Poor EE signal area but WiFi calling not working
Discussion
Morning all,
Hoping you can solve this incredibly frustrating issue for me please gents. It's severely hampering my output.
My current client have moved into a new office and the EE signal is really poor. Outdoors is patchy but indoors is virtually non-existent and calls repeatedly have dropouts or eventually fail entirely.
My phone is an iPhone 17P running latest iOS and it's connected to the client's WiFi network via the AP which is approx 6m away from my desk. It performs perfectly well when browsing but even with WiFi Calling enabled, the call connection's rubbish.
Client's IT seem stumped as to why WiFi Calling won't work for me and since I'm a contractor, they aren't too concerned.
I've tried all sorts of setting changes to no avail. I've tried putting it into Flight Mode and reenabling WiFi but when I try to make a call the phone starts whinging that I need to connect to a network or turn off Flight Mode.
I really don't want to shift to a different network because I've been with EE for around 20 years and find their service excellent everywhere else. I believe I can pop an additional SIM in this phone can't see how that would work because everyone knows my current number so it'd just be confusing if I started calling from a new number when in the office but the old one the rest of the time when I'm out and about.
I can use What'sApp and Teams here quite happily on the computer but only once I've made initial contact with new suppliers via phonecall. Unfortunately when people need me, they are dialling my phone.
Is there a 4G signal distributor that I can connect to the client's WiFi (not allowed to plug anything into it)? Since this is not a permanent thing ( possibly <12 months), I don''t want to spend fortunes.
Any other suggestions please? I'm at my wits' end!
Hoping you can solve this incredibly frustrating issue for me please gents. It's severely hampering my output.
My current client have moved into a new office and the EE signal is really poor. Outdoors is patchy but indoors is virtually non-existent and calls repeatedly have dropouts or eventually fail entirely.
My phone is an iPhone 17P running latest iOS and it's connected to the client's WiFi network via the AP which is approx 6m away from my desk. It performs perfectly well when browsing but even with WiFi Calling enabled, the call connection's rubbish.
Client's IT seem stumped as to why WiFi Calling won't work for me and since I'm a contractor, they aren't too concerned.
I've tried all sorts of setting changes to no avail. I've tried putting it into Flight Mode and reenabling WiFi but when I try to make a call the phone starts whinging that I need to connect to a network or turn off Flight Mode.
I really don't want to shift to a different network because I've been with EE for around 20 years and find their service excellent everywhere else. I believe I can pop an additional SIM in this phone can't see how that would work because everyone knows my current number so it'd just be confusing if I started calling from a new number when in the office but the old one the rest of the time when I'm out and about.
I can use What'sApp and Teams here quite happily on the computer but only once I've made initial contact with new suppliers via phonecall. Unfortunately when people need me, they are dialling my phone.
Is there a 4G signal distributor that I can connect to the client's WiFi (not allowed to plug anything into it)? Since this is not a permanent thing ( possibly <12 months), I don''t want to spend fortunes.
Any other suggestions please? I'm at my wits' end!
superpp said:
perhaps get a 4g mifi router (pocket size) off ebay and put a cheap lebara sim in it.
this will create your own wifi network which your phone can call out through.
Cheers, I do have a couple of EE 5G home hubs so might try that with a different SIM in it if it’s not locked to EE. this will create your own wifi network which your phone can call out through.
That's by design...
When it comes to the different bearers (Wifi vs cellular) and making a voice call, it doesn't calculate which one to use based on any kind of signal strength or performance, it just selects based on availability. So if cellular is available (no matter how crap), it will try and use it...
I have the same issue where I live and I find the simple workaround is to simply put it into flight mode but enable Wifi. The phone should then use WifiCalling and NOT try switching to cellular (VoLTE).
M
When it comes to the different bearers (Wifi vs cellular) and making a voice call, it doesn't calculate which one to use based on any kind of signal strength or performance, it just selects based on availability. So if cellular is available (no matter how crap), it will try and use it...
I have the same issue where I live and I find the simple workaround is to simply put it into flight mode but enable Wifi. The phone should then use WifiCalling and NOT try switching to cellular (VoLTE).
M
Edited by camel_landy on Friday 9th October 10:54
camel_landy said:
I have the same issue where I live and I find the simple workaround is to simply put it into flight mode but enable Wifi. The phone should then use WifiCalling and NOT try switching to cellular (VoLTE).
Pixel phones have the option to set a preference for making the call between Wifi calling and cellular. I am also in the same position of iffy coverage, particularly inside the house but that setting has made my calls so much more reliable.camel_landy said:
I have the same issue where I live and I find the simple workaround is to simply put it into flight mode but enable Wifi. The phone should then use WifiCalling and NOT try switching to cellular (VoLTE).
I don't know if iPhones have a similar feature, but I am in a similar position with very poor EE signal at home (work SIM so no option) - it's a Samsung Galaxy which does Bixby Routines. I was able to set up quite a neat little routine which automatically enables flight mode when I arrive home. And when I leave home it reverses it. Edited by camel_landy on Friday 9th October 10:54
For anyone interested in the exact rules, it's an IF / THEN setup :
IF:
Wi-Fi network connected to <my Wi-Fi ssid>
THEN:
Flight Mode : On
Wi-Fi : On
Bluetooth : On
When Routine Ends :
Flight Mode : return to previous status
Wi-Fi : return to previous status
Bluetooth : return to previous status
RIGHT! Does anyone want an iPhone17P? You'll need to retrieve it from beside the wall at the other end of the office...
I swear I tried the Airplane Mode and enable WiFi last week and it worked to a degree, but today the phone just refuses to dial out and gives me a message to say No Network Connection, Connect to a WiFi network or disable Airplane Mode to make a call.
Thanks for the suggestions guys, I'll add them to my list of things to try.
I swear I tried the Airplane Mode and enable WiFi last week and it worked to a degree, but today the phone just refuses to dial out and gives me a message to say No Network Connection, Connect to a WiFi network or disable Airplane Mode to make a call.
Thanks for the suggestions guys, I'll add them to my list of things to try.
I don't know if it's worth trying this, but I did notice when trying to get my EE signal up a bit I was able to change the network mode from "4G preferred" down to 3G and even 2G which did increase the signal strength a little. Not to any usable degree for me, but you may have more luck with it.
Is the place using any proxy or similar to secure/inspect outbound traffic?
WiFi calling works by creating an encrypted tunnel between the handset and the mobile provider, in such a way that it can appear to not be coming from a device on the local network.
I've had a similar problem at home recently, and after hours of work found that my PiHole adblocker was silently ignoring the DNS request as it didn't look like it's on my LAN. Modifying a setting in PiHole to ignore that fixed it.
https://www.reddit.com/r/pihole/comments/q6lect/wi...
It may well be something similar in your case. There's other things to check, but that was what fixed it for me.
If the IT gonks aren't interested,
WiFi calling works by creating an encrypted tunnel between the handset and the mobile provider, in such a way that it can appear to not be coming from a device on the local network.
I've had a similar problem at home recently, and after hours of work found that my PiHole adblocker was silently ignoring the DNS request as it didn't look like it's on my LAN. Modifying a setting in PiHole to ignore that fixed it.
https://www.reddit.com/r/pihole/comments/q6lect/wi...
It may well be something similar in your case. There's other things to check, but that was what fixed it for me.
If the IT gonks aren't interested,
superpp said:
perhaps get a 4g mifi router (pocket size) off ebay and put a cheap lebara sim in it.
this will create your own wifi network which your phone can call out through.
Is a pretty good solution. WiFi calling uses almost no data, so a billy-basic data allowance will do.this will create your own wifi network which your phone can call out through.
Edited by shtu on Friday 9th October 15:28
GlenMH said:
Pixel phones have the option to set a preference for making the call between Wifi calling and cellular. I am also in the same position of iffy coverage, particularly inside the house but that setting has made my calls so much more reliable.
It's the providers choice if they do or don't expose that option. I'm on ID Mobile and I don't have the ability to set a preference.WiFi calling can be a real mystery sometimes, it seems to depend very much on the carrier and the WiFi network, although EE are normally okay.
My parents had an EE sim which worked fine on Wifi calling, switched to another provider which used the EE network and couldn't get wifi calling to work at all, ended up going back to EE despite being more expensive.
My parents had an EE sim which worked fine on Wifi calling, switched to another provider which used the EE network and couldn't get wifi calling to work at all, ended up going back to EE despite being more expensive.
A WiFi calling problem occurred for me , following the recent mass switch from Plusnet to EE (broadband & landline phone customers).
The eventual solution was found to be an unexpected requirement, to input the new router (hub) password for WiFi calling.
Still on copper cable, but after the switch to EE, the speed test showed 65 up from 35.
No noticeable difference in practice though, but that is not a problem.
The remaining problem is making the printers work.
Tried activating the 2.4G sub-network without success, so will now resort to a cable connection.
Yet another instance of wasting hours on computers and failing to resolve the problem.
Thanks for your suggestions everyone, I’m now the proud owner of a Lebara SIM and I’ll dig out a router today. As just said by someone else, it takes time to sort these problems that really shouldn’t occur. Once I get into the office and find time, I’ll see if it works. Fingers crossed…
Hope you get sorted out. I am completely dependant on wifi calling in my house and have an EE contract on my phone. Wifi is Sky. 99% of the time its OK but I always have to make sure mobile internet is off on my 17P so it doesnt try and switch to it as then it does nothing at all. Very occasionally a call drops for no reason on wifi calling…if its going to happen, it is always when I’ve been on hold for an age to get through to someone eg the bank!
It does sound like there might be something awry with the network you are connecting to in the office.
It does sound like there might be something awry with the network you are connecting to in the office.
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