5 Benefits of Wi-Fi Calling

In the ever-evolving world of communications technology, Wi-Fi calling is emerging as one of the most recent buzzwords. If you like to keep up with technology trends and base your purchase or subscription decisions on the latest developments, you definitely need to learn about Wi-Fi calling. Familiarity with apps such as Skype and WhatsApp means that Wi-Fi calling will not sound entirely new to you.

What Is Wi-Fi Calling?

Wi-Fi calling simply means making voice calls over a Wi-Fi network, rather than using your carrier’s network. The network you use for Wi-Fi calling can be your home hotspot or whichever hotspot accessible to you in public or other places. Notably, Wi-Fi calling is similar to your traditional calls in how you still get to use your regular phone number. The main difference between Wi-Fi calling and the earlier mentioned Skype and WhatsApp VoIP calls lies in how the former uses a pre-installed Wi-Fi application on the smartphone’s dialer.

The following benefits are some of the key reasons you will love Wi-Fi calling.

Convenience

One of the most important benefits of Wi-Fi calling lies in its convenience. As Wi-Fi hotspots become almost ubiquitous, you can now use Wi-Fi calling from and to almost anywhere. This is especially beneficial when you experience faulty carrier coverage, such as when in the countryside or in a building’s basement. Considering the frustration that accompanies carrier network unavailability, Wi-Fi calling becomes a highly attractive service.

Affordability

Besides convenience, another crucial merit accompanying Wi-Fi calling is the associated affordability. Using Wi-Fi calling may allow you to save depending on the nature of your subscription. More pertinently, Wi-Fi calling with T-Mobile is free domestically when on the carrier’s unlimited plans, which means that you will incur no costs when talking to your friends or conducting business over a Wi-Fi call.

However, the impact of Wi-Fi calling is perhaps more palpable when making international calls, which are traditionally cost prohibitive. For instance, through Wi-Fi calling with T-Mobile ONE or Simple Choice plans, you only incur $0.20/min for Simple Global countries to any countries, translating to significant cost savings on pricey international calls.

Forget VoIP

Whereas the likes of WhatsApp, Viber, Facebook Messenger, and Skype may offer similar levels of affordability, built-in Wi-Fi calling has certain unparalleled advantages. Unlike these third-party services, you can access the Wi-Fi calling function easily without needing to log in or launch apps.

For instance, you can simply have Wi-Fi calling as your default setting for voice calls or set it to automatically switch on in case of a lost phone signal. You also do not need to add or sync contacts, as the built-in nature of Wi-Fi calling means you can easily access your native phonebook. Moreover, other people do not need to download the aforementioned third-party apps or services to receive Wi-Fi calls.

Reliability

Although a fast Wi-Fi network translates to a better connection, you can still get reliable Wi-Fi calling connections at much lower speeds. A speed of 1 Mbps should be sufficient for a solid call even if the quality of the call may be compromised a bit. You may even make calls at speeds as low as 80 Kbps, although dropped calls and poor quality would not be entirely surprising at such low speeds.

Complementarity With Your Carrier

Wi-Fi calling also has the advantage of complementing the service you get from your carrier to bring out the best network experience. If you are already on a reliable network, access to Wi-Fi calling and carrier-based video calls mean that you can stay in touch with your personal and professional network without any glitches. The option for automatic switching between the two functionalities ensures that communication and connectivity remain seamless.

Overall, Wi-Fi calling will most probably be central to mobile-based communication going into the future, rather than being merely a nice-to-have function. The accompanying benefits should make Wi-Fi calling one of the key factors you consider when purchasing mobile devices and subscribing to a carrier service.