An Post Mobile

deezell

WiFi calling is an optional feature, it may be useful abroad to avoid very high roaming charges, assuming you can get it to work on a free WiFi service. It's really just another version of WhatsApp voice calling which is fairly universal, though not totally reliable.

VoLTE on the other hand is 4G voice calling, it's what you pay for when you sign up to a 4G network. I think when roaming abroad on Vodafone my handset never left the 4g+ connection, and calls made to and received from home were of exceptional quality. I don't understand why we are degraded to the now prehistoric 2G layer. It does look like we were only let in to 4G for the data. I'm going to look for a new Sim, and if that doesn't work, I'll consider changing provider.

babelfish1990

It's a reasonable argument that VoLTE is an essential requirement when 3G is switched off. However, I would take issue with your suggestion that WiFi Calling is simply a discretionary add-on like WhatsApp. WhatsApp is fine for social person-to-person calls. However, you cannot generally phone or receive calls from GP practices, Hospitals, Banks etc using WhatsApp. Many services also use traditional SMS(not RCS) for 2-factor authentication, and Vodafone & 3 don't support SMS over WiFi Calling. Only Eir & GoMo support SMS. When homes are built or retrofitted to current building regulations (eg BER A1), they often lose traditional mobile coverage, at least in some rooms due to foil-backed insulation and reflective glazing. WiFi Calling is essential for dealing with these blackspots. It is going to become a more widespread issue as the housing stock is upgraded.

Ten Pin

Why are networks reinventing the wheel (with WiFi and 4G calling) when SIP/VOIP apps work well on most smartphones. They already have SIP/VOIP on fixed line phone numbers so they would just need to provide a front end app for smartphones to implement it for mobile numbers.

Feature phones will use 2G for calls anyway so no change required there for continued coverage when 3G ends.

deezell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122244763#Comment_122244763

Foil is a problem ok. WiFi calling would be nice,but not much use if you're on the move, in an actual blackspot, not an artificial one.

Landline Voip is great if your landline allows remote access over WiFi. I did have some luck using voip apps to remote connect to my landline voip on my home router. The router has its own app (Fritzfone) which enables my mobile as a landline handset, but only within my local WiFi. I can however open a VPN back to the router when out or abroad, over WiFi, and make/receive landline calls from anywhere.

None of this however will give actual mobile number access, if someone rings my mobile no. It's a different matter, and I've had mobile calls during voip landline calls using my mobile phone. 4g voice is just voip by another name, but associated with a mobile no. It should be the default. Right now I'm in Tallaght, I tested there calling voucemail, and on my Sim status, my voice option was GSM, data was Gprs,(2G), no LTE despite 5 bars.

KildareP

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122244857#Comment_122244857

They're not reinventing anything. LTE (4G onwards) was a natural progression towards packet switched networks but had to maintain inter-operability with previous 2G and 3G technology which is circuit switched.

That's the beauty of VoLTE and WiFi Calling - the app is your existing phone dialler but you don't need to care what sort of signal you have at any given time, whether your phone has an active data connection or not, and you don't even need a mobile signal if you've WiFi. Just make a call as you've always done and the network figures the technicalities of it out. Try make a call on WhatsApp in a 2G rural area for comparison.

Besides the fact that a standalone app still needs a backend to communicate with - in a VoIP provider it's a SIP server, in an LTE network it's an IMS.

There is nothing to stop an MVNO deploying their own IMS - many UK MVNO's do so - only the costs associated with implementing and ongoing support. Therein lies the problem here - all of the MVNO's operating here compete solely on cost, have a comparatively tiny subscriber base, and are operated on an absolute shoestring. As a result ancillary services like premium SMS, VoLTE, WiFi Calling, roaming, eSIM largely don't exist, or where they do, generally don't work as well as on a native network.

That's unlikely to ever change to be honest so if you want a "proper" mobile service you're going to have to go with one of the three main operators and pay the premium. There is absolutely no chance an MVNO would implement a SIP-based calling solution using an app any more than they have largely avoided implementing an IMS.

TheDriver

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122245883#Comment_122245883

You don't have to pay premium. Gomo is also 15 and you get wifi calling, volte, 5G (admittedly not a major benefit over 4G) etc.

SalthillHead

Twice in the last couple of weeks my data stopped working. I went into settings and postmobile in mobile network/apn was unselected. Anyone else have this/ideas why it would happen?

babelfish1990

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122248362#Comment_122248362

If you are in a position to bundle with broadband/TV, you can also get Eir Sim-only for €9.99pm including WiFi Calling, VoLTE & 5G, even cheaper than GoMo.

Regarding the re-invention of SIP calling - I would agree with the excellent points made by KildareP. One scenario where SIP calling is complementary to mobile is on a work phone, where the employee uses a SIP client to login the the corporate PBX when off-site, making and taking work calls on their office extension via their mobile. This is the standard approach taken by most corporate enterprises to allow remote access their office landline systems, while also allowing employees to partition their personal use of the phone using the mobile number. Mobile numbers have become the defacto standard for person-to-person social communication, while landline numbers still have an important role for enterprises and call-centres. WiFi Calling and SIP Clients ensure that both scenarios work well over WiFi, when required.

SeanW

Thanks everyone, I've got some useful information here. I visited the US last year, and for some long and boring reasons, I had to get a local sim (T-Mobile) and rely heavily on both WiFi calling and VoLTE, both of which were just included without me even noticing, per se.

That's why I kind of assumed that both services were, or should be, commonplace. As to tethering and hotspots, I still think APM is blocking that because I remember trying the sim card in an older phone I had lying around and it didn't work with that either.

I guess if I ever need a phone service that has all this, I can just switch to Eir or GoMo.

babelfish1990

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122245468#Comment_122245468

In my experience outdoor blackspots are extremely rare these days. Most blackspots are indoors in well insulated buildings. I appreciate this might be different on Vodafone/An Post since 3G switch-off - but Vodafone's outdoor coverage before this was also excellent. WiFi calling is the best solution for indoor coverage blackspots, and unlike WhatsApp does give full access to standard mobile numbers for both incoming and outgoing calls (and texts, if implemented properly). An interesting alternative for outdoor blackspots is Starlink "Direct to Cell". Starlink have started putting mobile base-stations in their newer satellites. They use standard 4G technology, so this works with normal mobile phones, and no need for a proprietary satellite phone. Your operator just has to have a roaming agreement with Starlink. Salt Mobile in Switzerland is the first European mobile operator to partner with Starlink. This will guarantee virtually 100% coverage worldwide.

deezell

I see an post now have international minutes add on €5 for 100min. I presume not time limited. When abroad, you can use your roaming minutes to ring your friends and family with you, who are also roaming. You can't mobiles in the visited country, but I noticed when roamingin Netherlands I could ring local land lines from my roaming mobile by dialling the number as a local, without international access codes.