Was this your own phone, or was it provided by Google FI?

 

Did you check and double check that the device is compatible with Google FI?

Even if the particular device is SUPPOSED to be compatible, a device from Straight Talk may not be exactly the same thing as the 'same' device from another carrier or directly from the manufacturer.

 

Well, to be honest, whatever info they have that tells what devices are compatible is what they will go by.

So, let's say there is a random device.
And let's assume that this device is used by multiple different carriers, and that there is also an unlocked version available from the manufacturer.

It is quite possible that the unlocked, the one from AT&T, and the one from another carrier will work just fine with Google FI.
So the info provided to the salespeople will reflect that.

But some second rate providers, such as Straight Talk and others, may have devices with slight differences that make them incompatible or close to it.

This is part of the delima when trying to keep the same device while changing carriers.

Is this device really worth the effort?
How much is a comparable device from Google FI?

Bottom line is that whatever device you have now can still be used extensively on Wi-Fi, and as auxillary storage.

A new device designed expressly for the Google FI system will work without these issues, and your old one can be used for other things.

Sure, this was probably not your intent, but in reality I have 4 working Android devices that I use all the time- only one of which is used as a cellphone at all.

That is not including the little Gingerbread 2.3.6 I have that can barely get online, but still has some minor use occasionally.

Anyway, it appears that the simple fix is to just get a device that is designed for the system, and make your old one into a Wi-Fi device.

You can even use an app like Dingtone, which gives you a VOIP number, and still make and receive calls and texts with it over Wi-Fi.

You can even include your new device, and then it is like having two numbers.

 

First, I am glad that you got sorted and can continue to use your device as you had planned.

Second, please don't think that I, in any way, am sticking up for Google in any way with my following statement.

Third, I can pretty much guarantee that you would not have had the issue at all if you had purchased a device from Google.

What you did was similar to buying a Toyota and then going to a Chevrolet dealor to perform warranty service.

Sure, they can change the oil, the tires, wipers, and other menial work.
But they are not really going to want to replace a camshaft or the main bearings.