WiFi calling. Does it work properly?
Discussion
Our mobile coverage is rubbish. Even sms struggles, sometimes I have to rush out into the garden and wave the phone around to get 2FA confirmations.
So when BT removed their support for the 3G home repeater box, and allowed wifi calling from non BT phones, I bought an early Pixel phone with wifi calling.
However, the wifi calling is not a reliable feature. The phone always picks up the wifi network properly, but the wifi calling doesn't get activated reliably. Often the phone shows "No signal" and Emergency Calls Only", whilst having a good signal for internet access.
Is it all down the poor implementation of wifi calling by my phone, or is it a BT (EE) problem?
So when BT removed their support for the 3G home repeater box, and allowed wifi calling from non BT phones, I bought an early Pixel phone with wifi calling.
However, the wifi calling is not a reliable feature. The phone always picks up the wifi network properly, but the wifi calling doesn't get activated reliably. Often the phone shows "No signal" and Emergency Calls Only", whilst having a good signal for internet access.
Is it all down the poor implementation of wifi calling by my phone, or is it a BT (EE) problem?
croyde said:
I have to switch my pixel's WiFi off if I get a call as via WiFi is always terrible and pretty unreliable.
No problems when switched back to 4G.
Just annoying as the phone always seems to automatically connect to available WiFi even if I've switched that option off.
Just turn Wifi calling off in the menu rather than turning wifi off. No problems when switched back to 4G.
Just annoying as the phone always seems to automatically connect to available WiFi even if I've switched that option off.
Try using airplane mode to force wifi only.
I’m on O2, a have a Google home mesh wifi setup on very fast fibre. Wifi calling works pretty well, with the occasional glitch.
We have no phone reception here and when the phone wasn’t being forced to use wifi, it would continue to hunt for 4g reception and just wouldn’t connect to anything.
Airplane mode completely sorted it for us.
I’m on O2, a have a Google home mesh wifi setup on very fast fibre. Wifi calling works pretty well, with the occasional glitch.
We have no phone reception here and when the phone wasn’t being forced to use wifi, it would continue to hunt for 4g reception and just wouldn’t connect to anything.
Airplane mode completely sorted it for us.
I fixed Wi-Fi calling on my pixel 4a by resetting the network settings on the phone.
This wipes all saved Wi-Fi passwords and all Bluetooth pairings.
Recently got a new BT router and it stopped working again.
I can’t be arsed resetting my setting again, texts still come through when on Wi-Fi (I turn on airplane mode whenever I’m at home due to s
t signal) for those annoying 2fa texts.
This wipes all saved Wi-Fi passwords and all Bluetooth pairings.
Recently got a new BT router and it stopped working again.
I can’t be arsed resetting my setting again, texts still come through when on Wi-Fi (I turn on airplane mode whenever I’m at home due to s
t signal) for those annoying 2fa texts.I've found it depends on your mobile provider.
Work provided phone.
First on Vodaphone, using Wi Fi calling, was great.
Work switch us to EE and it was utterly crap.
They finally switched me (and a few others that have no EE coverage) back to Vodaphone, and its fine.
This is from 2 different houses. First with 1GB/s connection and the 2nd on Starlink.
Work provided phone.
First on Vodaphone, using Wi Fi calling, was great.
Work switch us to EE and it was utterly crap.
They finally switched me (and a few others that have no EE coverage) back to Vodaphone, and its fine.
This is from 2 different houses. First with 1GB/s connection and the 2nd on Starlink.
Iphone 12, EE - Wifi calling is very hit and miss.
It helps if you put your phone in airplane mode so the phone doesn't get a sniff of mobile signal and then drop you off wifi calling.
However half the time, wifi calling will claim its not connected even when your sat with the full 5 bars of wifi. I find I need to reboot the phone regularly to get it working. I often miss inbound calls as the phone simply doesn't ring.
I have just bought myself a mobile signal booster as I am bored of messing around with wifi calling.
It helps if you put your phone in airplane mode so the phone doesn't get a sniff of mobile signal and then drop you off wifi calling.
However half the time, wifi calling will claim its not connected even when your sat with the full 5 bars of wifi. I find I need to reboot the phone regularly to get it working. I often miss inbound calls as the phone simply doesn't ring.
I have just bought myself a mobile signal booster as I am bored of messing around with wifi calling.
Thanks everyone for your comments. It does seem to be a bit hit and miss.
When I had the BT mobile signal booster it was fine. Can you get 3 or 4G ones?
I'll try airplane mode to see if that helps. But I have often seen "emergency calls only" whilst at home with solid fast internet on the phone at the same time.
Sometimes the phone does show 'wifi calling' but usually not.
When I had the BT mobile signal booster it was fine. Can you get 3 or 4G ones?
I'll try airplane mode to see if that helps. But I have often seen "emergency calls only" whilst at home with solid fast internet on the phone at the same time.
Sometimes the phone does show 'wifi calling' but usually not.
I have a Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro (M2101K6G) phone with 2 SIMs, one 3 and one O2. According to the menu options, both support WiFi calling and both are enabled but I can only get the 3 SIM to work over WiFi. I have tried turning the 3 SIM off and going into airplane mode, but I don't get an O2 connection, whereas if I do the opposite (3 for O2) I do get a 3 WiFi connection. Both SIMs are PAYG so I don't know if O2 don't support WiFi calling on PAYG or if there is something else stopping it working?
Oh and both SIMs have poor reception 'here'.. In fact, all networks have poor reception here but I do have 200/200Mbps FTTC
(Could have 900/900 but don't need that much)
Oh and both SIMs have poor reception 'here'.. In fact, all networks have poor reception here but I do have 200/200Mbps FTTC
(Could have 900/900 but don't need that much)
Samsung S8 (wife) and S23 (me), both on EE. Gigaclear fibre broadband. We also have no signal in the house, and 1 bar if lucky outside. Wifi calling and Whats App video calling works perfectly - never an issue.
Also VOIP on our "landline" which also works perfectly. Trouble is when the internet goes down I have to drive 3 miles to the nearest EE decent signal to make a call. EE's coverage map says we have excellent signal outdoors, and weak indoors. They lie on both counts.
Also VOIP on our "landline" which also works perfectly. Trouble is when the internet goes down I have to drive 3 miles to the nearest EE decent signal to make a call. EE's coverage map says we have excellent signal outdoors, and weak indoors. They lie on both counts.
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