Hello, I am traveling internationally and have decided to use Wifi Calling to avoid getting charged for international calls.
I turned on wifi calling in the settings and went through the automated setup, and in settings it shows that wifi calling is on, however the wifi calling symbol in the top notification/pull down bar shows that wifi calling is off.
Obviously this makes things very confusing, and I don't know how to tell if calls being made are being made on wifi or if I am being charged per minute on the calls that I make?
Thank you for any help you can provide.
Notes: so far I have restarted the phone, used Sprint's reset to factory settings, updated PRL and Profile multiple times, however the symbol still shows that wifi calling is off while settings state wifi calling is on.
You'll get a little telephone icon in the bar across the top of the screen to the right hand side. When you see that, wifi calling is active and calls are going through that.
The thing with wifi calling is that it can be enabled, but it'll only fully turn on when signal drops below a set point. On earlier firmwares you could just go into airplane mode and enable wifi to force it over, but the latest firmware broke that workaround.
Related
This just started happening within the last week.
My phone is rooted.
It seems that when I have WiFi turned on I have a complete loss of 4G/3G/2G/G RF. If I turn WiFi off, then the phone signal comes back. This wouldn't bother me that much if I could send texts over WiFi with no normal phone signal, but everytime I try to send a text over WiFi it fails to send. Anyone else experience this issue?
Thanks
With wifi calling it purposefully turns off your mobile data so it doesn't use any of your minutes/data. You can go into wifi calling and select preferences and turn it to cellular connection preferred - that way your phone will still use your signal whenever it can, but keep in mind you'll use a lot more data and your battery won't last as long. I do have texts fail from time to time on wifi calling but it hasn't been too bad recently. If you don't have a good wifi signal then just turn off wifi calling.
Thanks for the info!
So why would the texts keep failing? I will even try to keep re-sending the text and still they will fail. Is there a specific port on the router that needs to be open for better optimization?
I have had a crazy time both with wifi calling remaining connected (suffered sudden drops), and further SMS over wifi seemed spotty at best.
Part of this was caused by either a bad SIM card, or deletions of stock apps and/or services...which now have been fixed.
At the moment everything is working fine. Don't know if this will affect anyone, but I thought I would just add to the library of knowledge.
First, once I got wifi-calling working (meaning the status bar icon was no longer red), I started to read the log files and realized that every time the wifi was reset, wifi calling would not consistently restart.
What I have realized is that wifi-calling and SMS are dependent on TMOs mobile network via wifi. However, any internet connection is simply that...and any apps you have like FB or Google Voice will work with that wifi internet connection. Conversely,the TMO wifi-calling service/app either connects on a different layer (such as the IP layer) or uses some unusual node-based connection to traverse the 802.11 frequency, over your ISP's and other networks to arrive at the TMO servers which then are linked into the mobile network. You can see this by downloading an app that triangulates and provides tower locations nearby or gives you other mobile network data (i.e., CID, etc)... That data is either not decipherable by the app trying to get this data, or one gets unusual info when compared to non-wifi calling. Bottom line is that there are two separate signals being carried by the wifi: "data" and "mobile wifi calling" and they are completely different.
Another example of proof: if you are having difficulty with SMS using your wifi internet connection, try sending the SMS via Google Voice. If you have an internet connection, it will go through immediately. But regular SMS has problems if wifi-calling is not working correctly.
And one of the biggest culprits of this is wifi fixer or other similar wifi connection apps. Although it's only a guess, the "scan" these apps do are likely a simple ping to determine status of the DATA connection.
I shut off wifi fixer (but left it as a widget to use as needed), and I have perfect wifi calling and SMS.
Whatever criteria wifi fixer apps use when deciding to reset or reassociate the wifi connection is not reflective of the integrity of your connection using wifi calling. In fact wifi calling may partially interfere with your data connection which will typically trigger a reset by wifi fixer.
From now on, if I am planning on simply surfing the web and my wifi signal is less than optimum, I will turn on wifi fixer. Otherwise it just tears down wifi calling connection.
Hope this is of use.
Syntropic
Sent from my HTC One-S (rooted), stock ROM
Thanks for sharing your experience. I have an issue where over time Wifi calling disconnects even though wifi is still working. I have to re-toggle wifi to get Wifi calling back. It's very annoying.
Talk to NRGZ28... I think Energy ROM had a fix for that I'm the Amaze 4G Energy ROM
Sent from my HTC VLE_U using xda premium
syntropic said:
I have had a crazy time both with wifi calling remaining connected (suffered sudden drops), and further SMS over wifi seemed spotty at best.
Part of this was caused by either a bad SIM card, or deletions of stock apps and/or services...which now have been fixed.
Sent from my HTC One-S (rooted), stock ROM
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Although there have been occasional exceptions, it's unusual for a wifi call on my H1s to last longer than about a minute before dropping off/disconnecting. When this happens, the call time counter changes back to say "Dialing." Of course, there is no dialing, just dead silence. There are no other signs of a problem, no error messages, no indicator icons, etc. On the same wifi network I can make long uninterrupted calls with our older MyTouch 4G - no issues at all with wifi calling.
I'm running unrooted, locked, stock ROM (for now). I don't think I've removed any apps and I think the only wifi-related app I've used is Wifi Analyzer. Could you offer suggests on how to debug this? The firmware update didn't give any improvements. Should I ask Tmo to provide a new SIM card?
Thanks -
esnittle said:
Although there have been occasional exceptions, it's unusual for a wifi call on my H1s to last longer than about a minute before dropping off/disconnecting. When this happens, the call time counter changes back to say "Dialing." Of course, there is no dialing, just dead silence. There are no other signs of a problem, no error messages, no indicator icons, etc. On the same wifi network I can make long uninterrupted calls with our older MyTouch 4G - no issues at all with wifi calling.
I'm running unrooted, locked, stock ROM (for now). I don't think I've removed any apps and I think the only wifi-related app I've used is Wifi Analyzer. Could you offer suggests on how to debug this? The firmware update didn't give any improvements. Should I ask Tmo to provide a new SIM card?
Thanks -
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well the first thing I would suggest is a factory reset. This being the most simple option given your phone is not rooted and on stock. The strange part of this is the "Dialing" instead of the normal keypad (which typically reverts when a call is disconnected).
As far as a SIM card, do you ever get any SIM card errors? Like "ER05" or "REV99"?
These are typically the errors of faulty cards or a bad wifi signal. Check out an app called Network Signal Info....it will tell you the strength of the wifi signal compared to the mobile network (although its not always reliable).
Let me know what a factory reset does. All of your apps will be restored by google (and their are apps to modify this restore as well).
Sent from my HTC One-S (rooted), stock ROM
syntropic said:
Well the first thing I would suggest is a factory reset. This being the most simple option given your phone is not rooted and on stock. The strange part of this is the "Dialing" instead of the normal keypad (which typically reverts when a call is disconnected).
As far as a SIM card, do you ever get any SIM card errors? Like "ER05" or "REV99"?
These are typically the errors of faulty cards or a bad wifi signal. Check out an app called Network Signal Info....it will tell you the strength of the wifi signal compared to the mobile network (although its not always reliable).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Didn't reset yet, want to test a little more.
I've never gotten a SIM card error. The unexpected "Dialing" with the End Call button still showing is the only indication something is off.
Tonight I ran a few tests calling between our 2 Android phones in the same room, same wifi. 3 calls 1S to MT4G: 2 were perfect and lasted several minutes, while the middle call disconnected after less than a minute. 3 calls MT4G to 1S: all 3 went directly to voicemail, the 1S didn't even ring. Now I recall that's been a complaint before - that calls to me go straight to voicemail when I've been on wifi calling.
esnittle said:
Didn't reset yet, want to test a little more.
I've never gotten a SIM card error. The unexpected "Dialing" with the End Call button still showing is the only indication something is off.
Tonight I ran a few tests calling between our 2 Android phones in the same room, same wifi. 3 calls 1S to MT4G: 2 were perfect and lasted several minutes, while the middle call disconnected after less than a minute. 3 calls MT4G to 1S: all 3 went directly to voicemail, the 1S didn't even ring. Now I recall that's been a complaint before - that calls to me go straight to voicemail when I've been on wifi calling.
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Click to collapse
Are you sure wifi-calling is on? Do you have the blue icon in the status bar?
Sometimes this isn't on, even though wifi is on and you are making a call.. Not sure if that is intentional or not.
Just in case... The switch is in settings> more (under wireless and network buttons)
Sent from my HTC One-S (rooted), stock ROM
syntropic said:
Are you sure wifi-calling is on? Do you have the blue icon in the status bar?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, it's on.
Just to be clear, the H1S has received calls when wifi calling is on, it's just sometimes that they go directly to vm. For example, as I'm typing the phone just received a wifi call and is handling it fine, hasn't dropped after 3 minutes.
NO CONSISTENCY, BUT USUALLY DOESN'T WORK.
A factory reset did not fix the problem.
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
I have a google Pixel on Android 7.1.2 on Verizon. I've had wifi calling activated the whole time that I've had the Pixel, on various cell providers, until yesterday. Decided to root my phone to be able to use "Radio Control", an app that will put the phone into Airplane mode when connected to wifi. Did that yesterday, and since then I've not been able to activate wifi calling. My phone is stock other than being rooted...I tried the Radio Control app, and it worked as it should. I've just removed it again, until I can get wifi calling activated. Oh, by the way, rooted by unlocking the bootloader, putting TWRP recovery on the phone, and then installing SuperSu via TWRP.
I've tried:
-Flushing app caches in "Storage", and flushing the phone app cache.
-Having "My Verizon" app on the phone.
-Resetting network settings.
-Activating with and without being in Airplane mode, always with wifi connected, though.
-Removing and restoring "Advanced Calling" setting.
The only thing I haven't tried is that one with the live chicken, a pentagram, and incense. That's my next thing to try.
Any suggestions? I'm really amazed that I can't activate wifi, since Verizon suggests this to stabilize wifi calling for their customers. I guess that they've never actually tried it themselves. Does anyone have wifi calling activated on a rooted Pixel? Do you remember doing anything in particular to get wifi activated, other than trying repeatedly to turn it on in the phone's settings?
By the way, the reason that wifi calling doesn't seem to work well on Verizon isn't wifi calling functionality, wifi calling itself works fine. It's because Verizon only allows the setting "Cellular preferred" for wifi calling. You cannot set "Wifi preferred" for wifi calling. This means that the cell radio is busy nearly all the time in a low cell signal area (like my house), working to make the cell signal usable. I noticed that there was much less battery drain while I was testing "Radio Control" since the phone was in Airplane mode, but I didn't have wifi calling activated at that point. Wifi was connected (of course), but wifi calling was not activated.
I hope that this is all clear, and that someone out there might remember something helpful for me. Or at least be able to tell me that wifi calling can or can't be activated on a rooted phone. If I can't root and get wifi calling activated, I'm going to sell the Pixel, as it doesn't meet my needs. I also have an iPhone that works perfectly with wifi calling on Verizon, but I'd much rather be using the Pixel.
Thanks!
I'm on Verizon and had that happen and found it was because of the theme i was using. Just had to reapply the theme to settings and all fixed. Also, I just checked the settings and you can set it to WiFi preferred.
Droid1019 said:
I'm on Verizon and had that happen and found it was because of the theme i was using. Just had to reapply the theme to settings and all fixed. Also, I just checked the settings and you can set it to WiFi preferred.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds good, just a couple of questions. First, which theme? Where do you access the particular theme in settings that you're referring to? The only theme that I've changed from default is the keyboard theme.
The other question is how can you change the wifi calling setting to WiFi preferred? Do you click on the wifi calling setting that has "Cellular preferred", and a menu comes up that includes "WiFi preferred"? I don't get that menu when I click on that setting, all I get is a setting for "roaming", and for 911 address, nothing else.
Also, which Android build are you on? I'm on Android 7.1.2, build NHG47K. Are you on that build? Or maybe N2G47E? I was wondering about that.
I'm on the 7.1.2 K build with a downloaded theme-not in settings. I think you have to set up the emergency address for wifi calling to work. And yes it's roaming preferences where you can change to WiFi preferred.
Just did a factory reset to try removing root and then activating wifi calling unrooted. Then add root again and see if wifi calling sticks or goes away....
So I'm currently unrooted and am not able to activate wifi calling. Sounds like time for a call to Verizon...Should be able to activate wifi calling with stock ROM. Have done this one before *smile*.
Things are not going well...looks like the Pixel may be heading out the door, too much time spent for no results.
RogerSC said:
Just did a factory reset to try removing root and then activating wifi calling unrooted. Then add root again and see if wifi calling sticks or goes away....
So I'm currently unrooted and am not able to activate wifi calling. Sounds like time for a call to Verizon...Should be able to activate wifi calling with stock ROM. Have done this one before *smile*.
Things are not going well...looks like the Pixel may be heading out the door, too much time spent for no results.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you update emergency address? That's has to be set up for wifi calling to work. https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/knowledge-base-208085/
Any other tips to get wifi calling enable? Whenever I click enable, it just goes to a generic error message and then nothing. So I can't even get to the screen to enter an emergency address. I have a ticket open with Verizon, but since I have an unlocked bootloader, I don't want to do a warranty exchange.
The rest of the story, used iPhone 6S Plus for a couple of months so that I could use wifi calling at home, and sold the Pixel. I did get very tired of the iPhone, even though wifi calling works perfectly on the iPhone on Verizon. So I got the new Verizon 4G/LTE Network Extender so I wouldn't need wifi calling here at home. That's allowed me to get another Pixel phone and use it at home without relying on wifi calling, now have 4/5 bars of cellular signal strength throughout my house. The Network Extender is a really nice piece of hardware, a great upgrade for the old 3G model that had no way to tell what was going on. The new 4G/LTE model has a web admin GUI page that has all kinds of useful status information on it. As well as a one-line display that shows each step in the startup sequence as it comes up.
The new Pixel works just as the old one with wifi calling on Verizon. "Cellular preferred" is the only setting available for wifi calling. Which means that if there's a low cell signal it will generally be used in preference to a strong wifi signal. Don't know why Verizon insists on this setting, I guess that they really don't want to support reliable wifi calling on the Pixel. I've thought about rooting my phone again to see if can get wifi calling working reliably, but now that the Pixel is able to use wifi calling and I don't need wifi calling at home, I'm inclined to leave it alone. In other words, getting wifi calling working perfectly isn't a good enough reason for me to root my phone *smile*. I can root it in the future if I have a good enough reason.
So the bottom line is that I'm pretty happy with the Pixel now, works as I need it to...just tried the Android O Beta, and liked what I saw there. Really glad that I'm back on Android.
Update: found an article here about how to change calling setting to "Wi-Fi preferred" for Pixel on Verizon...tried it and worked for me:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-xl/how-to/verizon-want-wifi-preferred-wifi-calling-t3622700
My Sprint S21+ keeps dropping wi-fi calling. All location services are set correctly and it works fine when it works. It drops back to voLTE and I get a location error. Anyone else experiencing this?
Nothing like tht for me so far (AT&T customer). I'll certainly keep an eye out though!
Has been an issue since an update to android back in August last year.
Here is a quick workaround however do not forget to switch back.
While on Wi-Fi>Turn off mobile data>Set Wi-Fi Calling to> Wi-Fi priority.
That should fix the Wi-Fi Calling issue while connected to Wi-Fi.
When Leaving Wi-Fi Coverage, Turn Mobile Data back on.
Now, while you are out and about without Wi-Fi and using Mobile Data, Turn Wi-Fi Calling off. That'll make sure you are making calls via mobile signal and not 3g/4g/5g (B.S.)