WiFi Calling Landscape: Adoption, Challenges, and Alternatives

Bottom Line Up Front:? Wifi Calling Depends on the Carrier and the Phone. Newer Phones and popular Providers will most likely work, smaller carriers and off-brand devices should work 70% of the time. Older devices and smaller carriers have a higher chance of being unable to use WiFi Calling. Smaller companies may find it cost-prohibitive to enable wifi calling - as budget carriers aim to minimize operating complexity and cost, WiFi calling may not be available.

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Most current carriers and cellular manufacturers support WiFi Calling.? There is an exemption, if you transfer your phone from one major carrier to another, you may be required to upgrade your software for the feature to be enabled. Roughly 70% of sub-carriers support wifi calling. Lesser known phone manufacturers, namely older models are more likely not to support the feature, but current models will have the ability to use wifi calling. Users may use Third-party apps (Skype, Google Voice, Messenger) that do not depend on Wifi calling to work and depend on internet connectivity. It’s possible to make phone calls from these apps.

This study explores the current landscape of WiFi calling (WFC) capabilities across major carriers and phone manufacturers, focusing on the widespread adoption of this technology since its introduction in 2014. The research encompasses both Android and Apple platforms, highlighting the universal support for WFC while acknowledging the varying setup procedures among manufacturers and operating systems.

Of the carriers and devices included, all Major Carriers and phone manufacturers have wifi-calling (wfc) capabilities. Both Android and Apple support wfc, however setting up wfc is different with each manufacturer/operating system. When Wifi calling was introduced in 2014, most manufacturers started supporting the feature to remain competitive, however carriers and subcarriers adapted at different times and the availability of wfc may depend on agreements with underlying network operators, technological advancements, and market demands.

wfc has gained widespread acceptance from both mobile carriers and consumers. Many carriers now offer wfc as a standard feature, and an increasing number of smartphones come equipped with native support for this technology. The growing trend towards offering wfc as part of bundled services underscores its importance in the telecommunications ecosystem.

Despite the successes of wfc, challenges persist. Issues such as interoperability between different carriers, security concerns, and the seamless handover between WiFi and cellular networks remain areas of focus for ongoing development. Additionally, ensuring a consistent user experience across various devices and operating systems presents an ongoing challenge.

As 5G networks continue to roll out globally, wfc has evolved to complement this new era of connectivity. The integration of wfc with 5G networks enhances the overall user experience, providing higher data transfer rates, lower latency, and improved network efficiency.

All 4 Major US Carriers support Wifi Calling?

(68.3%) of Mobile Virtual network operators support WiFi Calling

• All Major US Carriers support ( AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile/Sprint, US Cellular )?
• Some Carriers may not support wifi calling if you transfer devices onto their network from another carrier. A software update *May enable the phone’s ability to use wfc.?
• Most mobile virtual network operators (MVNO) support wifi calling (68.3%)?
• Newer companies / US-based companies.?

Carriers that do NOT support wifi calling (23.8%)

Most Carriers that do not support Wifi calling match one or more of the following criteria:

• Government Assisted programs
• International provider
• Budget-minded companies.
• Small / virtual-virtual providers. (Providers that a subteir of a MVNO provider)
• Use-specific carrier - iOt purpose-built or Privately managed cellular network.

(7.9%) Carriers that may/may not support wifi calling

• Providers that do not have any documentation supporting or not supporting wifi callingVery small Carriers / virtual-virtual providers, Older companies.?

Devices that support Wi-Fi calling, by major carrier

• Verizion ( https://www.verizon.com/support/simulators/ )?
• Tmobile ( https://www.t-mobile.com/support/tutorials )
• US Cellular ( https://www.uscellular.com/plans/wifi-calling )
• AT&T (https://www.att.com/scmsassets/support/wireless/devices-working-on-att-network.pdf)?

Devices that do NOT support wifi calling

• Apple Iphone 5 or older ( 2013 )
• Android Phones older than 2014
• Android Phones running Android 6.0 or Earlier
• Basic Cell Phones (non-smart phones)
• Non-Cellular Devices (Tablets, or devices without a sim Card)
• Small/less known manufacturers may or may not support wfc (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mobile_phone_brands_by_country)
• Jailbroken/Rooted devices may/may not support wfc
• Stolen/non-provisioned devices

References:?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mobile_virtual_network_operators_in_the_United_States

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253701686?sortBy=best

https://help.smarty.co.uk/en/articles/4237414-which-devices-are-compatible-with-wifi-calling

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mobile_phone_brands_by_country

https://www.att.com/scmsassets/support/wireless/devices-working-on-att-network.pdf

https://www.verizon.com/support/simulators/

https://www.t-mobile.com/support/tutorials?

https://www.uscellular.com/plans/wifi-calling