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Wi-Fi Calling and VoLTE Expand to O2 and Other Carriers on iOS 10.3

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Following yesterday's iOS 10.3 release, several carriers around the world have enabled support for native Wi-Fi calling and VoLTE on iPhone.

wifi-calling-o2.jpg

In addition to updating to iOS 10.3, the features require installing a carrier settings update to be enabled. Your device should prompt you to install the carrier settings update in Settings > General > Software Update.

Features may be limited to certain iPhone models, so check with your carrier. British carrier O2, for example, has only enabled support on iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus right now, with plans to add other devices soon.

The full list of carriers that have just enabled native Wi-Fi calling on iOS 10.3:Australia: Optus
Austria: A1 Telekom
Belgium: Telenet
Greece: Cosmote
Hong Kong: 1010
Norway: Telia
Poland: Orange, Play
Switzerland: Sunrise
United Kingdom: O2The full list of carriers that have just enabled VoLTE on iOS 10.3:Denmark: 3
Greece: Cosmote
Peru: Movistar
Poland: Orange
Russia: MegaFon
Turkey: Turk Telecom
United Kingdom: O2To enable Wi-Fi calling, open the Settings app, tap on General > Wi-Fi Calling, and toggle on Wi-Fi Calling on This iPhone.

To enable VoLTE, open the Settings app and tap on Mobile Data > Mobile Data Options > Enable 4G > Voice & Data.

Meanwhile, Verizon customers with an iPhone running iOS 10.3 can now 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. The devices must be signed into the same Apple ID used on the iPhone.

Update: Slovenia's Telekom also officially announced VoLTE support today, although the carrier was already included on Apple's list.

Article Link: Wi-Fi Calling and VoLTE Expand to O2 and Other Carriers on iOS 10.3
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/03/28/wifi-calling-volte-expands-ios-10-3/
Here in Canada, I've had nothing but a poor experience with Wi-Fi calling. Callers always saying that my voice drops out, when I'm not noticing any problems at my end. Just easier to turn the feature off. Not seeing the benefit when we have Unlimited calling. I guess inside office buildings or other structures where there's wifi, but no LTE, it makes sense.
 
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Happy with o2's addition. Before you HAD to download one of their apps, TU Go, and do it all through that. That's no longer the case.
 
Here in Argentina we also received a carrier update for Claro Argentina, coinciding with the iPhone 7 release in the country next 04/07/2017. The iPhone hadn`t been sold since 2011 and this marks its return. No VoLTE and no WiFi Calling yet but we regained basic stuff like VVM.
 
andy.ringwood said:
Happy with o2's addition. Before you HAD to download one of their apps, TU Go, and do it all through that. That's no longer the case.
Click to expand...

Yes, but Tu Go can be used abroad (without extra charge) and also when another network sim card is installed.

Wifi-call is not possible in the above scenario's
 
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andy.ringwood said:
Happy with o2's addition. Before you HAD to download one of their apps, TU Go, and do it all through that. That's no longer the case.
Click to expand...

The only positive about this Wifi/4G calling is that you get to see 'O2WiFiCall' on your iPhone, Apple Watch/macOS integration and you can seamlessly switch from Wifi to 4G while on call...

From what I read everything else is a negative against TUGo. I don't know if they did this on purpose so they can say "Ok we do have native WiFi calling you can shut up now!" but it is so limited.
  • You can't have TUGo and WiFi/4G Calling on the same time, so you have to choose one or the other.
  • You can't use native WiFi calling abroad, even when you're on WiFi (but you can with TUGo, surprise!)
  • You can't receive any new Visual Voicemails if you have no network signal (but with TUGo you can)
  • No SMS or MMS without any network signal (TUGo does this!)
  • And of course you can link different devices for the same mobile number in TUGo (O2 can't do anything about that though, not their fault)
  • Oh, and you have to be on 10.3 or above. Bad luck, jailbreakers!
I don't want to continue using TUGo, but if you want better features you're still stuck with it I'm afraid.
 
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Manatlt said:
The only positive about this Wifi/4G calling is that you get to see 'O2WiFiCall' on your iPhone, Apple Watch/macOS integration and you can seamlessly switch from Wifi to 4G while on call...

From what I read everything else is a negative against TUGo. I don't know if they did this on purpose so they can say "Ok we do have native WiFi calling you can shut up now!" but it is so limited.
  • You can't have TUGo and WiFi/4G Calling on the same time, so you have to choose one or the other.
  • You can't use native WiFi calling abroad, even when you're on WiFi (but you can with TUGo, surprise!)
  • You can't receive any new Visual Voicemails if you have no network signal (but with TUGo you can)
  • No SMS or MMS without any network signal (TUGo does this!)
  • And of course you can link different devices for the same mobile number in TUGo (O2 can't do anything about that though, not their fault)
I don't want to continue using TUGo, but if you want better features you're still stuck with it I'm afraid.
Click to expand...

I switched from O2 to EE 18 months ago because tugo was a poor relation to native wifi calling. The fact I cannot use tugo for free whilst abroad is an insignificant inconvenience.

Now o2 have it, I'll compare coverage again when I renew. O2 was significantly behind EE when I switched.
 
itsmilo said:
But why have the option if it doesnt do anything
Click to expand...
Can't you change 2G/3G/4G through that option?
But anyway, I don't know. But all I know is, this announcement is for O2 UK only, not Germany. So WiFi calling is still not available for your carrier yet.
[doublepost=1490714144][/doublepost]
bilbo--baggins said:
I switched from O2 to EE 18 months ago because tugo was a poor relation to native wifi calling. The fact I cannot use tugo for free whilst abroad is an insignificant inconvenience.

Now o2 have it, I'll compare coverage again when I renew. O2 was significantly behind EE when I switched.
Click to expand...
Errr, yes you can. You just need to be connected to WiFi anywhere around the world (and it will be free).

Native WiFi Calling on O2 cannot do this.
 
Manatlt said:
The only positive about this Wifi/4G calling is that you get to see 'O2WiFiCall' on your iPhone, Apple Watch/macOS integration and you can seamlessly switch from Wifi to 4G while on call...

From what I read everything else is a negative against TUGo. I don't know if they did this on purpose so they can say "Ok we do have native WiFi calling you can shut up now!" but it is so limited.
  • You can't have TUGo and WiFi/4G Calling on the same time, so you have to choose one or the other.
  • You can't use native WiFi calling abroad, even when you're on WiFi (but you can with TUGo, surprise!)
  • You can't receive any new Visual Voicemails if you have no network signal (but with TUGo you can)
  • No SMS or MMS without any network signal (TUGo does this!)
  • And of course you can link different devices for the same mobile number in TUGo (O2 can't do anything about that though, not their fault)
I don't want to continue using TUGo, but if you want better features you're still stuck with it I'm afraid.
Click to expand...
good summary, but can you not text/sms via the wifi calling feature?
 
Newjackboy said:
good summary, but can you not text/sms via the wifi calling feature?
Click to expand...
You can text/SMS if you have available network signal (but we can do this even before this announcement anyway...).

But no, according to O2, you cannot receive SMS/MMS if you have no network signal (but you have Wifi). Only iMessages (and probably any data-only text apps).
 
Manatlt said:
Can't you change 2G/3G/4G through that option?
But anyway, I don't know. But all I know is, this announcement is for O2 UK only, not Germany. So WiFi calling is still not available for your carrier yet.
[doublepost=1490714144][/doublepost]
Errr, yes you can. You just need to be connected to WiFi anywhere around the world (and it will be free).

Native WiFi Calling on O2 cannot do this.
Click to expand...

No, wifi calling has been available on o2 Germany for a while now. I was talking about the 2nd part of the news.

Only got this option, not 2G or 3G. Oh well
 

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itsmilo said:
No, wifi calling has been available on o2 Germany for a while now. I was talking about the 2nd part of the news.

Only got this option, not 2G or 3G. Oh well
Click to expand...

I apologise. I can't read the options in German though lol.

Newjackboy said:
See EE wifi calling page. texts definitely possible too
http://ee.co.uk/help/phones-and-device/wifi-calling
Click to expand...

Yes, EE can do it. That's why I'm slightly pissed off with O2. They did it on purpose so we have to stick with TU Go if you want better features.

Basically, O2 native Wifi calling is for those who don't have a network signal, and don't care about:

1) Receiving/creating SMS/MMS
2) Receiving/making calls abroad
3) Getting Voicemail alerts or Visual Voicemail
 
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I wish there was a way to get rid of ugly "Wi-Fi" postfix next to carrier name when Wi-Fi calling is enabled.
 
Yay! After long time waiting, Optus customers can use wifi calling without an app. Currently only postpaid customers are allowed to use but yeah, wonderful.

Device support is also better than Telstra wifi calling, as well as feature support.

Hope I don't need to wait too long (prepaid customer).
 
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