National carrier Telus has some long-anticipated news for Android users.
The company’s network now supports Wi-Fi calling for Android devices. According to a November 15th, 2017 forum post, the LG G6 is the first Android smartphone that will work with Wi-Fi calling on the Telus network.
“Up until now, the answer in the Telus Neighbourhood forums and in the Ideas section has been, ‘Coming soon,’” said Telus community manager Scoto, in the November forum post. “We’re happy to say that day has finally come and Wi-Fi calling for Android has arrived, beginning with the LG G6.”
As the name implies, Wi-Fi calling allows users to send messages and make phone calls using Wi-Fi instead of a cellular network.
The feature is great for users who live in areas with spotty coverage, but have an active Wi-Fi connection.
Users making a cellular call will automatically switch to a Wi-Fi call once they step into Wi-Fi reception. Users making a Wi-Fi call will automatically switch to VoLTE, if the LTE signal is strong enough. If not, the Wi-Fi call will drop.
Wi-Fi calling for Android is currently only available on the LG G6, and requires a monthly plan, an LTE SIM card, and Android 7.0 or higher. Telus recommends a Wi-Fi connection that with a minimum speed of 1Mbps, as “slow speeds will affect the quality of the call.”
Telus also clarifies on its Wi-Fi calling page that “calls and messages are billed the same as over cellular, and there is no additional cost to enable Wi-Fi calling.”
Wi-Fi calling also won’t consume mobile data.
Apple’s iPhones have been able to use Wi-Fi calling since December 2016.
Source: Telus
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