Telus Extend. Wifi calling

[nasty]

The future of the phone system, VOIP, is coming  to Telus. Great to have alternatives to transfer your voice/text to wifi and on more devices than just your cell phone.

Telus currently testing(in Beta) wifi calling for people who live in low quality cellular areas. Extend is an IP-based solution for TELUS customers, by using an app.

 App screenshots on Android

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.telus.telusextend

http://mobilesyrup.com/2014/10/17/telus-extend-takes-on-rogers-one-number-by-bringing-free-voice-and...

TELUS has launched a new service in beta that allows smartphone, tablet and laptop users to make phone calls and send text messages over WiFi. Called TELUS Extend, it will be available for free to all existing wireless subscribers.

Similar to Rogers One Number, the app bypasses TELUS’s cellular network to initiate calls, and doesn’t count towards a customer’s monthly voice or text allotment.

Extend also allows TELUS customers to make calls to any North American number free of charge, regardless of whether their plan has a long distance add-on.

Meant to augment a customer’s existing cellular plan, Extend lets customers make and receive calls on a tablet or laptop

[NFtoBC]

Also invitation only for iPhone, iPad & iPod Touch on the iTunes App Store. Looking forward to the release of this tool, and being able to test it myself!

[kimber86]

how do you get in the beta. my signal is so bad that tmobile is stronger from the US for me causing me to make sure i'm on telus network before i send a text or talk on the phone

[Nighthawk]

So far no information found on that. I'm hoping to get in to the beta also.

[Dark_Knight · Accepted solution]

I've been told that beta customers have been chosen already. To be notified of full-scale launch, download the app and try to register (it should give you the option to be informed) or visit their 'be the first to know' site

[Stewie]

Hey Kimber86,

Please use TELUS Network Experience app to report any type of degradation of service to help the technicians find areas greatly impacted by sub-par service.

For TELUS extend, no release date has been issued yet. you should be able to download it and once installed you should be able to insert your #, which will prompt the system to send you a text when the app is available for general use.

hope this helps! 🙂

[SuperFred]

Hello nasty, our legendary friend Dark_Knight is correct. I did the download on Android and I'm also waiting. I'll be happy to keep you posted if I learn anything new regarding the TELUS extend service. I think it will be amazing for people with poor indoor coverage.

Have a great one nasty!

[chris0303]

Does anyone know (once the service is open to everyone) if you can install this on a non telus phone and use it over a regular network connection?

Here's the situation. I'm a Canadian Telus customer who might be living in the US for about 4-6 months for work. It's important that I can keep my Telus number and be able to use that number while I'm there. I need to keep my number primarily for incoming calls, so I've looked into call forwarding (to a US number), porting my Telus number to a Voip service, etc.

I'm planning on getting a plan with a US carrier while I'm there - but if I could use this app on their network that would be amazing. I obviously know I would need to keep my Telus plan active. Any thoughts? Insight? 

As a side note, I'm assuming I would need to have my Telus SIM in the phone for the initial activation when the activation code is sent.

[Stewie]

 Hi Chris! 

More information for TELUS extend: http://www.telus.com/en/on/get-help/mobility/services/messaging/telus-extend/support.do?INTCMP=TComL...

hope this helps! 🙂

[NFtoBC]

---

@Stewie wrote:

TELUS extend gives signal to your phone in low signal areas, everything else is dependent on the allotment of your rate plan. 

---

My understanding is you could use Telus extend anywhere you have a Wi-Fi (or data) connection, no matter the wireless signal strength. Thus if you want to avoid consumption of call minutes, you can use Telus extend even if you have a full strength voice signal. One of the advantages to Telus of uptake of this product is the reduction of traffic on the (expensive) wireless network in favour of the cheaper landline based network.

Telus extend would be a benefit for me, as I pay for each minute consumed, but my data allotment is far greater than my usual consumption. It makes sense for me to use this app exclusively, as it effectively  gives me free North America-wide calling.

[BillTelusCust]

Since this is not yet available, I forward my telus number to flynumber and run an app. It doesn't forward my texts, but I do get the calls.

[hellochuman]

I was selected to try the app. I like it because the cell phone coverage is not good where I live. It's a great app so far. For phone calls its great the other person on the other line doesn't even know the call is being done on wifi. Only thing I don't like is when I use the app to send a text and when I get a reply I get it in the app and then my regular text message file.

[NFtoBC]

How convenient is switching between the app and regular service, or do they run simultaneously?

[hellochuman]

Well when I get home and turn on wifi I select the app then it takes a few seconds to log in. On my phone there is a little green icon to indicate that you're using the app. When someone calls you, you're in a different screen (actually looks like iPhone screen) but everything works like regular service. When you want to make a call or text you select app and then you do your thing. Sometimes the app logs itself out after a long period of time, usually overnight. So to answer your question you can use them simultaneously. When I go out I log out. I only use the app at home because of the spotty cell coverage.

[NFtoBC]

Thanks for sharing.

[The_Sinister]

Can a Telus representative explain whether or not Telus Extend will work overseas? For example, I am overseas at a hotel connected to wifi. Can I make and receive calls and SMS via the Telus Extend app without incurring any roaming charges?

[NFtoBC]

@The_Sinister

It should work for calls to numbers within North America, but I would not expect it to work to local numbers in Europe. You could use a product such as Skype for local calls when travelling. There would definitely be no roaming charges. You should not be limited by the location to which you connect to Wi-Fi.

You can look at the App Store or Google Play store for most of the details.

NFtoBC

[The_Sinister]

Thanks NFtoBC.  I did read the details on Google Play and it does not specify.  So just to confirm, if I am in in Asia at a hotel connected to wifi on my cell phone, I can call home in Canada and people can also call me/text me from Canada with no roam charges?  I do travel a lot to Asia so this is a huge bonus for me.

[NFtoBC]

@The_Sinister

  That is what I understand from what I have read, and my understanding of VoIP telephony. I am not a Telus employee, so have no inside knowledge.

NFtoBC

[Dark_Knight]

@NFtoBCis correct - it works for calls back to North American numbers, but you cannot call locally when outside of North America without incurring additional fees. 

[PhoneUser]

It's been over a month now, when does Telus anticipate rolling it out for more users?  We have a user working in an area without cell coverage but he can get wifi.  Currently he is only accessible by email.  Telus Extend would work wonders for him.