All you need to know about Wifi Calling : #1 Best Guide on internet

So there is word in the town to what is Wifi calling.In this post i would be explaining and giving all details about this new technology and how you can also use the same in your smartphone.

At the end of this article, i would be talking about Fido Wifi Calling and would be explaning all its features related to Wifi calling.

What is Wifi calling?

Wi-Fi Calling lets you use your phone in all the ways you’re used to, in more places. You can make and receive calls, plus send and receive messages or over Wi-Fi. It’s perfect for when you have no bars or a weak signal &emdash; meaning you can still keep in touch from basements, cottages or wherever else you feel disconnected.

Advantages of wifi calling

Free Calls Anywhere you can Access Wi-Fi

You can use Wi-Fi calling any time that your phone has a Wi-Fi signal. That means even if you haven’t paid for your service and can’t make regular calls, anytime you are at a location with an open Wi-Fi connection, you can typically log on to the internet and use Wi-Fi calling instead.

Better Quality Voice / Audio

LTE voice sounds so much better than traditional cellular technology because it uses the technology that wireless carriers have been upgrading for the last several years: the phone’s connection to the internet.

Beat Poor Cellular Reception

Wi-Fi calling provides an option for families and individuals who live in areas with poor cellular reception. If they have Wi-Fi, they can bypass the cellular network and make phone calls using their Wi-Fi internet connection, as long as the other party is connected to Wi-Fi or LTE, too.

No Roaming Charges

Wi-Fi calling is great for overseas travelers because there’s typically no roaming or international charge for making calls or sending texts back home Also, Wi-Fi calling is free except for data usage which means that you can use it abroad and avoid paying extra for international calls.

Do you need specific devices in order to use wifi calling?

Yes. Here’s what you’ll need to use Wi-Fi Calling (This is for Fido users as well as its genral for all other mobile carriers)

1. A Fido voice and LTE data plan with a monthly bill. Prepaid customers can’t use Wi-Fi Calling.
2. An LTE SIM installed in your device.
3. A compatible Fido device, such as:
   • iPhone 5c, 5s, 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, SE, 7, 7 Plus, 8, or 8 Plus with iOS9 (or later) installed.
   • LG G4 with Android software version 6.0 (or later), LG G5 with Android software version 6.0.1 (or later), LG G6, V30, or Xpower2 with Android software version 7.0 (or later) installed.
   • Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 edge, S7, S7 edge, S8, S8+, Note 8, or A5 with Android software version 6.0.1 (or later) installed.
   • Google Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL with Android software version 8.0.1 (or later) installed.

Remember to update your carrier settings when prompted at the end of an OS installation.

If you have these things, make sure your device’s Wi-Fi Calling feature is switched on so you can make calls and send messages over Wi-Fi.

Your compatible device must have been purchased from Fido. If you have a non-Fido iPhone and no conflicting services, Wi-Fi Calling may work, but we can’t ensure that the feature will work properly on your device.

If you have a non-Fido Android device (e.g., you did not buy your device from Fido), Wi-Fi Calling will not work.

How do i turn on wifi calling on iPhone?

1. Go to Settings and select “Phone“.
2. Select Wi-Fi Calling.
3. Toggle Wi-Fi Calling to ON.
4. Follow the instructions on your screen if it’s the first time you’re hooking it up.
5. The status bar will display “Fido Wi-Fi” when Wi-Fi Calling is ready to use.

How do i activate wifi calling on LG Device? [For Fido users]

1. Select the phone icon on your phone’s main screen.
2. Select the three dots  in the top-right corner.
3. Select “Call settings“.
4. If you’re already registered for Wi-Fi Calling, move the Wi-Fi Calling toggle switch to the ON position, and you’re done! The status bar will display the Wi-Fi Calling icon when Wi-Fi Calling is ready to use.
   Or, if it’s your first time enabling Wi-Fi Calling, click on Wi-Fi Calling. This will bring you to the Wi-Fi Calling page, where you can follow the remaining steps:
5. Click on the link to register for Wi-Fi Calling.
6. Enter your phone number and select “Get Verification Code”. You’ll then receive a text message with your verification code.
7. Enter your verification code and press “Submit”.
8. Accept the Terms and Conditions.
9. Enter your emergency address and press “Continue”.
   
10. The portal will now display two versions of your emergency address: One version shows your address exactly as you just entered it, and the other is a Canada Post-recommended version of your address. Select the version you want to use (we recommend using Canada Post’s version). Once your address is verified, you’ll receive a text message confirming that your registration is complete.
11. Go back to “Call settings” and then toggle the Wi-Fi Calling switch to the ON position, and you’re done! The status bar will display the Wi-Fi Calling icon when Wi-Fi Calling is ready to use.
    

How to activate wifi calling on Samsung Device?

1. Select the Phone  icon on your phone’s main screen.
   
2. Select More in the top-right corner.
   
3. Select Settings.
   
4. Select Wi-Fi Calling on the resulting screen.
   
5. Select the link below the Wi-Fi Calling toggle switch to register for Wi-Fi Calling.
   
   • If you are connected to Wi-Fi, we need to verify your phone number through the following steps:
     • Enter your phone number and select Get Verification Code to receive a text message with your verification code.
       
     • Input the verification code and press Submit.
       
6. Accept the Terms and Conditions after you submit your verification code.
   
7. Enter your emergency address and press Continue.
   
8. The portal will now display two versions of your emergency address: One version shows your address exactly as you just entered it, and the other is a Canada Post-recommended version of your address. Select the version you want to use (we recommend using Canada Post’s version). Once your address is verified, you’ll receive a text message confirming that your registration is complete.
   
9. Connect to your local Wi-Fi network, go back to your phone’s settings, select Phone, select More, select Settings and then toggle the Wi-Fi Calling switch to the ON position. The status bar will display the Wi-Fi Calling icon when Wi-Fi Calling is ready to use.
   

After this, you’re all set to go. All of your calls and texts will go over Wi-Fi when you are connected to a Wi-Fi network.

Does wifi calling use data from my wireless plan?

Nope! not at all! Wi-Fi Calling does not use up data from your wireless data plan. When you make a call over Wi-Fi, you will be consuming data over the Wi-Fi connection. However, internet service charges and overage rates might apply, depending on your Internet provider.

[For Canadians] How is wifi calling rated in Canada?

When in Canada, all incoming and outgoing messages and calls that are to or from a Canadian number will be taken from your voice minutes and messaging limits included in your monthly plan. No long distance charges will apply. Sweet, right?

If you go over your plan’s limit, you’ll have to pay overage fees or some extra Pay-Per-Use fees. All outgoing messages and calls to non-Canadian numbers will be charged based on the rates in your plan or current Pay-Per-Use wireless rates.

Heads-up: You may get charged for long distance and/or international messages if your VPN, DNS or internet provider is set to a country outside Canada.

When will my device use wifi calling vs mobile network?

In most cases, when you have access to both the mobile network and a strong-enough Wi-Fi signal, your device automatically defaults to using Wi-Fi Calling. This applies when you are within Canada and when you are roaming outside of Canada.

For iPhones with iOS 9.1 or later, your device automatically defaults to using Wi-Fi Calling when you have access to both the mobile network and a strong-enough Wi-Fi signal. However, if you have an older version of iOS, your device automatically defaults to using the mobile network when in Canada, and Wi-Fi Calling when roaming outside of Canada.

For Android phones, your device automatically defaults to using Wi-Fi Calling when you have access to both the mobile network and a strong-enough Wi-Fi signal. However, you can change the settings on your device to switch the default setting to the mobile network.

How do I switch between mobile network and wifi calling?

In most cases, when you move between Wi-Fi Calling and the mobile network, your call will drop. To ensure your call does not drop, you should remain in your Wi-Fi or mobile network’s range for the duration of the call.

However, if you have an Apple VoLTE-enabled device, or an Android VoLTE-enabled device with the Wi-Fi Calling-preferred setting on, and you are moving between Wi-Fi Calling and our LTE network, your call should not drop. Visit fido.ca/coverage to see where you are covered by our mobile network.

Do location based calls work with wifi calling?

Some calls that are location-based, such as 3-1-1 (City services), 5-1-1 (traffic reporting) and 8-1-1 (health services), can get mixed-up when you’re using Wi-Fi Calling from outside your phone’s local calling area. Your phone will assume that you’re making a call from within your phone’s local calling area. This means that when you reach service centres, you’ll get info related to your local calling area, even though you’re not actually there.

Can I still use my existing wireless service features with Wi-Fi Calling?

If you have any of the following features or services, you won’t be able to use to Wi-Fi Calling:

• Data blocking
• Teletypewriter
• UMA Hotspot

To hook up Wi-Fi Calling, you’ll need to remove these features or services from your account.

What happens if I try to make an emergency Wi-Fi call while outside of Canada and the U.S.?

Calls made to emergency services while using Wi-Fi Calling outside of Canada and the U.S. will not be supported. We recommend making emergency calls over a mobile network.

How can I activate VoLTE on my iPhone 6s, 6s Plus or 7?

If you have already activated Wi-Fi Calling, then you’ll need to go to your settings and turn Wi-Fi Calling off and then on again to activate VoLTE services on your device.

If you haven’t activated Wi-Fi Calling yet, and you want to activate VoLTE, follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings and select Phone.
2. Toggle Wi-Fi Calling to ON. If it’s the first time you’re hooking it up, follow the instructions on your screen.

Remember to make sure you are using the latest version of iOS before activating VoLTE on your device.

But now lets see the disadvantages of wifi calling.

Disadvantages of wifi calling

Data Use (and charges)

Unless you’re using your home’s internet for Wi-Fi or using the connection provided at a place of business or school, Wi-Fi calling will default to using your phone’s data plan. Calls typically use about 1 MB of data per minute for a call, and 6-8 MB of data for a video call.

Variations in Signal Strength

Trying to get the best signal for a WiFi call is challenging. Many times, the quality of service is through individual users with a WiFi network, and there is no guarantee there will be enough bandwidth for a high-quality call. Plus, signal strength can diminish as more people attempt to use the same network, such as at hotels, airports or athletic stadiums.

Delays in Data Transfer

With Wi-Fi calling service there may be a 1- or 2-second delay in the conversation.

Deduction of “Minutes” Possible with Some Plans

Some cellular companies, like T-Mobile, deduct minutes from your plan if it isn’t unlimited. Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile will still charge an international rate if you call an international line using your U.S.-based smartphone.

Not Supported in all Countries

Wi-Fi calling isn’t supported in some countries, including Australia and China.

Setting up Wi-Fi Calling up on your Phone

Wi-Fi calling isn’t automatically enabled on smartphones and you may need to take a few simple steps to get it ready for use.

Wifi calling in India

Detailed FAQ regarding wifi calling

Can I make emergency wifi call to 911?

Yes. If you plan on using Wi-Fi Calling while travelling throughout Canada or the U.S., make sure to update your emergency address to your most likely location for your device in your phone’s settings. Your emergency address is the one that will be given to emergency services if you call 9-1-1.

But ! It is recommend making emergency calls over a mobile network.

Do I need a fast Wi-Fi connection?

Though the higher throughput you have the better your connection will be, a minimum of 1Mbps should be enough to patch a solid call through. Republic Wireless reports that it can hold a call with 80Kbps, but the quality may decrease and you’ll experience more dropped calls as well.

Keep in mind that the number of people currently using a Wi-Fi network and what they’re doing (20 people each streaming a 4K video, for example) may also affect your signal strength.