Wifi Calling in iOS 8

[bgilbert]

Apple announced the forthcoming release of iOS 8 today, coming this fall. One of the new features is wifi calling – where you can make voice calls and send SMS messages over a wifi connection instead of the cellular network. This would be a great feature to have in areas where cell signal is weak or nonexistent, but wifi is available. For example, at home I am in a weak Telus area (most of the time I cannot sustain a clear call for more than a few seconds at a time), but obviously I have great wifi through my home network.

T-Mobile in the US has already announced support for wifi calling when iOS 8 is publicly released. I suggest Telus consider doing the same.

[NFtoBC]

Although handoffs between wireless and WiFi might pose some technical difficulties, I'd love to see this as well.  Couple this with an ever increasing number of Telus Hot Spots, and a lot of traffic could be moved from the wireless network to land based connections.

[rodchristiansen]

I want to see this supported by TELUS too in iOS 8. Plus with my Mac being able to receive and make calls from my phone in OS X Yosemite, WiFi calling would make calls crystal clear all the time, as I have a 50 Mbps connection. Can't wait!

[bgilbert]

Rogers has now announced they will be supporting this feature when iOS 8 is released publicly.

[dallasgroot]

@bgilbert Rogers has already had wifi calling feature on computers for over 2 years now (i used to be a Rogers customer) but would be sweet to see Telus doing this with the phones.

[river]

whats app works wonders for txting in forien countrys and you do not loose your contacts

when u change back its simply awesome

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[ShadiS]

Hi @bgilbert ,

Thank you for sharing this idea with us. I too saw the announcement last week and thought it was a remarkable idea. I’m happy to see so much feedback and discussion for this about it. I will share it with our team internally at TELUS and once I have an update I will report it back to you. Thank you for taking the time to share this suggestion with us and we hope you continue to share more great ideas.

Thanks,

Shadi @ TELUS

[bdebrinc]

Just voicing my support for this idea. There are areas that are (understanabily) not covered by the network--and this would be a great way to add value. Please don't charge for access, though, that would be silly.

[BillTelusCust]

It would surely be nice to have an answser on this question.  Certainly I can see it being an advantage when roaming.

[BillTelusCust]

I would like to see this also. Although there are many areas where the mobile service is great, there are some places where it is not that good and it would be a good thing to "fill in the gaps" by having this service. Rogers is supporting it, so it is in the Canadian Marketplace...if Telus wishes to keep their customers with the latest up to date features, this should be implemented at Telus as well. I will most certainly use it.

[BillTelusCust]

What is the purpose of this forum if there aren't timely answers or resolutions?  Either they are going to do this or they are not.  If they are not going to do this, they should tell us now, and those who want the service can go to Rogers.

if they are considering it, we should be able to have a date by which they will have decided.

If they are going to do it, then they are going to do it when the software comes out , or at a later date.

Are we to expect that planning is in such a disarray at Telus that they are not able to supply an answer to this?   I expect they should know, let's have an answer.

Thank you.

[worldofwarcraftjunkie]

This would also work for us TELUS customers with pay as you go subscriptions.

[ambert]

Hi @bgilbert 

Thanks very much for the suggestion. I just wanted to follow up to let you know that we have explored this with our team and are looking into wifi phone service. We will continue to keep you in the loop.

Amber

[bryanmurray]

I live in a border town and my reception at home is terrible. At many times I literally can't make phone calls yet still pay for full time service. I am concerned that ios 8 beta 6 was released to carriers yesterday for testing this feature and there is yet to be an announcement from Telus. I have had so many issues with my service over the few years I have been a customer and if Telus doesn't support this feature that would so easily remedy this problem for myself and others in my situation it will be a negligent disregard for your customers interests. If wifi calling isnt enabled on the first day of release I will be taking my business account elsewhere. I will be sure to have an adorable baby goose on the letter head I send my resignation on to soften the blow.

[BillTelusCust]

The release dates for this phone were announced today.

Still...we see nothing but silence on this issue from Telus Mobiity.

This forum is useless for bringing up issues if the issues are ignored.

Let's see an answer soon, so that when people are ordering these phones, they don't jump ship first.

I would like to stay with Telus...however, my patience for this is wearing thing.  If you're not going to support it, say you are NOT going to support it.....dont' say nothing.  For months.

[broadbentr]

"Hold for future consideration" means Telus has no plans to roll this out.  This feature is important enough to me to consider switching to Rogers.  My wife and I have very weak cell reception at home and Wifi calling would be the perfect solution.  We are both looking to replace our current phones with the new iPhones very soon, so it will likely be with Rogers.

[Mmclarke]

Please add this Telus show us your on the ball!

[bryanmurray]

And no response. Blazing the trail for technology AND customer service. Look out world

[Rectectonic]

 I really hope, really hope Telus does this. This would make so many customers happy and make so many of there lives easier. I also know for a fact that Rogers will support this. My old blackberry did this and it was the only great thing about it.