Verizon Will Support Wi-Fi Calling on Other iCloud Devices on iOS 10.3

[MacRumors]

Verizon customers running the new iOS 10.3 beta have discovered that the carrier has added an option for Integrated Calling (Calls on Other Devices).

The feature enables iPhone users to make and receive Wi-Fi calls on other iCloud-connected devices, including the iPad, iPod touch, Apple Watch, and most 2012 or later Macs, even if the iPhone is turned off or not on the same Wi-Fi network. The devices must be signed into the same Apple ID used on the iPhone.

AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile already support Wi-Fi calling on supported iCloud-connected devices, so Verizon was the last holdout among the four major carriers in the United States. The feature is also supported by smaller U.S. carriers MetroPCS and Simple Mobile and by a few other carriers internationally.

Wi-Fi calling on other devices may not be live yet for all Verizon customers on iOS 10.3 beta, but it should be ready in time for the final version.

Article Link: Verizon Will Support Wi-Fi Calling on Other iCloud Devices on iOS 10.3

 

[Greatness617]

Verizon customers running the new iOS 10.3 beta have discovered that the carrier has added an option for Integrated Calling (Calls on Other Devices).

The feature enables iPhone users to make and receive Wi-Fi calls on other iCloud-connected devices, including the iPad, iPod touch, Apple Watch, and most 2012 or later Macs, even if the iPhone is turned off or not on the same Wi-Fi network. The devices must be signed into the same Apple ID used on the iPhone.

AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile already support Wi-Fi calling on supported iCloud-connected devices, so Verizon was the last holdout among the four major carriers in the United States. The feature is also supported by smaller U.S. carriers MetroPCS and Simple Mobile and by a few other carriers internationally.

Wi-Fi calling on other devices may not be live yet for all Verizon customers on iOS 10.3 beta, but it should be ready in time for the final version.

Article Link: Verizon Will Support Wi-Fi Calling on Other iCloud Devices on iOS 10.3

How is the "best" network always the last one to all parties? Hahaha

 

[driceman]

Good to see Verizon is just now catching up to a feature T-Mobile customers have had for about four years.

As a former Verizon customer, they can tout their network all they like, but it doesn't change that I have 1 bar of coverage in my basement, regardless of whether I'm on Verizon or T-Mobile. Wi-Fi Calling is an essential feature and should be an industry standard, because as it turns out, a cell tower a few miles away can't get a good signal into people's basements. Cell networks are nice and all, but there's a reason most people still have home wi-fi, even if it means putting up with Comcast or Time Warner.

 

[MrGuder]

Ok Verizon, now reduce your prices!!!

 

[aajeevlin]

Good to see Verizon is just now catching up to a feature T-Mobile customers have had for about four years.

As a former Verizon customer, they can tout their network all they like, but it doesn't change that I have 1 bar of coverage in my basement, regardless of whether I'm on Verizon or T-Mobile. Wi-Fi Calling is an essential feature and should be an industry standard, because as it turns out, a cell tower a few miles away can't get a good signal into people's basements. Cell networks are nice and all, but there's a reason most people still have home wi-fi, even if it means putting up with Comcast or Time Warner.

The title is slightly misleading. Verizon already has wi-if calling. Your basement situation won't be an issue on Verizon.

 

[profets]

Interesting. Just to confirm - this is different than wifi calling or allowing calls on other devices (continuity), but rather multiple iOS devices or Macs can be registered to make calls over a wifi connection and through Verizon's network without a functioning iPhone?

 

[jdclifford]

Hey Verizon welcome to 2015!

 

[iGeek2014]

Interesting. Just to confirm - this is different than wifi calling or allowing calls on other devices (continuity), but rather multiple iOS devices or Macs can be registered to make calls over a wifi connection and through Verizon's network without a functioning iPhone?

Reading the support article from Apple it'd appear so, yes.

 

[vigilant]

Interesting. Just to confirm - this is different than wifi calling or allowing calls on other devices (continuity), but rather multiple iOS devices or Macs can be registered to make calls over a wifi connection and through Verizon's network without a functioning iPhone?

Yes, this is different. The way Verizon works now (without 10.3 beta) is when you call someone from your Mac, it's routing it through your iPhone. With the way it will work is your phone call from your Mac will go directly to Verizon over Wifi and place the call with your iPhone phone number without your iPhone being near by.

I can confirm this as a current T-Mobile customer who left Verizon last week. This new way is superior. I can place phone calls over LTE from my iPad and it will show up on the callers side as coming from my iPhone.

 

[2457282]

Good to see Verizon is just now catching up to a feature T-Mobile customers have had for about four years.

As a former Verizon customer, they can tout their network all they like, but it doesn't change that I have 1 bar of coverage in my basement, regardless of whether I'm on Verizon or T-Mobile. Wi-Fi Calling is an essential feature and should be an industry standard, because as it turns out, a cell tower a few miles away can't get a good signal into people's basements. Cell networks are nice and all, but there's a reason most people still have home wi-fi, even if it means putting up with Comcast or Time Warner.

I use to have Comcrap and Time Waster. Now I have Fios by Verizon and am having a better experience. I agree with the Cell issues. I would love to use just my cell service and get rid of all physical lines connected to the house, but as you point out, signal strength is just one issue, data caps being the other.

 

[coolfactor]

Interesting. Just to confirm - this is different than wifi calling or allowing calls on other devices (continuity), but rather multiple iOS devices or Macs can be registered to make calls over a wifi connection and through Verizon's network without a functioning iPhone?

Yah, I have the same question. This sounds cool, but no wonder Apple is so slow with progress. The complexities of all of these "integrations" must be an enormous task to manage.

 

[Böhme417]

How is the "best" network always the last one to all parties? Hahaha

That's precisely the reason they kept giving for not supporting these things. They like to tout the network is so good that these things aren't necessary. I remember reading that all the time when they were responding to questions about the lack of wifi calling. Our network is so great, it's unnecessary.

Of course, that's not what the customers often seem to think and want.

 

[driceman]

The title is slightly misleading. Verizon already has wi-if calling. Your basement situation won't be an issue on Verizon.

A little confusing, but good catch- I take it Verizon supported wi-fi calling on the iPhone itself, but not wi-fi calling on your other Apple devices (iPad, Mac, etc) until now? Strange- but still, that's been a feature on my T-Mobile iPhone for at least a year.

You'd think for $30 upgrade fees and all the overage charges they get away with, you would also get premium features from Verizon first. Maybe that's just me.

 

[fiddysent]

Greaaaaaaat I've been making calls via google voice on all my devices since 2010 :/

 

[driceman]

Yah, I have the same question. This sounds cool, but no wonder Apple is so slow with progress. The complexities of all of these "integrations" must be an enormous task to manage.

You'll have to have an iPhone activated with a phone number on the carrier and pay for the iPhone's service, but yes, it means other devices- say, your iPad- could call/text with that phone number without that iPhone being nearby.

 

[tasset]

I suspect when Apple rolls out a Watch with cellular connection, it will be LTE like an iPad and likewise its own device monthly fee. But it will be dependent on an iPhone for the phone number setup via this functionality.
I also expect that it will dip its toe in the water of iPhone independence, but battery life will limit how long it is able to do so. (like the Gear S3 does now).

 

[profets]

Yes, this is different. The way Verizon works now (without 10.3 beta) is when you call someone from your Mac, it's routing it through your iPhone. With the way it will work is your phone call from your Mac will go directly to Verizon over Wifi and place the call with your iPhone phone number without your iPhone being near by.

I can confirm this as a current T-Mobile customer who left Verizon last week. This new way is superior. I can place phone calls over LTE from my iPad and it will show up on the callers side as coming from my iPhone.

Cool. That is pretty handy, though not really applicable for myself as I don't live in the US.

I could swear though, that with the continuity setup (relying on the iPhone) that if my iPhone is in one location and it receives a call, that my other devices also ring at other locations (for example, if I forget my phone at home yet my iPad will ring at the office).
[doublepost=1485362393][/doublepost]

I suspect when Apple rolls out a Watch with cellular connection, it will be LTE like an iPad and likewise its own device monthly fee. But it will be dependent on an iPhone for the phone number setup via this functionality.
I also expect that it will dip its toe in the water of iPhone independence, but battery life will limit how long it is able to do so. (like the Gear S3 does now).

Or take it one step further - AirPods having their own connectivity!

In all seriousness, I wouldn't mind having just a cellular connected Watch and AirPods on me when going out to a function and not needing any distraction from my phone.

 

[vigilant]

Cool. That is pretty handy, though not really applicable for myself as I don't live in the US.

I could swear though, that with the continuity setup (relying on the iPhone) that if my iPhone is in one location and it receives a call, that my other devices also ring at other locations (for example, if I forget my phone at home yet my iPad will ring at the office).

For SMS relay yes. For phone calls it would have to be on the same wifi network.

That said, your carrier may support this and you aren't even aware of it.

If you've got it, enjoy it! I can't get enough :-D

 

[driceman]

I use to have Comcrap and Time Waster. Now I have Fios by Verizon and am having a better experience. I agree with the Cell issues. I would love to use just my cell service and get rid of all physical lines connected to the house, but as you point out, signal strength is just one issue, data caps being the other.

I would LOVE to have a fiber optic option- sadly, no such thing exists in Northern Colorado. I hate Comcast enough to have checked with Verizon, which is sad because I don't like Verizon, either- awful customer service there when they were my phone carrier.

As a T-Mobile employee, I can tell you that the reason for the data caps/eventual slowed speeds/general workarounds carriers do is that smartphone usage has exploded so, so fast in the last few years. These cellular networks were built with the idea that everyone would be calling and texting a lot on them, not that every single person in the country would be streaming music and movies nonstop all year round. T-Mobile has modernized better than most, I think- they only throttle the top 1% of data users (28 GB/month or more), and only do that during peak traffic times on the network, when lots of people are all online at once (usually around dinner time/late night).

Admittedly, T-Mobile had more catching up to do since they were slow to deploy LTE, but there have been gigantic strides in quality/coverage in the last few years. If the carriers keep pushing each other to compete rather than being complacent, this will eventually become much less of an issue.

But ultimately, you need to have a high enough radio frequency to get a good data speed, yet a low enough frequency for it to travel great distances and be able to penetrate through walls and reach your basement. Also you need to actually buy up all that frequency so your signal doesn't overlap with another provider. It's a tricky balance. Perhaps someday cellular providers can completely eliminate the need for in-home wi-fi, but for now it's impractical if you want any kind of reliability.

 

[2457282]

I would LOVE to have a fiber optic option- sadly, no such thing exists in Northern Colorado. I hate Comcast enough to have checked with Verizon, which is sad because I don't like Verizon, either- awful customer service there when they were my phone carrier.

As a T-Mobile employee, I can tell you that the reason for the data caps/eventual slowed speeds/general workarounds carriers do is that smartphone usage has exploded so, so fast in the last few years. These cellular networks were built with the idea that everyone would be calling and texting a lot on them, not that every single person in the country would be streaming music and movies nonstop all year round. T-Mobile has modernized better than most, I think- they only throttle the top 1% of data users (28 GB/month or more), and only do that during peak traffic times on the network, when lots of people are all online at once (usually around dinner time/late night).

Admittedly, T-Mobile had more catching up to do since they were slow to deploy LTE, but there have been gigantic strides in quality/coverage in the last few years. If the carriers keep pushing each other to compete rather than being complacent, this will eventually become much less of an issue.

But ultimately, you need to have a high enough radio frequency to get a good data speed, yet a low enough frequency for it to travel great distances and be able to penetrate through walls and reach your basement. Also you need to actually buy up all that frequency so your signal doesn't overlap with another provider. It's a tricky balance. Perhaps someday cellular providers can completely eliminate the need for in-home wi-fi, but for now it's impractical if you want any kind of reliability.

The big problem is, as you said, that we are hyper connected these days. I checked and my home internet usage is about 120gig per month. No way can I get that from any cell provider. 28gig throttle would get me after just 1 week each month. Some day we will address this, but for now we are stuck.

 

[ohio.emt]

A little confusing, but good catch- I take it Verizon supported wi-fi calling on the iPhone itself, but not wi-fi calling on your other Apple devices (iPad, Mac, etc) until now? Strange- but still, that's been a feature on my T-Mobile iPhone for at least a year.

You'd think for $30 upgrade fees and all the overage charges they get away with, you would also get premium features from Verizon first. Maybe that's just me.

They had wifi calling on the other devices, but your iPhone had to be on and nearby. Now your iPhone can be turned off or left somewhere else and your other devices will still work with wifi calling.

 

[aajeevlin]

A little confusing, but good catch- I take it Verizon supported wi-fi calling on the iPhone itself, but not wi-fi calling on your other Apple devices (iPad, Mac, etc) until now? Strange- but still, that's been a feature on my T-Mobile iPhone for at least a year.

You'd think for $30 upgrade fees and all the overage charges they get away with, you would also get premium features from Verizon first. Maybe that's just me.

Agreed. In general it feels Verizon is slow to the game. I'm okay with what I'm paying. I have discount and it works fine for now. Personally after awhile I'm just too tried to even want to care what these companies does.

 

[dontwalkhand]

I use to have Comcrap and Time Waster. Now I have Fios by Verizon and am having a better experience. I agree with the Cell issues. I would love to use just my cell service and get rid of all physical lines connected to the house, but as you point out, signal strength is just one issue, data caps being the other.

Also can't really do home automation without a hard landline service.

 

[profets]

Also can't really do home automation without a hard landline service.

Really? How so? Genuinely curious as I have a bunch of home automation and haven't had a land line for 10 years (assuming you mean phone/POTS line)?

 

[macTW]

On the one hand, I use my phone for calls and that's it.

On the other, innovation.