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iPhone and phone calls over WiFi

HyperX13

HyperX13

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 3, 2009
351
7
I came from a black berry, where if you joined a wifi, your calls would route over the said wifi (tmobile). I was under the impression that when an iPhone is connected to WiFi and you make a call, you are making it also under wifi. Case in point, my house has no 3g or edge coverage in the basement. Since I installed wifi and connected my iphone to wifi I can make calls without issue.

A friend told me all voice calls are made over Edge or 3g and have nothing to do with wifi.

So which is it? Anyone know.

I am not talking skype. I am talking the native iPhone app for calls.

Thanks!
 
S

shandyman

Suspended
Apr 24, 2010
6,458
397
Dublin, Ireland
HyperX13 said:
I came from a black berry, where if you joined a wifi, your calls would route over the said wifi (tmobile). I was under the impression that when an iPhone is connected to WiFi and you make a call, you are making it also under wifi. Case in point, my house has no 3g or edge coverage in the basement. Since I installed wifi and connected my iphone to wifi I can make calls without issue.

A friend told me all voice calls are made over Edge or 3g and have nothing to do with wifi.

So which is it? Anyone know.

I am not talking skype. I am talking the native iPhone app for calls.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

i've never heard of native calls over wifi, calls are over edge, 3G or just the basic 2G network.
 
Y

yg17

macrumors Pentium
Aug 1, 2004
15,027
3,002
St. Louis, MO
All voice calls via the native iPhone app go over the cellular network. It's impossible to make calls over WiFi with it.
 
HyperX13

HyperX13

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 3, 2009
351
7
yg17 said:
All voice calls via the native iPhone app go over the cellular network. It's impossible to make calls over WiFi with it.
Click to expand...

But yet facetime makes the call over wifi right? Does it sync the two networks?
 
D

Daveoc64

macrumors 601
Jan 16, 2008
4,074
92
Bristol, UK
HyperX13 said:
I came from a black berry, where if you joined a wifi, your calls would route over the said wifi (tmobile). I was under the impression that when an iPhone is connected to WiFi and you make a call, you are making it also under wifi.
Click to expand...

That is a feature that some phones support on T-Mobile (it's called UMA).

The iPhone doesn't support that feature, and the iPhone isn't available on T-Mobile in the USA.

All voice calls go over the cellular network unless you are using a third party App like Skype.
 
zhenya

zhenya

macrumors 604
Jan 6, 2005
6,929
3,677
As noted, this tech had nothing to do with your blackberry (other than being a compatible device), and everything to do with your provider. AT&T does not offer this service exactly, but they may provide you with a free microcell if you call and describe your situation. This would route your calls at home over the internet, but doesn't give you coverage via any wifi like T-Mobile's UMA.
 
HyperX13

HyperX13

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 3, 2009
351
7
zhenya said:
As noted, this tech had nothing to do with your blackberry (other than being a compatible device), and everything to do with your provider. AT&T does not offer this service exactly, but they may provide you with a free microcell if you call and describe your situation. This would route your calls at home over the internet, but doesn't give you coverage via any wifi like T-Mobile's UMA.
Click to expand...

I wonder then why I drop calls sometimes when I leave my home and switch from wifi to 3g. I always thought my calls are routed like UMA... I was way off...
 
V

View

macrumors regular
Apr 18, 2007
247
0
Some of the T-Mobile BlackBerries have the so-called UMA calling which reroutes the call via a Wifi network. Sadly, it's not supported by either AT&T nor Apple iOS platform.
 
D

Daveoc64

macrumors 601
Jan 16, 2008
4,074
92
Bristol, UK
HyperX13 said:
I wonder then why I drop calls sometimes when I leave my home and switch from wifi to 3g. I always thought my calls are routed like UMA... I was way off...
Click to expand...

Probably because the signal from the cellular network (3G or 2G) is better in your home than it is outside.
 
J

Jnardis

macrumors 6502a
Jun 2, 2010
654
0
LSUMaze said:
It's horrible, don't waste your money.. Unless you're gonna keep it in your lap all the time, cause if you're more than 5 ft away it starts skipping and you won't hear any of the caller's conversation...
Click to expand...

Wow, I read a ton of review that said 40ft was about the range where they started to have trouble. 5ft is pretty much terrible IMO. Has anyone else on the forum used this thing? More reviews would be helpful.
 
D

DannyHibbard

macrumors newbie
Jan 10, 2013
2
0
RE: iPhone and phone calls over WiFi

If you want to make calls over WiFi, but want to call any phone, then there is a great app available. It's called the friendly Wifi Dialer.

Android:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...SwyLDEsImNvbS5hcGFkbWkucGFuYXJhbS5kaWFsMDAiXQ..

Apple:
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/wifi-dialer/id571004941?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo=4

The rates are great, 1.4p/minute to UK landlines.

I use it every day as I work in an office with poor signal.

You even get 10 minutes of free credit to try it out.

Check it out at http://www.friendly.co.uk.

The only thing is, you need an introducing agent code to sign up. If you like the look of it, use agent code FONE on sign up. :D:D

Hope this helps.

Danny
 
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