We, humans, are accustomed to being in areas with inadequate or non-existent mobile reception. There are always a few places where mobile phones fail to work.
Assume you need to make an important business call and your cellphone signal suddenly goes out.
You are left wondering how your network can be so patchy. This is where Wi-Fi calling may come in handy!
Wi-Fi calling, often known as VoWi-Fi (Voice over Wi-Fi), is a smartphone function that permits you to make voice calls over a Wi-Fi connection.
When your cellular network goes down, your phone will automatically switch to your home broadband network or any accessible Wi-Fi network if you are outdoors. It works on the same concept as a traditional phone call; you only have to dial a phone number!
Although not everyone is aware of the notion of calling over Wi-Fi, many people are curious about the godsends and liabilities of this technology.
Let’s get right in it!
Table of Contents
Pros of Wi-Fi Calling
Do you want to give Wi-Fi calling a shot? Here are the main pros of Wi-Fi calling features. Let’s find out!
1. High Availability And Convenience
You can access wireless internet connections at supermarkets, stadiums, public areas, and transportation. Even in areas where mobile networks are poor, Wi-Fi networks are present.
Sometimes you have to go to locations where cellular networks are weak or non-existent. Therefore, Wi-Fi calling might be a viable option in certain circumstances.
By connecting to a Wi-Fi network, you may instantly call your near and dear ones utilizing this capacity of Wi-Fi calling.
Wi-Fi calling as a viable alternative for traditional cellular calls is not dependent on cellular tower vicinity or transmission power.
2. Works without an App
To enjoy Wi-Fi calling, you do not need to download specific programs, such as Skype or WhatsApp. A compliant smartphone and an active internet connection will do a job.
Enable Wi-Fi calling option on your phone will hook up to any open Wi-Fi networks whenever feasible.
This function is “built” into your phone so that you won’t waste valuable phone space and memory on another application you rarely use.
3. Cost Savings
Wi-Fi calling is usually free and will not be billed when it concerns the cost of utilizing this function.
Wi-Fi calling audio typically consumes 1-5 MB per minute, whereas a video call consumes 6-8 MB per minute.
Using your cellular data for calls and messages might be costly, relying on your mobile phone plan. Because WiFi networks are generally less expensive, utilizing your internet connection might give you a cost-saving edge.
Regardless, the minutes used on the call will be removed from your monthly phone allowance.
If you use Wi-Fi calling over your monthly minute allowance, you will be billed in the same manner as you would for regular calling. How amazing is that?
4. International Calls
Area codes are a significant irritant for folks who often make international calls. Every country has its national area code, which comes before the number you dial. They can be challenging to recall and time-consuming to find.
Wi-Fi Calling solves this issue; if both parties have an internet connection, they may make the call effortlessly. Regardless of where they are, no codes are required.
Continuing with the theme of international calls. International WiFi calls may have higher-than-normal phone bills while making important business calls or calls home to their families.
Wi-Fi Calls are game changers for these folks. Wi-Fi calling will not add any charges to their phone account while connected to a Wi-Fi network.
5. Emergency Services
In certain nations, Wi-Fi calling enables you to contact emergency services without cellphone coverage.
This is useful, mainly if you reside in a region with patchy or non-existent mobile coverage. One of the critical benefits of Wi-Fi Calling is the convenient usage of VoIP technologies.
6. Revenue Generator For Mobile Operators
Wi-Fi calling minimizes turnover, which saves carriers money. Mobile carriers will also be able to cut the expense of constructing base stations and femtocells since Wi-Fi calling will handle indoor voice coverage.
Wi-Fi calling operates invisibly over any Wi-Fi network, including while the user travels overseas. This implies that the mobile provider will incur no roaming charges.
Suppose the carrier passes these cost savings to customers by offering the same rate for Wi-Fi calling nationally and internationally.
In that case, Wi-Fi calling becomes very appealing to regular travelers, offering considerable revenue opportunities for the mobile operator.
Mobile carriers can also get new consumers who want to switch from landlines to mobile phones.
Cons of Wi-Fi Calling
While Wi-Fi calling has many advantages, it also has some limitations. Let’s break down the disadvantages of wifi calling one by one!
1. May Use More Battery
Wi-Fi calling on your cellphone may consume more power than a standard mobile phone. As your phone calls use the cellular network and the Wi-Fi connection, your battery drains faster.
So, if you want to use Wi-Fi calling for a long time, ensure your phone is powered up before you begin.
2. Can’t Call Landlines
One of the most important reasons individuals don’t utilize Wi-Fi calling applications is that they can’t make calls to landlines, which is the second disadvantage of this list of benefits and cons of Wi-Fi calling.
Landlines do not have the service of international calls through Wi-Fi as they do not use the internet.
After all, we still live in a heavily reliant landline society. Do you have elderly relatives? Well, they may only have a landline!
3. Requires Mobiles that Support Wi-Fi Calling
Although Wi-Fi calling has advantages and disadvantages, it is still a new technology. As a result, because this is a novel technology, it is a function many mobile devices lack.
This feature is available on Apple, Samsung, and Google mobile devices, but other mobile companies are working on it. And they do not typically support it; it is still being developed in the Android arena.
Even though VoIP technology has been there for years, mobile carriers have only recently begun offering Wi-Fi calling to their users.
While most significant carriers enable Wi-Fi calling, certain cell providers and devices (especially older ones) do not.
One can still use external programs such as Whatsapp to make Wi-Fi-based calls for users who have smartphones that do not have this functionality. But the service cannot work well until all endpoints have direct Wi-Fi Calling functionality.
4. Call Quality Issues
Call quality will be a concern while calling via Wi-Fi. While Wi-Fi calling is an excellent choice for calls from home, it is far less dependable in public places. This is because VoIP calls have disruptions as a result of internet speed.
The speed of your internet connection will influence the quality of your calls.
Assume you are calling and your internet Wi-Fi unexpectedly slows down; the quality of your call will suffer as a result. When several individuals use public WiFi hotspots simultaneously, voice quality suffers.
This is common in busy settings such as retail malls, stadiums, or other crowded venues with high bandwidth demands. Competition for bandwidth can degrade the quality of your calls.
5. Inadvertent Data Usage
One downside of Wi-Fi calling is that users unfamiliar with the capability may unintentionally incur penalties for data usage.
If you exit the range of your wireless networks, your phone may switch to your cellular service without your knowledge.
6. Can’t Keep Your Number
Your number does not display on the recipient’s screen when you place a call using Wi-Fi.
Worse, many giant corporations now utilize Caller ID to identify their customers. Utility provider companies such as banks and firms may use your calling number to check up on your account.
Summary (Pros and cons of Wi-Fi calling)
| Pros |
|---|
| Available and Convenient |
| Works without an App |
| Cost saving |
| International Calls |
| Emergency services |
| Revenue generator for operators |
| Cons |
|---|
| May use battery more |
| Can not call landlines |
| Requires mobile that supports Wi-Fi calling |
| Call quality issues |
| Inadvertent data usage |
| Can’t keep your number |
Humans have always been interested in interacting with fellows over long and short distances.
When Wi-Fi calling technology is wholly incorporated into our daily lives, communications will benefit immensely.
Therefore, any new approach to improve this or make it more inexpensive for the public is welcome.
Wi-Fi calling service is younger, less expensive, and more dependable than its predecessor. This technology is predicted to radically alter the landscape as individuals use it for personal and commercial purposes.
What are your thoughts on Wi-Fi calling now that you have considered the pros and cons? Do you require Wi-Fi calling in your day-to-day life?
Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) is a closely related terminology to Wi-Fi connection calls. Know What VoIP is and its pros and cons here.
(Last Updated on September 21, 2022)
