androidx/media3/common/DeviceInfo.Builder

DeviceInfo file reference from PostMarket OS
https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Deviceinfo_reference

DeviceInfo Flash Methods
https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Deviceinfo_flash_methods

Using Fastbootd and Retrofit Partitions
https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Android_dynamic_partitions

@FPSensor

Agreed. I do see some retro-fitted partiton ports with other alternative OS's. There could be one with Ubuntu Touch too, but I'm not fully aware of one at the moment. Mainly I see Super Partition ports or older Android 9 based ports. There is some documentation that we currently have available for retro-fitted partitions. Any knowledge on this can be shared across the Ubuntu Touch community.

Right now, it looks like we need to figure out what is going on with the deviceinfo file.

@ElliotLurie

Thanks! I'll see what I can find out on that. I'm new to this, so it may take me a while. However, looking at the older port and some other ports, I may be able to piece something together.

@mr_growl

Great news! Thanks for sharing! I think we are closer. Please see my last post to @Eric-H to see where we are now and the remaining items we will need to figure out.

@Eric-H

What you have stated above is correct to the best of my knowledge. Here is the other part from the QA call:

*Source Material - Not Image
*Information on image build process, but not how to install it
*Built on top of latest Android 12.1 version for the Google Pixel 3a, but build not completed

So....it looks like we need to:

1. Finish the build (This part is the least specific. Finish what? This is the main issue due to it not being specific. Maybe it is only the retro-fitted partition issue? A lot of data may need to be checked to see what is complete. Here is the bottleneck in completing development.)
2. Build the image from source
3. Install image on the Google Pixel 3a

What we have currently:

1. Information on the retro-fitted partition and possible install process
2. Confirmation on VoLTE access for the Google Pixel 3a from other alternative OS's and carriers (It is possible!)
3. Specifically what to look for to see if the carrier supports your Google Pixel 3a (VoLTE Roaming is supported, Hardware check from carrier)

@Eric-H

Unfortunately, the Google Pixel 3a uses a retro-fitted partition for Android 12.1 and not the common super partition used in newer Android devices. According to the QA call:

Issues with building/installing:
*Issue with getting image on phone
*Has retrofitted system super-partition, this means two partitions act as they are one
*Has not been installed in this type of environment, we would need to figure it out

Also, the build was not completed.

It very well possible that this was figured out with these other device ports. However, these issues would need to be worked out with this Google Pixel 3a build as I understand it. I'm assuming that is why this build is not considered complete.

@Eric-H

Thanks! I do see these same errors from the logs of the other device ports you sent me...so maybe that isn't the problem mentioned in the QA call? Also, thanks for the fastbootd link!

Quick question... for any of these devices you sent, are we looking at a retro-fitted partition? The reason why I ask is that I'm trying to match some of this up to the issue presented on the QA call. That way we can see if this part can be resolved.

Just an added note on trying to troubleshoot the loop error:

Error:
losetup: /dev/loop0: detach failed: No such device or address

Note:
"Loop devices are provided by a kernel module. Therefore, you need special privileges to access them. You also need them to be exposed into your container, or you need to manually create the device files."

I'm not sure if something may have changed between Android 9 and Android 12.1 for this. We would need to investigate this error in addition to the retro-fitted super partition issue.