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Carrier PSA: EE now supports Wi-Fi Calling on iCloud devices

Brookzy

Brookzy

macrumors 601
Original poster
May 30, 2010
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UK
This weekend EE dropped a carrier settings update to become (what I believe to be) the first carrier outside the US to support iCloud Wi-Fi calling.

They are branding it "EE smart number technology".

This means that you can make and receive calls and texts on your other iCloud-connected devices, even when your iPhone is not on the same Wi-Fi network.

However, to send and receive SMS text messages your iPhone must be switched on and connected to the carrier network, either by cellular or Wi-Fi Calling (much like the cellular Apple Watch).
 
Some things to note after playing with it extensively yesterday and today:
  • You can only use a maximum of five devices (i.e. your iPhone plus four additional iCloud devices)
  • Cellular Apple Watches are included in that limit, despite having their own cellular plan
  • You can still use the older iCloud Continuity calling features at the same time as using iCloud Wi-Fi Calling
For example I have an iPhone, two cellular Apple Watches, an iPad, a MacBook and an iMac. Ideally I would like to use iCloud Wi-Fi Calling on all of them, but this isn’t possible. (You can actually set it up and it will work, but eventually EE kicks one or more devices off - usually the Macs - and you have to set them up again to get them working.)

However, the iMac never moves (obviously) so I can be sure that when I have access to the iMac, I will also have access to my phone. That means that I can have iCloud Wi-Fi Calling enabled on everything except the iMac, and still use the old iCloud Continuity calling on the iMac. That will do for now. :)
 
Brookzy said:
Some things to note after playing with it extensively yesterday and today:
  • You can only use a maximum of five devices (i.e. your iPhone plus four additional iCloud devices)
  • Cellular Apple Watches are included in that limit, despite having their own cellular plan
  • You can still use the older iCloud Continuity calling features at the same time as using iCloud Wi-Fi Calling
For example I have an iPhone, two cellular Apple Watches, an iPad, a MacBook and an iMac. Ideally I would like to use iCloud Wi-Fi Calling on all of them, but this isn’t possible. (You can actually set it up and it will work, but eventually EE kicks one or more devices off - usually the Macs - and you have to set them up again to get them working.)

However, the iMac never moves (obviously) so I can be sure that when I have access to the iMac, I will also have access to my phone. That means that I can have iCloud Wi-Fi Calling enabled on everything except the iMac, and still use the old iCloud Continuity calling on the iMac. That will do for now. :)
Click to expand...
If you had only one apple watch then this would not be an issue.
 
Brookzy said:
This weekend EE dropped a carrier settings update to become (what I believe to be) the first carrier outside the US to support iCloud Wi-Fi calling.

They are branding it "EE smart number technology".

This means that you can make and receive calls and texts on your other iCloud-connected devices, even when your iPhone is not on the same Wi-Fi network.

However, to send and receive SMS text messages your iPhone must be switched on and connected to the carrier network, either by cellular or Wi-Fi Calling (much like the cellular Apple Watch).
Click to expand...
cheers for this i got an update available alert on my phone from EE so wondered what it was for. I have the series 3 too so can use my watch for this too then
 
The difference between O2 and EE is that on O2 you need to be on the same WiFi network to make a call. I noticed they left the iPhone X off their device list - probably an oversight.
 
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tarsins said:
The difference between O2 and EE is that on O2 you need to be on the same WiFi network to make a call. I noticed they left the iPhone X off their device list - probably an oversight.
Click to expand...
But Haven’t Apple supported WiFi calling on iOS devices for years? What’s the difference between this and o2’s WiFi calling?
 
Donfor39 said:
What's the difference with wifi calling I use via o2 via iphone8.
Please explain though I don't plan to use EE
Click to expand...

Shanghaichica said:
But Haven’t Apple supported WiFi calling on iOS devices for years? What’s the difference between this and o2’s WiFi calling?
Click to expand...
Yes, Wi-Fi Calling has been supported on iPhones for years, but this update is about Wi-Fi Calling on iCloud-connected devices. This means devices other than your iPhone.

Previously, to make a cellular call from your iPad or Mac, your iPad or Mac had to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your iPhone, and your iPhone had to be turned on.

With this feature, each of your iCloud-connected devices gains their own Wi-Fi Calling connection straight to EE, which means each can make and receive calls via your iPhone's carrier even when your iPhone is switched off (or not nearby, or not on the same Wi-Fi network).

This also means that non-cellular Apple Watch users can leave their iPhone at home, and still make and receive phone calls and texts provided they are connected to Wi-Fi.
 
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Brookzy said:
Yes, Wi-Fi Calling has been supported on iPhones for years, but this update is about Wi-Fi Calling on iCloud-connected devices. This means devices other than your iPhone.

Previously, to make a cellular call from your iPad or Mac, your iPad or Mac had to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your iPhone, and your iPhone had to be turned on.

With this feature, each of your iCloud-connected devices gains their own Wi-Fi Calling connection straight to EE, which means each can make and receive calls via your iPhone's carrier even when your iPhone is switched off (or not nearby, or not on the same Wi-Fi network).

This also means that non-cellular Apple Watch users can leave their iPhone at home, and still make and receive phone calls and texts provided they are connected to Wi-Fi.
Click to expand...
Yes I understand the difference between what EE are offering and what Apple have offered for a while but my question is what is o2’s WiFi calling? It seems as though it’s a moot point if you have an iPhone.
 
Shanghaichica said:
Yes I understand the difference between what EE are offering and what Apple have offered for a while but my question is what is o2’s WiFi calling? It seems as though it’s a moot point if you have an iPhone.
Click to expand...
With O2, you can only call using your phone. When you place a call on iPad/Mac it connects to your phone first.

With EE, phone falls in the sea. MacBook still makes phone call, no phone needed. Big difference. You could bin your phone and still be able to make calls
 
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Glad to see EE have enabled this feature at last!

I have an iPad Pro w/an o2 SIM in it; seldom use the SIM for data as it’s always at home so received the pop-up when I’d turned it on on my iPhone.
 
On my primary EE iPhone 6 Plus if I turn this feature on can I make calls on my iPhone SE (on BT Mobile) whilst still maintaining my primary EE phone number (so people know who's calling) or does it only receive?
 
iOZZY said:
On my primary EE iPhone 6 Plus if I turn this feature on can I make calls on my iPhone SE (on BT Mobile) whilst still maintaining my primary EE phone number (so people know who's calling) or does it only receive?
Click to expand...

Have just tried it on my iPad Pro and called my work iPhone; came up as my EE number.

I know BT Mobile support WiFi Calling but it might not work (doesn’t on my o2 number when mobile data on iPad is enabled but connected to WiFi)
 
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I can’t get this to work on my Apple Watch. Works fine on iPad but when I try on Apple Watch it says ‘Call Failed’
 
Spoke to 2nd level Apple tech support. At this moment the feature allows for outgoing calls from other iCloud devices even if the iPhone is completely off, however for an incoming call to be received on a device, the iPhone should still have GSM connectivity, to confirm to the network that you are online.
 
MattXDA said:
With O2, you can only call using your phone. When you place a call on iPad/Mac it connects to your phone first.

With EE, phone falls in the sea. MacBook still makes phone call, no phone needed. Big difference. You could bin your phone and still be able to make calls
Click to expand...

Yeah I call lots via o2 iPad which uses iPhone- nice feature EE are using
 
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