But just what is a Wi-Fi call you ask? Many people assume it's simply a VOIP call like you would place over Skype, but that’s not the case. Wi-Fi Calling allows you to use a wireless network to call people using your phone’s number–not a username (as traditional VOIP calling works).
Wi-Fi Calling is incredibly handy when you have a weak or non-existent cellular connection but still need to call someone. With Wi-Fi Calling, the iPhone will automatically route a call you place through your wireless router and the call will be sent as it would over a regular cellular network.
If you’ve ever been in your home or office in an area where your cellular signal drops off, you’ll see the immediate benefit of Wi-Fi Calling. It’s like giving your cellular signal a boost.
The drawback to Wi-Fi Calling is carriers must support the feature. Wi-Fi Calling is baked into iOS, but it a mobile carrier doesn’t support it, you won’t be able to make calls using Wi-Fi.
Carriers in the UK that support Wi-Fi Calling include 3, O2, EE, BT, and Vodafone. carriers that do not support Wi-Fi Calling at this time include Giffgaff, Virgin Mobile UK, Sky, and Talk Mobile.
So, if your carrier supports Wi-Fi Calling, how do you use it? Follow these steps:
- Go to Settings > Phone > Wi-Fi Calling on your iPhone.
- Google the “Wi-Fi Calling on This iPhone” switch to ON (green).
- Depending on your carrier and location, you may be asked to confirm your physical address in case of emergency. This is because, with Wi-Fi Calling, dialing emergency services will be routed through it if cellular isn’t available. If so, the emergency services will be able to see your device’s address and location, which could help aid in them reaching you faster.
Three steps? That’s it? Yep. Apple has made Wi-Fi Calling as simple as possible. But how do you place a call over Wi-Fi Calling? Glad you asked. If your iPhone is connected to a Wi-Fi network, it will automatically route all calls through Wi-Fi calling if the signal is good enough.
This is because wireless networks often have a more stable connection that cellular networks in certain buildings (and depending what the building is made from). So there’s no need to “activate” Wi-Fi Calling each time you call once you’ve set the future up on your device in the first place.
