(Total phone-newbie questions) about Proj Fi and wifi?

[SnowTao2016]

(Sorry this is so long; I'm not sure what info is needed to answer my questions.)

G'morning y'all!
Been reading up like mad -- but some stuff goes right over my head (let me put it this way -- I've finally answered my (had-it-a-year, Android/Virgin Mobile Supreme = Sprint Vital) phone TWICE without hanging it up... {sigh}) I have no bars on Virgin at home; my neighbor has no-to-1 bars at his house on Verizon (he just got a "personal cell tower" device to replace the femto-cell and booster they gave him to try first... his "cell tower" thing is letting his phone work great -- but it may mutate his dog... who knows?!)

I have working wifi in the house (although all my gear except the Roku boxes are wired to the (good-quality Netgear) router. I have -105 dB (dBm?) inside -- but -117 and -112 outside. (I followed directions to check that, but -- other than: "you ain't got no signal" -- don't know what that means.)

So, I understand my possible-future Fi phone (I'm thinking of the 6P) will work on wifi just fine within the house -- but may drop the call when I exit (if it can't find a strong enough signal)? (I'm able to make calls at home on Virgin -- but they drop or fade in and out. (ALL my neighbors have trouble with ALL carriers. And we're only an hour N of Atlanta!)

I'd like to drop the AT&T house phone entirely. My (in-the-house) company already uses VoIP (I have Comcast cable; Vonnage handles the VoIP). (Don't use much data on the Virgin phone: the week I just spent traveling in FLA with lots of Waze, I reached a whopping 49MB; when not traveling, usually well below 20 MB.)

So, my questions:
1. Will the 6P using wifi interfere with my business calls making it in? (Note, I rarely have the Virgin phone on at all during biz hours -- but if I dump the house phone, I will want it on for personal calls.)
2. Am I likely to lose (some) calls when I leave the house? (I can finish calls before leaving if I must...)

Between AT&T and Virgin, I'm paying some $50-60 a month.

Thanks for any advice!
Elenor

 

[Golfdriver97]

Welcome to the forums. I know a little bit about Fi, but not enough to comfortably answer your questions. I have asked around to the other Ambassadors if they can help out.

 

[kmcochran]

You should have no problems using the phone inside your house. If no carriers work reliably outside of your house (I am in a similar boat, but usually can keep a call connected), then you may drop the call, just like you are now. I am in a major city, but my neighborhood is a very old one with tall pine trees everywhere that don't let a signal down. I'm also smack-dab in the middle between two towers, so I get the least possible signal. I have found that I am able to lock onto Sprint LTE here, which is surprising. It doesn't always happen, but sometimes I can get a pretty good signal.

From what you have described, you should get better service with Fi than you are getting now, and at half the cost. Fi Customer service is pretty good and quick to help troubleshoot your phone and service. I have a 6P and love it!

 

[12MaNy]

Fi utilizes the strongest signal for voice/data, whether it's WiFi, Sprint or T-Mobile. If your WiFi signal is stronger than the cell networks throughout your home, then you will most likely use WiFi for voice/data in your home. When you leave your WiFi coverage your device will automatically jump to the cell networks (those being Sprint & T-Mobile). Basically I would check how Sprint and T-Mobile's coverage is in your area and go from there.