• Wi-fi calling explained -
Struggling for a decent signal on your phone? Jane Hoskyn reveals all about Wi-fi calling – and you won’t have to install an app, create an account or pay extra
When you need to make a mobile-phone call, which bit of the house do you head for? Downstairs loo? Hanging out the kitchen window? Or the back of the garden, where you stand shouting, “Sorry you’re breaking up”? If you can get a signal at all, that is.
Thankfully, there’s a way to fix mobile dead spots without network providers having to stick mobile masts on every corner. Wi-fi calling routes all your calls and texts over the internet instead of cellular networks, so you can chat from the comfort of your armchair, or even wandering around the house. In April this year, BT Mobile became the latest company to join the fray ( www.snipca. com/28163), while EE (which BT bought back in 2015) has just extended its Wi-fi calling service to let its customers use the same number on different Apple devices (Android to follow, see News, page 8).
Why has Wi-fi calling suddenly become the competitive tech among mobile providers, and how can it solve your signal problems? We’ll explain all.
Wi-fi calling: isn’t that Skype?
No, although the confusion is understandable. Skype lets you make calls over Wi-fi, after all. But Skype (and other free-call services such as Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp and Google Duo) are separate apps. To use them, you (and your recipient) must install them, create an account and launch them to make the call. You wouldn’t use those apps to ring the hairdresser, speak to your solicitor or, worst case, call emergency services.
Wi-fi calling, by contrast, is baked into your mobile service and uses the same phone number as your phone. You can call (or be called by) anyone on a mobile phone or landline. They won’t notice anything different, except that your signal is now really good. If you’ve got a mobile contract with a relatively high-end smartphone, then you’ve almost certainly got Wi-fi calling right now – and it may even be switched on by default.
What does Wi-fi calling cost?
Wi-fi calling is free, sort of. It’s included with many pay-monthly mobile contracts, in the same way that smartphones are included free – so you do end up paying for them month by month via your contract, through the nose in some cases.
But it’s free in the sense that it’s not a paid-for, add-on service, and calls don’t cost any extra. You can enable it for free if your device and contract support it. Calls are charged at standard rates and come out of your monthly allowance as usual. Even EE’S new ‘smart number’ service doesn’t cost extra.
Of course, as with any mobile service, you will have to pay for mobile data if you’re outside your home Wi-fi and go over your provider’s data limit – and if your calls exceed your contracted minutes.
Does your mobile provider offer Wi-fi calling?
With BT Mobile’s late arrival on the scene, all the big mobile providers now offer Wi-fi calling. However, the feature is limited to pay-monthly contracts, on certain supported devices only – and those devices tend to be expensive ones. Here’s a quick round-up.
BT MOBILE www.snipca.com/28170
BT has just added a Wi-fi calling option to its paymonthly plans, but at the moment the service is limited to nine devices bought from BT ( www.snipca. com/28171). You can add Wi-fi calling to supported devices bought elsewhere by
using the free Smarttalk app (Android, IOS: www.snipca.com/28184) – but you will need a BT home-calling plan.
EE
www.snipca.com/28164 EE was first mobile provider to launch Wi-fi calling in the UK, back in 2015. The service is available on all pay-monthly contracts, but – as with all providers – not PAYG (pay as you go). You will need a supported device (currently 124 of them, including the Samsung Galaxy S9 and iphone 8: www.snipca. com/28165), bought from EE. This “buy from us” condition is standard, not just because the providers want your money. It’s also because they install special firmware in the devices they offer with contracts, so they can easily embed and update services like Wi-fi calling.
VODAFONE www.snipca.com/28168
Vodafone includes Wi-fi calling with certain pay-monthly plans (Red Extra/red Entertainment and Red/red Value) on around 20 devices, including iphone 6s and above, and Samsung Galaxy S6 and above. Its new ‘beamforming technology’ promises to strengthen the signal by forcing your router to target your phone as you move around the house ( www. snipca.com/28169). Watch the ‘Vodafone Wi-fi Calling’ Youtube video, which is complete with setup steps, at www.snipca.com/28192.
THREE www.snipca.com/28189
Three’s offering is similar to BT’S. Wi-fi calling comes as default in supported devices on a pay-monthly contract, but you can add it to supported devices bought elsewhere using the free intouch app (Android www.snipca.com/28185; IOS www.snipca.com/28186).
O2 www.snipca.com/28173
O2’s Wi-fi calling service comes with pay-monthly contracts – including Sim-only – on several devices, but again there is no PAYG.
OTHER PROVIDERS
Wi-fi calling isn’t currently offered by Virgin Mobile, Asda Mobile, Sky or PAYG specialists such as Giffgaff, Lycamobile and Voxi.
Set-up and potential problems
If you recently acquired a supported smartphone with a pay-monthly contract, just head for Settings, Phone, then tap a Wi-fi Calling slider, then Enable (see screenshot top right). For guides on different devices and services, see our Snipca URLS above. The network Three switches on Wi-fi calling by default on supported Android phones with pay-monthly contracts.
You may be able to use the service on a device you’ve had for a couple of years, but you’ll need to update its software. Once you’ve activated Wi-fi calling, it’ll connect automatically next time you make a call or send a text. The person you’re calling won’t need Wi-fi calling.
When your phone switches to Wi-fi calling, you’ll see ‘Wificall’ (iphone, see screenshot above) or an icon combining a handset and Wi-fi symbol (Android). Don’t assume it isn’t enabled if it doesn’t appear – depending on your phone and network, Wi-fi calling may only activate when your signal is weak enough to warrant it. It’s not perfect, though. If you’re out of reception and connected to Wi-fi but can’t make calls, try temporarily disabling Wi-fi on your phone. When it reconnects, Wi-fi calling should activate.
It’s certainly a safer solution than one tried by some Virgin Media customers, who say they’ve fixed problems they were having with Wi-fi calling by changing their router’s firewall setting from High to Medium or Low (see EE’S forum at www. snipca.com/28190, though the bug affects other networks too). It may have worked for some, but weakening your router’s firewall is not worth the risk.