Should i leave wifi calling on all the time

In case you have a good broadband connection and a reliable WiFi signal, know that thanks to technological advancement, we now can make calls without cellular signal at all.

What are we talking about?

WiFi calls!

Yes, you read it right!

Now you can make calls using your WiFi connection.

How exactly does that work?

This article will discuss the topic in detail, outlining WiFi calls’ pros and cons, comparing normal calls to WiFi ones, and will have an FAQ section, for those of you who need a quick fix and need answers right away.

Without further ado, let’s dive in!

What is WiFi calling?

So what is WiFi calling exactly?

Well, it’s a call that uses the WiFi signal instead of a standard cellular network like Verizon or T-Mobile.

These days the new versions of iOS and Android support this new technology and the universal standards of the VoIP. Plus, it can help optimize the battery use, as well as the overall user experience.

Sounds amazing, right?

But why would you ever think of using WiFi instead of a regular cellular network, one might wonder?

Reasons to use WiFi calling?

There are many reasons why you might need to turn to WiFi calls.

Let’s discuss the most common ones and see how you can benefit from unconventional methods of making calls.

• Cellular network not available for voice calls

This could happen either because you are too far away from cell towers and the signal is not reaching you, or the signal is not strong enough to penetrate your building – the walls are too thick, there is too much metal in them, too much wiring.

The reasons might be numerous.

But the results are still the same – no bars on your phone to make a single call.

The other most common reason is to simply save some money.

If you have a plan, probably this doesn’t apply to you, as most often than not, on-net and off-net minutes are included.

But what if your minutes run out, and you still need to communicate with the outside world?

That’s right  – WiFi calls!

However, if you don’t have a plan, and you are just travelling to a different place or don’t want to spend money on calls, you can always use the option of WiFi calls.

WiFi calls, as we have stated before, are made through the WiFi connection.

You can use it whenever you have access to it.

WiFi is available in many places these days.

First of all, your house and office.

It is also available in such public places like all kinds of restaurants and bars, malls and shops.

There are even WiFi connections available in parks and public transport.

Of course, the public connection is not as reliable and fast as the private ones in homes and offices; nevertheless, can work.

WiFi calling vs Cellular calling

Naturally, there are differences between making WiFi and cellular calls, and internet calls have positive and negative aspects to it.

The major difference is the source of the network, where WiFi uses your internet connection through Voice over Internet Protocol.

On the other hand, Cellular calls use the provider’s network, broadcasted through cell towers on certain frequency waves.

Where cellular networks fail, WiFi calls can come in very handy.

So let’s see in short what are the most common pros and cons of such calls.

Pros and Cons of WiFi Calling

Let us start from the good news and discuss all the benefits that WiFi calling can bring.

Advantages of Internet Calls

• Drastic improvement of call quality in places where cellular network not available for voice calls;
• Needs no added charges, as the WiFi calls inside and to the USA are usually included in your monthly plan;
• No need to install any applications as most modern devices have it built right in;
• No need for additional registrations and logins as it uses your current phone number;
• Battery life improvement, as there is no need for searching the cell network, which drains your phone’s battery;
• No need for special plans and added services.

Disadvantages of WiFi Calling

There is always two sides of the coin, right?

Like any other technology, WiFi calls, as great as they may seem, have their restrictions and areas where they fall short.

• Unreliable signal strength – in most public areas, especially crowded places like airports, hotels, universities and such WiFi signal is never strong and steady. It is mainly due to the overload of the network. The lousy signal will inevitably cause a bad call experience in the form of dropped calls and poor voice quality.
• Additional charges may apply – in case your WiFi connection is lost for some reason, the call may switch to your data and cause you to pay extra, in case your data plan is up, or you don’t have one. Make sure to set your settings right and check with your carrier, if you want the call to switch automatically to a cellular network.
• Unsupported feature of the phone – most new versions of iPhone and Android phones have the feature built-in. However, if you have an older model, make sure it’s there, before contemplating to use the WiFi calls. Check for the feature in your settings or contact your carrier to find out.
• International call restrictions – when you are abroad, make sure to check with the carrier to see whether or not the WiFi calls to the US and other countries are supported.

As you can see, we haven’t created a perfect means of communication yet, but this feature comes very close.

However, it’s a relatively new means of communication, and many of us still have numerous questions when it comes to setting up and using WiFi calls.

For that particular reason, we have compiled a list of frequently asked questions, so that you can browse through them, and hopefully, find the answer you are looking for.

FAQs

• Does my carrier support WiFi calling?

Major US cellular providers support this feature. Those providers include such giants like T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T and Sprint, that offer free WiFi calls within the US as well as calls to the US from abroad. In order to see the fees and regulations, make sure you check with your carrier, as additional fees may apply.

Here are some useful websites to check such information:

Most of the modern smartphone models offer such a feature; however, if you have an older model, make sure to check before attempting to use the WiFi calling option.

• How to enable WiFi calling on Android?

In order to turn on the feature on your Android phone, follow the instructions below:

• Make sure you are connected to a WiFi network. In case you reconnect, and the calls are still failing, make sure to connect your provider for more information.

  Is it better to have Wi

  It can improve call quality, but Wi-Fi calling can also extend your phone's battery life, as weak cell signals cause your phone to use more power to boost the connection.

  What is the downside of Wi

  The Cons. While Wi-Fi calling can be a great option for calls from home, it's considerably less reliable in public settings. If you're in a cafe or a hotel, think of all the bandwidth that is shared between multiple users all actively using the same network.

  What happens if I turn Wi

  If you turn off Location Services for Wi-Fi Calling, your device will not be able to determine or send the city you are in to your carrier when you dial a short code number for a Wi-Fi call and as a result your carrier may not be able to properly route or connect your call.

  Do I need Wi

  If you are using your own phone data you only need to enable WiFi calling. In all cases, you must remember WiFi calling is very useful when you are in a zone with weak carrier coverage. You can set this function as your default way of placing a call or only if you lose phone signal.