Wifi only calls - possible? Android

[toast1]

Bad phone signal where I live
Can I turn off the network and just do wifi calls only?
Phone only wants to call on network, which does not work.


thank you
 

[GinBoy2]

Depends on whether the carrier and the phone you have support 'wifi calling'

 

I used a US phone and carrier in the US for years in Thailand  for wifi calls and texts, but I chose carefully that it was supported

[toast1]

I have wifi calling but dont know how to turn off network so this can be used only, in Android.

 

thanks

[shdmn]

There are literally hundreds of different providers you can use to do this.  If you have a US mobile SIM card (you required to a US mobile phone number sign up), the easiest is to to sign up with Google Voice.  It's 100% free to make calls to North America, even if you are physically in Thailand.  No configuration required, just install the Google Voice app.

 

Lots and lots of other providers if Google Voice doesn't work for you.  Another one I use is https://voip.ms/ There are plenty of others.   If they don't have an android app you can just install a generic one like zoiper or bria.

 

 

Edited January 17, 2022 by shdmn

[toast1]

It is an Android setting.

 

Thanks

[The Hammer2021]

Isn't line and WhatsApp  WiFi based calling?

[toast1]

I'm not using Whatsapp, just want to make calls using my phone company, over wifi. 

There is a wifi call setting in Android

 

thanks

 

[dsj]

I have an old iPhone that I strictly use with a Canadian Sim card (my Canadian plan has unlimited calls to any number in Canada, and I usually talk for about 500 mins a month and it only costs me my monthly plan). All I do is to go into settings put phone into airplane mode, keeping wifi on, then I go and turn on  Wi-fi calling. I know it works with True and AIS.

The one thing to remeber, even thou you are using wifi calling, you will be still be charged for air time minutes.

[dsj]

6 hours ago, toast1 said:

I have wifi calling but dont know how to turn off network so this can be used only, in Android.

 

thanks

You can try to put it in Airplane mode and keep you wifi on. Just have to remember to turn off airplane mode when you don't have wifi.

 

[ChristianBlessing]

While Whatsapp, Skype and other apps allow voice calls over Wi-Fi, I believe the op is asking about true Wi-Fi calling. Generic Access Network (GAN) allows phone packets to be forwarded to a carrier's data network. The op doesn't specify his carrier, so while their phone allows Wi-Fi calling they will have to determine whether the carrier does as well.

[mtls2005]

Where do you live? Thailand?

 

Which mobile service provider?

 

Phone make and model?

 

Many service providers support WiFi calling, incl DTAC, AIS and TrueMove H.

 

https://www.ais.th/4g/vowifi/en/

 

https://www.dtac.co.th/en/info/dtac-call.html

 

There are some issues and challenges (and quirks), but it works well for the most part. The two main benefits are poor signal (high rise buildings for example), and easier/less expensive international roaming. (You can also manage multiple numbers on one phone.)

 

 

Your phone has to support the feature. You'll need to install their app. You need to register for the service, often through the app. You'll need to configure your phone. Although the app often automagically reconfigures your phone.

 

You need to (essentially) instruct the phone to use the WiFi Calling app instead of the (default) Dialer app. Every provider/phone combination will be different.

 

You do not need to disable network access.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 18, 2022 by mtls2005

[bluejets]

If you look up the model of your phone on the web, it will show you exactly where to change it.

Below is just a general example although I would NOT do any factory reset like they say there.

 

https://joyofandroid.com/use-old-android-phone-as-wifi-only-device/

[mtls2005]

41 minutes ago, bluejets said:

If you look up the model of your phone on the web, it will show you exactly where to change it.

Below is just a general example although I would NOT do any factory reset like they say there.

 

https://joyofandroid.com/use-old-android-phone-as-wifi-only-device/

 

Sorry, did you even read the article? That just turns your phone into a WiFi brick.

 

WiFi calling means, essentially, that inbound and outbound voice calls (and SMSes) get routed to/from your mobile telephone number via a VoIP gateway.

 

 

 

 

[me4175]

3 hours ago, dsj said:

You can try to put it in Airplane mode and keep you wifi on. Just have to remember to turn off airplane mode when you don't have wifi.

That's the right approach: first turn airplane mode on and afterwards re-enable wifi. Works nicely on my phone.

But you have to register for wifi calling with your provider.

[jomtienisgood]

9 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Isn't line and WhatsApp  WiFi based calling?

Yes indeed, so is Skype and Teams and others......

[SAFETY FIRST]

10 hours ago, toast1 said:

Can I turn off the network and just do wifi calls only?

Are you Australian? 

 

This feature is standard on all Australian phones. 

 

I don't know if Thailand offers this option. 

[mtls2005]

2 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

WiFi calling means, essentially, that inbound and outbound voice calls (and SMSes) get routed to/from your mobile telephone number via a VoIP gateway.

Edited to add, when you do not have a WiFi signal, you revert to GSM if available. But no in-call hopping.

 

Obviously, if on a WiFi call maybe don't plan on traveling too far. ????

 

 

[LukKrueng]

11 hours ago, toast1 said:

I have wifi calling but dont know how to turn off network so this can be used only, in Android.

 

thanks

If your mobile network sort it (AIS does) you simply turn wifi calling on your phone, then put the phone on airplane mode, then turn on WiFi only. 

[shaemus]

10 hours ago, toast1 said:

I'm not using Whatsapp, just want to make calls using my phone company, over wifi. 

There is a wifi call setting in Android

 

thanks

 

this can be a bit hit and miss as the technical points are pretty complex, but basically if your provider supports it and also support the exact model/firmware type handset that you have then you should be ok, its easy and free to try.

 

pull down the main menu from the top of the screen.

 

click on the plane mode logo, this will turn off your mobile connectivity and also wifi.

 

when you see the plane icon on the top of the screen where the battery % is normally located, press wifi, your phone will connect via wifi to the network.

 

get someto call you when in this mode and see if it works.

 

there is also other areas that you can try to turn on the VOwifi, but it changes dramatically from model to model and also from Android version . so i suggest if the above steps dont work to find the exact model number of your handset and the version and firmware version and google those along with Vowifi or wifi calling. or you may have a shortcut button already loaded on your settings screen that you pulled down in the steps above.

 

if you get stuck, then just reply with your model Number, android version and firmware version an i will find some info for you. but depending on where you bought your phone may possibly influence the carriers decision to enable you to be able to use their network via wifi. The reason for this is they want to sell the phones that they have customised the software for their own network, for example i have a One plus nord, Telstra in Australia dont support the VoWifi even though the software on the phone does

 

Shaemus

[toast1]

Great

 

I'll try this

 

Thank you

 

[mtls2005]

21 hours ago, shaemus said:

this can be a bit hit and miss as the technical points are pretty complex, but basically if your provider supports it and also support the exact model/firmware type handset that you have then you should be ok, its easy and free to try.

 Some providers restrict WiFi calling registration and access based on IMEI, I think AIS does restrict access to a specific group of phone makes and models. This is mainly down to support issues and not technical issues.

 

DTAC Call app runs on any phones. This is the one I've used the most. 

 

Not sure about TrueMove H's WiFi calling app/HW requirements.

 

And UltraMobile, a U.S. MVNO, supports WiFi calling on any phone. Some of us use that service for roaming-free access here in Thailand. Mainly to receive OTP SMSes.

 

 

[ballpoint]

For AIS, and I assume the other carriers, this also gives the benefit of being able to make a "local" call to Thailand from anywhere in the world:

 

The link includes a list of phones that can do this.  Basically, just about any model from the last 10 or so years:

 

AIS 4G VoWiFi Voice over WiFi

[mtls2005]

13 minutes ago, ballpoint said:

For AIS, and I assume the other carriers, this also gives the benefit of being able to make a "local" call to Thailand from anywhere in the world:

Yes.

 

SMS too.

 

In country (thailand) plan tariffs/minutes applied anywhere in the world.

 

Same-same for people calling you (from/in thailand). They dial 08n-nnn-nnnn and it rings through.

 

 

16 minutes ago, ballpoint said:

The link includes a list of phones that can do this.  Basically, just about any model from the last 10 or so years:

 

I don't think that list is updated?

 

Not that it matters.

 

 

 

[toast1]

I'll try this, the problem arises when 5G is too weak to make a call, but wifii calling has not kicked in.

 

thanks

 

[mtls2005]

2 hours ago, toast1 said:

the problem arises when 5G is too weak to make a call

Should fall back to LTE, but honestly no clue what you're doing.

 

 

[Our Man in the Tropics]

Ref.

"Pre-paid" S.I.M.s of AIS or DTAC or True

 

Ref.

365 Day Pre-paid S.I.M.s which allows 10 mega-bit [ or higher ] / second Bandwidth un-limited throughout the 365 day period

 

Question ;

Will WiFi phone-call service allow user to phone, & converse, to "mobile phone numbers" & "landline phone-numbers", outside of Thailand at no extra cost to user's SIM ?

 

I particularly interested in contacting :

USA phone-numbers

UK phone-numbers

Canada phone-numbers

Ireland phone-numbers

[bubblegum]

I just use messenger and that works fine. Don't understand half of what is posted above. Just saying messenger works and so does line and whatsapp.

[mtls2005]

12 hours ago, Our Man in the Tropics said:

Will WiFi phone-call service allow user to phone, & converse, to "mobile phone numbers" & "landline phone-numbers", outside of Thailand at no extra cost to user's SIM ?

No.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 20, 2022 by mtls2005

[mtls2005]

11 hours ago, bubblegum said:

I just use messenger and that works fine. Don't understand half of what is posted above. Just saying messenger works and so does line and whatsapp.

 

Yes, all these proprietary app work brilliantly assuming you have WiFi and the other parties have the same app installed.

 

 

[Our Man in the Tropics]

Ref.

"Pre-paid" S.I.M.s of AIS, or DTAC, or True, networks

 

Question ;

Per each of the following destination phone-numbers :

 

USA phone-numbers

UK phone-numbers

Canada phone-numbers

Ireland phone-numbers

 

1_

what is cheapest rate-per-minute ?

 

2_

from which network[s] is the respective cheapest rate-per-minute ?

 

Edited January 20, 2022 by Our Man in the Tropics
more helpful format & wording for reader