RedSpark

On 5/17/2019 at 10:31 AM, bholden said:

Does your unlocked 3a support Sprint wifi calling? Thanks for any info regarding this.

 

Yup. I enabled it under settings.

Hopefully VoLTE follows soon, but with the merger pending, I just hope things keep momentum for service features and investment.

Just got and activated a Pixel 3 for one of our family plan lines. Super easy with the ESIM!

Jason’s responses are up!: 

3 hours ago, radem said:

At least for IOS this is not a soft launch.  It is enabled by default if you are in a VoLTE enabled market.  Bring on the spectrum refarming from CDMA to LTE.

Yup. When the device rebooted after updating to 12.1.1, VoLTE was automatically enabled in the settings. They do seem to want to move iOS users with capable devices over to VoLTE as quickly as possible.

2 minutes ago, radem said:

It did not add any VoLTE functionality to my iPhone 8 Plus after updating.  On IOS 12.1.1 carrier bundle 35.0.

I just updated an iPhone 8 to iOS 12.1.1 and it shows VoLTE as enabled. Carrier 35.0

Updated to iOS 12.1.1 which just dropped. VoLTE is now live on the iPhone XS (not sure about older devices). Once you update, it's automatically enabled. Sprint clearly wants iOS users to migrate over to it.

Waiting on iOS 12.1.1.... 

https://tenor.com/WIbs.gif

7 minutes ago, ceopwong said:

Hey RedSpark, I will say that it took several minutes after I just did the S8 update for VoLTE to kick in.  I initially tried to toggle it but he said that post update the SIM has to update with Sprint then it worked but he did not give me a time.  As I just went to my kitchen to grab an orange juice and play with the kiddo for a few minutes then I came back (estimating around 15 min) and then tried to toggle it again and woolah it worked.  I know this is not really answering your question but giving feedback about my experience and it might be a few minutes and try again type thing.  But I will ask him and see if Bethesda is included in it.  He did use the word "intense" and mentioned there were several delays so I am not surprised if the initial "soft launch" markets were modified (shrunk?) last minute too.  But I will toss the question at him.  

Hello! That’s exactly what happened. I tried it again after about 20 minutes post-update and it worked.

Of course, if you happen to get a clarification on the market boundaries or new device additions (iOS etc.) from your contact, I’d love to hear it. Thanks so much! ?

4 hours ago, ceopwong said:

Hey everyone! I got confirmation from my contact that VoLTE is live. Therefore I did the update it is up and running in the KC area now on my S8. 

Can you ask if your contact can clarify the definition of a “soft-launch market” as it relates to Washington, DC?

I ask because I just updated one of our lines which has an S8+.  When I tried moving the toggle to enable VoLTE, I got a message that VoLTE is not available at this time. I’m in Bethesda, Maryland which is just outside of Washington, DC, but I thought this area would be considered part of the Washington, DC market.

EDIT: Nevermind!.... I just tried it again and now it works! Very cool!

Just updated one of our lines which has an S8+.

When I move the toggle to enable VoLTE, I get a message that VoLTE is not available at this time. I’m in Bethesda, Maryland just outside of Washington, DC... which I figured would be considered part of the Washington, DC market.

☹️

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EDIT: Just tried it again... now it works! Very cool!

Why did Sprint choose to start with the S8/S8+ instead of the S9?

Does Apple have any say in the timing of VoLTE being launched on its own devices? Perhaps Apple didn’t want to be the lead devices for VoLTE on Sprint?

Calling Plus is set to be removed/shut down very soon.

This Support Article was just updated:

https://www.sprint.com/en/support/solutions/services/faqs-about-calling-plus.html

Sounds like VoLTE is coming.

4 hours ago, flyloc2 said:

Any idea when this will start?

Perhaps we’ll hear something after the new iPhones launch this week?

2 minutes ago, ceopwong said:

That I do not know since his wheelhouse is Samsung only so the short answer is I don't know and I doubt he knows either but I can toss the question out to him but it will be a bit before I get a reply.   

Cool! Curious what you hear back. ?

13 minutes ago, ceopwong said:

I have heard from a very reliable source that Samsung devices are first to be on the VoLTE testing bandwagon and there are three phases before it reaches testing out in the wild.  Sprint is on phase 1 and the next one has been delayed approximately a month and needs to be done before they are asking for volunteers for their devices to be put onto the VoLTE list.  He also mentioned the S8 devices are the first ones on the list.  Fingers crossed!  

Where do iPhones fall on the list?

I wonder if there’s going to be an LTE upgrade push over the next month here in the DC market to better prep it for VoLTE.

In the case of iPhones, VoLTE is supported on the iPhone 6 and later released models: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203078

I’m not sure what VoLTE support is for other makes, but those handsets will eventually upgrade or churn out as part of normal customer churn.

The Airave 3 LTE has support for voice on CDMA, in addition to providing LTE and WiFi Coverage.

8 hours ago, MrZorbatron said:

I would just be happy with one that did voice.

Won’t voice be supported when VoLTE launches starting this Fall?

Great writeup!

Sprint should update its "Coverage Solutions" page (https://www.sprint.com/landings/airave/) to reflect the availability of this new Coverage enhancing options.

That's interesting. Why was iOS treated differently? It wasn't subject to the same restrictions as Legacy Android devices?

Under the definition, Galaxy S6 would be considered Legacy but the iPhone 5s/5c/6/6 are not.

Sprint's WiFi Calling Page recently got an update (3/8/2016).

Can I send text messages over Wi-Fi?

Android phones: Both SMS (text) and MMS (pictures) messaging is supported in Wi-Fi Calling mode. Note: Samsung GS7, GS7 Edge, and LG G5 will support Messaging over Wi-Fi later in 2016.

iOS phones: iMessage on iOS is supported over Wi-Fi. SMS and MMS 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.

Does Wi-Fi Calling work while the phone is in Airplane Mode?

Legacy Android Phones (launched prior to 2016): No, Wi-Fi Calling is not available in Airplane Mode.

Current Android Phones (launching in 2016): Yes, Wi-Fi Calling is available in Airplane Mode

iOS Phones: Yes, Wi-Fi Calling is available in Airplane Mode.

Are there any restrictions to where Wi-Fi Calling can be used in the United States?

For Android phones launched in 2016 and all iOS devices there are no restrictions.

For Legacy Android phones launched prior to 2016, outbound calls over Wi-Fi Calling may not be available outside Nationwide Sprint Network coverage areas, but inbound calls and other messaging services may still be available.

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That's an interesting delineation between 2016 devices and "Legacy" devices.

Perhaps something is in the works on the back end.

What's the likelihood of a Permissive Change Filing or Refresh at this point?

I hope Apple still plans to do a 3xCA iPhone 7... and not leave it for the "S" model...

Quite likely, the operators requested customized firmware versions.  And Samsung is there to serve the operators -- not the other way around.  Samsung benefits from economy of scale by consolidating down to one "US" hardware platform per handset.  But Samsung does not benefit from strong arming the operators into one all band firmware platform.  If anything, Samsung may charge the operators based on the number of airlinks and bands activated.

 

AJ

Does Apple deny carrier requests for specific carrier versions? It could have launched just the AT&T model with Band 30, but perhaps for cost reasons it decided to have two models because why bother including components to support Band 30 on networks which don't have it.

Except for the specific addition of Band 30 on the AT&T model iPhones, it's the same device across carriers.

How is Apple able to do this while the other device makers aren't? Does Apple have a "don't mess with us" kind of leverage?

Great information! RCRWireless News has decided to take the counterpoint with an article published today which includes the phrase "Network Suicide" in the title....

Analyst Angle: Sprint network plan equals ‘Network Suicide’

People have said Sprint would go bankrupt for years and they've been wrong time after time... now its new Network Plans will kill it apparently. Never mind the fact that the whole premise of the re/code article on which it was based has been debunked.

Jeezuz.... Where do they find these "Analysts"?