Wi-Fi calling

[Casper46]

Can anyone tell me if I can use Wi-Fi calling with a Smarty Sim in my Motorhome WiFi. We are on the tunnel in the morning and tonight is the first chance that I have had to test the system. I can use My 3 phone with my Vodafone Broadband at home and I was hoping to do the same in the Motorhome.
We had a clear run down today, no problems on M20, we are at The Drum tonight, we thought it safer to be near the tunnel for an early start tomorrow.

 

[pappajohn]

I believe smarty is part of 3 and as 3 allow WiFi calling I can't see why not.

 

[Andy MacD]

I was in the tunnel this morning and had 4g the whole way through. Remember to engage roaming when you get to the other side and also if your data doesn’t kick in check the APL settings. My wife’s smarty on iphone needed the APL settings changed.

 

[Langtoftlad]

Smarty have only enabled a limited number of handsets to work with WiFi Calling.
If there's an option under phone settings to toggle on/off...
or check their compatible handset list:
<Broken link removed>

I believe smarty is part of 3 and as 3 allow WiFi calling I can't see why not.

Because many of these budget networks have this feature disabled, reserving it for their premium network.

 

[Casper46]

Thanks, I have no idea what I need to do to set it up. Im sure that the advert for Smarty said that WiFi calling was available.

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[AndyPK]

I use wi fi calling on my iPhone with Smarty sim in the ‘van…….

 

[Langtoftlad]

Thanks, I have no idea what I need to do to set it up. Im sure that the advert for Smarty said that WiFi calling was available.

Open the phone app, choose settings (three little dots top right), and scroll down to WiFi Calling, toggle on.

 

[Casper46]

Open the phone app, choose settings (three little dots top right), and scroll down to WiFi Calling, toggle on.

View attachment 611058

Thank you, I have Wi-Fi calling turned on. I have no idea if it’s working, I have just made a call, but it gave no indication whether it was a 3 call or a Wi-Fi call. I keep saying this, but I do wish that we had children, these things seem to be inbuilt into them.

 

[DBK]

Thank you, I have Wi-Fi calling turned on. I have no idea if it’s working, I have just made a call, but it gave no indication whether it was a 3 call or a Wi-Fi call.

I think that's the problem. I use WiFi calling at home because our house has thick stone walls and the normal phone signal struggles to reach inside. WiFi calling works very well.

But now we are in the MH I think the phone picks up a signal easily so the WiFi calling isn't used. But like you I get no indication which is being used - but then why worry if the phone is working, albeit mysteriously.

 

[autorouter]

But now we are in the MH I think the phone picks up a signal easily so the WiFi calling isn't used. But like you I get no indication which is being used - but then why worry if the phone is working, albeit mysteriously.

Because some providers are, or will shortly be, switching to a £5 a day charge even for a single text or a short call. So you'd like to be sure it's using Wifi calling through the alternative SIM in the Mifi. I don't know how to tell, except by looking at the bill when it arrives.

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[Langtoftlad]

WiFi Calling is only used if your phone can't pick up a strong enough mobile signal [as DBK said]
AFAIK if you have the option to turn it on, then you have WiFi Calling - the option simply isn't there if the network doesn't support it.

This is the little icon on your home screen that shows when WiFi Calling is being used, so it's not there all the time.

My home signal is very variable - currently I have 3 bars - so the icon is not showing.

It makes sense, the mobile provider would prefer you to run down your allowance as fast as possible rather than make 'free' use of WiFi

 

[berni109]

There u go I looked it up for u because I am about to get either idmobile or smarty.

We’re very excited to announce that WiFi Calling is now live. Here’s the lowdown.
WiFi Calling is here to help supercharge your signal. So, you’ll be able to use WiFi to make calls and send texts. Whether you’re at home, in a train station or doing the weekly shop – anywhere you can connect to WiFi.
Don’t worry, as WiFi Calling is charged in the same way as standard calls and texts you won't pay anything extra for it. You're already covered by your unlimited calls and texts (unless you’re using it for premium numbers or international calls of course).
The person you’re calling doesn’t even need to have WiFi Calling enabled for it work. And, because WiFi Calling is built-in to most phones there’s no need to download an app.
You can find out how to get started with WiFi Calling, here.

• SMARTY Team
• SMARTY
• November 23rd, 2020

 

[autorouter]

Sorry to say this, but I think this is not relevant to the problem. You want Wifi Calling to be set on your phone, so that it goes via Wifi through the Mifi unit through the SmartySim, which will connect to the phone mast in the usual way.

Setting the Smarty SIM to Wifi Calling will only be of use if you are making voice calls using your Smarty Sim. Since that's in the Mifi unit, which doesn't do voice calls, it's not going to help at all.

An alternative to Wifi Calling is to do a voice call via WhatsApp. That always uses the Wifi connection, not the phone mast. However not everyone is on WhatsApp. I'm fortunate in that most of my relatives and friends I keep in touch with are on WhatsApp.

 

[Casper46]

I have checked and WiFi roaming is turned on.
Next question is how do get my phone to WiFi call rather than use my 3 data connection. I have 3 weeks before 3 start charging me for roaming, that's why I bought the Smarty sim. At home my phone automatically connects to WiFi calling via my Vodafone broadband.
It's a good thing that I am learning what to do whilst Travelling.
Other than a delayed train we got the dogs through ok and only had I check on the gas, no hunt for food. Passport stamped by a miserable French border control soul.

 

[Itsmcb]

Not all phones have the WiFi calling option, neither my Moto g8 nor my son's brand-new android does.

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[Langtoftlad]

Next question is how do get my phone to WiFi call rather than use my 3 data connection.

Wifi Calling is only available when your phone signal is poor - it is not something you can choose to use [you can choose not to use it by turning the option off].
If you want to use WiFi to make a call, then use software like WhatsApp.

The WiFi has to be from a third party source - like your home network, or perhaps a hotel network - not the mobile wifi.
If you have no, or a weak, mobile signal, you'll have no WiFi... unless you piggy back another network

 

[autorouter]

Don’t worry, as WiFi Calling is charged in the same way as standard calls and texts you won't pay anything extra for it. You're already covered by your unlimited calls and texts (unless you’re using it for premium numbers or international calls of course).

This is for the Smarty SIM, but if these T&Cs apply to other phone providers does that mean that using Wifi Calling while Roaming will still incur the same charges as going through the phone mast?
Edit: I think Langtoftlad has answered this, the answer is yes. Glad I found that out before Three bring in their Roaming charges.

 

[Langtoftlad]

This is for the Smarty SIM, but if these T&Cs apply to other phone providers does that mean that using Wifi Calling while Roaming will still incur the same charges as going through the phone mast?

Again - you cannot WiFi call using your mobile network...
You can only use WiFi Calling if your mobile signal is weak/non existent and there is a WiFi network you can connect to.

If you want to make a call or text, whilst in a strong mobile signal area, using WiFi rather than your mobile package, then you have to use a third party internet package [ VOIP ]

 

[autorouter]

Again - you cannot WiFi call using your mobile network...
You can only use WiFi Calling if your mobile signal is weak/non existent and there is a WiFi network you can connect to.

I appreciate that it wouldn't work if there was a Three Sim in your phone and a Three Sim in the Mifi unit, but I was thinking it would probably work if the Mifi unit had an O2 Sim for example, and had a better aerial so the phone mast signal was stronger. The phone wouldn't know that the wifi via the Mifi was any different from say a McDonalds cafe wifi.

 

[Langtoftlad]

I appreciate that it wouldn't work if there was a Three Sim in your phone and a Three Sim in the Mifi unit, but I was thinking it would probably work if the Mifi unit had an O2 Sim for example, and had a better aerial so the phone mast signal was stronger. The phone wouldn't know that the wifi via the Mifi was any different from say a McDonalds cafe wifi.

True.
But I don't think that's what the OP wants.
I believe he wants to use the WiFi calling feature as an option to avoid using his sim allowance - but that's not what "WiFi Calling" is.
He has to connect to an external WiFi network to make WiFi calls using a third party app.
[Yes, that could be from a mifi using another sim - which he's paid for]

I use Smarty in my phone. I use WiFi calling on my home network because my mobile signal is terrible.
I also use a mifi with either a Three or EE sim [depending on best signal] to create a WiFi network in my Motorhome.
But they both use the data allowance I've paid for.

I'm going to Canada shortly - not included in Three's roaming destinations, so I must turn off "Roaming" & Mobile Data" so as not to incur huge roaming charges. Buying a local sim is extortionate. I'll have to rely on picking up WiFi networks at hotels, bars, cafés etc

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[Casper46]

Again - you cannot WiFi call using your mobile network...
You can only use WiFi Calling if your mobile signal is weak/non existent and there is a WiFi network you can connect to.

If you want to make a call or text, whilst in a strong mobile signal area, using WiFi rather than your mobile package, then you have to use a third party internet package [ VOIP ]

Wifi Calling is only available when your phone signal is poor - it is not something you can choose to use [you can choose not to use it by turning the option off].
If you want to use WiFi to make a call, then use software like WhatsApp.

The WiFi has to be from a third party source - like your home network, or perhaps a hotel network - not the mobile wifi.
If you have no, or a weak, mobile signal, you'll have no WiFi... unless you piggy back another network

Thank you, that makes sense. I had forgotten that I can make What’s App calls.

 

[pappajohn]

Thank you, I have Wi-Fi calling turned on. I have no idea if it’s working, I have just made a call, but it gave no indication whether it was a 3 call or a Wi-Fi call. I keep saying this, but I do wish that we had children, these things seem to be inbuilt into them.

WiFi calling only works if you DONT have a decent phone signal otherwise it just sits in the background.
Calls cost just the same as a normal call.

 

[pappajohn]

On my phone you can see the signal if crap....the phone handset with the triangle above denotes WiFi calling.

Ignore the text.....it's a screenshot of the last post.