What Is Wi-Fi Calling? How to Enable WiFi Calling
Do you have cellular dead zones in your house or office building that cause disrupted or dropped calls? Do you find yourself having to go outside or to another room to keep a good connection? These issues are annoying, troublesome, and, luckily, fixable. If you experience these kinds of problems, you might want to try WiFi calling, which relies on your WiFi connection rather than your cellular connection. In this article, learn how WiFi calling works and how to enable it on your iPhone or Android to fix your poor-quality phonecalls.
What is WiFi calling?
WiFi calling, also referred to as Wi-Fi calling, is a feature that lets users communicate – whether it be via voice messages, text messages, or other media services – over a WiFi network rather than a traditional cellular network. It’s useful when you don’t have a strong cell signal or a cell signal at all, because WiFi calling is reliant solely on a WiFi network connection.
Many applications use it, including Skype and Facebook Messenger. Most phones also have the ability to support WiFi calling options.
How does WiFi calling work?
WiFi calling works by allowing your mobile phone to connect to your WiFi network rather than your cell service in order to make and receive phonecalls. If you have a decent network signal strength, then the call will be clear and free of connection problems.
Once you enable WiFi calling on your device, your device will automatically connect to the network if one is available. Through Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, your voice is converted into digital data packets.
These are sent over the Internet through the WiFi network. It’s processed and routed to the recipient, who receives the voice data just as you sent it. Though the process sounds long, it happens in real time – if you use WiFi calling, you won’t even realize all of those steps occurred.
Additionally, this type of calling saves your battery life because your phone doesn't have to work as hard to reach the cell tower signal.
How to turn on WiFi calling
Need to know how to get WiFi calling? As mentioned above, most phones allow users to enable WiFi calling if they so desire. If you have an iPhone or an Android, follow the steps below to learn how to enable WiFi calling on your device.
How to turn on WiFi calling (iPhone)
To enable WiFi calling on iPhones, you must have an iPhone 5c or later. Furthermore, it must be supported by your carrier. If both of those apply to you, here’s how to turn WiFi calling on for the iPhone.
- Open your Settings app.
- Go to Cellular.
- Tap Wi-Fi Calling.
- Toggle on the switch next to Wi-Fi Calling on This iPhone. To enable WiFi calling on other Apple devices linked to your iTunes account, you can also toggle the switch for Add Wi-Fi Calling For Other Devices.
You’ve successfully turned it on. You can also disable WiFi calling in the Settings app; to turn off WiFi calling, follow the same steps and toggle the switches off instead.
How to turn on WiFi calling (Android)
Enabling WiFi calling on Android devices varies by manufacturer; Google Pixel, Samsung, Motorola, LG, and other Android manufacturers all have slightly different ways of enabling it. However, for all of these devices, you can find the option by searching “WiFi calling” in your Settings menu. From there, you’ll find the appropriate section of your settings and you’ll be able to toggle it on or off.
Advantages of WiFi calling
There are many benefits to using WiFi calling. Though it’s not for everyone, you might want to consider switching over for:
- Clearer audio. If you have cellular network “dead zones” in your home, you know how difficult it can be to find a good place to make a call. WiFi calling doesn’t experience these issues, and in most cases, your phonecalls are consistently as clear or clearer than traditional phonecalls.
- Fewer dropped calls. Often, a WiFi network connection is more reliable than a cellular network connection, meaning you lose fewer phonecalls.
- A longer-lasting battery. Because your phone doesn’t have to work as hard to connect to a cellular network, it preserves battery life.
- Cheaper international calls. International phonecalls via WiFi are typically significantly cheaper than via cellular connections. Depending on your carrier and plan, they could be free.
These kinds of calls also don’t use your data, which is a plus if you’re on a limited data plan. If you pay for minutes for your phone, this method does take those minutes like any other call, but it doesn’t take more than traditional calling would.
Furthermore, while you can’t control your cellular towers’ signals, you do have some control over your WiFi network and the strength of its signal. Using range antennae or WiFi extenders, you can extend the reach of your WiFi network. This is helpful if you have areas of your home that don’t get as strong of a WiFi signal. Instead of having to rely on cell towers, you can extend your WiFi coverage and use WiFi calling instead.
Disadvantages of WiFi calling
While Wi-Fi calling is extremely convenient for users with poor cell signals, it isn't a perfect technology. WiFi can have a weaker connection than cellular data, meaning voice quality - and video quality if using a video call - can be impacted if there are a lot of devices on the WiFi simultaneously. This can happen in populated places like airports or shopping malls.
Additionally, because your WiFi network is run by your ISP, it could be subject to disruptions or lapses in service if your provider is having trouble. A faulty network connection could result in issues in communication or delays.
Can I call 911 with WiFi calling?
In an emergency, the ability to call for help is crucial. You have the ability to 911 with WiFi calling just as with a traditional phonecall. But be aware that unlike phonecalls through cellular towers, phonecalls that use WiFi don’t always relay your precise locational data.
911 phonecalls using WiFi calling will attempt to route to the emergency response center using automatic location information from your phone, but that information might not be available. If so, authorities will use the emergency address entered in your WiFi calling settings instead and route emergency services to that location.
However, that location is static; it doesn’t change with you as you travel. The emergency address is useless for emergencies outside of the address saved in your settings. Because WiFi calling does not automatically share your updated location with police and other emergency services, it’s essential to indicate your location when talking to the operator during the phonecall. Verbally provide a street address or, at the very least, a general location by which emergency services can find you.
VoIP as an alternative
There are many benefits to WiFi calling. If you have a reliable WiFi network in your home and want consistency in your connections, try switching over to see what you think. However, if you want a free option, consider using a VoIP alternative like Google Duo, WhatsApp, or FaceTime.
VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol, meaning it uses your IP address and a solid WiFi signal in order to place phonecalls and texts on mobile devices. It relies on Session Initiation Protocol to connect one endpoint to another.
Your calling options are essentially the same as with a standard, traditional phone line, except you don't need the connection to cellular service like you typically would. Apps like Telegram or WhatsApp send text messages, pictures, and calls all using VoIP technology from the same phone number you use in traditional calls.
Visit your manufacturer and mobile carrier's websites for more specific information about this on your phone. See below:
Manufacturers
Carriers
Frequently asked questions
How much does Wi-Fi calling cost?
The price of WiFi calling depends on the carrier and how much they choose to charge. Most phone companies in the USA, at least, provide free WiFi calling with a regular plan purchased through the carrier. Another consideration is where you're calling from and to; international calls likely will cost more than in-country connections.
Which devices support Wi-Fi calling?
Both iOS and Android devices support WiFi calling. Make sure that you have a plan or app that also supports WiFi calling to successfully make the connection.
Should Wi-Fi calling be on or off?
Keeping Wi-Fi calling on at all times can help you improve the quality of your regular calls, but you can choose to turn it off if you don't want to use it constantly.
