Wi-Fi Calling Now Available On Verizon Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge!

[DroidModderX]

​

Verizon has just announced that Wi-fi calling will be added to their Advanced calling features! This allows you to make, receive and initiate video calls over wi-fi! Wi-fi calling will first be available for the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. The new feature comes by way of an OTA software update. The update should start rolling out next week.

With Wi-Fi calling all calls made to the US will be free. Any calls to international numbers will incur long distance fees. To enable this feature simply accept the update then go into settings and turn on the advanced calling feature. Then just activate the Wi-Fi calling feature from the Advanced calling menu.

via Verizon

 

[Miller6386]

Very nice... Although this feature doesn't do much for me personally I know a few people who will love it... I am waiting for the ability for SMS and MMS to work over wifi on VZW without using the VZW app.... If I could get Textra to work over WiFi I would be a very happy camper

 

[Jeffrey]

This is huge for those in rural areas where mobile signals are weak.

 

[Jimmy8881]

Will the service be free to activate or will there be a monthly fee? Article only says US calls are free. good deal as long as they don't add some kind of monthly fee

 

[Jeffrey]

Will the service be free to activate or will there be a monthly fee? Article only says US calls are free. good deal as long as they don't add some kind of monthly fee

No monthly fee now, but you never know with VZW..

 

[Miller6386]

Has anyone seen a list of what devices will support this?

Note 4tified

 

[Jonny Kansas]

Will the service be free to activate or will there be a monthly fee? Article only says US calls are free. good deal as long as they don't add some kind of monthly fee

No monthly fee now, but you never know with VZW..

I'm going to bet that you'll at least have to have a plan on VZW. While I'd be very surprised if they charged extra for Wifi calling, you won't just be able to keep using a phone over Wifi with a VZW number after cancelling your actual plan.

While I agree with Jeffrey that this is great for folks who live/work in areas with spotty coverage, I also think it's quite a sham. They keep playing around with pricing on data and now their plans offer unlimited minutes and messages by default. So, if you have good coverage, I would never use Wifi calling. Why should I help alleviate some congestion on their network when I've got as many minutes as I can possibly use each month?

Also, while (again) I think this is great for folks who wouldn't otherwise be able to count on a good signal for calls, I hope this isn't their way of saving money that they'd otherwise spend on expanding their coverage areas. Seems like a good excuse to me to not worry about putting up more towers. "Well, we've got a very robust network everywhere else. You're free to make wifi calls when you're at home where our signals just don't quite reach you."

Not to mention, folks who have a metered connection to the internet from their ISP. Suddenly, you've got no bandwidth left for streaming, surfing, etc, because someone in your house is always on the phone, using wifi, and it's taking up your allotted data from your ISP. (I don't know exactly how wifi calling will impact data caps. I'm sure video calls will have a larger effect.)

Still, I'm not saying I think this is a horrible thing. Just playing devil's advocate and pointing out that, while this will be quite helpful to some customers, others may not find it to be so great.

 

[Domestic violence]

I had this very question last week when I loaded the VZW messaging app on my iPad. I didn't realize that WiFi calling was enabled on the tablet but not my Note 4.

Would this feature theoretically increase battery consumption if on a WiFi network? Phone not constantly searching for an LTE signal?

 

[IIGood]

I just ordered an S6 yesterday. Verizon Wireless sent out an email ad each day over the weekend with an offer for up to $200 off the full price of an S6 via monthly payments, and since I read a couple other articles over the weekend saying they'd be enabling WiFi calling for that device first, I went ahead with picking one up. The voice coverage for VZW in my neighborhood is awful (their support says it's a "known marginal-service area"...) so this should help out. Even the network extender I bought isn't 100%.

 

[jackiescivic]

Did the software update today. My condo gets anywhere from 1-4 bars. It's too bad I rarely talk on the phone lol.

I swear, this update changed the look of some of my icons as well.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

 

[Jeffrey]

Let us know how the S6 WIFI calling works out for you..

 

[jackiescivic]

Haven't really used the WiFi calling, but the update also added Edge apps. Unfortunately, the accessibility of the Edge has been lessened

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

 

[droidprincess]

When does the Edge+ get this??

from my sexy edge+

 

[Miller6386]

I thought they rolled it out for both devices..... I know that in my area when updates are released I am usually at least a day if not 2 behind being able to get it... Even with app updates.. Seems like it takes an extra day or so for whatever server location I am linked to to get the update available.

 

[droidprincess]

I thought they rolled it out for both devices..... I know that in my area when updates are released I am usually at least a day if not 2 behind being able to get it... Even with app updates.. Seems like it takes an extra day or so for whatever server location I am linked to to get the update available.

I have been checking for updates and nothing yet....I will have to research this more tonight....

from my sexy edge+