EE Wi-Fi Calling solves poor mobile signal problems

Wi-Fi Calling means you can make calls and send texts without a mobile signal. Here's how to get it

If you struggle with poor reception at home your options are limited. One is to get hold of a signal booster box, but these aren’t always freely available. However, EE has introduced a new service called Wi-Fi Calling, which allows you to route calls through your router and the internet to solve the problem with no additional hardware.

What is Wi-Fi Calling?

Although Three and O2 offer similar services (InTouch and TuGo, respectively), these require apps and therefore keep calls and texts separate from

your regular ones. The same is true of Skype and WhatsApp. EE’s new Wi-Fi Calling is different – it’s built into the phone and allows you to make calls and send text messages even when there is no mobile signal. This means if you’re on the London Underground or you live in an area with poor network coverage, you can still carry on using your phone like normal.

Who is eligible for Wi-Fi Calling?

It’s currently available to those who pay monthly, and small business customers. Corporate 4G clients will be able to sign up for the service in the summer.

Which phones work with EE Wi-Fi Calling?

At the time of writing, the Lumia 640, Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge were the only devices with the feature. More models will, of course, be added to this list. For example, EE has committed to bringing

Wi-Fi Calling to the Samsung Galaxy S5 and has confirmed that some iPhones are compatible.

You’ll need to purchase your handset from EE to have the correct software. Putting an EE SIM in your existing unlocked phone won’t add the feature.

How do you use EE Wi-Fi Calling?

Your phone from EE should come with a sticker on the box explaining what to do, but you can text ‘wifi calling’ to 150 to set it up. You might also need to head into the settings of the dialler app to switch it on. You’ll get a new symbol onscreen, but you may not even know you’re using Wi-Fi Calling.

Once you’re set up, you simply use your phone as normal – the calls and texts come out of your allowance and don’t appear on your bill any different. There’s no need to use anything apart from the regular dialler and messages app. Ring or call someone as per usual and if there’s no mobile signal, the phone will use a Wi-Fi connection instead.

Note that the other person doesn’t need Wi-Fi Calling for it to work as only your end of the communication requires Wi-Fi. A quick ping test will check if the connection is good enough to handle the call but, for now, the call will drop if you lose the Wi-Fi connection. The service doesn’t yet have the ability to switch from Wi-Fi to mobile network.

Once set up just use your phone as normal – the calls and texts come out of your allowance