WiFi Calling keeps self-disabling

[PedroUK38]

I switched from BT to EE (mobile only) a few weeks ago and have since had problems with WiFi Calling which keeps repeatedly self-disabling, often when I switch on in the a.m. to find WiFi Calling switched off. Or someone says they can’t hear me and I find it has switched off.

I’ve had WiFi Calling via BT Mobile) on various Android (Galaxy) and three different iPhones (currently 16 Pro) over many years and NEVER has it self-disabled like it is doing now. I live in a very poor signal area (RH15 0??) and am lucky to get 1 or 2 bars despite EE’s trumpeting of ‘excellent 5g and 4g signals out/in doors’ in my area, so WiFi Calling is essential for my needs. 

I have an EE SIM thru which I obtained an e-SIM in case this might be relevant. 

Trying to actually speak to a person at EE on this issue has so far completely failed -  I gave up after 2 hours - getting trapped in phone call text loop.

Any thoughts to resolve this will be appreciated.

[Schockwave]

Hello @PedroUK38 ,

Welcome to the community,

When you ring them, just press 2 and you should get through to a human pretty quickly.

[Northerner]

Hi @PedroUK38 

Are you sure your phone isn't just dropping off WiFi. 

1-2 bars is a fair signal quality and it is likely your device is prioritising the network over wifi. (This can be changed on Android to prioritise wifi) 

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/108066

Thanks 

[bristolian]

Some clarity might help here. Which of the following two scenarios are you reporting, when you refer to "self-disabling"..

Your phone's menu option for WiFi-calling is toggling itself from "on" to "off"? This is a device function if so, although is highly unusual

Or are you reporting that calls you would expect to route over WiFi, are routing over VoLTE instead? If they're connecting OK, then the standard network default of "mobile-preferred" is behaving as designed.

Some Android phones do have the option of changing between "mobile-preferred" & "WiFi-preferred"

[rkelly1]

If the phone is automatically turning off WiFi Calling, you may have WiFi Assist turned on. Try turning if off to see if this stabilises it: 

 Turning Wi-Fi Assist on your Apple iPhone 16 iOS 18 on or off | EE

You can also check if the iPhone needs updating via Settings > General > Software Update

[PedroUK38]

Thx all for your responses. 

I have had iPhones (14/15/16) for the last 3 years or so, as they work better with my Hearing Aids, though it was previously Android Galaxy phones for many years. I am up to date with IOS 18.4.

The problem arose only after I joined EE 4 weeks ago and I’ve never knowingly changed any settings in Mobile Service. However, when I looked yesterday, WiFi Assist was turned on, so it was turned off and this morning, when phone switched on, Wifi Calling was still ON and showing EE WiFi Calling on the screen.

By self-disabling, I mean that I would switch WiFi Calling on (if I found it was off).  Then, as  I switch phone off and charge phone overnight, I would find WiFi Calling turned off in the a.m., when I switched phone on again.  Not the previous night (as I was checking on the Masters) and also found WiFi Calling had stayed on.

We have a very strong WiFi signal throughout our house which hardly ever drops except in the event of a router fault or a power cut.

I managed to have a useful chat with EE’s complaint team today (who will defer further with their Tech Team) who wondered if my issue could be that I have a Sim only contract and that phones supplied by EE might be configured in some way that my SIM FREE phone, when purchased, is not. 

I will also further advise what the Tech team has to say about this and the low/poor signal coverage in my area (RH15 0??)

I appreciate your collective help thus far.

[bristolian]

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@PedroUK38 wrote:

I managed to have a useful chat with EE’s complaint team today (who will defer further with their Tech Team) who wondered if my issue could be that I have a Sim only contract and that phones supplied by EE might be configured in some way that my SIM FREE phone, when purchased, is not.

Save the CS bod wondering & checking.... Some menus within phone settings can be hidden or locked down depending on how an operator sets their SIM, this mainly applies to "network selection" options. A SIM can be set to hide "2G only" or "2G/3G" and thus a network can ensure phones remain on 4G without being user-configurable otherwise.

It certainly should not apply to the scenario you're describing, where it sounds like your phone is independently turning WiFi-calling off. I try to avoid exposure to the Apple ecosystem as much as possible, and situations like yours remind me of why!

RH15 0xx contains both good and variable coverage areas. A site near the Ote Hall Farm area has low-band 800Mhz service which may help with indoor coverage around Worlds End.

[PedroUK38]

So far, since turning off WiFi Assist, WiFi Calling has remained on so, fingers crossed, that issue is resolved.

I’m aware of the Ote Hall transmitter but it doesn’t help, possibly due to the topography.

Local council is giving planning permission for a 30 metre 5G tower about 0.5 miles NW from me, which might improve matters if it includes an EE transmitter, once it’s been erected.

Which app do you use for mast locations, please?

[bristolian]

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@PedroUK38 wrote:

Local council is giving planning permission for a 30 metre 5G tower about 0.5 miles NW from me, which might improve matters if it includes an EE transmitter, once it’s been erected.

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This is illustrative of some popular misconceptions. In short, there's no such thing as a "5G mast" or "5G tower" outside certain parts of the popular mainstream media.

Network operators install radio sites with their own equipment, which will always be a combination of multiple "G", or radio access technologies in tech-terms. 5G is never installed on its own, EE sites will always carry 4G as a base layer, with 2G on the majority of sites & 5G in targeted locations.

The operator who has requested the planning consent will be the one who are installing the site.