Free wifi abroad

[acal12]

Hi, 

I have been charged £200+ for using WiFi to make calls. My roaming was off and I was not connected to any network. 

[XRaySpeX]

@acal12 : What "roaming" was OFF? A phone usually only has a setting for data roaming. That does not restrict roaming in general & in particular making calls.

Making calls over WiFi is still chargeable at the same roaming rates as making them normally over the mobile network. WiFi Calling is just a means of routing the calls; it is not a cost saver.

[acal12]

Thanks for your response!  By roaming off, I mean I did not put roaming on. I did not message ROAMEU or anything to allow my phone to work abroad. WiFi calling is definitely deceiving. The name suggests you will be making the call over WiFi.  I was not connected to any network. My mobile network was off. Everyone I've spoken to seems to agree that WiFi calling is via WiFi.  Definitely needs a name change or something. I have been a loyal customer with EE for many, many years, but very upset with this. No understanding.  I was not texted or made aware after day one of additional charges.  Balance seems to take a long time to update and after returning my bill was still increasing.  Of course if I had known WiFi calling was not calling via WiFi, I would have used WhatsApp or paid for an add on if required. Heartbreaking. My bill is more expensive than my entire break and causing me so much stress!!! Having to work extra to cover it. Ruined the whole point of my break. Seems unfair 😞

[XRaySpeX]

WiFi Calling is making calls via WiFi as its name suggests! Calls can be routed over WiFi when the mobile connection is weak or non-existent as in your case. There is nowt about it that suggests that it is free, which you seem to be assuming. It's just an alternative way of making the same call at the same cost.

See Using WiFi Calling :

How much does WiFi Calling cost?

Your existing call and text charges are the same when you use WiFi Calling. Calls and texts still come from any allowances or packs you may have.

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You presumably had the ability to roam set up on your a/c from previous trips. Once it is set on it stays on. Where were you.?

[acal12]

Bit confused by your response. Seems to contradict itself. I agree that WiFi calling is via WiFi and this would be free as WiFi is paid for by the broadband provider (in this case not EE) and should have nothing to do with EE. That's what I mean by free. Not free altogether, but shouldn't be additional charges for using WiFi. Hope this makes sense.

[XRaySpeX]

No, WiFi Calling is not free & there's nowt to say or imply it is free. Quite the contrary - see my previous response.

Sorry, but there is nowt contradictory in my previous response.

[bristolian]

Some confusing detail in many of the prior posts. As previously asked, which country were you in when these charges were incurred?

Roaming means using your phone on foreign networks, and incurs roaming charges. If your phone didn't roam, no charges can be incurred. WiFi-calling is a coverage-extension tool intended to allow usage in the UK in locations without mobile coverge, but otherwise exactly the same as if you did - thus calls & texts are charged as if you had used the mobile network.

WiFi-calling is not supported abroad, but can occasionally work - charges for using it would be exactly as if you'd dialled over the mobile network, which in this case would mean roaming.

Calls are routed over EE's core network, and it is this which generates the billing records that produce charges. When you are using WiFi-calling, you are not using EE's radio network (for coverage) but are still connecting to the core network to route your calls & texts to their destination.