Wifi calling and texts/SMS - Sony XZ1 compact

AndyMH · ‎07-07-2021

Live in an area with no mobile signal from anyone. Currently mobile is with vodafone and get a signal via a "suresignal" - a box plugged into the router and provides a mobile signal via the web. Vodafone are switching this service off sometime in 2021.

I have a Sony XZ1 compact (unlocked, not bought from vodafone), this is wifi-calling capable and works with vodafone. BUT while calls work via wifi, no texts or SMS.

Happy to switch to EE (currently have landline & broadband from them), but need to know if wifi-calling AND SMS will work with the XZ1 compact.

Second question - have a Samsung A3 (2017), also unlocked, as a backup phone - same question? Wifi calling works with vodafone, but not SMS.

Anybody know?

bristolian · ‎07-07-2021

Hello @AndyMH

Welcome to the community

EE's WiFi-calling has always supported both calls & text messages from day-one, other networks have only recently started to supported texts over WiFi, and some still don't.

A relative of mine uses a SIM-free Galaxy A3 (2016 variant) on EE SIM-only. A firmware update a year or so back, enabled WiFi-calling on that device, and it's worked flawlessly since. That doesn't guarantee on your firmware, though.

EE's equivalent of the Sure Signal was the "Signal Box", but with the increasing prevalence of VoWiFi, these have long been considered legacy technology.

AndyMH · ‎28-07-2022

Update to an old thread. Bought a EE PAYGO SIM, put it in the Samsung A3. Phone works, drove to local town, with an EE signal can send/receive calls.

Came home (now no mobile signal but is connected to wifi), no option in phone settings for wifi calling. Long call with EE tech support, unable to resolve, think it is not supported (but suspect they are guessing). Will try going into town again to get a signal and see if the wifi calling option exists when connected to the EE network.

Yet to try the same in the XZ1 compact.

Vodafone are switching off the sure signal in September so the urgency for a solution is increasing - how do you buy stuff off the web when they send you a SMS with a OTP? Did think EE would be an alternative.

bristolian · ‎28-07-2022

The presence (or not) of mobile signal won't make any difference to your phone's ability to support WiFi-calling.

EE WiFi-calling supports text messaging, so the solution is to use a phone that supports WiFi-calling.

AndyMH · ‎28-07-2022

Both phones do wifi calling with a vodafone sim. They won't do SMS text over wifi with vodafone. Spent at least half an hour talking to EE this morning trying to get the A3 wifi calling with no success.

Chris_B · ‎28-07-2022

@AndyMH
The device will probably need EE branded Android on it as it’s an old phone that’s been disconnected and the early Samsung phones had to have network branding on them to support Wi-Fi calling. If you can not find the feature from the below information then it will definitely need EE branded Android on it to support EE Wi-Fi calling service.

1. Find "Settings"

Press Phone.
Press the menu icon.
Press Settings.
Press Wi-Fi Calling.
Press the indicator to turn the function on or off.
When Wi-Fi calling is active, the Wi-Fi calling icon is displayed.
Press the Home key to return to the home screen.

where did you get the A3 from ? If it was from Voda then it’ll not work unless you flash it with EE branded Android.

AndyMH · ‎28-07-2022

It is an unlocked A3, from the splash screen originally 3. Couldn't tell you the provenance of the ZX1 compact. Much as I dislike apple (I'm a linux user), currently thinking about an iphone 6s or 7.

Chris_B · ‎28-07-2022

@AndyMH So it’s 3 Network branded device. If you can install a none network branded Android on it you might get Wi-Fi calling on it or just install EE branded android on it.

if you can I would at least try and get an iPhone 8 and have a new battery installed in by apple.
The iPhone 7 and below will not support iOS 16 which at present is in beta and due out around September but the 7 will definitely be better than the 6s. Get a new battery installed in that also. Apple are not cheap for batteries but you’ll know it’ll have a 12 month warranty and it’ll not be some sub standard battery that a 3rd party will advise as an Apple battery when they are not.

Apple batteries are £49 for the devices mentioned above.

You’ll probably find the x21 needs EE branded android on it. Both of these devices got released in 2017 when Wi-Fi calling on android needed network branding on them to enable the feature. Now just about all android devices have this feature built in so it doesn’t have to be supplied by the network to have Wi-Fi calling.

AndyMH · ‎29-07-2022

or just install EE branded android on it.

How would I do that? Not that bothered if I end up borking it.

The iPhone 7 and below will not support iOS 16 which at present is in beta and due out around September but the 7 will definitely be better than the 6s.

Already thinking about the 7 having done a little research. Not bothered about the later OS, I suspect as a linux user, Apple have made it more difficult to communicate with (Apple provide zero support for linux). Last time I had an iphone (company phone), I had to install windows in a VM and I think install iTunes) so I could access it. At least with the IOS versions in the 6S and 7 I know that there are utilities that enable linux to talk to it. Phone is basically used for calls and texts, the odd photo, nothing else.

Thanks for the advice on batteries.