International WhatsApp call

[Kyle2020]

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? 

[bristolian]

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.

[Nic021]

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 

[bristolian]

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.

[Hamster84]

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.

[bristolian]

---

@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.

[Kevsy1]

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

[bristolian]

---

@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.