Wifi Calling on Meteor & Eir

keith_d99

Hi all,

For those in dodgy mobile reception this may be useful ...

Eir and Meteor now support wifi-calling ... Go to Settings -> Phone -> Enable Wifi-calling

Not available to pre-pay customers apparently.

Same costs etc. But over wifi ... apparently the quality of call is much higher.
Only switches to wifi mode when reception is poor

Eire Go Brach

keith_d99 wrote: »

Hi all,

For those in dodgy mobile reception this may be useful ...

Eir and Meteor now support wifi-calling ... Go to Settings -> Phone -> Enable Wifi-calling

Not available to pre-pay customers apparently.

Same costs etc. But over wifi ... apparently the quality of call is much higher.
Only switches to wifi mode when reception is poor

"Eir wifi calling" now pops up on my phone. Where the wifi thing.
Few questions:
How does this actually work? Does it only connect to other wifi connections or can it connect to gsm?
Also what charges apply minutes or data? Is it better or worse on batteries?

keith_d99

Eire Go Brach wrote: »

"Eir wifi calling" now pops up on my phone. Where the wifi thing.
Few questions:
How does this actually work? Does it only connect to other wifi connections or can it connect to gsm?
Also what charges apply minutes or data? Is it better or worse on batteries?

1. Yes it does connect to GSM as far as I know.
2. Charges are your minutes
3. Better for battery - as low signals have a negative effect on battery

No conincidence that this is introduced at the same time as the EU roaming rules. This will save the networks money when users roam

I could be wrong but are all calls routed through wifi? (Not just where there is poor signal)

Eire Go Brach

keith_d99 wrote: »

1. Yes it does connect to GSM as far as I know.
2. Charges are your minutes
3. Better for battery - as low signals have a negative effect on battery

No conincidence that this is introduced at the same time as the EU roaming rules. This will save the networks money when users roam

I could be wrong but are all calls routed through wifi? (Not just where there is poor signal)

Yeh decided to look into it. Here is how it works

"
Unlike FaceTime, Wi-Fi calling is carrier-driven, and depends on a technology called SIP / IMS (IP Multimedia Subset). The technology enables your iPhone to make and receive phone calls using a regular Wi-Fi network.

Instead of routing your voice packets through your carrier's closest cell tower, those packets get tunneled through the Internet to a controller used by your cell company, which then bounces them across the network to whomever you're speaking. The net result is that you're talking, but you're not actually using a cell tower to do it. For people who live in areas with poor or inconsistent cellular reception, Wi-Fi calling is an absolute savior.

If your carrier supports Wi-Fi calling, it's also a great way to get clearer, crisper calls when chatting with all your friends — not just those on an iPhone or Mac. Here's how to enable it."

https://www.google.ie/amp/www.imore.com/how-enable-wi-fi-calling-iphone%3Famp

whippet

any word on other carriers enabling this .. i'm with 3 and my signal at home is brutal; if I do manage to take a call my first words are .. 'hold on i'll call you back from the landline' .. its a work phone so no option on carrier.

Doodah7

I'm with eir and have an iPhone 6s but apparently as I am on an older, legacy plan they won't enable wi-fi calling. Like wtf?? Same network, compatible phone but not enabled because of my plan!!! Madness!!

Creamy Goodness

there's obviously a cost associated with it to them, they have take a cut of your plan cost to cover the costs of it. it's crap but it's business.

I'm on a €25 sim only plan with meteor and I get it so I wonder what plan you're on?

Aquos76

I also have it but after a couple of days using it at home, I've disabled it. Ive had calls from my dad and a friend of mine neither with Eir or Meteor, and they are telling me that I am breaking up and they can't hear me. I have never had this issue before. Since switching it off, I've rang both and also got them both to ring me and the calls were perfect again.

DubDJ

I'm with Metor on a Sim only plan and when I try to enable this I get a pop-up telling me to contact Meteor to enable this feature.

long_b

Aquos76 wrote: »

I also have it but after a couple of days using it at home, I've disabled it. Ive had calls from my dad and a friend of mine neither with Eir or Meteor, and they are telling me that I am breaking up and they can't hear me. I have never had this issue before. Since switching it off, I've rang both and also got them both to ring me and the calls were perfect again.

What's your broadband connection /wifi strength where you were making the calls?

keith_d99

keith_d99 wrote: »

Same costs etc. But over wifi ... apparently the quality of call is much higher.
Only switches to wifi mode when reception is poor

Does same costs mean that if you wifi call from abroad it counts as roaming?

I was under the impression that it meant you can use it anywhere in the world and it counts like at home just using your minutes?

babelfish1990

Dean Weak Headset wrote: »

Does same costs mean that if you wifi call from abroad it counts as roaming?

I was under the impression that it meant you can use it anywhere in the world and it counts like at home just using your minutes?

Your impression is correct. There are no roaming costs anywhere in the World using WiFi Calling. Your phone remains connected to the Eir/Meteor network, as if you were at home. People calling you will even get the Irish ringing tone, so they don't know that you are abroad! You also get HD Voice, just like as if you were at home.

The calls and texts default to WiFi, just like data, and they only revert to mobile if WiFi isn't good enough.

It is a fantastic service, and can save you a fortune in countries outside the EU, where roaming charges are high.

deezell

I'm on a rock bottom meteor sim only €15 a month plan (€12 for first 6 months) and they messaged me to say I can use Wi-Fi calling. Unfortunately there is no option in my S7 edge to turn on Wi-Fi calling, it's just not there. The phone is a SIM free purchase, not a meteor plan so they can't do anything to enable it. Best I can gather is that the option has been hidden with android Nougat update, and the carrier then enables it. My phone is unlocked carrier free. Either I get it flashed with Meteor approved Nougat or get it rooted and use a utility to turn on hidden menu. It sucks. If Meteor or Eir would supply the SIP settings I could use a Voip app like CSipSimple.

murpho999

deezell wrote: »

I'm on a rock bottom meteor sim only €15 a month plan (€12 for first 6 months) and they messaged me to say I can use Wi-Fi calling. Unfortunately there is no option in my S7 edge to turn on Wi-Fi calling, it's just not there. The phone is a SIM free purchase, not a meteor plan so they can't do anything to enable it. Best I can gather is that the option has been hidden with android Nougat update, and the carrier then enables it. My phone is unlocked carrier free. Either I get it flashed with Meteor approved Nougat or get it rooted and use a utility to turn on hidden menu. It sucks. If Meteor or Eir would supply the SIP settings I could use a Voip app like CSipSimple.

https://community.ee.co.uk/t5/Android/No-Wifi-Calling-on-S7-Edge-since-Nougat-update-Solved/td-p/548821

Maybe the above link will help you to find the setting.

deezell

murpho999 wrote: »

https://community.ee.co.uk/t5/Android/No-Wifi-Calling-on-S7-Edge-since-Nougat-update-Solved/td-p/548821

Maybe the above link will help you to find the setting.

Been to this and countless other links, to no avail. It simply is not on my phone. I've checked every suggested menu path. I don't know if it was there before Nougat, it's not there now.
Last word from Meteor was that I would need to have a Meteor supplied phone for it to work.

ibFoxer

deezell wrote: »

Been to this and countless other links, to no avail. It simply is not on my phone. I've checked every suggested menu path. I don't know if it was there before Nougat, it's not there now.
Last word from Meteor was that I would need to have a Meteor supplied phone for it to work.

That couldn't possibly be true? I have a sim free 6s and i definitely have wifi calling.

deezell

ibFoxer wrote: »

That couldn't possibly be true? I have a sim free 6s and i definitely have wifi calling.

It's common enough in other regions. It's not consistent. Sometimes option has moved menu, sometimes missing, sometimes there but won't connect. It's simply not on my phone, either in connections/ more connections or under Phone/3•/settings/more settings. I'd like to have it as Meteor signal is very weak at my home, miss calls frequently.

el_gaucho

ibFoxer wrote: »

That couldn't possibly be true? I have a sim free 6s and i definitely have wifi calling.

My phone is not Meteor supplied either and I have it. On iPhones you need to check for a carrier update in Settings > General.

One thing I'm not clear on; most people I know who live in areas with poor cellular reception also have poor internet connections. Maybe WiFi calling doesn't need high bandwidth?

deezell

el_gaucho wrote: »

My phone is not Meteor supplied either and I have it. On iPhones you need to check for a carrier update in Settings > General.

One thing I'm not clear on; most people I know who live in areas with poor cellular reception also have poor internet connections. Maybe WiFi calling doesn't need high bandwidth?

Modest bandwidth required, but Wi-Fi at home is usually delivered by landline, 40MB fibre in my case, so poor mobile signal has no bearing on this. I'll look into carrier update, I requested this from Meteor, webchat person seemed clueless, told me to go to shop. Shop guy told me to go online to webchat, so.....

el_gaucho

I know it has no direct bearing, I just meant that people who have poor mobile signal often live in the middle of nowhere, so often have poor Internet too.

EE in the UK say that 1 Mb per second is enough, so that should work well even on a slow connection – as long as it's a reliable one.

long_b

So, is this the story then?

iOS - available on any iPhone as long your iPhone model supports wifi calling.

Android - Only available on Galaxy S7, S7 Edge, S8, S8 Edge running Meteor or Eir firmware

el_gaucho

long_b wrote: »

So, is this the story then?

iOS - available on any iPhone as long your iPhone model supports wifi calling.

Android - Only available on Galaxy S7, S7 Edge, S8, S8 Edge running Meteor or Eir firmware

There is a list here:
https://www.eir.ie/store/mobile/phones/bill-pay/

I'm not sure if that's the full list, or just the ones they are still selling.

Masala

I am on company ill-Pay with a Iphone 6 on the eir network.

When I enable WiFi Calling - it says 'To allow WiFi calling -contact Meteor'.

I rang Eir and they advised that its not available for business accounts....

what a bummer.

Seek first to understand

I have reasonable broadband (reliable 10-12Mb/s up and down consistently),Skype and google hangouts even with video enabled is fine, rarely a problem.

Meteor mobile coverage where I am is not great but ok, sometimes I have to go to the back of the house to avoid breaking up.

I enabled wifi calling to see if it would be better and had to disable it, the call quality was dreadful. So as far as I'm concerned it is a product that is not fit for service.

keith_d99

Find the quality great to be honest ... but Meteor would want to implement the wifi to lte handover ... been caught by that a bit walking out of work/house

deezell

long_b wrote: »

So, is this the story then?

iOS - available on any iPhone as long your iPhone model supports wifi calling.

Android - Only available on Galaxy S7, S7 Edge, S8, S8 Edge running Meteor or Eir firmware

Update on this, Meteor say I can have the wifi calling implemented if I send my phone to Fonefix (to be reflashed I assume.) Costs €20, unless phone is under warranty in which case it's free. Problem is there's a 3 day turnaround, so I'd be without my 'crutch' for that time. I'm also unsure if the job requires factory reset. I always find it a huge pain to restore everything to a new phone.

long_b

deezell wrote: »

Update on this, Meteor say I can have the wifi calling implemented if I send my phone to Fonefix (to be reflashed I assume.) Costs €20, unless phone is under warranty in which case it's free. Problem is there's a 3 day turnaround, so I'd be without my 'crutch' for that time. I'm also unsure if the job requires factory reset. I always find it a huge pain to restore everything to a new phone.

Decent enough of Meteor I would have thought

deezell

long_b wrote: »

Decent enough of Meteor I would have thought

It's a solution, which took a lot of posting to find. Kind of obvious that you would need meteor specific firmware so that the phone can get it's updates pushed from meteor/eir rather than from Samsung. It was Samsung support who told me that the facility is not part of android per se, but is vendor specific. With that info I badgered the Meteor forum, finally getting a knowleable answer after the usual suggestions to turn on a non existent menu item. I guess it costs them nothing to have the phone reflashed unless I invoke the warranty, which is current to 2018, Fonefix might bill meteor in that case. I'd pay the 20 either ways, it's a pity they're way out in Sandyford.

deezell

Fwiw heres the link to the Meteor post on the wifi calling.
https://community.meteor.ie/device-help-187/wifi-calling-for-androids-iphones-218593

This info is not replicated on the main Meteor web pages outlining how to get Wi-Fi calling. Posting on the community only brought the obvious incorrect suggestions, and I found this solution almost by accident reading another posters similar query here;
https://community.meteor.ie/android-79/enable-wifi-calling-219112/index1.html#post244043

Even then if you click the linked word 'here' it looks like the usual instructions for enabled phones until you read to the end and there's the bit about fonefix. They're not exactly going out of their way to publicise this.