WARNING! Lebara deal is great BUT they don't offer wifi calling!

d123

frugalstephen said:

Found this thread via a google search, I too am an abandoned EE customer with no access now to their excellent, 'signal box'. I had to buy a new phone as mine had no WiFi calling capability. I am shopping around now as being loyal to EE for years, they weren't so loyal to me and I found Lebara.

Found this on their web site dated January 2021 which states their network is WiFi calling compatible. Just checking, are they?

https://www.lebara.ch/assets/other/Lebara_wifi_calling_page_en.pdf

Yes, they do offer Wi-Fi Calling now (though your link is for Lebara Switzerland, see the .ch in the link).

flaneurs_lobster

Don't believe anything until you've seen wi-fi calling working on your phone with your own eyes (it works just fine on mine). 

Order a sim on Lebara's 1p/month deal to see if it works for you, if not happy then cancel and you've only spent a penny.

Deal end tomorrow

d123

flaneurs_lobster said:

Don't believe anything until you've seen wi-fi calling working on your phone with your own eyes (it works just fine on mine). 

True, Vodafone's version of wificalling seems to be quite picky about phones, having said that I haven't had a phone not work with it yet and I've tested it with a Xiaomi Mi10T, a Xiaomi Poco F3, a OnePlus Nord, a OnePlus 7 Pro 5G and an iPhone 12.

chistery

I only managed to get VoLTE and VoWiFi working when I PAC'd a number in to Lebara. I tried for a month to get it enabled, but Lebara were clueless.

frugalstephen

It does seem odd that for such a primary function (if you live in a weak network area), that WiFi calling is rarely even specified in phones features! There are still plenty on sale that don't do it, and it was a nightmare seeking out one that did. As many said, you also don't know if it'll work with your network until you try it. What kind of way is that to market a product? If you wanted you car to fit in your garage, would you buy it before knowing the dimensions, or, just buy it in the vain hope it may fit?

I have had a mobile phone since my 1989 Motorola 8800x 'brick', with a battery life of 4 hours LOL I'd have expected the industry to mature into better than they have;...

Le_Major

I was about to sign up with Lebara because MSE states that they support Wifi Calling - thanks for the warning.
After literally 40-ish hours of chat & phone calls, I was told by Vodaphone techies that my Samsung was originally furnished with O2 firmware. They did manage to get wifi working several times but only for a few hours. Ultimately I was told that Vodafone does an overnight check, and because the firmware does not have a Vodaphone marker (presumably mine has an O2 marker) then the wifi calling permission is zapped - this explained why it worked one day and then I had to spend hours going through the "support process" to get to the right level techie to re-set WC. Sadly I always got someone different every time until finally a guy I'd spent hours with on the phone started calling me next day to see if the fix got zapped, and eventually found out why.
Surely if all the major networks are truly complying with the unlocked rules, they should not be blowing out anyones wifi calling status every night - it is wasting my time and also their tech support resources whose efforts are wasted.

flaneurs_lobster

Le_Major said:

After literally 40-ish hours of chat & phone calls, I was told by Vodaphone techies that my Samsung was originally furnished with O2 firmware. 

What phone do you have? My A52s has O2 firmware yet works fine w/ Lebara Wi-Fi calling. 

frugalstephen

flaneurs_lobster said:

Le_Major said:

After literally 40-ish hours of chat & phone calls, I was told by Vodaphone techies that my Samsung was originally furnished with O2 firmware. 

What phone do you have? My A52s has O2 firmware yet works fine w/ Lebara Wi-Fi calling. 

You see, therein lies the primary problem. It should not matter what phone you have. If it's capable of utilising WiFi calling, it should simply work without futtering around! Nobody asks, 'does this phone get texts', so, if it is specified that it's capable of WiFi calling, the darn thing should just do it...

giraffe69

Entirely agree with the above post. Many people who have a poor signal need wifi calling, I do. The companies advertise and seek to persuade you that only by buying a phone directly from them will it be guaranteed to work. most of the companies don't provide anything like an up to date list of what does and does not work and you end up feeling this is just for their narrow commercial advantage and to hell with the customer.

flaneurs_lobster

Agree with both replies above. I'd reiterate, if you must have Wi-Fi calling then try to see it working before you commit financially to a particular phone (from a particular supplier) and a particular mobile service.

I have never owned an Apple device in my puff but it should be said that any iPhone from the 6 forward will work with any mobile company's Wi-Fi calling service if they offer it.