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ToomeyND

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 14, 2011
571
379
Okay, I understand how wifi calling works. But what happens when you are connected to wifi but unable to access internet? Will the phone work?

For example, there are times I'm at the airport, and my phone automatically connects to the wifi. However, the airport requires that I watch a 30 second video before internet will work. Before I'm aware of this due to a desire to browse, I have no idea that my mail is unable to fetch new info. This is because the phone is actively connected to a wifi network, and therefore tries to use it to refresh info, but internet is unavailable.

In this type of instance, would the phone default to wifi calling, even though there is no connection? In other words, would the phone stop working?
 
Bump. Anyone?

From what I read, the WiFi calling isn't just WiFi calling from any wireless spot. You still need a device from your carrier in your home that plugs into your home's wireless. So, basically, you won't be able to make WiFi calls from any place that has wireless. Just your home/office that has your carrier's router.

The difference now is that it hands-off calls seamlessly. Before, it wouldn't hand off calls.

Read the full article here about the T-Mobile version and their Cell-Spot Router.
https://www.yahoo.com/tech/t-mobile-free-wifi-calls-on-your-iphone-and-your-own-97178506734.html


EDIT: Turns out I was mistaken, see posts below.
 
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From what I read, the WiFi calling isn't just WiFi calling from any wireless spot. You still need a device from your carrier in your home that plugs into your home's wireless. So, basically, you won't be able to make WiFi calls from any place that has wireless. Just your home/office that has your carrier's router.

The difference now is that it hands-off calls seamlessly. Before, it wouldn't hand off calls.

Read the full article here about the T-Mobile version and their Cell-Spot Router.
https://www.yahoo.com/tech/t-mobile-free-wifi-calls-on-your-iphone-and-your-own-97178506734.html

Thank you. Sounds like this isn't worth getting too excited over. Reading the article, it doesn't sound like the T-mobile router is the same as the ATT 3G Microcell. It just says that the router puts priority on phone calls for bandwidth.

I still think it's a joke that ATT wants you to pay them extra to fix their network....grrrr....haha.
 
Thank you. Sounds like this isn't worth getting too excited over. Reading the article, it doesn't sound like the T-mobile router is the same as the ATT 3G Microcell. It just says that the router puts priority on phone calls for bandwidth.

I still think it's a joke that ATT wants you to pay them extra to fix their network....grrrr....haha.

I agree...I **need** an AT&T Microcell (horrible reception at my house); they should provide it to me at cost since their network is awful.
 
I don't know how the iPhone 6/6+ will handle WiFi calling, but I have a HTC One S that I use on TMobile for WiFi calling all the time and you can be connected to any Internet source, but you have to have a complete connection. If you're at a hotel and you need to login and click a user acceptance agreement, then WiFi calling will not work until that process has been completed. I'd be very surprised if you were really tied to the TMobile router, my understanding was that it offers faster speeds and prioritizes calls and texts versus other Internet content, but any WiFi source should work.
 
I used to have t-mobile and they had this for years on the black berries... it could be any router.. did not have to be the carries... I have never heard of t-mobile home internet. lol
 
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