Why does my galaxy phone think it is making international calls?

[eric_vdberg]

During the last month my Galaxy A10e phone has started to show 3 semi-circles above the green handset icon when I make most of my calls. Sometimes I get a warning that the call could incur international charges and do I want to continue. I first noticed this when I was making a call to a neighbor who lives several hundred feet away.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Who's your carrier, and where do you live? Are you using a VPN? Have you asked your carrier about this?

 

[eric_vdberg]

Carrier is Spectrum. I am not using a VPN. I have queried Spectrum and they had no clue what I was talking about.

 

[mustang7757]

Welcome to AC!

Can you post a screenshot of this
"semi-circles above the green handset icon "

https://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?t=413366

 

[eric_vdberg]

While trying to post the icon (which I am unable to figure out) I actually came across the following explanation for the symbol:
"Phone Headset with Wi-Fi Signal Icon
If you have come across this icon, do not panic, you are not in an active call and your monthly telephone payment is not going to be sky high. This is the new feature that is used when the phone has set up a Wi-Fi call. This is a relatively new extra that allows users to make phone calls via Wi-Fi instead when the conventional mobile signal is weak."

So this is a new feature that just seems to have coincided with the occasional warning of international calls. Perhaps I don't actually have a problem, but it still does seem strange that I am getting warnings about international calls.
Thank you for your interest.

 

[B. Diddy]

Where are you seeing that explanation? Is that from your carrier? Or from your phone manufacturer?

 

[eric_vdberg]

https://sensorstechforum.com/android-system-icons-list-mean/

 

[mustang7757]

While trying to post the icon (which I am unable to figure out) I actually came across the following explanation for the symbol:
"Phone Headset with Wi-Fi Signal Icon
If you have come across this icon, do not panic, you are not in an active call and your monthly telephone payment is not going to be sky high. This is the new feature that is used when the phone has set up a Wi-Fi call. This is a relatively new extra that allows users to make phone calls via Wi-Fi instead when the conventional mobile signal is weak."

So this is a new feature that just seems to have coincided with the occasional warning of international calls. Perhaps I don't actually have a problem, but it still does seem strange that I am getting warnings about international calls.
Thank you for your interest.

https://sensorstechforum.com/android-system-icons-list-mean/

I'm assuming you don't have a unlimited plan?

 

[eric_vdberg]

Correct, I pay by the gigabyte.

 

[mustang7757]

That's why you seeing the warning

 

[B. Diddy]

Oh, now I understand how you're describing the icon (I was originally envisioning 3 semicircles next to each other, rather than radiating outwards).

Wi-fi Calling has been around for a long time. You never turned your Wi-Fi Calling on before?

That still shouldn't be associated with a notification about making an international call, if the call is clearly not international. Were you connected to your home wi-fi network, or someone else's? If you were connected to someone else's wi-fi network, and that person was using a VPN to connect to a foreign server, then maybe it might be deemed an international call, but that also seems unlikely.

 

[mustang7757]

I remember years ago I didn't have unlimited Att plan and when WiFi calling was set-up I get a notification additional charges may apply to your plan , not sure why OP is seeing international but definitely something with the plan OP has

 

[eric_vdberg]

I never did turn on Wi-Fi calling previously, I used my phone for so little that I never got close to using a gigabyte until the last couple of months. Anyway, it will probably just remain a mystery for some time. My thanks to everyone who tried to help.