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

acc

Lebara refers to the Vodafone website for guidance on wifi calling and handsets.
The Vodafone wifi calling device help page https://deviceguides.vodafone.co.uk/?topic=turn-wi-fi-calling-on-or-off has a list of compatible handsets, but that list seems out of date.
We have various Redmi Note handsets, including 9T, 10 5G and 10 Pro. and the Vodafone list shows only the first two handsets, but not the third, yet wifi calling works on Lebara for all three,
For Samsung, the Vodafone list includes the A52 5G and A52s 5G.

frugalstephen

acc said:

Lebara refers to the Vodafone website for guidance on wifi calling and handsets.
The Vodafone wifi calling device help page https://deviceguides.vodafone.co.uk/?topic=turn-wi-fi-calling-on-or-off has a list of compatible handsets, but that list seems out of date.
We have various Redmi Note handsets, including 9T, 10 5G and 10 Pro. and the Vodafone list shows only the first two handsets, but not the third, yet wifi calling works on Lebara for all three,
For Samsung, the Vodafone list includes the A52 5G and A52s 5G.

My phone, a Cat S52, isn't listed, though to be fair, it often isn't listed on many sites who only seem to concentrate on Apple, and about half a dozen Android phone manufacturers. The very reason that the make of phone should not matter at all. If the phone has a certain calling protocol built in for WiFi calling, the brand shouldn't matter!

acc

All the networks seem to make wifi calling work only on specific models.

I recently joined Smarty for a short time, and found that wifi calling which worked on Lebara did not work on Smarty using the same handset.

The Smarty web chat agent said the model of my handset was not compatible.

Sure enough, the Smarty https://help.smarty.co.uk/en/articles/4237414-which-devices-are-compatible-with-wifi-calling list includes some Xiaomi models, but not the Redmi Note model I was using for Smarty.

d123

acc said:

All the networks seem to make wifi calling work only on specific models.

I recently joined Smarty for a short time, and found that wifi calling which worked on Lebara did not work on Smarty using the same handset.

The Smarty web chat agent said the model of my handset was not compatible.

Sure enough, the Smarty https://help.smarty.co.uk/en/articles/4237414-which-devices-are-compatible-with-wifi-calling list includes some Xiaomi models, but not the Redmi Note model I was using for Smarty.

Next time check if the carrier check is active, many Xiaomi/Redmi phones have it on which prevents it working on some networks.

Using phone's default dialler app - type *#*#869434#*#* to enable VoWIFI or *#*#86583#*#* to enable VoLTE.

After dialing these codes make sure the notification says "carrier check disabled" NOT ENABLED.
Then you need to restart your phone after enabling them.

flaneurs_lobster

That's useful information thanks. Is it just applicable to Xiaomi/Redmi phones?

Just to clarify your last sentence, did you mean "...  restart your phone after DISABLING them." (carrier checks) or are you meaning enabling Wi-Fi /VOLTE?

Sorry to be obtuse but it's complicated. 

tinker411

flaneurs_lobster said:

That's useful information thanks. Is it just applicable to Xiaomi/Redmi phones?

Just to clarify your last sentence, did you mean "...  restart your phone after DISABLING them." (carrier checks) or are you meaning enabling Wi-Fi /VOLTE?

Sorry to be obtuse but it's complicated. 

I'm not the one you asked (thanks to @d123 for the info there) but I can answer your second question - it's both.

Restarting your phone after disabling them (carrier checks) will then enable Wi-Fi calling/VoLTE options as selected.

Certainly worked for me with my Sky Mobile sim (which continues to refuse to support/whitelist my handset for either officially). It brought back the 'prefer Wi-Fi' option in Wi-Fi calling settings too (that disappeared, for Three/VF sims anyway, when I updated from Android 11 to Android 12).

d123

flaneurs_lobster said:

That's useful information thanks. Is it just applicable to Xiaomi/Redmi phones?

Just to clarify your last sentence, did you mean "...  restart your phone after DISABLING them." (carrier checks) or are you meaning enabling Wi-Fi /VOLTE?

Sorry to be obtuse but it's complicated. 

@tinker411 has already answered all those questions perfectly, the one missed is yes, it's only for Xiaomi and Redmi phones.

Bellagio

I’ve been on three for years and Wi-Fi/4G calling has always been fine. I swapped to Lebara this week after MSE recommendation and all good. Wi-Fi calling was fine. I then ported my old number across from Three and when I restart my phone I get the message Vodafone has switched off 4G calling, Contact Vodafone. I asked Vodafone and they said it’s nothing to do with them as Lebara. I asked Lebara and they said it’s a known issue with people that port their number across to Lebara and technicians are working on it. Try again in 48 working hours! Still not working as of today. I have an iPhone 12 plus max which has always worked fine with Wi-Fi/4G calling. 

dc_scotland

Bellagio, I had this problem.  I managed to overcome it by removing the sim and restarting the phone, which deleted the original Lebara settings.  I then reinserted the sim and restarted the phone, which reinstalled new settings including Wifi Calling.  Worth a try to see if it works for you.

PS: You may need to manually insert APN settings afterwards:

• APN: uk.lebara.mobi
• Username: wap
• Password: wap

Bellagio

dc_scotland said:

Bellagio, I had this problem.  I managed to overcome it by removing the sim and restarting the phone, which deleted the original Lebara settings.  I then reinserted the sim and restarted the phone, which reinstalled new settings including Wifi Calling.  Worth a try to see if it works for you.

PS: You may need to manually insert APN settings afterwards:

• APN: uk.lebara.mobi
• Username: wap
• Password: wap

I tried but still get the same error: To allow Wi-Fi calling on this account contact Vodafone. My girlfriend swapped the same day and hers has done the exact same thing.