Anyone use Wi-Fi calling on a mobile phone?

[bcla]

I saw a message from my mobile service provider that I could use Wi-Fi calling and thought that perhaps this might be a good idea. I live in a neighborhood where my cellular service is OK, but I live on a hill and occasionally the terrain affects it. Also - I'll go to my folks place, which has some interesting issues with cellular strength.

Sometimes I'm in a place where I have access to Wi-Fi, but where there's no cellular signal.

My biggest worry is about transitioning from Wi-Fi calling to cellular, and whether or not it will glitch or drop when I'm out of range or perhaps it switches from one Wi-Fi station to another like when I'm using public Wi-Fi at a store or school with multiple transmission points.

I suppose one of the more interesting possibilities is airplane mode where I can get Wi-Fi. I know they're often pretty spotty, but I can also send text over Wi-Fi.

 

[Jestocost]

I find WiFi calling to be much cleaner than a cell signal on my own network. If you are moving from WiFi network to WiFi network or between WiFi and cellular during a single call, however, in my experience it almost certainly will glitch briefly and on occasion will drop the connection.

 

[kdonnel]

I use WiFi calling with T-Mobile. I just keep it on and sometimes my phone says T-Mobile WiFi and sometimes it doesn't, either way I can get and place calls. Just because you turn it on it does not mean that the phone will always stay connected over WiFi. At least with the iPhone it takes into account the relative cellular signal strength before switching to WiFi. It must drop below a defined threshold.

I also have it turned on so that other devices using my same iCloud account can make or receive calls via WiFi calling. I can place and receive calls from my Mac and iPad without the need for my phone to be nearby.

I have also used it on airplanes to be able to still send and receive green(cellular) texts using my free hour of GoGo inflight from T-Mobile.

In my experience, active calls drop every time when I get out of range of wifi and the phone needs to switch to cellular. In my experience, active calls that start on cellular also drop if you move to an area with no signal but WiFi. In either case you have to manually redial.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I'm not sure I understand the point of Wi-Fi calling.

Edit: Never mind, I do. It's so the cell company doesn't have to worry about providing better cellular coverage.

 

[kdonnel]

I'm not sure I understand the point of Wi-Fi calling.

Edit: Never mind, I do. It's so the cell company doesn't have to worry about providing better cellular coverage.

A little more then that.

I can place and receive calls from a device that does not have a cellular radio.

I can place and receive calls when I am outside the country for free as long as the number calling or the number I am calling is located in the United States.

 

[GreatLakes]

When we had an outage I used WiFi calling through T-Mobile and it was no different than using a cellular call. You just turned it on and it connected. I was connected through my home WiFi and wasn't jumping from AP to AP. I am not sure how well it would work if you were doing any kind of AP migration during your call but in a fixed location on an AP with a strong signal it works just like cellular.

 

[bcla]

A little more then that.

I can place and receive calls from a device that does not have a cellular radio.

I can place and receive calls when I am outside the country for free as long as the number calling or the number I am calling is located in the United States.

I looked that up. The ability to do that seems to depend on which country. I'm not sure if it's restricted by the government or the carrier.

 

[wenrob]

I use WiFi calling with T-Mobile. I just keep it on and sometimes my phone says T-Mobile WiFi and sometimes it doesn't, either way I can get and place calls. Just because you turn it on it does not mean that the phone will always stay connected over WiFi. At least with the iPhone it takes into account the relative cellular signal strength before switching to WiFi. It must drop below a defined threshold.

I also have it turned on so that other devices using my same iCloud account can make or receive calls via WiFi calling. I can place and receive calls from my Mac and iPad without the need for my phone to be nearby.

I have also used it on airplanes to be able to still send and receive green(cellular) texts using my free hour of GoGo inflight from T-Mobile.

In my experience, active calls drop every time when I get out of range of wifi and the phone needs to switch to cellular. In my experience, active calls that start on cellular also drop if you move to an area with no signal but WiFi. In either case you have to manually redial.

All of this. Your phone will choose what’s better. I’d say 80% of the time my phone is on WiFi at home and 80% of the time DD’s phone stays on Cellular when she’s at work or school. I’ve never experienced a switch and drop because I’m not really going anywhere when I’m on a call. WiFi calls are MUCH clearer, it’s like the person you’re talking to is sitting right next to you especially if they are on WiFi as well. IMO there’s no downside to activating it. They do warn that if you dial 911 while on WiFi and they can’t pinpoint you they’ll send help to your registered address. I don’t worry too much about that because I have searching for WiFi off on my phone so am on cellular when I’m out and about. However, I did turn WiFi calling off for my parents phones for that reason.

 

[bcla]

All of this. Your phone will choose what’s better. I’d say 80% of the time my phone is on WiFi at home and 80% of the time DD’s phone stays on Cellular when she’s at work or school. I’ve never experienced a switch and drop because I’m not really going anywhere when I’m on a call. WiFi calls are MUCH clearer, it’s like the person you’re talking to is sitting right next to you especially if they are on WiFi as well. IMO there’s no downside to activating it. They do warn that if you dial 911 while on WiFi and they can’t pinpoint you they’ll send help to your registered address. I don’t worry too much about that because I have searching for WiFi off on my phone so am on cellular when I’m out and about. However, I did turn WiFi calling off for my parents phones for that reason.

Well - I just activated it, and it prompted me for an address to use. I think the default is the billing address, but in my case I share it with my parents, so I entered my address. I've called 911 enough to know that they always ask for your location. These days with VoIP and other types of calling, I'm pretty sure asking for location (instead of relying on automated location finding) is part of the training.

 

[kdonnel]

I looked that up. The ability to do that seems to depend on which country. I'm not sure if it's restricted by the government or the carrier.

Is a carrier restriction.

 

[bcla]

Is a carrier restriction.

I was thinking it might be restricted in some countries that directly control/monitor internet access, like mainland China. But that may depend on the particular carrier.

 

[wenrob]

Well - I just activated it, and it prompted me for an address to use. I think the default is the billing address, but in my case I share it with my parents, so I entered my address. I've called 911 enough to know that they always ask for your location. These days with VoIP and other types of calling, I'm pretty sure asking for location (instead of relying on automated location finding) is part of the training.

In my parents case it’s just safer that way.

 

[kdonnel]

I was thinking it might be restricted in some countries that directly control/monitor internet access, like mainland China. But that may depend on the particular carrier.

I think it really has more to do with the carrier and if they have a POP or are partnered with a telecom company that does have a POP located where you happen to be at the moment.

This site has a chart for the main carriers and how wi-fi calling is billed.
https://www.cnet.com/news/what-is-wifi-calling-tmobile-verizon-att-sprint-project-fi-setup-faq/

Sprint does not allow it in: Australia, China, Cuba, North Korea, India, Iran, Singapore, Sudan and Syria. Why exclude Australia?

At&t also has an exclusion list: China, Saudi Arabia, India, Turkey, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Pakistan, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria. Some overlap with Sprint but not all of them.

The other carriers do not list any exclusions for US number to US number calls that originate outside the US.

Project Fi still charges you per minute for outbound calls while the others are free if they support the country you are in.

 

[bcla]

I think it really has more to do with the carrier and if they have a POP or are partnered with a telecom company that does have a POP located where you happen to be at the moment.

This site has a chart for the main carriers and how wi-fi calling is billed.
https://www.cnet.com/news/what-is-wifi-calling-tmobile-verizon-att-sprint-project-fi-setup-faq/

Sprint does not allow it in: Australia, China, Cuba, North Korea, India, Iran, Singapore, Sudan and Syria. Why exclude Australia?

At&t also has an exclusion list: China, Saudi Arabia, India, Turkey, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Pakistan, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria. Some overlap with Sprint but not all of them.

The other carriers do not list any exclusions for US number to US number calls that originate outside the US.

Project Fi still charges you per minute for outbound calls while the others are free if they support the country you are in.

I've got Cricket, which is owned by AT&T. However, I can't find a list though for them. All they say is that it may be restricted in some countries.

 

[kdonnel]

I've got Cricket, which is owned by AT&T. However, I can't find a list though for them. All they say is that it may be restricted in some countries.

Since Cricket is an MVNO of AT&T it should be limited the same as AT&T.