Using Cape Outside of the Owner Profile

Requirements & Limitations

        Activation Currently Must Be Done in the Owner User

• All initial setup and activation steps must be completed from your Owner User. The Cape app will only allow you to pass onboarding while in the Owner User.
• Pre-Android 17: The way the AOSP implemented the telecom stack restricts us from working on Secondary Users. This is because apps could not gain Carrier Privileges, which our app requires for basic functionality, if they are not in the Owner Profile. This applies across all Androids.
  While there have been some customers who have been successful in installing Cape in their Secondary Profiles, this broke the Cape app's ability to configure APNs automatically and set carrier configurations (which are required to connect to Cape's network). For this reason, we have decided to disable the Cape app if you try to install it on a Secondary Profile (but existing installations will continue to work).
  Once installed in the Owner Profile, the eSIM should work in any Secondary Profile, assuming you have given that profile access to phone calling & SMS and disable IMSI rotation.
• Android 17 and Higher: Android 17 has brought with it a fix for above. The fix now allows apps to gain Carrier Privileges given two conditions are met:
  1. You must have the Cape app installed in both the owner profile and secondary user, and you must have opened it at least once in both.
  2. You must have a Cape SIM installed and enabled.
  After those two conditions are met, whichever profile is currently active will gain Carrier Privileges, allowing the Cape App to function and set the necessary Carrier Configurations needed to connect to our network.
• GrapheneOS Specific: For GrapheneOS users, you can improve stability significantly by forcing the VoLTE Override in Settings > Network & Internet > SIMs > Cape > Carrier settings overrides > VoLTE / Vo4G availability (set to Forced available) and tapping Enable overrides. This should prevent you from losing service upon IMSI rotation. Additionally, make sure that you have allowlisted any secondary user you wish to be able to use calling/texting. You can do this from the Owner Profile's Settings > System > Users > (Select your user) > Turn on phone calls & SMS (set this to enabled). If you do not do this, that user will not be able to utilize SMS or Calling from the primary number from that user.

Recommendations

To avoid any interruption in service whilst you are using your Secondary Profile, we recommend:

• Complete the Cape onboarding flow from the Owner Profile
• For Non-GrapheneOS Android Users on Android 16 and lower: Disable IMSI rotation
• For Non-GrapheneOS Android Users on Android 17 and higher: Install the Cape app in both your owner profile and your secondary profile. Ensure that you open the app in each profile to allow the app to register its background services to automatically set the Carrier Configs. If roaming in a data-only country, Disable IMSI rotation.

• For GrapheneOS Users: Install the Cape app in both your owner profile and your secondary profile. Ensure that you open the app in each profile to allow the app to register its background services to automatically set the Carrier Configs. Enable the VoLTE override and allowlist user profiles to enable them to use SMS/Calling. If roaming in a data-only country, Disable IMSI rotation.

  Related articles: Troubleshooting Call and Text Issues on GrapheneOS, Activating Cape Service on GrapheneOS