Telus WiFi calling...

[Pskippy]

Hi folks, does anyone know why Telus chose to implement WiFi calling the way they did? I’m referring to the fact that it only kicks in when cell signal is low and then gets automatically disabled when cell signal is strong again. Rogers’ WiFi calling, on the other hand, will stay on as long as the WiFi signal is strong enough regardless of how weak or strong the cell signal is. From my own experience, it works much better the way Rogers has implemented it. With Telus, it gets enabled when I walk into my basement because my cell signal drops to 2 bars and then it shuts off when I walk upstairs when my cell signal goes back up to 4 bars. While I’m on a call when this is happening, it interrupts the call with a long 5-7 second pause while the protocol is switching (from cell to WiFi or WiFi back to cell). Sometimes I even drop calls. This does not happen with Rogers because the WiFi calling is persistent as I described before. It makes no sense why Telus would set it up the way they did.

[BillTelusCust]

Admittedly that is a bit perplexing.  I think they should implement like Rogers did (including have it work outside of Canada) but set a bit higher threshold because I notice that Rogers switches to Wi-Fi calling even when the wi-fi is not as robust as needed (such as on certain Shaw Wi-Fi hotspots).

[Dwayne888]

Rogers was the first to implement wifi calling.

I agree it works well even where the wifi signal is not strong, but the system is smart enough to know if the network can handle wifi calling with your current wifi connection.

The fact is most people don't know or care much to use wifi calling. This is in part why Telus isn't focusing too much on it including the ability to use it abroad, which you can with Rogers.

[BillTelusCust]

"The fact is most people don't know or care much to use wifi calling. This is in part why Telus isn't focusing too much on it including the ability to use it abroad, which you can with Rogers."

People who go places where there isn't good mobile tower coverage certainly care.  Granted, most people live in the city, have good mobile coverage, and probably don't care about much else, including roaming.  But the point of a mobile phone is to be able to use it where you go.

These things are still in their infancy, but there will come a time when lots of people will care about this, which is why it is worthwhile to get it working - not to mention that Telus wouldn't have to pay foreign carriers to transport the calls and data.

"but the system is smart enough to know if the network can handle wifi calling with your current wifi connection." Do you have data to back this up?  Because I have data which shows it does switch to Wi Fi when it should not (at least on Rogers).  The Telus phone is very reluctant to switch to wi fi no matter what the wi fi signal.  I carry two phones.  And I go lots of places, so I speak from experience.

[Syaoran]

Anyone who has ever been on a cruise will have an appreciate for WiFi Calling.  Texing on a plan can definitely pass the time as well.  I am not familiar with the Telus implementation but T-Mobile uses the WiFi Calling that has been baked into Android since it was baked into Android.  My T-Mobile Sidekick 4G that came with Eclair and was updated to Froyo came with WiFi Calling out of the box way back when and WiFi Calling was available in devices before that one.  WiFi Calling requires some very powerful servers on the carrier side to handle demand.  I am guessing this is why they have their WiFi Calling set so passively.  

[BillTelusCust]

I think maybe Telus just hasn't gotten around to setting up their billing system with the various IP's, some countries do not allow wi fi calling and they also need to make sure that their revenue is set up appropriately.  

It would be nice if someone from Telus would tell us the real reason why and when or if they will enable it globally.  There are enough dead spots where I go in the USA alone where it would be helpful.

Their support just says to use whatsapp or some similar program.  That may be a workaround but it isn't a good one.   I don't want to change my voicemail to say "please call me on whatsapp, thank you".

[Syaoran]

My mother-in-law lives in Wyoming County, West Virginia.  Outside of Mullens, which is the closest place where there is service on AT&T and T-Mobile's domestic roaming partner.  That's still a 15 minute drive.  There are plenty of places in Canada and the US where cell coverage is non-existent where WiFi Calling could be very useful.

[BillTelusCust]

Dwayne888 I don't know what your problem is, exactly. 

"Moving forward, wifi calling is completely unrelated to any billing system with IPs. It's a feature that Telus and Bell intentionally block so you use their expensive daily roaming add-on."

- have Telus and Bell specifically told you this?  If it is true, we should be told that.  if it is not true, it is merely speculation on your part.

As to the personal attack, I believe that is a violation of the rules of this forum, please adhere to them.  You're entitled to your opinion.  

[Syaoran]

I wouldn't go that far with your statement.  All we can do is speculate as to why Telus restricts their WiFi Calling.  In my personal opinion, WiFi Calling shouldn't require any sort of billing aspects unless you are calling outside of what your plan covers.  This shouldn't differ from the system currently in place now and just needs the IP restriction lifted.  It is more than likely them wanting you to pay for their flat rate roaming, which I think is still way too expensive.  

Canadian companies like their money too much and find it hard to catch up with the times.  Greed fuels the industry, just like with the current incoming proposal for Canadian ISP's to block content that Canadian's consume via the internet that apparently is hurting Canadian intellectual properties.  Canada is Social Communism at its best.

[BillTelusCust]

I don't know why Telus hasn't enabled wi-fi calling outside of Canada.  My speculation was based upon personal opinion.  If the support rep I called were to be believed, he did say it was something about the IP addresses, but then again, what he was saying was not making sense.

It would help us all if they would tell us why and if they are going to enable it, what's keeping them from doing that now.

[Syaoran]

I haven't tried personally but I would say it would more than likely go further than being IP based.  Most VPN's are good enough to trick services like Netflix, YouTube, and many others.  Then again, if people are only trying free VPN's or attempting to use a VPN on a slow connection, then I can see why it wouldn't work internationally.  Until Telus actually offers WiFi Calling on a device that is actually worth having.  I won't be able to test it outside of Canada.  

[BillTelusCust]

I have no doubt they use the location from the phone.

I'm sure we can agree that with respect to Netflix, the reason it works with Canadian Netflix in Canada and American Netflix in the US is due to Netflix making it that way - Netflix isn't "broken", it is "configured" to give you the intended netflix based upon your location.

That said, here is the reply from Telus Support as to why the Wi-Fi Calling is NOT working outside of Canada:

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"I have some clarified information here for you.  It has less to do with an agreement that TELUS has as it does with IP incompatibility between your phone and a wireless router in the US.  This is very similar to the way American Netflix is not available to customers with Canadian IP addresses"

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So here we have it, straight from Telus support (I have a screen shot of it).  It is MY PHONE.

[Syaoran]

Telus employees usually have no clue what they are talking about.  Especially customer service!  There is no difference between wireless routers that are sold here compared to the US.  When you look at most major router manufactures, their firmware are NA and EU based, which means NA for North America and EU for Europe and the UK.  I actually have an Asus RT-AC68W that I purchased in the US along with an Asus RT-AC88U (8 ports) that was never sold in Canada.  I can also access Netflix US programming through my RT-AC68W because it runs a VPN that gives it a secure US IP address.  On occasion, I kick it over to the UK to watch some classic Doctor Who on Netflix along with Star Trek Discovery.  

The system in place is either very easy to get around or the information provided on how it restricts use is bull.  Which ever it is, it's either the user that doesn't know what they are doing or Telus doesn't know what they are talking about.  

[rc]

I think why

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@BillTelusCust wrote:

I don't know why Telus hasn't enabled wi-fi calling outside of Canada.  My speculation was based upon personal opinion.  If the support rep I called were to be believed, he did say it was something about the IP addresses, but then again, what he was saying was not making sense.

It would help us all if they would tell us why and if they are going to enable it, what's keeping them from doing that now.

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TELUS does not support wifi calling is based on their  experiences  with their extend product and CRTC requirement to provide basic 911 services even when used outside of canada see:

 https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2016/lt161118b.htm

[BillTelusCust]

That's a good explanation of why Telus Extend was discontinued.  Currently Rogers offers Wi-Fi calling outside of Canada and Telus does not.  A CRTC ruling would apply to both...

[rc]

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@BillTelusCust wrote:

That's a good explanation of why Telus Extend was discontinued.  Currently Rogers offers Wi-Fi calling outside of Canada and Telus does not.  A CRTC ruling would apply to both...

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A crtc ruling should apply to both, so the question  is how does Rogers comply with the crtc ruling. Telus is complying by not enabling wifi calling outside of canada.

[Pskippy]

I’m not sure the CRTC ruling applies to WiFi calling. When you enable WiFi calling, you have to enter an address and other details, which are specifically used for 911. The info can and should be updated wherever you use WiFi calling. There’s an entire disclaimer presented to the customer when enabling WiFi calling from his/her device, and the customer has to comply. So the onus is on the customer. Rogers, Bell, and Telus all do this. If it works in Canada, it should work overseas. So the fact that Telus doesn’t offer WiFi calling outside of Canada because of the CRTC ruling doesn’t seem like a valid reason. Rogers’ WiFi calling is hands-down the best implemented out of all Canadian carriers. They offer it on more devices, they offer it outside of Canada, and regardless of cell network signal strength (weak or strong), they keep WiFi calling connected if the user enables it rather than having it automatically disable itself when cell network signal strength is strong (like Telus does) which can oftentimes result in a poor calling experience and/or dropped calls. Furthermore, keeping customers connected to WiFi calling takes additional load off the cell network...which perhaps is why Rogers implemented it the way they did (maybe they need to alleviate network load more than Bell and Telus).

[rc]

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@Pskippy wrote:
I’m not sure the CRTC ruling applies to WiFi calling.

.

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Extracted front the crtc decision Based on TELUS’ response, it does not currently provide a Nomadic VoIP 9-1-1 service for 9-1-1 calls placed through the TELUS Extend service when Wi-Fi calling is in use. 
Accordingly, the Commission concludes that with TELUS Extend, which operates as a nomadic local VoIP service when Wi-Fi calling is engaged, 

Looks like crtc considered telus extendo to be wifi calling

[BillTelusCust]

I don't think that the wi fi calling outside of Canada it has anything to do with the CRTC ruling.....seems to be an extend issue.

[Pskippy]

I agree

[Syaoran]

The Rogers system works a lot like the T-Mobile USA system, which I am very familiar with.  Your address and details are required because that information is used for E911 routing.  What most don't realize with that though is, that when you call 911 over WiFi Calling, it is routed based on the address you have on file.  So...  If I call 911 while up in Canada, I will still get 911 services for Manassas, Virginia.  

Just so some people know just in case.  Overseas, you dial 999 for emergency services, not 911, unless you are calling from an international number.  

My guess is that Telus just doesn't have the servers to supply a reliable WiFi Calling service and they would rather you pay to use roaming over you using WiFi Calling to avoid being charged extra roaming fees.