FREE Wi-Fi calling coming to Verizon on July 25!!

[FoxKat]

Ok folks, I know we've heard this before and in fact there's actually a thread out there about Verizon tech spilling the beans in respect to Wi-Fi calling. But I have direct information as a result of a conversation today with a Verizon technician myself.

I was in the process of changing my pricing plan to obtain more minutes as I've exceeded my 2000 phone call minute allotment for the month under my Nationwide Calling plan with Unlimited Data on two lines. In the process I questioned when Wi-Fi calling was coming and the Verizon technician informed me that it actually will be starting July 25th 2015. I said to her I've heard it before and not that I don't believe you but are you absolutely sure and when will be announced? She informed me that it was actually on her system she was looking at the screen at that moment showing the start date of July 25th and she said the announcement is expected to be July 1st.

I then asked how the program will start and whether or not they're needed to be any changes to the pricing plans or upgrades to the phone. She indicated that this will come out as an over the air update to our phones and automatically be implemented. But of course like most programs that are automatically updated you'll probably have to go into a menu setting and change something.

Now again I know we've had people say things are going to happen and then they don't happen but I'm giving it to you straight from my mouth (the horse's mouth), and coming directly from a Verizon technician who was extremely competent and very professional and very helpful.

So then I further inquired as to how the program works and whether or not making phone calls over Wi-Fi we're going to impact the number of minutes used. She informed me that no, any phone calls made over Wi-Fi calling do not count towards your minute allotment for those on unlimited data plans like myself where I'm charged per minute for phone calls as they would normally, since they're not going over the cellular network.

Furthermore, they also don't count towards your data usage if you're on a tiered data plan since again you're not using Verizon's network to transmit the data. In other words if you're on a higher pricing plan with more minutes or more data and you have Wi-Fi available to you the greatest percentage of time during the day whether at home or at work, you should in fact be able to reduce your pricing plan and save money monthly as I expect to be able to do myself.

Right now I'm paying $90 a month for 2000 minutes and I should be able to go down to 700 minutes at $60 per month saving 30 bucks a month just because I won't be using the cellular for the greater percentage of my phone calls. I'll lose the 10 free calling "Friends and Family" phone numbers I'm allowed to designate, but that shouldn't be a big deal.

So there you have it folks, as they say don't shoot the messenger (but you may in fact want to pat me on the back)!

 

[mountainbikermark]

That's good for folks such as yourself that are keeping your old plan for the data part. Good news indeed.

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[UrbanBounca]

That's good for folks such as yourself that are keeping your old plan for the data part. Good news indeed.

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That's exactly my thought, it's only really good for older plans. All the new plans have unlimited minutes, so using WiFi calling would be pretty pointless.

 

[FoxKat]

Yeah, I suppose I hadn't considered that the newer plans all have free calling already. So happy happy for me and the other Unlimited Data plan holders.

 

[kodiak799]

I'm excited to see how well this works. Besides helping those of us on limited calling plan, the real benefit IMO are those who suffer weak signals indoors but can connect to wifi.

I also wonder if this could work on an old or deactivated phone that has the software update installed since it's wifi (probably not). I realize there are apps out there to do this already, and liked FoxKat's idea of hooking that phone up to a bluetooth speaker.

I might even ditch my Ooma if VZW still provides 911 service over wifi calling - and consider that a PSA worth looking into because if you set your phone to use wifi calling at home, you MAY not have 911 service.

 

[EA.Droyd]

This is great news indeed! I was on the phone earlier Saturday morning with Verizon's tech support regarding poor call quality and one to no bars of signal strength. I figured they would try to sell me a high dollar network extender, they didn't, she tried every possible option to resolve the issue. In the end, she also confirmed that WI-FI calling was coming and to hold off on the purchase of the extender if at all possible.

I initially was hoping that it would be part of the lollipop build for the Turbo. I'll just be happy with Wi-Fi calling as poor reception is my only negative with the device that I've found.

 

[Miller6386]

That's exactly my thought, it's only really good for older plans. All the new plans have unlimited minutes, so using WiFi calling would be pretty pointless.

I wouldn't sat pointless at all. Many of the shops I go into offer a free guest network for wifi. These same shops are also dead zones when inside the building. Makes trying to call tech support while I'm standing at the machine very very tough. This will now allow me to make calls while in the building..



Note 4Tified

 

[FoxKat]

I'm excited to see how well this works. Besides helping those of us on limited calling plan, the real benefit IMO are those who suffer weak signals indoors but can connect to wifi.

I also wonder if this could work on an old or deactivated phone that has the software update installed since it's wifi (probably not). I realize there are apps out there to do this already, and liked FoxKat's idea of hooking that phone up to a bluetooth speaker.

I might even ditch my Ooma if VZW still provides 911 service over wifi calling - and consider that a PSA worth looking into because if you set your phone to use wifi calling at home, you MAY not have 911 service.

This is the exact device I mentioned in another thread and that you're referring to. Amazon.com Xtreme Technologies Xlink BT Bluetooth Gateway - Black Cell Phones Accessories

The whole idea for those who aren't familiar is that this device lets your cellular phone make and receive landline phonecalls through your wired or wireless home phones. It does this by plugging your wired or wireless home phone into the back of it and then it bridges that phone to your cellular phone via Bluetooth.

To use you simply pick up your house phone (you actually get a dual tone), dial a number and it makes the call on your nearby cellular phone but using the standard phone instead. So you talk to and listen to the person on the wired or wireless phone but the call is actually going over the cellular network.

Upto 3 different cellular phones can connect to it and they all will work either independently or in cooperation. A light on the top tells you which cellular phone the call is coming through on. The person on the other end is oblivious to the fact that it's a cellular call but you're talking on a standard desk, wall or portable wireless phone handset.

It's a perfect solution if you add GrooVe IP Lite ( GrooVe IP Lite Free Calls - Android Apps on Google Play VoIP on an old cellular phone with no service and then connect it to your Wi-Fi network. This way you get completely free calling from home and you get to breathe life back into an old, retired cellular phone.

 

[mountainbikermark]

This is the exact device I mentioned in another thread and that you're referring to. Amazon.com Xtreme Technologies Xlink BT Bluetooth Gateway - Black Cell Phones Accessories

The whole idea for those who aren't familiar is that this device lets your cellular phone make and receive landline phonecalls through your wired or wireless home phones. It does this by plugging your wired or wireless home phone into the back of it and then it bridges that phone to your cellular phone via Bluetooth.

To use you simply pick up your house phone (you actually get a dual tone), dial a number and it makes the call on your nearby cellular phone but using the standard phone instead. So you talk to and listen to the person on the wired or wireless phone but the call is actually going over the cellular network.

Upto 3 different cellular phones can connect to it and they all will work either independently or in cooperation. A light on the top tells you which cellular phone the call is coming through on. The person on the other end is oblivious to the fact that it's a cellular call but you're talking on a standard desk, wall or portable wireless phone handset.

It's a perfect solution if you add GrooVe IP Lite ( GrooVe IP Lite Free Calls - Android Apps on Google Play VoIP on an old cellular phone with no service and then connect it to your Wi-Fi network. This way you get completely free calling from home and you get to breathe life back into an old, retired cellular phone.

T-Mobile used to offer a device that was the exact opposite of that. Use your cellphone over your landline connection. It was nice to have back before unlimited minutes , be it smartphone or dumbphone.

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[Ollie]

I'm excited to see how well this works. Besides helping those of us on limited calling plan, the real benefit IMO are those who suffer weak signals indoors but can connect to wifi.

I also wonder if this could work on an old or deactivated phone that has the software update installed since it's wifi (probably not). I realize there are apps out there to do this already, and liked FoxKat's idea of hooking that phone up to a bluetooth speaker.

I might even ditch my Ooma if VZW still provides 911 service over wifi calling - and consider that a PSA worth looking into because if you set your phone to use wifi calling at home, you MAY not have 911 service.

Tmobile made us enter a 911 location when they activated our wireless calling. And once more when they sent the signal booster for one of our youngins that she uses to boost the signal into her apartment.

 

[kodiak799]

Tmobile made us enter a 911 location when they activated our wireless calling. And once more when they sent the signal booster for one of our youngins that she uses to boost the signal into her apartment.

That's great for your home. But if you use wifi calling anywhere else, that would create a real problem unless you can designate different locations for different AP's.

 

[cr6]

I'm lucky if I use half of my allotted 450 minutes each month, so for me, it's not needed.

S5 tap'n

 

[Ollie]

That's great for your home. But if you use wifi calling anywhere else, that would create a real problem unless you can designate different locations for different AP's.

I agree. Unfortunately they assume that the majority of your calls will be made from home. It would be very easy for them to hook it into a geolocation based service, but I am sure people would misconstrue it as a breach of privacy instead of a life saving feature.

 

[IIGood]

I'm just seeing this now. Is there any update on it?

It'll be nice for me at home because VZW's signal is rather poor around my neighborhood...so poor that I bought one of those "network extender" boxes which can be hit-or-miss at times as well. Though I'm not a heavy phone caller either (I'm lucky to use a quarter of the 450 minutes I'm signed up for each month), it'll be nice for me in the sense of having phone signal in my house. I've always got the wifi on there so this will help in that respect.

 

[wicked]

I love WiFi calling on my T-Mobile Xperia Z3. My girl lives up in the hills and hardly get a signal here on any carrier. WiFi calling/texting is on at all times when I'm here.