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Wi-Fi Calling Now Available for AT&T Users
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Does Wi-Fi-to-LTE handoff work on AT&T?
You can call any number with Wi-Fi Calling (like you normally would), unlike FaceTime Audio.
You can call any number with Wi-Fi Calling (like you normally would), unlike FaceTime Audio.
FaceTime requires an iPhone to another iPhone connection. With this you can call landlines in addition to cell phones.
Hmmm, how about the multi-million dollar cost of deploying a geo-redundant IMS solution in their core network to support it? These are hugely complex and expensive, taking many months to design and deploy. The handset is just a small part of the infrastructure required to make VoWifi and VoLTE work you know.
I've been using WiFi calling on T-Mobile for a while with a work phone, because their service is terrible at my house. Our family using AT&T and we have a Microcell for that. So just a couple of thoughts for you that think this may be a great thing.
First off, this is only for calls... not anything else. I was using an Android phone and wifi-calling doesn't help you with texts. They don't work consistently if you have a bad signal. With an iPhone and iMessage, this is less of an issue unless you are communicating with someone that doesn't have an iPhone by text... and wifi calling doesn't help.
Someone asked about what was new about this vs. other wifi calls, i.e. Skype. This wifi falling is essential treating wifi as a microcell, so its through the phone/carrier, not via an app. So you can just dial the phone as normal and if there is wifi available it will use that instead of your carrier's tower. This is why you have to configure your address so that it works for 911.
Someone mentioned it not working outside the US. I'm pretty sure that I used it in Europe on T-Mobile and it worked. Did you see somewhere that it doesn't work outside the US?
First off, this is only for calls... not anything else. I was using an Android phone and wifi-calling doesn't help you with texts. They don't work consistently if you have a bad signal. With an iPhone and iMessage, this is less of an issue unless you are communicating with someone that doesn't have an iPhone by text... and wifi calling doesn't help.
Someone asked about what was new about this vs. other wifi calls, i.e. Skype. This wifi falling is essential treating wifi as a microcell, so its through the phone/carrier, not via an app. So you can just dial the phone as normal and if there is wifi available it will use that instead of your carrier's tower. This is why you have to configure your address so that it works for 911.
Someone mentioned it not working outside the US. I'm pretty sure that I used it in Europe on T-Mobile and it worked. Did you see somewhere that it doesn't work outside the US?
You can use WiFi calling to call outside of AT&T. You cannot use HD Voice to call outside of AT&T (yet).
AT&T says: "There is no additional cost for AT&T HD Voice service. HD Voice is one more way AT&T is building a better network for our customers."
HD Voice is VoLTE. In theory, it should work. Doesn't mean it does though.
At some point, it probably will.Just wanted to give a warning to anyone not living in a VoLTE area. If you enable WiFi calling, and make a call while connected to 4G, when your signal drops to whatever level would normally activate WiFi calling, your phone call will go silent. Upon disconnecting the call, WiFi will immediately show in the status bar, and you will be able to place the call again.
I reported this bug during the Beta period to Apple, and it has persisted even on 9.0.2. WiFi calling is not supposed to attempt to activate once the call has already been established, but for some reason it tries to.
I reported this bug during the Beta period to Apple, and it has persisted even on 9.0.2. WiFi calling is not supposed to attempt to activate once the call has already been established, but for some reason it tries to.
As I recall, international calling is covered by international laws and treaties. It's great that your call originates on a wifi network, but it is switched through ATT to overseas or cross borders connections where they are just calls, as you say. The other end completing the call requires payment, and that comes from you. Like it or not. This is how some phone scams work. Where they get you to call a number that is then switched to a number overseas without you knowing it. You get the hundreds of dollars in fees and there is nothing ATT or anyone else can do about it.
Turn on Airplane mode and turn on WiFi. Shows "AT&T Wi-Fi"
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HD Voice is VoLTE. In theory, it should work. Doesn't mean it does though.
How do we check if we have "HD Voice"?
I'm too afraid to set it up because I don't want to get charged extra. I've got Family Talk plan for minute, Unlimited Text, and the grandfathered Unlimited data. However, I've never seen "HD Voice" anywhere on my bill
FYI, when I first dumped my land line (a dozen years ago) I was using my cell phone and WiFi calling (we called it Skype) with you couldn't call 911 with it.
I was concerned I might not have my phone (dead battery, left it at work, left in the car, etc.) so I called my location police station and asked for a regular phone number to dial to get me to the 911 switchboard (which they gave me) and added that to my Skype favorites.
Gary
I was concerned I might not have my phone (dead battery, left it at work, left in the car, etc.) so I called my location police station and asked for a regular phone number to dial to get me to the 911 switchboard (which they gave me) and added that to my Skype favorites.
Gary