Nexus 6P and Verizon WiFi calling

[Almeuit]

Not only that.... Doesn't Verizon pride themselves on having the best coverage in America? I think that, by making wifi calling a standard on every phone, not only the phones Verizon sells? It Would be like Verizon admitting that their network isn't as good as it is touted. So... I would believe wifi calling would be well down on the pole of priorities of their services they offer.

I am sure one day they will have it. It will just be a slow roll out with only new phones getting it first.

 

[anon(19759)]

Not only that.... Doesn't Verizon pride themselves on having the best coverage in America? I think that, by making wifi calling a standard on every phone, not only the phones Verizon sells? It Would be like Verizon admitting that their network isn't as good as it is touted. So... I would believe wifi calling would be well down on the pole of priorities of their services they offer.

Huh? Verizon already has WiFi calling and it works flawlessly. Wife has the galaxy s6 on Verizon and uses WiFi calling all the time. Only works on s6 and s6 edge for now, but they have the technology and it works. I don't see that as any admission the network isn't as strong as they claim. WiFi calling can help lighten traffic on their network as well as provide a solid calling experience indoors where many buildings are just too big and thick for any cell network.

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[mikefrombx]

I have wifi calling on T-Mobile

 

[pkopalek]

Users are reporting that they are able to install Verizon Messages app, and use Wi-Fi calling within the app, for other phones.

This is the case with the Nexus 6p. It's not full or smooth integration, but TECHNICALLY, you can make a call over Wi-Fi, I'm told.

 

[Almeuit]

Huh? Verizon already has WiFi calling and it works flawlessly. Wife has the galaxy s6 on Verizon and uses WiFi calling all the time. Only works on s6 and s6 edge for now, but they have the technology and it works. I don't see that as any admission the network isn't as strong as they claim. WiFi calling can help lighten traffic on their network as well as provide a solid calling experience indoors where many buildings are just too big and thick for any cell network.

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He was talking about on phones Verizon doesn't sell (like the 6P).

 

[anon(19759)]

He was talking about on phones Verizon doesn't sell (like the 6P).

He said on both Verizon-sold and unlocked.. That enabling WiFi calling in general is an admission of not having the network they claim.

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[Almeuit]

He said on both Verizon-sold and unlocked.. That enabling WiFi calling in general is an admission of not having the network they claim.

Posted via the Android Central App

Ah true. I mean they (Verizon) have basically mocked the idea of needing wifi calling .. But .. In practical sense it is needed for all since some areas just can't reach.

 

[Clocks]

What kind of blips? I'm thinking a out giving fi a try also and I'm on Verizon currently.

I tried Fi and lasted about 4 hours. Neither t-mobile nor sprint have service at my house I learned and wifi calling was not reliable. The software doesn't make intelligent choices about whether to use cell or wifi.

Went back to verizon and got $100 account to credit given to me by the rep.

 

[vzwuser76]

Talking with Verizon support and reading up on the subject, I don't believe they will have it available for non supported phones. Currently, official Verizon WiFi calling is tied to their Advance Calling feature, which is their version of VoLTE and HD voice. That is only offered to their supported devices. The 6p is capable of VoLTE, but Verizon doesn't offer availability for their home brew version of it to non supported devices. Since there are no plans for them to offer Advance Calling to non supported devices, there will be no official version for the 6p. There's apparently a workaround using Verizon Messages+, but it also requires that you make Messages+ the default messaging app, which I don't want to do either. So the only other option is to use third party WiFi calling apps.

It sucks because I would really like to deep six the two Network Extenders we currently have in our home to be able to make calls there, which isn't possible without them. So much for Verizon's stellar network coverage. Even though my area is shown as having full LTE coverage, it does not. Their excuse was that the coverage maps don't show actual signal coverage, only where they are ABLE to offer service. Seems odd since they call them COVERAGE maps, but after being a customer for so long none of the BS Verizon does surprises me anymore.

 

[HawaiiD]

Huh? Verizon already has WiFi calling and it works flawlessly. Wife has the galaxy s6 on Verizon and uses WiFi calling all the time. Only works on s6 and s6 edge for now, but they have the technology and it works. I don't see that as any admission the network isn't as strong as they claim. WiFi calling can help lighten traffic on their network as well as provide a solid calling experience indoors where many buildings are just too big and thick for any cell network.

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That's my point... Only certain phones on Verizon have it(2) that you know of?
It just isn't a priority for them to have it on all their phones. While with T-Mobile I'm pretty sure almost all, if not all of their phones released in the last 2 years has to have wifi calling enabled or spec'd into the software before they offer it to the public or it will come a short time later via an update. Though, the Issue here is that the Nexus 6p with Android 6.0.1 has wifi calling natively. So why isn't it working(flawlessly) on Verizon's network just yet with out a work around? Also, I'm not sure if at all how much a wifi call would lesson a burden or load on Verizon network?(Maybe for the local cell towers?) The wifi call is still routed through Verizon's network ultimately. Unless the calls was exclusively volte? Maybe?
And oh... I never did say Verizon doesn't have a wifi calling feature.
And for future reference. Nexus 6p Volte with simultaneous voice and data works great natively on T-Mobile

 

[anon(19759)]

That's my point... Only certain phones on Verizon have it(2) that you know of?
It just isn't a priority for them to have it on all their phones. While with T-Mobile I'm pretty sure almost all, if not all of their phones released in the last 2 years has to have wifi calling enabled or spec'd into the software before they offer it to the public or it will come a short time later via an update. Though, the Issue here is that the Nexus 6p with Android 6.0.1 has wifi calling natively. So why isn't it working(flawlessly) on Verizon's network just yet with out a work around? Also, I'm not sure if at all how much a wifi call would lesson a burden or load on Verizon network?(Maybe for the local cell towers?) The wifi call is still routed through Verizon's network ultimately. Unless the calls was exclusively volte? Maybe?
And oh... I never did say Verizon doesn't have a wifi calling feature.
And for future reference. Nexus 6p Volte with simultaneous voice and data works great natively on T-Mobile

Right, I get what you're saying. I don't understand what the requirements are on a device and network to enable wifi calling. The 6P can enable and use VoLTE on Verizon without doing anything special so why can't they just allow it? I don't know, maybe it's technical and not a marketing decision.

 

[Robisan]

I tried Fi and lasted about 4 hours. Neither t-mobile nor sprint have service at my house I learned and wifi calling was not reliable. The software doesn't make intelligent choices about whether to use cell or wifi.

Pretty much what I found too. Also didn't like the idea that if I have a power outage = no wifi = unusable phone precisely when I'd need it most.

Perhaps I'm wrong, but my memory is that the Google Store bought 6P that I then connected to Fi had a wifi toggle in network settings. Sadly, it's above my knowledge level to understand how/why the 6P I now have connected to VZW doesn't have the same toggle. If wifi calling is native in the 6P why isn't in the network settings?

 

[vzwuser76]

Pretty much what I found too. Also didn't like the idea that if I have a power outage = no wifi = unusable phone precisely when I'd need it most.

Perhaps I'm wrong, but my memory is that the Google Store bought 6P that I then connected to Fi had a wifi toggle in network settings. Sadly, it's above my knowledge level to understand how/why the 6P I now have connected to VZW doesn't have the same toggle. If wifi calling is native in the 6P why isn't in the network settings?

I said this in my post above, that Verizon has the WiFi calling feature tied in with Advance Calling. Verizon's support staff told me I'd have to wait for an Advance Calling update for my phone. When I told them that my phone wasn't offered through them, they said they had no idea when or even if they'd offer it. I also called Google to see how I could make it work on Verizon like it does on T-Mobile or Fi. They said I could use third party apps to achieve it, but if I wanted my phone number to be transmitted when placing a call, that they couldn't do that because technically Verizon owns the phone number and they're the only ones who can make it work. Apparently T-Mobile isn't worried about if the device in question is sold by them or not, and since WiFi calling is a major part of their service, of course it will work on their network.

 

[Robisan]

I said this in my post above, that Verizon has the WiFi calling feature tied in with Advance Calling. Verizon's support staff told me I'd have to wait for an Advance Calling update for my phone.

Hmm, ok. MyVerizon recognizes the device by name and allowed me to activate Advanced Calling for my phone number (previously not allowed on my 2014 Moto X). Seems odd they'd allow enabling Advanced Calling on their account for a phone that doesn't support it. Sadly, if an OTA update is required to enable wifi (and Advanced Calling) I think the chances of VZW issuing one for a phone they don't sell is right around zero.

 

[vzwuser76]

Hmm, ok. MyVerizon recognizes the device by name and allowed me to activate Advanced Calling for my phone number (previously not allowed on my 2014 Moto X). Seems odd they'd allow enabling Advanced Calling on their account for a phone that doesn't support it. Sadly, if an OTA update is required to enable wifi (and Advanced Calling) I think the chances of VZW issuing one for a phone they don't sell is right around zero.

On Verizon branded phones, you have to enable Advance Calling on your account and on the device itself for Advance Calling to work. From what I've read, AC is a combination of VoLTE and HD voice. The 6p is capable of VoLTE but we don't get the HD voice part of AC because that requires the feature to be installed on it. My Verizon shows my phone as Huawei and the model number, but it doesn't say name of the device like Huawei Nexus 6p and the model number like it would with a Verizon branded device. I haven't tried this out on my Turbo 2, but I also believe we don't have the ability to do Video calling on the 6p either, which is part of AC. So you can enable AC on your account, but without it on the device you won't have access to all of the features of AC.

Some people can still have the ability to do WiFi calling, like those on T-Mobile, but on carriers like Verizon and AT&T, IIRC they have to be a carrier branded device. I seem to recall reading that either the Nexus 5x, 6p, and the Moto X Pure don't have the ability since they are unlocked devices. And since the only carriers I have access to are Verizon and AT&T, my only options are third party apps or using Messaging+ on Verizon. But since Messages+ won't allow it to run on my device without making it the default messaging app, that's a no go for me. Maybe once unlocked devices become more of the norm well see this issue go away, but for the time being, Verizon will most likely not address the issue. Just Verizon being Verizon.

 

[hallux]

Hmm, ok. MyVerizon recognizes the device by name and allowed me to activate Advanced Calling for my phone number (previously not allowed on my 2014 Moto X). Seems odd they'd allow enabling Advanced Calling on their account for a phone that doesn't support it. Sadly, if an OTA update is required to enable wifi (and Advanced Calling) I think the chances of VZW issuing one for a phone they don't sell is right around zero.

Since Verizon isn't issuing the OTA's for the 6P, I'd say the chances are absolutely zero that they will issue an OTA to support those features. I wonder if those features/settings being available in the phone rely on the handshake with the network during boot or what since T-Mobile is also not issuing updates for the 6P.

 

[Almeuit]

Apparently T-Mobile isn't worried about if the device in question is sold by them or not, and since WiFi calling is a major part of their service, of course it will work on their network.

It could work on Verizon if they wanted it to I am sure. T-Mobile isn't doing anything really special here to get it to work since WiFi calling is now baked into MM from Google. T-Mobile just allows their network to take advantage and use it if the person wants to.

 

[vzwuser76]

It could work on Verizon if they wanted it to I am sure. T-Mobile isn't doing anything really special here to get it to work since WiFi calling is now baked into MM from Google. T-Mobile just allows their network to take advantage and use it if the person wants to.

I know it's part of MM, which is why I called Google to see what had to be done to make it work. They informed me that Verizon owns the number and since they have their WiFi calling baked into AC, there's nothing Google can do about it. T-Mobile OTOH apparently doesn't have any carrier specific requirements to use the device, if only has to be WiFi calling ready and have a T-Mobile Sim card. So as per usual, Verizon is the holdup.

 

[vzwuser76]

Since Verizon isn't issuing the OTA's for the 6P, I'd say the chances are absolutely zero that they will issue an OTA to support those features. I wonder if those features/settings being available in the phone rely on the handshake with the network during boot or what since T-Mobile is also not issuing updates for the 6P.

I think T-Mobile's only requirements are that the phone is capable of WiFi calling and having an active T-Mobile Sim. Since Verizon has their WiFi calling integrated into AC, it's not possible for unlocked devices.

I asked if there was a possibility if Verizon would make a generic AC update for unlocked devices to allow them to do Video Calling and WiFi Calling but they had no idea.

 

[d2kplus]

I have a N6P and Verizon supports it for VoLTE. I've made calls to other VZW phones that were in HD Voice mode. At this point VZW provides WIFI calling via the Message+ app, and they have disabled that functionality for the N6P...just because they can.