WiFi calling on Android phone

snuff2pay

I have no landline and have to rely on WiFi calls. I used to have a Vodafone signal sender but it melted and Vodafone are no longer producing them. Most networks enable WiFi calls but only if you buy an expensive phone from them. I generally pay up to £150 for a phone to own outright. Is there an affordable solution that does not involve an app like Skype or an Apple phone? Thanks for any wisdom offered.

JJ_Egan

I use Whatsapp calling and video calling .

chistery

You don't need to buy the phone direct, just it's not guaranteed to work, but most newer phones do.

Carrot007

You got a smart speaker? AFAIK vodafone calls can be made from these if paired using the numbers in your phone. (which removes the need for the called to have an app like whatsapp etc).

If you have not got one you can probably pick up a small one from an older generation for practicalyl nothing (I have old ones sitting around doing nothing!).

Zellah

JJ_Egan said:

I use Whatsapp calling and video calling .

But you can't use Whatsapp to call your doctor or 999 or your bank. The OP is talking about native wifi-calling built in, not calling through smartphone apps.

OP, if money is tight then buy something like the iPhone 6 which can bought for less than £100 on ebay. All iphone's 6 and above support wifi calling on Vodafone and on the main networks. You aren't forced to spend £1000s on the latest and greatest smartphone in order to get WC.

Zellah

Also, you can buy a Vodafone Sure Signal which you plug into any socket and this transmits a 3G voice signal which can be used by any ANY  phone, as long as it supports 3G (nearly all do these days). However Vodafone officially no longer sell these but you can still buy them on ebay and add them to your online Vodafone account. They're being sold for £100s on ebay (given that they're getting rare) but found one for £110 here:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vodafone-Sure-Signal-Home-Cell-P3-0-Alcatel-Lucent-9361/224235343864?epid=28034033362&hash=item343577cff8:g:XMkAAOSwJiBfsPRL&LH_BIN=1

Neil49

Do you want to stay with Vodafone or are you happy to switch networks. 

If you go to the websites of EE, Three and O2 they generally have a page where you can check to see which phones support wifi calling. Vodafone aren't that forthcoming with information except that most modern iPhones will work. Anything else they say is possibly dependent on you buying the phone from them. 

I'm with Three and have a Samsung Galaxy s10. WiFi calling works really well for me so it's worth doing some research. Some other operators also support wifi calling (such as ID Mobile) but it's generally the main network providers. 

searchlight123

many affordable handsets allow wifi calling. my previous phone a Moto G7 Power had wifi calling facility. important to me as where i work there is little or no mobile signal.
my replacement handset xiaomi poco X3 NFC also has wifi calling built in.

Zellah

tonygold said:

many affordable handsets allow wifi calling. my previous phone a Moto G7 Power had wifi calling facility. important to me as where i work there is little or no mobile signal.
my replacement handset xiaomi poco X3 NFC also has wifi calling built in.

Yet none of these are supported by Vodafone for wifi calling. Its not just the hardware - the network operator has to support the handset as well. 
https://www.vodafone.co.uk/network/calling-features/wi-fi-calling

alanjones60

I have a galaxy s7 unlocked from 02. Im on three,on there old pay as you go tariff 3p a min 2p a text 1p a mb. My s7 just worked  with wifi calling. Three are the only network which allows wifi calling on pay as you go. This was the reason i went with them

snuff2pay

Thank you everyone. It looks like 3 may be the way to go.