Former Employee
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4.9K Messages
WiFi Calling
WiFi Calling is now available for certain iPhone models!
What is WiFi calling? This feature allows you to talk and text over the Internet through an existing Wi-Fi network when cellular coverage is limited or unavailable. To use Wi-Fi calling, you'll need a compatible AT&T device, a postpaid AT&T wireless account that's been provisioned for HD Voice, and a Wi-Fi Internet connection.
FloydDroid
Contributor
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3 Messages
8 years ago
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Avedis53
Professor
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2.2K Messages
8 years ago
No there hasn't been to my knowledge. It's not as simple as you might think to include the Android phones. It's not a matter of approval but phone operating systems.
iOS is a closed system. No changes are allowed by a third-party. This makes it straight-forward to implement WiFi-Calling across the entire platform of qualifying iPhones.
The Android OS is open-source. The different manufacturers of Android OS phones each have their own versions of the OS to suit their needs. It will take a great deal of work to bring the hodge-podge of Android phones under the WiFi-C blanket.
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OttoPylot
ACE - Expert
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24.3K Messages
8 years ago
@FloydDroid
I've added a section on WiFi-C to the updated Tech Guide (see link in my sig) but it's basically as Avedis53 points out. It's not necessarily AT&T's fault, it's the Android OS in general due to its open-sourceness and all the crap that the OEM's and AT&T add to the phones to make them unique and specific to the carrier.
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FloydDroid
Contributor
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3 Messages
8 years ago
I call about your blaming Android's open source OS ridiculous; apparently a 'lesser' T-Mobile managed just fine having WIFI Calling on their Samsung amd other phones. Had it not been for being grandfathered with unlimited data plans with At&T, this customer of 13+ years I'd tell them where they can shove their crappy service.
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OttoPylot
ACE - Expert
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24.3K Messages
8 years ago
According to some Android programmers I’ve talked to, “we have Google/Android to thank for allowing manufacturers to come up with an incredible number of screen sizes, resolutions, and differences in features in Android phones—otherwise known as device fragmentation. It makes testing and optimizing a significantly longer process when you're trying to reach as many people as possible for a single app or mobile site.” Device fragmentation is not necessarily a bad term, but it is accurate.
As I stated, it's not only the open source nature of the the Android OS, it's also what the carriers want to/need to add on top of that to make the phone unique to it's network. AT&T could very well be working the Google/Android to offer WiFi-C on the Andorid platform but considering how many iterations there are of the Android OS on multiple devices, it's obviously a difficult challenge given the structure of the AT&T network and may not even be possible or financially worthwhile to AT&T due to the number of subscribers who really want or need it. It's a business decision.
Your unlimited data plan is going to eventually go away, certainly be throttled to the point of not being useful so maybe you shoud consider switching to a carrier that offers WiFi-C, with no problems, on their network. WiFi-C is similar to the MicroCell in that it is designed to cover "holes" in coverage. It is not intended to be a total replacement for a cellular connection.
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GLIMMERMAN76
ACE - Expert
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23.9K Messages
8 years ago
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FloydDroid
Contributor
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3 Messages
8 years ago
IF "Att and Verizon have to play by different rules..." HOW COME Verizon has this feature already?
http://www.verizonwireless.com/news/article/2015/12/verizons-advanced-calling-to-include-wi-fi-calling-beginning-next-week-on-some-devices.html
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OttoPylot
ACE - Expert
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24.3K Messages
8 years ago
@GLIMMERMAN76
Being as you're our Android expert here I'll have to go with your explanation. I have talked to numerous Andorid programmers and the explanation I gave is what they have all said. Maybe in the specific case of WiFi Calling it is the tty/rtt as you mentioned.
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GLIMMERMAN76
ACE - Expert
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23.9K Messages
8 years ago
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OttoPylot
ACE - Expert
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24.3K Messages
8 years ago
That's good to hear then for the Android folks. I hope AT&T doesn't wait too much longer. The natives are getting very restless.
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