Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

AT&T WiFi Calling Now Available for Some iOS 9 Users

gotluck said:
iPhone works great on gophone without any fret, my wife has the 5 so not sure about he voice and wifi calling.
Click to expand...


Thanks someone else already answered tho

Side note upon viewing the "fine print" in the WiFi agreement it's in Beta and the Beta is supposedly ONLY Open and FREE to
Mobile Share or Mobile Share Value postpaid customers
 
Taz Mangus said:
With T-Mobile you can use the iPhone 5S for WiFi calling so I don't see why it would not work with AT&T.
Click to expand...


For right now at least while in Beta
AT&T WiFi Calling ( which functions differently from T-Mobile ) ONLY Works with AT&T HD Voice coverage which as of now 5S doesn't support
 
Works here in Milwaukee, WI. I just tried calling myself in Airplane mode with WiFi on, and it worked.

Interestingly, when I turned off Airplane Mode and got three dots of cellular signal, the "AT&T Wi-Fi" icon remained on.
 
avanpelt said:
You've obviously never sat in the "penalty box" next to the runway for an hour or more waiting for delays to clear at your destination. I've done that plenty and every time I have, the plane's Wi-Fi has not been activated yet. Even if it had been, I would've preferred to use cellular service anyway. Who wouldn't choose 20+ Mbps down over cellular if you have a signal as opposed to 1 to 2 Mbps down (if you're lucky) over the plane's Wi-Fi?
Click to expand...
Airports aren't really a cellular priority. I mean there's a reason people don't get the best signal at airports. I was at a Florida airport with AT&T and everything including the wifi sucked.

But I'm just saying cellular network status at the airport is not something to judge the carrier by.
 
DJM1740 said:
Works here in Milwaukee, WI. I just tried calling myself in Airplane mode with WiFi on, and it worked.

Interestingly, when I turned off Airplane Mode and got three dots of cellular signal, the "AT&T Wi-Fi" icon remained on.
Click to expand...


If AT&T determines you have "low" or "poor" signal quality it's supposed be using/on WiFi think of it as an alternative or extended network when they think you're in a pinch
 
iOSFangirl6001 said:
Nearly 24 Hours and 30ish WiFi calls in on my part -

Intitial observations:

1: So far AT&T WiFi calling seems pretty good and reliable

2: The handoff from my initial small sample seems as iffy as Microcell to Base Network ( only put handoff to the test 7 calls of 32 ) calls do seem capable of handoff to some extent


3 - Call quality seems proportional to and and bound in part by WiFi connection quality and quality of the ISP Network getting farther away from the WiFi signal or being by a router having issues or latching onto a risqué network seems not entirely surprisingly to yield undesirable negative impact to call quality


( again only had time for a small sample pool so far )


4: AT&T May have a very low signal threshold for the auto switch to WiFi or possibly compatibility or spottyness issues due to being early on Beta. So far this morning I conducted a few tests in nearby neighborhoods in known "low signal areas" and even known "dead zones"


At points where WiFi was available and NOT A Locked PW protected network No service to 2 bars seem to still struggle to Auto Commect for WiFi call purposes



5: more for the OCD, Billing concious, super observant or curious whom have ANY Form of detailed billing or track usage online. The AT&T Billing systems ARE Already set up to some extent for WiFi calling. Upon browsing thru my usage intermittently a pretty solid pattern emerged.

Billing/usage observations thus far

WiFi Use does show.

Not only does it show it may be the most expedient usage I've seen literally EVERY WiFi call I made thus far has shown/reflected in my usage within an average of 20 to 80 minutes of ending the call.


Calls are coded with a special feature/usage code as expected sort of like 3 way call would be 3WC and CW would be Call Waiting. The code is an odd 1 but eh whatevs and in the cost section for now every call just like all of my included plan minutes/usage/services

The cost reads
$0.00

Initial verdict I'm digging this WiFi calling and look forward to using it/testing it a ton
Click to expand...

Great information! Looking forward to future updates - especially regarding the encryption for both voice and data. I'm wondering if AT&T wifi calling creates a tunnel (VPN) when connecting to a hotspot the same way the way the microcell creates a VPN.

I wish they would provide the option of selecting wifi networks that you wanted tot connect to. For example only trusted, encrypted networks.
 
  • Like
Reactions: iOSFangirl6001
Taz Mangus said:
With T-Mobile you can use the iPhone 5S for WiFi calling so I don't see why it would not work with AT&T.
Click to expand...

I think that people are reporting that the AT&T version requires an area that has HD calling activated. I'm not in one of those areas :(

Oops. Already answered here.
 
DCIFRTHS said:
Great information! Looking forward to future updates - especially regarding the encryption for both voice and data. I'm wondering if AT&T wifi calling creates a tunnel (VPN) when connecting to a hotspot the same way the way the microcell creates a VPN.

I wish they would provide the option of selecting wifi networks that you wanted tot connect to. For example only trusted, encrypted networks.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't be surprised if it indeed created a tunnel. An 6to4 tunnel providing IPv6 connectivity to the phone, even.

Using the Hurricane Electric network tools, I noticed that my iPhone 6 has an IPv6 address on the cellular interface. This address goes away if I switch the phone to "Data Only" for LTE.
 
mstgkillr said:
Any idea how I can trick it?
Click to expand...

With the use of multi-tasking and control center

Step 1
Go to Settings>WiFi turn on WiFi and choose a trusted, reliable and prefably saved/stored network you've used before or plan to use often

Step 2:
Go to Settings>Phone>WiFi Calling

While in that menu swipe up from the botom of you phone to bring up control center

Step 3
Turn on Airplane mode note: this WILL Auto turn off WiFi cause of silly iOS design. Don't panic! Re Enable WiFi by tapping the WiFi symbol next to Airplane mode symbol swipe back down to exit.


Once your phone shows you're on WiFi tap "activate WiFi calling" should start loading give you a series of pop ups, prompts and stuff to fill in and agree to and boom once enrolled successfully you're good to go and should get a network banner that says

"AT&T WiFi"

Once enrolled/enabled you're part of the WiFi Beta and should be good to use it at your leisure. I don't advise disabling WiFi calling at any point you may turn off Airplane mode at your leisure but leaving WiFi on is also advised if you plan on using WiFi calling



Having WiFi on in airplane mode is just a means of forcing/tricking your phone into AT&T WiFi sort of like a manual extended network choice
 
  • Like
Reactions: ortiz3m
iOSFangirl6001 said:
Calls are coded with a special feature/usage code as expected sort of like 3 way call would be 3WC and CW would be Call Waiting. The code is an odd 1 but eh whatevs and in the cost section for now every call just like all of my included plan minutes/usage/services
Click to expand...

Would the weird code happen to be "UMA"?

T-Mobile codes WIFI calls as UMA on my bill.

From Wikipedia's page on "Generic Access Network":

Generic Access Network or GAN is a telecommunication system that extends mobile voice, data and multimedia (IMS/SIP) applications over IP networks. Unlicensed Mobile Access or UMA, is the commercial name used by mobile carriers for external IP access into their core networks. More recently, the system has been called Wi-Fi Calling by a number of handset manufacturers, including Apple and Samsung, a move that is being mirrored by carriers like T-Mobile US.

In its most common form, GAN is used to allow UMA-compatible mobile phones to use WiFi networks to connect calls, in place of conventional cell towers. This can be useful in locations with poor cell coverage where some other form of internet access is available, especially at the home or office. The system offers seamless handoff, so the user can move from cell to WiFi and back again with the same invisibility that the cell network offers when moving from tower to tower.
Click to expand...

From the discussion in this thread, It sounds like ATT and T-Mobile are running in UMA/GAN in different modes.

ATT is likely running:
  • GERAN-preferred: uses cellular networks if available, otherwise the 802.11 radio

While T-Mobile is running:
  • GAN-preferred: uses an 802.11 connection if an access point is in range, otherwise the cellular network
 
Last edited:
MyNameIsJon said:
Would the weird code happen to be "UMA"?

T-Mobile codes WIFI calls as UMA on my bill.
Click to expand...

No either it's a display issue or the billing system is still buggy or adjusting to WiFi calling being a thing

Feature codes are either:

PVAWIFI
PVWIFI
PVNWWIFI


It's may be worth noting that 3 of those NW were between 9pm and 6am my local time and thus are probably a Night/Weekend minute variation for some reason
 
iOSFangirl6001 said:
With the use of multi-tasking and control center

Step 1
Go to Settings>WiFi turn on WiFi and choose a trusted, reliable and prefably saved/stored network you've used before or plan to use often

Step 2:
Go to Settings>Phone>WiFi Calling

While in that menu swipe up from the botom of you phone to bring up control center

Step 3
Turn on Airplane mode note: this WILL Auto turn off WiFi cause of silly iOS design. Don't panic! Re Enable WiFi by tapping the WiFi symbol next to Airplane mode symbol swipe back down to exit.


Once your phone shows you're on WiFi tap "activate WiFi calling" should start loading give you a series of pop ups, prompts and stuff to fill in and agree to and boom once enrolled successfully you're good to go and should get a network banner that says

"AT&T WiFi"

Once enrolled/enabled you're part of the WiFi Beta and should be good to use it at your leisure. I don't advise disabling WiFi calling at any point you may turn off Airplane mode at your leisure but leaving WiFi on is also advised if you plan on using WiFi calling



Having WiFi on in airplane mode is just a means of forcing/tricking your phone into AT&T WiFi sort of like a manual extended network choice
Click to expand...

Still doesn't work. I thought there may have been something to trick the system into thinking my phone was in a particular zip code.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Stratus Fear and wandaved
mstgkillr said:
Still doesn't work. I thought there may have been something to trick the system into thinking my phone was in a particular zip code.
Click to expand...


1: are you on AT&T ?
2: are you a prepaid ( GoPhone ) or post paid ( contract, get a monthly bill/statement)

3 - Are you on a Mobile Share/Mobile Share Value plan of any sort?

4: Your area may not have HD Voice coverage ( 1 of the things required to use AT&T WiFi calling at least during the Beta period )
 
iOSFangirl6001 said:
1: are you on AT&T ?
2: are you a prepaid ( GoPhone ) or post paid ( contract, get a monthly bill/statement)

3 - Are you on a Mobile Share/Mobile Share Value plan of any sort?

4: Your area may not have HD Voice coverage ( 1 of the things required to use AT&T WiFi calling at least during the Beta period )
Click to expand...

I have an iPhone 6. I'm on AT&T, post-paid (ATT NEXT), Mobile Share (or whatever they call it now), my area (Philly) is in HD Voice...
 
I'm assuming this wifi calling feature will be available in the future for non HD Voice coverage?
If not, kinda crazy as HD Voice i have to believe is very limited throughout the US
Hoping it will be available for all coverage
 
wandaved said:
I have an iPhone 6. I'm on AT&T, post-paid (ATT NEXT), Mobile Share (or whatever they call it now), my area (Philly) is in HD Voice...
Click to expand...


Hmm very very odd...

Must be something wrong with your device or with the WiFi network you're trying to use...

What ISP is it? Do you know?

-------

Or possibly you messed up a step somehow. I've seen it work for others and it worked for me so I don't know what more to tell you :/
 
Charlotte, NC
iPhone 6 Plus
Mobile Share Plan (ATT Next)

Not working for me either, tried all the steps laid out, agree and then get the "Oops" message



iOSFangirl6001 said:
Hmm very very odd...

Must be something wrong with your device or with the WiFi network you're trying to use...

What ISP is it? Do you know?

-------

Or possibly you messed up a step somehow. I've seen it work for others and it worked for me so I don't know what more to tell you :/
Click to expand...
 
proshots4you said:
Charlotte, NC
iPhone 6 Plus
Mobile Share Plan (ATT Next)

Not working for me either, tried all the steps laid out, agree and then get the "Oops" message
Click to expand...


Well to be fair it has been noted in some articles on AT&T WiFi that only a lucky few have had success with it.

If you meet all these Criteria:
iPhone 6 or 6+
In HD Voice Coverage
iOS 9 Beta 5 or Public Beta 3
Post Paid AT&T Customer

On Mobile Share or Mobile Share Value
Plan

Followed ALL Steps both normally and/or via the forced/tricked method

And it's still not working I dunno what to tell you other than there must be more criteria than AT&T or Apple let on or the Beta for AT&T WiFi somehow has a way of limiting the overall number of Beta Testers

Or some other issues are preventing you from success ( coverage, ISP issue, Phone issue etc )
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back