Wifi Calling...

[Dxnato]

Can you guys please bring Wifi Calling to the Samsung Galaxy s9 please?

[WestCoasterBC]

Wifi calling will makes its way to the S9 sooner or later. Just have to be patient and wait for Telus to support it. Just like all previous galaxy models, the waiting part is hardest.

[lucky644]

It's a little ridiculous.

Wi-Fi calling and Visual Voicemail not on the flagship Samsung device?

Starting to regret switching.

[WestCoast]

This rollout is pathetically slow.

[TwitchyPuppy]

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@Dxnato wrote:
Can you guys please bring Wifi Calling to the Samsung Galaxy s9 please?

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It would indeed be nice! Especially since they’re supporting the S8.

[lucky644]

This is *still* ridiculous.

WIFI calling and Visual Voicemail are pretty important to me.

Why is this taking so long?

[Syaoran]

It isn't Samsung's fault!  Telus has such pathetic infrastructure for WiFi Calling, they purposely limit it to devices no one really buys to keep people from overloading their servers.  Because it isn't hard to trick the device to thinking you are still in Canada (because Telus blocks its use internationally), they also don't want you making use of something that will cost them in roaming revenue.  

[BillTelusCust]

Wi-Fi Calling works just fine on my iPhone 6 Plus.  I'm not sure why  you would say it is restricted to phones "nobody buys". There is something lacking, it should be more widespread and all of the capable phones should be set up to do it, I agree with you there.

As for it working outside of Canada - they should really make that happen.  Rogers and Freedom from what I understand, allow it outside of Canada as do many other carriers worldwide.  This should not be a restriction that we have.

You could use the argument that it would deprive them of roaming revenue - the $12 a day in many countries.  But it could also save them roaming costs, they don't have to pay the other carrier for usage if it is a person using WIFi calling...and this could add up.

[Syaoran]

It's simple!  A lack if infrastructure is why it is limited to devices most people are no longer using or buying.  Roaming contracts aren't as expensive when you are the roaming partner for most companies in the US, like Bell and Telus are.  Telus choose to go with a similar implementation of WiFi Calling to what AT&T uses in the US.  It is purely done that way to restrict the devices it works on and to not cost them any potential revenue.  Rogers and Freedom use the WiFi Calling built into Android by Google, which is what T-Mobile and many other global carriers use.  Google and T-Mobile pioneered WiFi Calling as a joint venture back in the days of the G1/HTC Dream.  

[WestCoast]

Which completely leaves people who live in areas with bad cell service hanging.

[NFtoBC]

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@WestCoast wrote:

Which completely leaves people who live in areas with bad cell service hanging.

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Not really. If you have Internet sufficient for Wi-Fi calling, you could use a VoIP number, and transfer unanswered call to it.

[WestCoast]

VoIP would give calling, sure, but that adds another subscription to manage. It also removes the fluidity of carrier WiFi calling where you just make a call and the phone determines which service to use. Then there's SMS and MMS. And the fact that now there's a second number that your contacts receive communication from.

VoIP would be a good solution if you could still use the default phone app, send and receive SMS/MMS (also from your default messaging app), and have all communication appear to come from the same number.

[BillTelusCust]

There's no comparison to the convenience of WiFi calling. it is seamless.  Other workarounds are often a pain, dealt with that for years.

[BillTelusCust]

So your contention is that most people are not using or buying iPhones?  Because it works on most of them.  As for the revenue issue, that's speculation.  First of all, if I am roaming, particularly in the USA, my plan works there anyway as it is a Canada/USA plan, but in the many places the coverage isn't good, like at my in-laws for instance, it is useful to have WiFi calling and it would have no impact on their revenue at all.

With respect to those who would stick to WiFi calling overseas, my contention is that those people would not pay for roaming anyway. They would use Whats App on wifi and just not use the mobile phone.  Someone like me, would use the Easy Roam and use the WiFi when it is more convenient.

I'm not sure where the lack of infrastructure argument would come in, but I have recently noted my mobile goes to wi fi by default even though there is a tower nearby.

The "revenue loss" aspect that should be of concern is when Rogers has something they don't, and it becomes a need, Telus would experience a 100% revenue loss from the subscriber moving to another carrier.

In short I see no justification for limiting this to Canada and no justification for not offering it to all concerned.

[Syaoran]

You might not see any justification for limiting it but Telus does try to limit WiFi Calling use for their customers to within Canada.  

I didn't once mention an iPhone.  The backend for those devices work differently for their features.  A lot of iPhones may sell but Android is still the dominant platform globally.  When a carrier chooses to implement something in a way that isn't Google's way, then it tends to be bad for everyone on that network that wants that feature.  I don't know about iPhones but on m Android devices, I can set if and how it decides to use WiFi Calling.  Servers cost money and the $14 dollar minimum wage in Ontario and the rising minimum wages across the country don't help companies trying to improve their services.  

I have never personally felt Canadian companies have competed with one another and haven't really seen it either.  Prices are high and essentially fixed thanks to the lack of choice in Canada.  The Bell/Telus network is the better network, at least in my opinion, when it comes to coverage and reliability.  Anyone who has ever driven each of Quebec and been on Rogers before the EXT stuff came in knows that Rogers coverage out east is a complete joke.  The same applies the further you go north of Sudbury in Ontario, northern Alberta, and many other places.  WiFi Calling for Rogers is more of an essential excuse to feed customers for their lack of reliable service and coverage.  

WiFi Calling can be incredibly handy.  Until you actually need it though, then most people won't actually appreciate how much it can improve their experience with a device.  When flying, it can be used on aircraft to make calls and send and receive texts, although most airlines do not like passengers using their phones to make calls on a plane in the air.  On a cruise ship where service might be non-existent outside of WiFi for internet, that can save you a lot of money and keep you in touch with friends and family.  Some countries are better for roaming in than others.  As a T-Mobile customer, the appreciate for how exceptional Deutsche Telekom is when traveling to Europe, Asia, and other eastern destinations.  With Canadian carriers, it usually costs more to roam overseas than it does south of the border.  My guess is, that it is easier to lock it behind Canadian IP's then it would be to filter each countries IP range individually to restrict access in nations where Telus feels like they don't want it used.  

WiFi Calling also makes it easier to have your number hijacked!  My cousin had her credit card info along with a bill full of extra charges when she used her WiFi Calling down in Mexico.  Telus corrected the fraudulent charges but that might also be a reason behind the restrictions.  Personally, I don't connect any of my devices to public WiFi networks whether I am in Canada or any other country.  Airplane WiFi connections tend to be a little more secure but still can potentially be just as bad.    

[BillTelusCust]

I don't know where to begin.

You didn't mention an iphone. I agree.  You stated that "Telus limits wi-fi calling to devices no one really buys to avoid overloading their servers."  Android may be the number one mobile operating system in the world, but from what I can tell it isn't in Canada.  iOS 53.2% and Android 45.83%.  Even if the numbers were reversed or significantly different (say 10% off), it is a stretch to say that WiFi Calling, which encompasses nearly all of the iOS phones and several Android phones means it is limited to phones "nobody buys".  Is this a list of Androd phones "nobody buys"?LG G6, LG V30, LG X power3, LG Q Stylo+, Samsung S8, Samsung S8+, Samsung Note8

Secondly, if you think that $14 an hour minimum wages areaffecting IT people building servers - no.

Thirdly, it is pretty easy to determine where a phone is and lock it out for ip addresses in the UAE, Iran, Turkey etc.  It is a handful of countries and the very same mechanism that can determine which IP addresses are in Canada can be used to filter out those countries.

Fourth - "easier to get your number hijacked"?  I think there is something else at play if they got her credit card number, that's not linked to your SIM card on the phone.  Furthermore, people put their phones on wifi whether they have wifi calling or not....moot point.

Fifth:  You can't compare Telus Easy Roam to T-mobile's, they aren't the same thing.  T-Mobile,if you are going overseas, gives you 2G data and charges 20 cents a minute for calls.  Telus charges a flat $12 per day which is capped with a certain number of days per billing period.  The nearest comparison would be something like AT&T, which is $10 US per day.  At current rates of exchange, that's $13.14 per day.  Not cheaper.

Rather than giving Telus a list of excuses that they might not have thought of, I think we'd be far better off to insist that they get wider WiFi calling support in place, including all current capable models, and turn it on for those countries in which it is legally allowed.  There is someone obviously at Telus who must be the road block and it would be nice if the impediment would get out of the way.  

Notice that Telus have not given a single valid reason for not having WiFi calling overseas (and "for security reasons" is not a valid answer".

Well, I am going to have WiFi calling wherever I go that it is legal. The thing is, will it be with a Telus SIM card in the phone or not?  There are two ways to fix a problem.  The carrier fixes it and I stay with them, or the carrier does not fix it and I go....

[Anaron]

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@lucky644 wrote:

This is *still* ridiculous.

WIFI calling and Visual Voicemail are pretty important to me.

Why is this taking so long?

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It's obviously not a priority for TELUS. They didn't add Wi-Fi calling support for the Galaxy S8 and S8+ until late-April of this year. It's going to be a long while until they do the same for the S9 and S9+.

[Darkbob]

I use WiFi calling in the US on Tmobile.  Down there people complain that Tmobile's answer to everything is "use WiFi calling!" and people scream at them for not putting up enough towers.  Here it's the opposite - lots of towers but the Telus WiFi calling infrastructure isn't up to par.  I would say that WiFi calling is handy when it's your only option but I've had the chance to live with both for extended periods of time.  I guarantee you a decent tower with good coverage is the way to go.  Real cell coverage blows away WiFi calling for voice quality and lag and echo and calls that land in your voice mail with no ring and all the rest of the WiFi calling issues.  

That said, it's a feature that Telus should offer.  And charging you to make a call over the internet? Wow.  That's a new one.  Tmobile would far rather you use WiFi than roaming when you are in Canada.  Way cheaper for them if they don't have to pay Telus for your calls.

Maybe now that Telus offers Canada/US roaming plans they will start offering better WiFi calling so they don't have to pay their US partner as much.

[BillTelusCust]

The Telus wifi calling infrastructure works just fine. A few weeks ago, my iphone started defaulting to it (like Rogers has for a long time) and it works without a problem.  I don't know where you get your information about Telus' infrastructure, I don't see that at all.  

As for whether the wifi calls are chargeable - the "wifi" calling is only part of the infrastructure, the "last mile".  You in one breath complain about the WiFi calling infrastructure being inadequate, and in the next paragraph, berate a company for charging for WIFI calls.  

Tmobile is not a fantastic company.  They are an acceptable carrier, but not the best, not the smartest and not what would be my choice.  If they had their type of service in Canada, they would be worse than Rogers, worse than Telus and worse than Bell.  

The only thing I seem to agree with you on is Telus should allow WIFI calling from out of the country.

[NFtoBC]

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@Darkbob wrote:

And charging you to make a call over the internet? Wow.  That's a new one. 

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Most carriers, including VoIP operators and even Skype, charge to exit the internet call, and interconnect to the POTS network. Depending on the country, rates vary. That your internet-delivered phone call consumes minutes from your (likely unlimited) calling plan is no real surprise. 

[BillTelusCust]

One needs to buy the right plan for their needs.