What is the difference between cellular calling and WiFi calling?
Normally, when you make calls from your mobile phone it uses the cellular network. This means that your cell phone call goes directly to a nearby cell phone tower. Calls, texts and data all get sent over the cell network when you use your cell phone.
We have a lack of cell towers in our area and thus cell service is not very good in Shutesbury.
Many cell phones also have the capability to use internet wireless networks to make phone calls instead of using the cellular network. This is called WiFi calling. You use your phone as you normally do, but instead of relying on the spotty cellular network to put your call through, you instead connect to the wireless network in your home. After you have ShutesburyNET internet service in your home, you’ll have a very fast and reliable connection. This means that WiFi calls you make will connect to the outside world using our fiber optic cable, which is likely to be more reliable than cellular networks. In theory this should work well because right inside your home you’ll have a robust, superfast network that your mobile phone can connect to.
HOWEVER…some older phones don’t support WiFi Calling.
AND…some carriers and plans also don’t support WiFi Calling. For example, you might have a Sprint plan that doesn’t allow you to use WiFi Calling. They force you to rely on their cellular networks even if there is a WiFi network nearby you could use instead.
How do I know if my phone supports WiFi calling?
You can contact your mobile provider and ask. But it’s also a good idea actually check to make sure it works.
(If you have no idea what any of these steps mean, it might be useful to ask someone who is good with technology to help you)
1. Go a location that has good WiFi service.
2. Put your phone into airplane mode in order to shut off its cellular connection.
3. Turn ON the WiFi connection on your phone (found in the Settings on most phones) You may also need to go into the Settings to turn ON the WiFi calling feature on your phone.
4. Make a test phone call. (When you’re done be sure to turn off airplane mode so you can make and receive calls over the cellular network again.)
If the call fails and/or you get a warning that your phone, or the account does not support WiFi calling, you may need to get a new phone or a new plan. Contact your mobile phone provider and explain that you want WiFi calling and they should be able to assist you.
Can I stop paying my cell phone bill if I’m using WiFi calling?
No. You still need to keep your cell service plan with Verizon/ATT/Sprint or whomever your carrier is because once you get outside the WiFi range in your home, you will need to revert back to making calls using the cellular network. Your call will switch back and forth between using the WiFi and cellular networks.
My WiFi calls get dropped when I’m using my cell phone connected to the network. How do I fix this?
Diagnosing and fixing WiFi calling issues is difficult because although we can assure you a strong and reliable connection to your home, your proximity to the router, your mobile devices and your individual cell carrier may affect your WiFi calling experience. The same variables of signal strength, device issues and cell carrier may be at play on the receiving end of your call as well.
Here are some tips and troubleshooting steps if you’re having trouble with poor WiFi call quality or dropped calls:
1) The quality of your WiFi call may degrade (or the call may drop!) depending on the distance you are from the router because distance and physical barriers such as walls and floors degrade the signal. Try standing next to your router to make test calls. If the call quality is super and the call never drops, it means the problem may be caused by signal strength. To fix this, consider getting a home network mesh extender for the rooms where you will be making a lot of calls to boost the WiFi signal in that location. At your local retailer or online ask for a "WiFi Extender." Be sure that your phone is set to lock on to the mesh extender band (see #2 below). You can test signal strength in different areas of your home by simply standing still with your device in a specific location and using a speed test application such: https://www.speedtest.net/
2) Sometimes calls get dropped with WiFi calling because your phone is switching between different bands on your router or Wifi extender. Your router outputs two different “bands” or frequencies and your smart devices switch between the different bands depending on which on is best for the situation. Your 5Ghz band provides faster data rates at shorter distances. The 2.4Ghz offers coverage for farther distance, but at slower speeds. If you move around while you’re on a call your phone may switch between different bands trying to help maintain a constant signal - but in the process may drop your call! To fix this change the WiFi settings on your phone to “force” it to only connect to one band. There are so many different phone models out there we can’t provide specific directions for everyone but generally this is found in your Advanced WiFi Settings. (If you don’t see two different WiFi bands available in your network check out the Router Manual for how to set up different bands). If you're using a WiFi extender be sure that your phone it locked onto its signal rather than the signal of the main router.
You can also set up the router to prioritize which applications and devices get the most bandwidth when network traffic his high. See the router Manual (page 11, Media Prioritization) for how to prioritize your cell phone for voice calls.
3) Sometimes calls get dropped with WiFi calling because your phone is trying to switch back and forth between the cellular network and the WiFi network. If you have even just a little bit of cell service in your home, a phone will sometimes detect the signal coming from the nearest cell tower and attempt to connect to it, thus dropping your call. Try turning your phone to “airplane mode” in order to shut off its cellular connection. Make sure WiFi calling setting on your phone is set to ON. (Remember to switch back out of airplane mode when you leave the house so you can make and receive calls after you leave your home network!) If you find this is the root cause, some devices may allow you change the settings for the connection preference, such as only using the WiFi connection when you're home, but this type of setting is device specific so check with your phone manufacturer.
4) Search online or call your cellular phone provider to see if your phone make and model is known for WiFi problems. Some makes and models of certain phones have ongoing issues with WiFi calling. Check with your cellular phone provider or phone manufacturer to see if they have advice for improving WiFi calling quality for your specific device.
How does 911 calling work if I’m using ShutesburyNET?
If you have a phone number through ShutesburyNET and are paying for phone service, E911 works just like a regular landline. Dispatchers will automatically know the physical address you are making the 911 call from.
However, if you’re using your cell phone and making the call utilizing your WiFi network, the 911 call goes to your cell phone carrier. E911 dispatchers may or may not be able to automatically figure out the location you’re calling from which depends on your phone settings and how your cell phone carrier handles such calls. Most phones have an “emergency address” you can program in that gets sent to dispatchers if you were to make a 911 call, and so it is a good idea to keep this address up to date on your device. Contact your cell phone carrier directly if you want to know more specifics on how your cell phone carrier handles emergency calls.
For more information, please see this discussion and pay particular attention to the concerns regarding E911 service.
Do I need to get phone service through ShutesburyNET if I want to do all my calling using just my cell phone (WiFi calling)?
No. WiFi calling takes place over your internet connection so no additional phone service is needed. You can sign up for internet only. Be aware that 911 location identification services for cell phones are not as robust as phone service through ShutesburyNet or other landline services.
Customer Service: 855-415-7592