Is there a way to disable the mobile radio without going into airplane mode?
I'll be traveling to the UK and don't want to use the cell minutes but would like to use WiFi and WiFi calling if possible (right now if airplane mode is enabled WiFi Calling cannot work). I tried searching and one of the suggestions was to use Tasker to do this, however it can't disable the mobile radio on the G2x.
did123 said:
Is there a way to disable the mobile radio without going into airplane mode?
I'll be traveling to the UK and don't want to use the cell minutes but would like to use WiFi and WiFi calling if possible (right now if airplane mode is enabled WiFi Calling cannot work). I tried searching and one of the suggestions was to use Tasker to do this, however it can't disable the mobile radio on the G2x.
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I'm also curious about this. I suppose you could call T-Mobile and remove international roaming from your account, but that solution isn't the best.
Wifi calling disables the radio. And you can set the preferences to just use wifi only in the wifi calling app. But you still use your minutes using wifi calling, I don't know if they will be international or not.
Yes, this seems to do what I want to achieve. My only concern would be if a call (either outgoing or incoming) would still go through the mobile network since the radio is still enabled but I guess I'd need to try it out in order to see if it would work.
Go into the settings of the wifi calling app and you can set it to use wifi only
Thanks.
Yes, I figured out how to do this. My only concern was if somehow the WiFi Calling application crashed and a call made it through the cellular network instead.
I just got a confirmation from T-Mobile that overseas calls are not charged if they are made through WiFi. Below is a log of my chat:
D : If I use WiFi Calling while abroad, how are the calls charged?
_Lindsay T: Hi D , welcome to T-Mobile live Chat. I’m _Lindsay and I will be happy to assist you. Please give me a moment to review your question.
D : OK.
_Lindsay T: Thank you.
_Lindsay T: I can definitely understand how important this is to you.
_Lindsay T: When you are abroad and use wifi calling your calls are deducted from your plan minutes.
_Lindsay T: If you are not properly connected to wifi though, you are subject to roaming charges.
D : This is Ok. I'm more interested if I'm charged per minute roaming rates or not?
_Lindsay T: If you're properly connected to wifi you will not be charged extra, it comes out of your minute plan.
D : So if I'm connected to a WiFi access point and use WiFi calling, then there is no other charge, other than deducting the minutes from the plan minutes?
_Lindsay T: Correct.
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Go to Settings > Wireless & networks > Mobile networks and then uncheck the box that says Data Enabled. You won't have any data over any mobile networks that way, only over wifi when wifi is turned on.
So, whenever I made a call on my N5, the Wifi gets turned off and it switches into 3G/HSPA+ mode (no LTE). When I end the call, it will connect to LTE and then enable Wireless again and connect like normal. This is on T-Mobile if that means anything.
Is this suppose to happen? Is there a way to prevent it from disabling Wifi during a call?
EDIT: The issue was with Tasker, since I use Cell Towers to tigger Wifi, and I guess calls uses different towers.
Anything? Even when receiving a call, before the call actually "comes through" the Wifi will be turned off; THEN the call comes through.
I just tried calling my ATT phone in a good LTE area with good WIFI. It did not drop wifi. I'm stock non-rooted 4.4.2.
There is a setting in the wifi page which prevents the phone from connecting to poor wifi. Is it possible that you're in a borderline poor wifi area and when a call is received your wifi drops just below that threshold and phone then falls back on 3G/LTE ? I noticed my phone at home when I go far from my AP I get 1 bar on the wifi but the phone says it is connected. But then wehn I try to access a web page, the phone would drop wifi and connect to 3G. I don't have LTE at home so I can't say if it would've connected to LTE straight away after wifi drop off
Does the idol automatically use wifi when it's available for data? I just got a sim card and activated using BYO Wireless (T-Mobile).
My old Tracfone phone had an option where you could turn off cell data and use wifi only.
Yes and no..the priority is wifi but the cell radio is still used to receive sms's and other cell phone specific notifications...when you make a call while on wifi it's still using the cell radio not wifi for the call. You however have to have wifi on and the hotspot "saved"...if you want the phone to automatically grab any available hotspot when in an area look for an app like "wefi".
Some people make things so complicated.
The simple and best answer is yes, Wifi always takes priority over mobile data if the phone is connected to a wifi signal. This is standard on all phones as far as I know.
I realize it uses cell signal for messages and calls but will it use WiFi for surfing the web and email?
Thanks shodan. I posted before your reply..
I have a T-Mobile connection. I wanted to enable Wifi Calling since the network service of T Mobile is very poor. How can I do that? I am able to turn on wifi calling by activating the hidden switch, but it doesnt turn ON the feature and while revisiting the setting it again shows OFF.
goofup14 said:
I have a T-Mobile connection. I wanted to enable Wifi Calling since the network service of T Mobile is very poor. How can I do that? I am able to turn on wifi calling by activating the hidden switch, but it doesnt turn ON the feature and while revisiting the setting it again shows OFF.
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i am honestly not sure, as i've never tried wifi calling on this phone.
if you dont get it working, i can tell you that if you have tmobile service you can visit tmobile store and ask for a "cellspot". it will use your home internet to produce a usable LTE/cellular signal that acts just like a normal tower. if i remember correctly it was a $25 deposit on the device and that was it.
goofup14 said:
I have a T-Mobile connection. I wanted to enable Wifi Calling since the network service of T Mobile is very poor. How can I do that? I am able to turn on wifi calling by activating the hidden switch, but it doesnt turn ON the feature and while revisiting the setting it again shows OFF.
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You, I, and a whole lot of other people have this issue with the Moto-g. There are a bunch of threads around the web about this. I used wifi calling with my old phone (LG Optimus) on T-Mobile / MetroPCS and I loved it, especially when I'm out of the country, but the (hidden) WiFi calling setting on the g3 won't stay enabled, even though MetroPCS says I still have the service enabled. The consensus seems to be that only phones purchased thru them are allowed to use WiFi calling. I haven't been told this by the company myself, but a lot of folks say they have.
For now, I switch back to my old phone every time I leave the country. I get a foreign SIM for my Moto, and I use my old phone for sending and receiving US calls via WiFi.
HTH
I'd like to force my Pixel 7 to disconnect from any mobile network, without using airplane mode. Do you know a way to achieve this?
Reason for asking this: I will travel abroad and use a secondary SIM to provide me with data, while using my primary SIM with voWiFi (or Backup calling). That'd would keep me reachable on my phone number and allow me to make calls/SMS @home at local rates.
The reason for having my primary SIM disconnected from any mobile network is due to the fact that my primary carrier will charge me for calls/SMS depending on the latest place I got connected to a mobile network. They charge roaming fees even when you're using voWiFi in airplane mode! I have tested this already on a previous trip.
One way would be to select a network manually, or a network that I know it won't connect. However, if I turn on and off airplane mode (to take a flight), the phone will connect to the latest network it connected successfully to.
So my strategy is to connect manually to my home network at home, hoping the phone doesn't magically connect to a network. That's why, I'd like to really make sure that the phone can't connect to any mobile network, just to be sure it won't connect to a network while roaming. But only on the primary SIM. For the other SIM I do want to get connected.
For those wondering, my carrier is T-Mobile NL.
Try messing up the apn details on your sim when abroad. That will prevent connection
The issue is that messing with apn won't prevent the phone to register to a roaming network. That alone will tell my carrier where I am and charge roaming fees accordingly...
@jasalta387 Interesting problem for sure. Can you forward your calls to the secondary (travel) sim and use WhatsApp or Signal to call on wifi? Or leave an auto message giving your foreign number. Any time you connect to the primary network you will be charged, no two ways about it on an Android device. I do believe the iPhone has that capability however. Even if you receive a text on the primary you will trigger a roaming charge. Perhaps the only way to avoid that is turning off the sim entirely while traveling. See if they have an inexpensive international plan?
Indeed, iPhone can easily be disconnected from a cellular network by selecting one that doesn't register. That setting sticks even while cycling through airplane mode or a device reboot. On Pixel this is not the case. Pixel will register again, hence my issue.
I know I could rely on 3rd party apps or services or call forwarding. Problem is that I then need to redirect all people who could reach me to them somehow, while using wifi calling is just fine. Even SMS come and go through it. I just need to not make my carrier aware I'm overseas. Hence my question.
I could use a second device that provides me data and keep my phone all the time in airplane mode. This needs that I carry the two devices all the time with the logistics of charging two phones and all of that. I just want to do it all with my Pixel.
I was thinking one thing: I need to go to the US. Is 3G dead there for good? Because then I could tell my Pixel to use 3G and not allow 2G. That'd keep it away from any accidental network registration upon landing.
jasalta387 said:
Indeed, iPhone can easily be disconnected from a cellular network by selecting one that doesn't register. That setting sticks even while cycling through airplane mode or a device reboot. On Pixel this is not the case. Pixel will register again, hence my issue.
I know I could rely on 3rd party apps or services or call forwarding. Problem is that I then need to redirect all people who could reach me to them somehow, while using wifi calling is just fine. Even SMS come and go through it. I just need to not make my carrier aware I'm overseas. Hence my question.
I could use a second device that provides me data and keep my phone all the time in airplane mode. This needs that I carry the two devices all the time with the logistics of charging two phones and all of that. I just want to do it all with my Pixel.
I was thinking one thing: I need to go to the US. Is 3G dead there for good? Because then I could tell my Pixel to use 3G and not allow 2G. That'd keep it away from any accidental network registration upon landing.
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I'm intrigued by this and would love to find a solution for you. Oh yeah, 3G is dead across the US from all reports. So I'm trying to parse this scenario, let's see if I get this right. You want to have phone calls come into your primary phone line (Sim 1) but no network connectivity for data, right so far. Also you want SMS to the primary while roaming. The problem is that even if you don't get a phone call or text the connection to the network alone will trigger a billing instance, right so far again?
My daughter has an iPhone and turns off data on the sim but can get phone calls and text. As soon as she does though there is a daily billing charge of $10 because she's outside the US. I also think she can connect to wifi and make calls and text without a carrier network. But I'm not sure about. But that aside, how would you like it to work? Would you like it to connect to the network but not get charged unless you get a call or SMS? Because once a call comes in you're roaming charges will ensue. In airplane mode and strictly wifi there should be no charges but you say they bill you anyway right? Are you sure you didn't get a text or something to trigger the charge? I hope I'm reading this right.
My carrier bills calls and SMS based on the country of the latest connected cellular network. So if I don't connect to any network while I'm abroad my carrier will think I never left the country.
I don't want neither data nor calls/SMS on my primary SIM using cellular while abroad. I can get all calls and SMS via WiFi calling on that primary SIM. To get WiFi calling when I'm abroad I will use the data connection on my secondary SIM or any WiFi network.
Because of the need to get the secondary SIM on, airplane mode doesn't help me. So I need my primary SIM to never to any cellular network while I'm abroad.
jasalta387 said:
My carrier bills calls and SMS based on the country of the latest connected cellular network. So if I don't connect to any network while I'm abroad my carrier will think I never left the country.
I don't want neither data nor calls/SMS on my primary SIM using cellular while abroad. I can get all calls and SMS via WiFi calling on that primary SIM. To get WiFi calling when I'm abroad I will use the data connection on my secondary SIM or any WiFi network.
Because of the need to get the secondary SIM on, airplane mode doesn't help me. So I need my primary SIM to never to any cellular network while I'm abroad.
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And if you turn off the sim then even WiFi doesn't work on your primary number?
If the SIM is turned off, then you don't get WiFi calling
Try the 4636 menu
Choose the SIM you want from drop down
3 dot menu top right
Disable data connection
jasalta387 said:
If the SIM is turned off, then you don't get WiFi calling
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Is it possible to adjust the order of airplane mode / network /wifi on-off so as to not allow the sim to connect to the network but still allow wifi on the sim? So for instance, disable the sim, turn on airplane mode, turn on the sim and then enable wifi calling while in airplane mode, turn off airplane mode with data turned off on the sim. I can't believe with no data, calls, sms and only wifi the carrier will charge you roaming. That just doesn't seem right.
bobby janow said:
Is it possible to adjust the order of airplane mode / network /wifi on-off so as to not allow the sim to connect to the network but still allow wifi on the sim? So for instance, disable the sim, turn on airplane mode, turn on the sim and then enable wifi calling while in airplane mode, turn off airplane mode with data turned off on the sim. I can't believe with no data, calls, sms and only wifi the carrier will charge you roaming. That just doesn't seem right.
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@jasalta387
I don't know if you would follow this suggestion...
But in case you are interested in it, this sounds like something you could pull off automatically with something like MacroDroid or Tasker or some other automation app -- even without being rooted! But I concur, it doesn't make sense that a carrier charge roaming when there would be no data, calls, or sms but only wifi....I'm of the opinion (previously stated somewhere in the thread here) that you might've either misread the bill and/or accidentally "caught" a text or transferred a byte of data and it triggered...
Hey there, I know it sounds harsh that a carrier bills this way. It is verified and discussed in a local forum here (in Dutch) https://gathering.tweakers.net/forum/list_message/74880578#74880578
Of course, here there are a few things at play:
1- the carrier wants to have a clear way of communication and support. If you are abroad, those are the prices you pay for. That's it. You know it for sure. They don't want to have to explain how to turn on VoWIFI and explain how to make that working for every phone, or explain to you that you made a call thinking you were on VoWIFI while you weren't. Their approach is crystal clear.
2- the carrier makes some extra income this way. While travelling in the US: for every SMS sent they charge 0.51 EUR, calls placed 1.27 EUR, calls received 0.76 EUR and 2.50 EUR per MB of data. For data, they sell some passes that makes the price more reasonable. Note that unlimited plans for domestic data/calls here start at 25 EUR per month.
3- In The Netherlands (and for pretty much every country in EU) people rely quite a lot on 3rd party apps for calls and texting, especially when you are abroad. WhatsApp is the go-to service, even for domestic communication. People don't even bother using their home carrier when travelling outside of EU. They just remove (or disable) that SIM. So the high cost of roaming is usually left to business users for which companies pay or make better deals with the carriers.
One thing I didn't mention is that in NL, pretty much all carriers limit VoWIFI to Dutch IP addresses. To use VoWIFI you'd need to use a router that tunnels all IP traffic via a VPN that has an exit point in The Netherlands. That's how I conducted my test and verified that all activity using VoWIFI was billed using the same fares as if I was using a roaming cellular network.
I want to try this using a secondary SIM from a Dutch provider, which will give me the Dutch IP address. Backup Calling on my primary SIM will make that SIM to connect to VoWIFI. But to get my home fares, I really need to make sure that my primary SIM doesn't connect to any network while I'm travelling (hence my original request).