Samsung Galaxy Note 4 T-mobile Wi-Fi calling and SMS

[Ab3n]

I've had an issue with my Galaxy Note 4 in which I cannot send SMS messages while connected to a wireless network. After discussing this in a chat with a T-mobile rep, the issue was resolved by changing the Wi-Fi calling preference from Wi-Fi preferred to cellular preferred. Here's the transcript:

T-Mobile: We have received your information and will connect you with a T-Mobile Chat Specialist soon.

Nikki G: Hello Joe!

You: Hello

Nikki G: Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention about the issue you are experiencing with sending text messages. I can definitely check this for you and provide the best options for this case.

You: Thank you

Nikki G: Are you able to make calls while connected to a wifi network?

You: I am

You: So far the only issue I can see is that sms messages fail to send

Nikki G: Thanks for letting me know!

You: If I turn off the wifi, they send fine

You: I've tried multiple wifi networks as well with the same results

Nikki G: We are going to follow the basic troubleshooting steps then if the steps was not able to resolve the issue, we will proceed with getting further assistance with this. Are you ready?

You: yep

Nikki G: Cool!

Nikki G: Do you have your phone with you?

You: Yes

Nikki G: Great! Please tap Settings from your phone.

You: k

Nikki G: After that, tap Wi-Fi Calling.

Nikki G: Next is tap Connection Preferences.

Nikki G: Are you on the Connection Preferences now?

You: almost

Nikki G: Kindly let me know once you are on that option.

You: I think I'm there

Nikki G: May I know which option are you seeing under Connection Preferences?

You: wi-fi preferred

Nikki G: Thanks for checking that!

Nikki G: Please change the option to Cellular Network Preferred.

You: changed

Nikki G: Awesome!

Nikki G: Is wifi turned on from your phone?

You: yes

Nikki G: Can you please turn off then turn on again?

You: done

Nikki G: Once the wifi from your phone is turned on, please try to send a text message again. Let us see if you will be able to send a message now.

You: text went through fine

Nikki G: wonderful!

Nikki G: Was I able to fully address your concern and provide you 100% customer satisfaction today, Joe?

You: If I'm on wifi will my calls default to tmobile network now?

Nikki G: No

Nikki G: If the wifi calling preference is set to Cellular Network Preferred, this means that you can still be able to make calls and texts when you are connected to a wifi network or not.

You: But they will be using my tmobile plan minutes instead of my home wifi connection?

Nikki G: No

Nikki G: It will not

Nikki G: You have the Simple Choice Plan, Joe.

Nikki G: This includes unlimited talk, text, and data.

Nikki G: So with using wifi calling or not, no minutes will be deducted on your account because you've got the unlimited plan.

Nikki G: Have we clarified the information for you?

You: Yeah, any eta on when I'll be able to switch back to wifi preferred?

Nikki G: It would be best tyht

Nikki G: **It would be best that you will have the Cellular Network Preferred

Nikki G: However, you still have the option to choose the option that you want

You: Will wifi preferred ever work with sms messages?

Nikki G: Based on your case, sending messages is not working when using wifi connection that is why we changed the preference

You: Yes, and I appreciate the help. I was just curious if this bug would be fixed any time soon.

Nikki G: It's my pleasure to assist you and I hope I was able to provide an excellent customer service today. Do you have any other concerns that I can help you with today aside from this?

You: So no eta?

Nikki G: May I know what do you mean?

You: Do you know if a fix for my specific issue is being worked on?

Nikki G: Joe, we have just changed the preference on your wifi calling because wifi calling works differently depending on the preference you have chosen. This is how the device works.

Nikki G: In addition to that, choosing either preference will not affect your rate plan.

You: Thanks. So if I understand correctly, no one can use the wifi-preferred option and still be able to send sms messages?

Nikki G: It depends on the function of the device, Joe.

You: Is this a galaxy note 4 issue then?

Nikki G: The important thing is that we have fixed the issue with sending messages

Nikki G: You are able to send a text message now, right?

You: I am, but I am not apparently able to use wifi calling now when still in range of the t-mobile network.

You: as cellular is now preferred.

Nikki G: No, Joe. Let me further explain it.

Nikki G: You will still be able to use wifi calling as long as the wifi calling is turned on.

Nikki G: I apologize as I was not able to explain it

Nikki G: You may be under the impression that you will not be able to use wifi calling when you change the preference

Nikki G: A

Nikki G: The bottomline is that you can be able to use wifi calling as long as it is turned on.

You: So if I place a call right now, with wifi calling on and cellular preferred, (being in range and connected to both a wifi network and t-mobile's cellular network) the call will be placed using the wifi signal and NOT t-mobile's cellular network?

Nikki G: Yes

Nikki G: You got it right

You: Alrighty then.

Nikki G: Was I able to fully address your concern and provide you 100% customer satisfaction today?

You: Indeed

Nikki G: Thank you for allowing me to assist you and for making T-Mobile a part of your life. Take care, Joe! Bye for now.

The agent has exited the chat. Thank you for chatting with us today.

Is the T-mobile rep correct that my calls will prefer the Wi-Fi connection over cellular even though the setting is set to "cellular preferred"? Seems a bit misleading if so.

 

[jpr]

Re: T-mobile Wi-Fi calling and SMS

No, that's not correct. With cellular preferred it will only use wifi for calls if you lose connection to the cellular network. You will see the wifi calling icon in the notifcation bar when it is active. However, I don't know why you are worried about using minutes if you have unlimited minutes on your plan like it says in the chat. But either way, the rep was wrong about the above.

 

[Sharon Jewel]

some of this is not true. i have been going round and round with tech support for a week about the preference settings. last night someone told me the same thing they told you, that even when set to cellular preferred, the phone defaults to wifi, as long as wifi and wifi calling are turned on. i tested it last night and it is not true. bottom line, Wi-Fi Preferred means that if you phone is set to wifi preferred, it will first attempt to use the wi-fi network to make phone calls, then the cellular network if the wi-fi is not available, and Cellular Preferred will attempt to use your cellular network to make phone call first, then the wi-fi network.
When i set my phone to cellular preferred and tried to make a phone at home where i have wifi, my phone made the call over cellular, and when i changed the preference to wifi, it made the call over wifi. if you have it set to cellular preferred, the phone will choose a one bar cellular signal, over a strong wifi signal. i would suggest keeping your settings on wifi preferred and just turning wifi completely off when you are sending a text, and turning it back on after it is sent. i have been talking to tech support several times a day about this for a week and each time i call, i get conflicting information. that is why i had to call so many times, also because some of what they said made no sense at all, as in your case. i finally i tested it for myself and got my answer that way. this morning i called again, and i finally got someone whose information was in synch with my testing. so there you have it