Wifi Calling on Samsung S21 Ultra

[PHewson69]

I have had my S21Ultra for a little over a year. Glad to have a Samsung again.

My home network was Amplifi HD connected to Virgin ISP. WiFi calling was working, even with 2 bars of phone signal and 100% Wifi it would select Wifi Calling. Perfect

Something in the last couple of months has changed, as Wifi calling ONLY works if I turn on FlightMode and turn on wifi.

Reason I noticed it, was that I changed ISP to Zen, new network, Ubiquiti WAPs with a cloud key controller.

Went back to my original network, as Virgin is still active and still no WiFi calling.

Spoke to my ISP, admittedly accusing them by accident, of blocking certain ports, as I was sure it was working before I changed from Virgin, but even going back to Virgin service it did not want to work.

My conclusion that an update, either from VodaFone or Samsung has broken our WiFi calling feature.
The WiFi Calling screen is a giveaway, 'Make and Receive calls over a WiFi connection whenever available'

'Whenever' is the key word.. so not when I have 1, 2 or 4 bars of cellular service, but whenever I am connected to WiFi.

VodaFone / Samsung, Wifi is available, so what has happened to the software either of you have been playing with? It is the only logical explanation..

Voda wanted me to reset my phone, as that is all they can recommend and Tobi likes to send you texts on how to enable WiFi calling.
##~##, it was working, what have you broken? Do not tell me it is my phone as that does not wash with me. And no I did not buy it from Voda, as I did not want to pay for it over the next 3 years. I buy my phones outright from John Lewis.

Regardless of  where I buy my phone from, I pay for a service, which I am not getting.

Please fix it.

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi @PHewson69 

It must have been a software update from Samsung UK in my opinion.

Vodafone do test software before allowing Samsung to push out an update to their branded phone's however.

This is explained in > Firmware-Explained. 

If this was my situation I'd send feedback to Samsung via the Samsung Members App under the GetHelp section.

The Vodafone Social Media Team's should also send this back to their relevant departments after reading your post.

If enough people are experiencing this and send feedback then Samsung are more prone to looking at this and hopefully send out a patch.

I wish you all the best. 

[chistery]

On my S22 Ultra, Vodafone won't allow me to select wifi calling preferred. My EE SIM does.

If you don't have "Calling preference" available in the settings, then it's working exactly as it's meant to.

SIM1 in the screenshot is the Vodafone SIM, and just says it's on.

[AnnS]

Hi @PHewson69 

Data calling won't kick in unless there is little to zero network at the location, that is the way it is designed, you have two bars of signal adequate for making a call and sending a text.  If you prefer to use data calling, just enable flight and turn on your WiFi as you have been doing, Vodafone are still providing the service..

Vodafone may have improved the network making it more stable and it would be worth checking the coverage.  You can also give an example of the issue on the thread here: Network Queries 

[PHewson69]

Appreciate your feedback, but I think you missed the relevant text in the WiFi calling screen.

'Make and receive calls over a WiFi connection whenever available'

It was working perfectly, but not now. It is not my ISPs, it is not any of my WiFI networks, it is a software issue on the phone.

[chistery]

Didn't miss it, that's just standard text explaining what wifi calling is, not how it will work.

Vodafone have set it so you can't select calling preference, and will always default to mobile data. That's how they want it. If you want to be able to set it, you need a phone that Vodafone don't force their configs on, often something like a OnePlus or Xiaomi phone will allow it.

Why Vodafone feel they know better than you how you should be able to configure your phone, well that's another question.

[AnnS]

WiFi calling is available @PHewson69 and it is designed for when there is little to no network available.  If you choose not to have flight mode turned and keep your WiFi active the phone will automatically transfer between WiFi calling and mobile signal to prevent you losing connection.  This is explained here: What is WiFi calling? 

[PHewson69]

I understand how wifi calling works, contrary to Voda heatmap, I get 1 or 2 bars at home and PREVIOUSLY WiFI calling would go active.

I have just had a productive chat with Samsung Support and have now submitted a error fault as the guy went through more tests with me than Voda did.

Obviously by enabling flightmode you are fooling the software to think that you have no cellular, so if you have registered for the service, it turns on, as long as the WiFi has a speed greater than 1Mb.

My thoughts that it is definitely a software issue/update as this was not what I was experiencing previously.

[BandOfBrothers]

I think @chistery has hit the nail on the head with this @PHewson69 

As this worked as you've stated previously this does look like the software update has changed things.

" Something in the last couple of months has changed, as Wifi calling ONLY works if I turn on FlightMode and turn on wifi. "

If your phone was supplied by Vodafone then it'll have their flavour off firmware / csc on it with Vodafone having some say on what's in it before allowing Samsung to push it out on their servers.

" I have just had a productive chat with Samsung Support and have now submitted a error fault as the guy went through more tests with me than Voda did. " 

Would you let us know how that pans out.

It's conceivable that things can be different for different users especially when phone's are either branded i.e supplied by a network or unbranded i.e supplied by the manufacturer direct.

I wish you all the best.   

[AnnS]

If you are convinced this is a software update that is nonsense, data calling is network dependent, if you have mobile network available the call will connect through the network and automatically switch to data calling should the signal drop.

Vodafone Team.  can you please put in a reply, that way the correct solution will be on the thread.