Wi-Fi Calling

[NEBRASKACHERS]

I have a question about the iphone specifically.  My brother works where cell service isn't very good for any carrier so he was wanting to have a carrier with Wi-Fi calling so I told him about Sprint.  I have read that the iphone however doesn't send or receive texts over wifi on Sprint, is this true, has anyone witnessed that this doesn't work?   He gets a lot of text messages from his bosses so it has to work.  Thanks

• Quote
• MultiQuote
• Hide
• Edit
•  
•  

 

[jaybiz81]

According to Sprint's FAQs about Wi-Fi Calling, no, messaging will not work with Wi-Fi calling only.  Your brother would still need to be within reach of a site to send/receive messages.

 

From the web page...

 

Does Wi-Fi Calling Support Messaging (SMS & MMS)?

 

For Android devices, messaging is supported in Wi-Fi Calling mode even if there is not any coverage from the Nationwide Sprint Network.

 

For iOS devices, messaging is still handled by the Nationwide Sprint Network. If you do not have coverage then messaging services are not supported. This functionality is expected to be supported over Wi-Fi in the future. iMessage on iOS is supported over Wi-Fi.

 

Edit: this Sprint FAQ document was updated as of 10/21/15.

Edited December 1, 2015 by jaybiz81

[NEBRASKACHERS]

 

According to Sprint's FAQs about Wi-Fi Calling, no, messaging will not work with Wi-Fi calling only.  Your brother would still need to be within reach of a site to send/receive messages.

 

From the web page...

 

Does Wi-Fi Calling Support Messaging (SMS & MMS)?

 

For Android devices, messaging is supported in Wi-Fi Calling mode even if there is not any coverage from the Nationwide Sprint Network.

 

For iOS devices, messaging is still handled by the Nationwide Sprint Network. If you do not have coverage then messaging services are not supported. This functionality is expected to be supported over Wi-Fi in the future. iMessage on iOS is supported over Wi-Fi.

 

Edit: this Sprint FAQ document was updated as of 10/21/15.

 

Great thanks for the info, you know as well as I do though for the fact that they say:

 

"it is expected to be supported in the future"

 

translates to

 

"we really have no idea but you never know?"

[shaferz]

I would wager that his boss also has an iphone, and both phones are using imessage.  That works.

[radem]

For iOS devices, messaging is still handled by the Nationwide Sprint Network. If you do not have coverage then messaging services are not supported. This functionality is expected to be supported over Wi-Fi in the future. iMessage on iOS is supported over Wi-Fi.

 

Keep in mind that IOS devices use the iMessage protocol over the data network by default so apple to apple messaging generally works fine with data over Wi-Fi, LTE, 3G, or 1X.  You only need the cell network for SMS or MMS messages to or from non-apple sources as then your IOS device will default back to standard SMS/MMS protocols.

[RAvirani]

According to Sprint's FAQs about Wi-Fi Calling, no, messaging will not work with Wi-Fi calling only.  Your brother would still need to be within reach of a site to send/receive messages.

 

From the web page...

 

Does Wi-Fi Calling Support Messaging (SMS & MMS)?

 

For Android devices, messaging is supported in Wi-Fi Calling mode even if there is not any coverage from the Nationwide Sprint Network.

 

For iOS devices, messaging is still handled by the Nationwide Sprint Network. If you do not have coverage then messaging services are not supported. This functionality is expected to be supported over Wi-Fi in the future. iMessage on iOS is supported over Wi-Fi.

 

Edit: this Sprint FAQ document was updated as of 10/21/15.

  

Keep in mind that IOS devices use the iMessage protocol over the data network by default so apple to apple messaging generally works fine with data over Wi-Fi, LTE, 3G, or 1X.  You only need the cell network for SMS or MMS messages to or from non-apple sources as then your IOS device will default back to standard SMS/MMS protocols.

What sucks is that Tmo and Att's wifi calling don't have this drawback. They can send SMS and MMS without the macro network.

[Fraydog]

  

What sucks is that Tmo and Att's wifi calling don't have this drawback. They can send SMS and MMS without the macro network.

 

I've seen a lot on Reddit about T-Mobile SMS and MMS literally disappearing into outer space. Like magic. 

[NEBRASKACHERS]

I would wager that his boss also has an iphone, and both phones are using imessage.  That works.

So as long as it's Iphone to Iphone that works but all others are hit & miss because they rely on the cell towers.  Once again apple is a closed system.

[WiWavelength]

There is a simple solution:  do not use an iPhone.  You wall yourself off from Wi-Fi Calling SMS, not to mention, Google Voice SMS, which is a service similar to iMessage.

 

AJ

[shaferz]

How does using an iPhone wall someone off from wifi calling sms? Wifi calling SMS is not working on any Sprint phone as far as I'm aware.

 

I presume whenever it is implemented by Sprint, then everyone - including iPhone users will be able to utilize it. Why wouldn't they?

 

 

 

Or is my sarcasm detector wayyyyy off today?

[shaferz]

Non-iphone to non-iPhone still won't work if you don't have native service (and are relying on wifi calling) so why the sudden have for iPhones here?

[tommym65]

. . . Wifi calling SMS is not working on any Sprint phone as far as I'm aware.  . . .

Non-iphone to non-iPhone still won't work if you don't have native service (and are relying on wifi calling)  . . .

WiFi SMS on Android seems to be working fine for me:

 

In fact, all of WiFi calling seems to have become more stable and reliable over the past few weeks.

[shaferz]

WiFi SMS on Android seems to be working fine for me:

 

Screenshot_2015-12-02-16-44-45.jpg

 

In fact, all of WiFi calling seems to have become more stable and reliable over the past few weeks.

 

If that's the case, then I stand corrected. I thought SMS over wifi calling (with zero native service) was a network side thing thing.

[NEBRASKACHERS]

Non-iphone to non-iPhone still won't work if you don't have native service (and are relying on wifi calling) so why the sudden have for iPhones here?

Does Wi-Fi Calling Support Messaging (SMS & MMS)?

For Android devices, messaging is supported in Wi-Fi Calling mode even if there is not any coverage from the Nationwide Sprint Network.

For iOS devices, messaging is still handled by the Nationwide Sprint Network. If you do not have coverage then messaging services are not supported. This functionality is expected to be supported over Wi-Fi in the future. iMessage on iOS is supported over Wi-Fi.

[S4GRU]

If that's the case, then I stand corrected. I thought SMS over wifi calling (with zero native service) was a network side thing thing.

I think the issue is somewhere in the middle. The Sprint network as is does not play well with iOS as is, as it relates to SMS over WiFi. Hopefully Sprint will be able to work through this with Apple soon. It has to be a high priority given the popularity of the iPhone on Sprint.

 

Sent from OnePlus 2 using Tapatalk

[Fraydog]

I think the issue is somewhere in the middle. The Sprint network as is does not play well with iOS as is, as it relates to SMS over WiFi. Hopefully Sprint will be able to work through this with Apple soon. It has to be a high priority given the popularity of the iPhone on Sprint.

 

Sent from OnePlus 2 using Tapatalk

Has Sprint has enabled Wi-Fi calling with cellular device off like Mac and Apple Watch IOS calling? I heard something about it but I don't know for certain.

 

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[MacinJosh]

Has Sprint has enabled Wi-Fi calling with cellular device off like Mac and Apple Watch IOS calling? I heard something about it but I don't know for certain.

 

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

I know I can answer calls on my Mac, and lately the calls will ring through my Mac faster than my iPhone, but I haven't tried with my iPhone off yet.

 

 

Sent from my Gold iPhone 6s Plus 128GB using Tapatalk

[dedub]

you can use google voice on iphone too.

 

also, I realize there is a psychological barrier for many people on txt vs email, but email works reliably over wifi with no need for cellular signal and performs the same function and more (ie text communication).

 

if they are are stuck on using txt only, I believe there is a text to email gateway that can be used. I thought it was posted recently in another thread around here.

[Fraydog]

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203032

 

Sounds like the answer to my question is yes.

 

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[WiWavelength]

you can use google voice on iphone too.

 

Apple has allowed an official Google Voice app on iOS?

 

AJ

[dedub]

Apple has allowed an official Google Voice app on iOS?

 

AJ

 

ios has both an official google voice app, or you can use hangouts.

[WiWavelength]

ios has both an official google voice app, or you can use hangouts.

 

If so, then that is the solution for Wi-Fi Calling SMS on iOS.  Use Google Voice for SMS, as it works over any data connection -- cellular or Wi-Fi.

 

AJ

[dedub]

yeah, there is one caveat to GV/hangouts on ios, you don't receive SMS (ie picture attachments or multiple recipient sms messages), only txt messages.

 

on my setup, i have my android phone with GV primary number, which is then distributed to all my other devices (iphone/mini2/nexus7/etc), which is all wifi only except the iphone.

 

I can send/receive calls and txt messages from any device, but only my primary phone receives the sms stuff.

[WiWavelength]

ios has both an official google voice app, or you can use hangouts.

 

Yep, you are correct.  I just downloaded from the App Store both Google Voice and Hangouts on my iPad mini 2.  I did not realize that Apple had moved away from its protectionist douchebaggery of the past -- when it refused apps that competed with its own native apps.

 

However, Google Voice, to be perfectly honest, looks like ass on the Retina display.  It is clearly a resolution limited, upscaled app on iOS.  Hangouts, on the other hand, is optimized for the Retina display.

 

AJ

[WiWavelength]

yeah, there is one caveat to GV/hangouts on ios, you don't receive SMS (ie picture attachments or multiple recipient sms messages), only txt messages.

 

You mean MMS.  SMS are text messages.

 

AJ