Wi-Fi Calling is a technology that allows you to use any wireless network for voice communication as an alternative to the usual operator connection. Calls and messages are carried out according to the principle of conventional cellular communication, the difference lies in connecting the smartphone to the operator (via wireless connection).
The main advantages of Wi Fi Calling technology are as follows:
- Ability to make free calls from abroad,
- Saving money - communication is paid at the basic rate of the home region, traffic is not consumed,
- No need to install additional programs and connect options,
- You can communicate in rooms without cellular coverage (metro, trains, cellars, etc.),
- It is possible to call from points where there is no operator network.
Internet calls WiFi Calling is a convenient service that allows you to expand your usual boundaries. Talk about the intricacies of work?
How to use Wi Fi Calling?
First, we will discuss the list of smartphones that support free calls through Wai Fai - this is general information, details you can find in the hardware store when buying.
- The first model on the list is Apple's iPhone
- Samsung
- Huawei
- Honor,
- Vivo
- Sony
- Alcatel,
- LG.
Now you know which smartphones support Wi Fi Calling and you can check if your phone is on this list. If you find the device in the list of modern devices, it's time to discuss the operators who provide the service.
- Currently, one operator has implemented the option - this is MTS,
- Note that in January 2019, the operator Megafon began to test the function - in the near future, the vast majority of subscribers will get access.
How to set up on MTS
Many subscribers are interested in how to set up Wi-Fi Calling MTS, how much does it cost?
- There is no need to perform additional actions - just turn on the wireless data transfer,
- Activate the ability to communicate wirelessly according to the instructions below (will appear automatically),
- You will pay for calls at the usual home rate.
Let's discuss how to enable WiFi Calling on phones running different operating systems.
How to activate on iPhone
To successfully activate WiFi Calling on iPhone, you need to do the following:
- Go to device settings,
- Select the "Cellular" section,
- In the block with the name of the operator, you will see the line “Wai-Fi calls”,
- Open the menu section and turn the toggle switch to the “On” position,
- Read the terms of connection and click “Enable”. Done!
Activation on Android
And now we’ll tell you how to set up a Wi-Fi call on Android - we’ll give instructions for old and new versions of the operating system firmware.
On new smartphones, calls via WiFi are activated as follows:
- Click on the “Phone” application (it is located on the main screen),
- Click on the three dots in the upper right corner of the screen,
- A small menu will open where you need to find the “Settings” item,
- In the settings, look for the line “Calls” and select the block “Calls by Wifi”,
- Slide the toggle switch to the on position.
On older versions of smartphones, the service is configured as follows:
- Open the settings menu,
- Go to the “Networks” block,
- Select the "More" icon,
- Find the line with the same name and switch the toggle switch to the active position.
Disconnection
Talk about how to turn off Wi-Fi calls in great detail, we will not - this is a fairly simple process.
- You need to perform the above steps in the same sequence,
- The last action will be to put the option toggle switch to an inactive position.
Understood the intricacies of the settings? No questions? Let's talk about what difficulties each user may have.
Possible Wi-Fi Calling Issues
First, note that two users do not have the Wi Fi Calling option. Even if your interlocutor was unable to connect to the wireless Internet for communication, your calls will come from Wai Fai.
What problems can subscribers have?
- If your smartphone has two SIM cards, you should prioritize the card that is used for calls. If necessary, you need to rearrange in the first slot,
- The conversation may be interrupted when moving from a wireless coverage area to a conventional voice communication zone or 4G / LTE networks. We recommend that you do not move away from the Internet source,
- Sometimes difficulties arise due to connection problems. Check the integrity of the cable and the functionality of the router, reboot if necessary.
If you have any questions, please contact the operator by the hotline number (MTS - 8 (800) 250-08-90). The support service will help you find a solution to the problem and set up calls over the Internet.
What is Wi-Fi Calling?
Wi-Fi Calling is a technology that allows you to use any Wi-Fi network as an alternative to the cellular operator’s core network. Using Wi-Fi Calling, you can make and receive voice and video calls, as well as send and receive SMS messages, in any place where there is Wi-Fi with Internet access, even if there is no mobile operator coverage in this place or it very weak. Such calls and messages work exactly the same as when using conventional cellular communications. The only difference is how the phone communicates with your mobile operator. In a normal call, the operator’s base stations are used for this, and when using Wi-Fi Calling, communication is via a Wi-Fi wireless network and the Internet.
In addition to the ability to make calls from places with a bad signal, Wi-Fi Calling technology provides other advantages. For example, it allows saving money, because such calls are usually paid at the subscriber’s home tariff. But, this point depends on the specific mobile operator and the tariff plan used.
It should be noted that Wi-Fi Calling does not require any additional applications. This is not another Viber for which both subscribers must have an application installed. Wi-Fi Calling is a feature that is supported at the phone level, and it works completely transparent to the user. After turning it on, the phone will decide for itself how to contact the mobile operator using base stations or using a wireless Wi-Fi network.
Wi-Fi Calling technology is also sometimes called VoWiFi (Voice over Wi-Fi) or VoWLAN (Voice over Wireless Local Area Network). This name has something in common with another similar technology - VoLTE or Voice over LTE. VoLTE technology solves a similar problem, it provides voice calls over an LTE network, but it requires a network of base stations of a mobile operator, while Wi-Fi Calling (VoWiFi, VoWLAN) provides communication in any place where there is Wi- Fi and internet.
How Wi-Fi Calling Works
In order for Wi-Fi Calling technology to work, several conditions must be met. First, this technology should be supported by your mobile operator. Typically, carriers implement this technology with VoLTE, as these technologies are very similar. Secondly, Wi-Fi Calling must be supported by your phone. Now calls via a wireless network are mainly supported only by flagship smartphones. Here is a list of models that can currently work with Wi-Fi Calling:
- Apple iPhone 5c, 5s, 6, 6 Plus, 6S, 6S Plus, SE, 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus, X
- Google Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL
- Samsung Galaxy S9, S9 +, S8, S8 +, S7, S7 edge, S6, S6 edge, S6 edge +, A3 (2017), A5 (2017), Note 8
- Nexus 5X, 6P
- Nokia 3, 5, 8
- Lumia 550, 650, 950, 950XL
- Sony Xperia XZ1, Xperia XZ1 Compact
- HTC 10, U11, U11 Life
- BlackBerry Priv, Dtek 50, Dtek 60, KEYone
- Huawei P10, P10 Lite, P10 Plus, P Smart
In addition, the Wi-Fi Calling function must be enabled in the settings of the smartphone. We will talk about how this is done a little lower. After enabling this function, the phone starts automatically switching between using Wi-Fi and base stations, depending on where the connection is better. At the same time, the moment of switching itself occurs almost imperceptibly for the user.
For example, if you are in an open space with good signal reception from a base station, then the base station of the mobile operator will be used for communication. And when you enter the room, the phone will automatically switch to Wi-Fi, because the quality of communication via a wireless network, in this case, will be much better. The fact that the smartphone switched to using Wi-Fi Calling can be found by the inscription Wi-Fi, which appears at the top of the screen.
How to enable Wi-Fi Calling
If you have an Android smartphone, then you need to open the “Phone” application, click on the button with three dots in the upper right corner of the screen and go to “Settings”. Next, go to the “Calls” section and turn on the “Wi-Fi Calls” function there. Also, in some cases, the function “Calls via Wi-Fi” can be enabled through the “Settings” application, in the section with wireless network settings.
And on Samsung smartphones there is a special icon in the upper curtain that allows you to turn Wi-Fi Calling on and off with one click.
If you have an iPhone, then to enable this function, you need to open the Settings app and go to the Phone section. Here you need to enable the function "Call over Wi-Fi"
After enabling the “Wi-Fi Calls” function, the phone will start working using Wi-Fi Calling.
Benefits
What is Wi-Fi Calling, described in the video of MTS:
The function is not a substitute for other communication methods, but an alternative that is more suitable for certain circumstances:
- There is no cellular coverage,
- Coverage is poor and interference is not allowed during a call,
- High quality speech required (using Voice HD)
- The user wants to save money by using Wi-Fi (including public) both for surfing the Internet and for calls,
- In applications that use calls over the Wi-Fi network (Skype, WhatsApp), it is inconvenient to create accounts, and then exchange data from them. The list of contacts for calls via the Wi-Fi access point is available from the contacts in the phone,
- The interlocutor does not have an Internet connection. The call is made like a regular call.
Is it possible to make such calls, primarily depends on the mobile operator. Their lists of supported phone models are different. In Tele2, the service is not available in all cities.
Billing in WiFi Call takes place according to the tariff plan of your home network. The same applies to roaming. If you lose the signal you are using, automatically switch to cellular communication.
Please note that there is an older technology similar to Wi-Fi Calling - VoLTE (Voice over LTE). It works with 4G.
Wi-Fi Calling for MTS Users
Calls are not made via Wi Fi without the services of “Mobile Internet” and “Internet calls”. You can connect Wi-Fi calls by dialing * 111 * 6 # or in the My MTS application (after the application you can delete it).
The picture shows how to enable the function through the icons:
- Sony Xperia: XA1, XA1 Plus, XA1 Ultra, XZ1, XZs, XZ1 Compact,
- LG: G6, G7 (2018), Q7 (2018), Qsytus, K11, V30.
- Huawei Nova: 2, 2i, 2 Plus.
MTS also has VoLTE and the special MTS Connect application.
Using WiFi, you can make calls and exchange messages only on SIM cards registered in Moscow and the Moscow region. Phones with iOS 7 or higher or Android 4.0 and higher are supported.
Please note that the services “Forwarding”, “Beep” and “City Number” after using Wi Fi Calling will be disabled. You can enable them with USSD codes indicated on the operator’s website.
Install the “WiFi calls” application marked “Tele2” in Google Play or AppStore. Follow the instructions. Do not turn off Wi-Fi and the application to make calls or send messages using them.
How to connect a function on devices with an operating systemiOS, we tell in the picture:
From there, tap the magnifying glass, then enter “wifi calls”. If they are available in your situation, they should appear here.
In my case, Android did not redirect me directly to the Wi-Fi calls menu, but opened the advanced Wi-Fi settings section, where Wi-Fi calls were found. Tap the Wi-Fi calls option to go to its menu section.
Slide the switch to enable this function. You can also choose whether you want your phone to prefer WI-Fi networks or mobile networks for calls. Whenever he has both options, he will use your preferred option and then easily switch to the other when one of them becomes unavailable.
If there is no built-in Wi-Fi call function
The fact that your operator and / or phone does not technically support outgoing Wi-Fi calls does not mean that you cannot use this function. There are many applications that will allow you to make calls, here are some of the most popular:
In fact, any of these applications will allow you to make calls via Wi-Fi, but they will not use your actual phone number and in most cases will not call a traditional phone. Instead, you will actually make calls from one account to another, for example, if you use Facebook Messenger, you simply “call” a person in his Facebook account, rather than entering a phone number. The same goes for free Skype accounts, although you can pay money to call regular phone numbers.
Google Hangouts and Voice are exceptions - they essentially work together to make calls. You will need a Google Voice number, as well as a Hangouts Phone to make calls, in which case you can call any traditional phone number. The problem arises when you want to receive calls using these tools - you will have to make some additional settings for this.
In truth, Facebook Messenger is probably the best way to assume that the person you're trying to chat with is also on Facebook (and your friends list). It is very easy to use and offers good call quality.
It is also worth noting that these services will also work with mobile data, so you do not need to use Wi-Fi to use them. That's cool.
Wi-Fi calls are a very cool service, and you definitely need to turn it on if your carrier and phone support it. You will receive higher quality calls and, in fact, will not have “dead zones” where calls will be interrupted or disconnected.
