topic Re: International WhatsApp call in Mobile Services

International WhatsApp call

Kyle2020 — Sat, 02 May 2020 15:23:29 GMT

Hi there

i make Whatsapp calls everyday back and forth to South Africa however I received a bill for £90 for an apparent international call? I was told that WhatsApp will convert the call automatically to a normal call if the signal drops and on this specific day it did but never again, please explain and send evidence on how this is possible?

Re: International WhatsApp call

Chris_B — Sat, 02 May 2020 16:27:54 GMT

@Kyle2020 This is a public forum not customer services. You would of been charged according if the call was made as a international call. EE doesn’t control how your device picks up a signal and how you use that signal when making this sort of call.

Re: International WhatsApp call

bristolian — Sat, 02 May 2020 17:28:26 GMT

I've read about this problem before, and although I've not ever seen documentary proof of it - this article explains the concept under point 4.

I can't personally see how this can work, if the call is initiated under WhatsApp (or any other messaging app for that matter), then by definition it's not running on the mobile network, and therefore no handover is possible. A bit like if you have a VoWiFi call, it can only handover to VoLTE and not 2G/3G.

With that in mind, I would expect any "messaging app" call to simply drop (or go silent with packet loss) if the connection deteriorated. I'd therefore revert to "this is an urban myth" and if the call is on your EE bill then it must have been dialled in the phone dialler and not the app...

But this is "thinking out loud", I'm sure others may have their own theories 🙂

Re: International WhatsApp call

Millym — Sat, 27 Mar 2021 18:29:57 GMT

This has just happened to me over £160 for a WhatsApp call to Canada!

I’m in shock.

Re: International WhatsApp call

bristolian — Sat, 27 Mar 2021 18:43:26 GMT

Hi @Millym

Can you explain what you think has happened?

Your EE bill will include charges for any calls you have dialled directly.

WhatsApp "calls" are not called, but data sessions. The WA app initiates a data session, which the EE network carries over a data session. It's not carried through the network as a voice call, and cannot be charged as such.

Re: International WhatsApp call

Millym — Sun, 28 Mar 2021 00:39:19 GMT

Hi ,

According to EE:

The issue isn't the fault of the mobile providers. It happens across multiple providers. WhatsApp is the culprit. While it's not mentioned on their website, the app will automatically switch to using mobile airtime minutes if it deems the internet connection is too slow for voice calls

This has stunned me to the core!

Re: International WhatsApp call

bristolian — Sun, 28 Mar 2021 00:44:58 GMT

Do you have that in writing from EE?

As I mentioned, WhatsApp "calls" are carried over all mobile networks as data sessions, they are not voice calls and cannot be charged as such.

Data sessions cannot become voice calls. If this were possible, there would be a statement to that effect, on WhatsApp's website.

Re: International WhatsApp call

Millym — Sun, 28 Mar 2021 00:44:59 GMT

To be fair, EE contacted me to highlight this change in my normal usage.
I’ve been using Whatti call Canada for years and never had this issue before.

After much discussion my intonational calling limit is now set at £0 which will apparently stop it happening again.

Also I’ve bought an international ‘add on’ or something to reduce this bill by 25%.
Still in shock so will try to call back tomorrow.

Re: International WhatsApp call

Millym — Sun, 28 Mar 2021 00:46:13 GMT

Nothing in writing. Just a very ‘nice’ lady saying how sympathetic she was but there was nothing she could do.

Re: International WhatsApp call

Millym — Sun, 28 Mar 2021 00:49:52 GMT

A lot of research done this evening seems to highlight the fact that it’s WhatsApp that does it automatically.

I’m unable, so far to get any information from WhatsApp. The EE lady says it’s in WhatsApp small print but I can’t find it.

Re: International WhatsApp call

bristolian — Sun, 28 Mar 2021 01:00:59 GMT

WhatsApp "calls" are not setup or carried over EE's network as voice calls and accordingly cannot be charged as such.

The only way that a voice call appears on your EE bill is that it was dialled as a voice call, which is not how calling apps such as WhatsApp or Messenger work.

Data usage & voice calls are charged in a fundamentally different way. Any internet site that suggests otherwise, is either incorrect or mistaken.

Re: International WhatsApp call

Nic021 — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 11:15:57 GMT

Hi, I have a similar story I’ve been calling the US speaking to relatives for years on WhatsApp and never had a problem, however I have now got a bill for next month for over £600 for one call. I have spoken to EE and all they have said they can offer me is 25% off . I am in pieces as this is way over my budget. EE has told me if I’m still not happy I could take my complaint further. Do you think it’s worth taking it further. I will honestly struggle to make this payment also it was a genuine mistake

Re: International WhatsApp call

bristolian — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 11:42:14 GMT

Hi @Nic021

The post that you've replied to, pretty well summarises the situation.

I sympathise with you, but if the call was directly dialled from your phone then you are liable for it.

Anything beyond that, you'd need to discuss with EE directly. Offering to split the cost 75/25 seems quite reasonable to me.

Re: International WhatsApp call

Hamster84 — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 17:11:01 GMT

I've just had this same exact situation.

However in my case, I received a WhatsApp call while abroad while on WiFi which has come through as an international call to my phone, which is billed as outside of my free entitlement. This was inside a hotel room, on WiFi, recieved video call, billed as a voice call.

I have also just spoken to EE and they told me the same as previous posters- that it is a setting within WhatsApp that allows connection to cellular if it deems the WiFi signal too slow or weak. I've been offered 50% back, but it is hard to see this as anything other than profiteering by the carrier if this has been going on for so long.

Re: International WhatsApp call

bristolian — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 17:43:32 GMT

@Hamster84 wrote:

I have also just spoken to EE and they told me the same as previous posters- that it is a setting within WhatsApp that allows connection to cellular if it deems the WiFi signal too slow or weak.

Ask your EE contact to put that advice in writing, that will be a good indication of how confident they are. There may be a setting to use mobile-data if WiFi is too slow or weak, but that would just use your mobile data allowance to carry the WhatsApp session.

WhatsApp "calls" are routed through EE's network differently to voice calls. If a call is dialled directly, it cannot be transferred to WhatsApp or vice-versa. If you have been billed for an incoming roaming call whilst abroad, the call was dialled directly and not via WhatsApp, Messenger or any such app.

Re: International WhatsApp call

Kevsy1 — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 16:44:19 GMT

Really interesting comments but I am in a state of shock as never happened to me but two of my daughters have large "extra" charges and was told by EE that it was down to them making a WhatsApp call to USA and because the signal must have dropped it would switch automatically to chargeable telephone call. If this is true everyone is at a massive risk of running up huge bills and not know anything until you get your invoice

Re: International WhatsApp call

bristolian — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 17:48:55 GMT

@Kevsy1 wrote:

two of my daughters have large "extra" charges and was told by EE that it was down to them making a WhatsApp call to USA and because the signal must have dropped it would switch automatically to chargeable telephone call. If this is true

WhatsApp is an internet-app and all usage is both handled as, and charged as, mobile data.

Voice calls are setup on the network, and charged for, differently. Data sessions do not change to voice calls mid-session.

If a call appears on a bill, then it has been dialled as a voice call.