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Why no voice over WiFi preference?

P1pp5
Investigator
Investigator

Why does EE not offer customers the choice of whether to set their sim card network access to prefer VO-WiFi calling instead of VO-LTE, as other networks rightly do?

14 REPLIES 14
Chris_B
EE Community Star
EE Community Star

@P1pp5  On what device?   I know iPhones will  use WiFi calling over cellular even when there is perfect cellular connection.     Like right now on my device 

IMG_1015.jpeg

To contact EE Customer Services dial 150 From your EE mobile or 0800 956 6000 from any other phone.
P1pp5
Investigator
Investigator

Yo

u probably need to do some basic research before jumping into this one. You seem to only be aware of your own limited perspective and have entirely missed the point of this question.

On all devices, iPhone or Android, regardless of age, EE forces its customers' network connection to always automatically prefer VO-LTE over VO-WIFI. Why?

It is common for customers to live in areas which have poor 4G service, but of course excellent home WiFi. Yet EE forces all customers connections to nonetheless prefer a poor LTE service over good WiFi. Why?

Why not offer customers the option? Other networks do. On both iPhone and Android devices of all ages, other networks provide a specific sim settings menu option giving customers the choice of which secondary calling connectivity their network connection should prefer. Why don't EE?

I am aware of the highly specious claims that automatically preferring VO-LTE gives potentially better calling reliability sometimes in shopping centres and hotels. But what about in my home, where I work every day, and make 99% of my calls? Why wrongly assume that all of my calls will always be made on high traffic public networks? Why not give me the choice?

If the answer is because EE simply does not care about its customers, or ignorantly thinks it knows better, then fine. I will take my multiple business accounts elsewhere.

Chris, if you are still struggling to grasp what I am referring to then do some research first before responding again.

Christopher_G
EE Community Support Team

Hi @P1pp5 

Welcome to the community.

What kind of problem is this causing for you? Are you having problems with your calls? If you put your phone into 'airplane mode' does it function the way that you want it to, making calls only over WiFi?

Chris

Yes, in airplane mode with WiFi re-enabled, my WiFi calling of course works perfectly. As it should do if I was not forced to take these convoluted steps every time I want to make or receive a tolerable phone call.

The problem is that it is impossible to make or receive phone calls when EE illogically and unreasonably prioritises an unusably weak 4G LTE signal over a 100% perfect 10Mbps broadband WiFi signal.

When the near total absence of 4G reception in my neighbourhood is pointed out to the clueless EE call centre staff, they just pretend to consult their coverage checker and then claim it should be great.

Yet EE's wilful self-delusion about the reality of 4G in this country would not be of any concern to me if I was simply given the choice as to whether my calling preference is VO-WiFi over weak VO-LTE.

As an EE customer forced to suffer these unreasonable conditions, every call that I make and receive constantly drops and is >50% unworkable for its duration.

Other networks do not have this problem, because they give their customers the choice to automatically let their sim card prefer VO-WiFi over VO-LTE.

Why don't EE?

 

bristolian
EE Community Star
EE Community Star

One of your previous posts alluded to the underlying reason for EE's decision here - that the mobile network is considered more reliable and to offer a better experience than relying on public WiFi-networks over which EE have no control. Performance metrics do bear this out.

However, to say that no EE phones have this choice is incorrect - here is a screenshot of my Android device, offering the choice that you assert is not available.

WiFi-calling options within "call settings" menuWiFi-calling options within "call settings" menu

Why does your sim card have this option yet my six month old EE business sim card does not?

Why is it when I ask EE technical support about this option they repeatedly deny it exists?

bristolian
EE Community Star
EE Community Star

A SIM is neither business nor personal - that's a billing flag and a SIM can easily move from personal to business account & vice-versa.

I understand the menu option to be software-driven rather than SIM. If your device doesn't have this option, then using the flight-mode workaround may an alternative.

Chris_B
EE Community Star
EE Community Star

@P1pp5   So my device is using Wi-Fi calling over cellular.  That’s exactly what you saying you’d prefer it to do, voice over Wi-Fi as opposed to over the cellular network and my image illustrates that fact that even with a perfect cellular signal I am using voice over Wi-Fi.     Perhaps you didn’t look at it carefully. 

To contact EE Customer Services dial 150 From your EE mobile or 0800 956 6000 from any other phone.

My device has the option with an O2 sim card.

Why would it not have the option with an EE sim card?