Anybody on "Three" network use wifi-calling?

[mburton2]

Hi,
I'm about to ditch o2 after MANY years of using them, & In a nut-shell, because the promised solution of "wifi-Calling", just doesnt work. (OK, It does, but its even less robust that the old "TuGo" App, & that was pretty dire.

Now, it seems if I want to use Wifi-calling I need to go to one of the bigger players, & not a Virtual-Net work (Although I seem to remember seeing somewhere that one of the piggy-back companies HAS started to offer wifi calling)....
Long & short of it is, I *THINK* I'm going to go to the Three network....but just want to ask the question, does THEIR wifi-calling work robustly?

[Bravoman]

Hi.

I’m probably not the best person to answer but I’ve been with 3 for a few years now. I haven’t deliberately opted for wi fi calling but I’ve noticed when I make and receive calls it says wi fi calling and I’ve never had a problem since I noticed.

Perhaps somebody with a more technical knowledge will be able to advise better.

[mburton2]

Originally Posted by Bravoman

Hi.

I’m probably not the best person to answer but I’ve been with 3 for a few years now. I haven’t deliberately opted for wi fi calling but I’ve noticed when I make and receive calls it says wi fi calling and I’ve never had a problem since I noticed.

Perhaps somebody with a more technical knowledge will be able to advise better.

Well, If it works without you noticing, then its doing its job well!
I'm often at home, wanting to make a call with no (GSM) Signal, Good Wifi connection & unable to make/receive a call (Except using WhatsAp/Skype/other VoiP). Rebooting the Phone, Turning wifi-calling on/off doesnt make any difference....then all of a sudden it will start to work.

ANOTHER reason to move away from o2, is Wifi-calling only works for calls....not text...& with the secondary-security becoming common place, being able to get text with confirmation codes when ordering stuff on-line, text by wifi calling is now a must (& apparently text come through via wifi, on Three?)

[aliman5000]

I am on Three and ergo use wifi calling on the iphone...which works fine most of the time. The only issues I have is sometimes wifi calling just disappears for a bit and then comes back even if I haven't dropped off the wifi network. But never enough of an issue to consider leaving.

That said...the best solution I ever had was a Three home signal booster. A small box that plugged into your router via ethernet and essentially used a portion of your broadband to boost your phone signal. The beauty of this was that the phone treated it as signal rather than a wifi connection, and so as you describe it was perfect for functions outside of calling, like text messages etc.

I don't know if Three still supply these in the advent of wifi calling but they might. And you can probably find one on ebay. They sent me mine free of charge after a few calls to them moaning about signal.

[mburton2]

Originally Posted by aliman5000

The only issues I have is sometimes wifi calling just disappears for a bit and then comes back even if I haven't dropped off the wifi network. But never enough of an issue to consider leaving.

Thats the bit that concerns me....but with o2, it the other way around...SOMETIMES it'll work, but most of the time not.

Originally Posted by aliman5000

That said...the best solution I ever had was a Three home signal booster.

a femtocell? (Or whatever its called) I dont *THINK* they do them anymore....but google/ebay is your (my) friend....


Thanks to all for your input thus far.

[scoobyood]

What phone do you have? Any internet chatter about that particular model having issues?

Have been on EE for last decade and have had wifi calling turned on for the last couple of phones, Nexus 6P, Samsung S8... no problems. Some corporate guest and other public wifi will block any unusual traffic.. so it fails there.. but at home it's fine. Now on BT (which is EE) and it's no different to regular EE.

[aliman5000]

Originally Posted by mburton2

Thats the bit that concerns me....but with o2, it the other way around...SOMETIMES it'll work, but most of the time not.





a femtocell? (Or whatever its called) I dont *THINK* they do them anymore....but google/ebay is your (my) friend....





Thanks to all for your input thus far.

Had a quick check, apparently Three do still offer them and they’re about Ł20 on eBay

[mburton2]

Originally Posted by aliman5000

Had a quick check, apparently Three do still offer them and they’re about Ł20 on eBay

I have 4 weeks left on o2....then over to Three (I think) ...
If their wifi-calling works well, Great.....if Not, eBay here I come.....

EDIT

Great timing!...
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-50080876

[Bravoman]

Originally Posted by mburton2

I have 4 weeks left on o2....then over to Three (I think) ...
If their wifi-calling works well, Great.....if Not, eBay here I come.....

EDIT

Great timing!...
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-50080876

Mines still working perfectly. Don’t think it’s a national issue.

[mburton2]

Originally Posted by scoobyood

What phone do you have? Any internet chatter about that particular model having issues?

Have been on EE for last decade and have had wifi calling turned on for the last couple of phones, Nexus 6P, Samsung S8... no problems. Some corporate guest and other public wifi will block any unusual traffic.. so it fails there.. but at home it's fine. Now on BT (which is EE) and it's no different to regular EE.

Galaxy S7....no particular issue that I've stumbled upon....

[Roy]

Im on Three, have one of their signal booster boxes, but still have issues calling the signal is pretty poor and the WiFi calling doesn't seem to be reliable...

[hxbro]

Can't say I've ever noticed any issues with wifi calling on 3 (using a S8)

[mburton2]

Thanks Guys....ITs given me a little Hope....I'm sure it cant be any worse than the wifi-calling from o2...
Can you confirm that you can get text's via wifi too?....as required for alot of internet purchases now (onr-time confirmation code)....Thats a MAJOR oversight from o2...

[Tempest]

Interesting thread.
Having recently upgraded my phone (I've been on 3 for some year now) I spotted the WiFi calling option/feature but have not yet looked into setting it up, or turning it on, whatever you do.
Saw this thread, and thought, Ohhh, interesting
Which led me, a moment ago to google for WiFi calling on 3
Which then left me with major disappointment

I must be stupid I guess, but for some reason, I thought, oh great, if I'm on WiFi then of course the call will go via that, not placing any load/usage onto 3 hence it would be a free call.

Errrr no. So paying for WiFi at home, and calling someone over your home wifi, still eats into your calling minutes on the 3 network.

As I say, I'm probably stupid in thinking otherwise, but will admit, I feel disappointed

I do have 1 question though to decide if it's even worth turning this option on.
If the WiFi calling is not working great for some reason, will the phone automatically jump back to normal cell signal calling?
If it's costing the same either way, then it only makes sense to use the best method automatically at the time, be that WiFi or Cell signal. Is this something you as the user have to toggle manually, or will the phone decide what's best at any given time?

[mburton2]

Originally Posted by Tempest

Interesting thread.
Having recently upgraded my phone (I've been on 3 for some year now) I spotted the WiFi calling option/feature but have not yet looked into setting it up, or turning it on, whatever you do.
Saw this thread, and thought, Ohhh, interesting
Which led me, a moment ago to google for WiFi calling on 3
Which then left me with major disappointment

I must be stupid I guess, but for some reason, I thought, oh great, if I'm on WiFi then of course the call will go via that, not placing any load/usage onto 3 hence it would be a free call.

Errrr no. So paying for WiFi at home, and calling someone over your home wifi, still eats into your calling minutes on the 3 network.

As I say, I'm probably stupid in thinking otherwise, but will admit, I feel disappointed

I do have 1 question though to decide if it's even worth turning this option on.
If the WiFi calling is not working great for some reason, will the phone automatically jump back to normal cell signal calling?
If it's costing the same either way, then it only makes sense to use the best method automatically at the time, be that WiFi or Cell signal. Is this something you as the user have to toggle manually, or will the phone decide what's best at any given time?

Indeed, Any call made, will still come out of your call allowance...
Any Toggling between GSM & Wifi calling *SHOULD* be automatic...using the most robust method at the time the call takes place.
MY main reason for "Needing" wifi calling is simple....I dont have a GSM signal at home (Well, a "sometimes useable" one if I'm outside).

o2's offering only does wifi-calling on actual calls (if/when it works).....so no payment-verification text messages come through, if doing an online order....Apparently 3's ofering, also allows text to be received, my main reason for switching.

[Tempest]

Originally Posted by mburton2

Indeed, Any call made, will still come out of your call allowance...
Any Toggling between GSM & Wifi calling *SHOULD* be automatic...using the most robust method at the time the call takes place.
MY main reason for "Needing" wifi calling is simple....I dont have a GSM signal at home (Well, a "sometimes useable" one if I'm outside).

o2's offering only does wifi-calling on actual calls (if/when it works).....so no payment-verification text messages come through, if doing an online order....Apparently 3's ofering, also allows text to be received, my main reason for switching.

Thanks for clarification.
I can fully understand your needs.
Actually where I work, there must be some local transmitter that handles the 3, and other EE? network, as quite a few times, myself on 3 and a work colleague have had the odd day where the signal has just vanished.

So, if my phone jumped to use company WiFi if/when that happened then it would be good.

Still feel, using the Wifi/Internet to handle the call, as opposed to the Carrier and still charging you the full carrier rate is a bit of a cheek, but hey, it is what it is!

As it's automatic, as you have said I'll probably turn it on for my 3 account, can't hurt going for it it seems.