Wi-Fi Calling Now Available for AT&T Users

AT&T has flipped the switch on Wi-Fi calling, making it available to customers with eligible plans that are running iOS 9. MacRumors has received tips from customers who were able to activate Wi-Fi calling and we were able to activate the feature on our own iPhones. A number of readers in our forums are also having success activating Wi-Fi calling.

Wi-Fi calling is a feature that lets calls be placed over a wireless connection when cellular connectivity is poor, functioning much like an AT&T M-Cell does now. It's similar to Apple's own FaceTime Audio feature, which also routes calls over a Wi-Fi connection.

AT&T customers can turn on Wi-Fi calling by going to the Phone section of the Settings app and toggling on the Wi-Fi calling feature. From there, there are a set of steps to walk through, including entering an emergency 911 address. Wi-Fi calling is available on the iPhone 6, 6s, 6 Plus, and 6s Plus running iOS 9.

att_wifi_calling_setup_1
Customers who want to use Wi-Fi calling need to have AT&T HD voice features enabled, along with an Internet connection. Wi-Fi calling can be used for voice calls within the United States, Puerto Rico, and United States Virgin Islands at no charge. Long distance global voice calls will be charged standard long distance rates.

Once the setup process is complete, customers are receiving notifications letting them know the Wi-Fi calling feature will be available after a short activation period.

att_wifi_calling_setup_2
AT&T promised to launch Wi-Fi calling alongside iOS 9, but last week announced the feature was delayed due to its inability to get an FCC waiver that would temporarily allow the carrier to forgo offering support options for deaf and hard-of-hearing customers. On Tuesday of this week, AT&T finally received the waiver that it needed to move forward with Wi-Fi calling.

Related Forum: iOS 9

Top Rated Comments

sputnikv Avatar
110 months ago
charging long distance fees when using a service that puts 0 load on their networks is criminal as does the reoccurring hd-voice fee.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
redman042 Avatar
110 months ago
But I can't use Wi-Fi calling outside of the U.S. :(
Just use FaceTime Audio or Skype. There are so many ways to communicate over wifi these days. Tons of options.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nepalisherpa Avatar
110 months ago
I can finally answer phone scammers right away at work now instead of hearing their 2-second silent voicemails later. :) Just for reference, we get no cell signal at work.

Seriously though, this will be amazing for me at home since cell signal is very weak there.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rigormortis Avatar
110 months ago
charging long distance fees when using a service that puts 0 load on their networks is criminal.
well, if its domestic long distance its just charged your regular calling rate, which is probably unlimited. calling internationally using wifi calling is the same as calling internationally with cellular. most people aren't like me, they do not have minute plans. i have 100 minutes a month. a wifi call minute is the same as a cellular call minute.

the other end of the call is a real telephone number, so i guess that is where they think its fair to treat it as a real cellular call


what is really criminal is what they do with the AT&T microcell. they have you pay $199 for one

there is an optional unlimited microcell calling plan they want you to sign up for, in case you have a plan that has limited amount of minutes. back in 2009, the unlimited calling feature for your microcell was $19.99 a month extra, this allows any of the registered phone numbers are assigned to our microcell ( up to 10 ) to be able to have unlimited calling. just in case they have legacy plans.

oh , but that is not all. any cellular data that you use on the microcell , even though you are providing them with your own internet connection, goes against your plan.

so even though you paid $199 for a microcell you still have to use wifi to prevent AT&T from charging you for going over.

and through this whole mess, little t-mobile is minding their own business and giving away wifi routers and cell phone boosters for those people who need them. they have been giving away cell phone boosters for probably 10 years, and tmo is even giving out marshmallow to all the old phones, and people just go on forums and say that t-mobile sucks.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zorinlynx Avatar
110 months ago
So now I get to pay AT&T & Comcast to use my own network and the public internet to route my calls. All to make up for AT&T's crummy service coverage?

Where do I sign up?
I'm not sure why so many people are whining about this.

You've lost NOTHING by having Wi-Fi calling available to you. Before if you were in an area with good Wi-Fi but lousy cellular reception, you couldn't make calls or do SMS at all. Now you can.

So what if it's your own network that you're paying for? You don't pay extra for this.

Before: You can't make calls.
Now: You CAN make calls.

Things have improved at no additional cost to you. Stop complaining. :)
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleFanBoy888 Avatar
110 months ago
How do we know when it's activated? Is there a logo at the top of the screen that says WiFi like the old M-Cell logo? I activated twenty minutes ago and nothing...
Turn on Airplane mode and turn on WiFi. Shows "AT&T Wi-Fi"

Attachment Image
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Camera Lozenge 2 Perspective Gray

Five Key Upgrades Coming to iPhone 16

Friday March 15, 2024 1:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone is Apple's top-selling product, and it gets an update every year. In 2024, we're expecting the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineup, with an arguably more interesting feature set than we got with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Capture Button All four iPhone 16 models are set to get a whole new button, which will be...
When To Expect New iPads Feature 1

Apple to Announce New iPads on March 26, Rumors Claim

Monday March 18, 2024 4:02 am PDT by
Apple is widely expected to release new iPad Air and OLED iPad Pro models in the next few weeks. According to new rumors coming out of Asia, the company will announce its new iPads on Tuesday, March 26. Chinese leaker Instant Digital on Weibo this morning 日发布%23">claimed that the date will see some sort of announcement from Apple related to new iPads, but stopped short of calling it an...
airpods 3 orange

Two New AirPods 4 Models Expected to Launch in September or October

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:56 am PDT by
Apple suppliers will begin production of two new fourth-generation AirPods models in May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Based on this production timeframe, he expects the headphones to be released in September or October. Gurman expects both fourth-generation AirPods models to feature a new design with better fit, improved sound quality, and an updated charging case with a USB-C...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Expected to Depreciate Heavily

Tuesday March 12, 2024 9:04 am PDT by
Resale value trends suggest the iPhone SE 4 may not hold its value as well as Apple's flagship models, according to SellCell. According to the report, Apple's iPhone SE models have historically depreciated much more rapidly than the company's more premium offerings. The third-generation iPhone SE, which launched in March 2022, experienced a significant drop in resale value, losing 42.6%...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

iOS 17.4.1 Update for iPhone is Imminent

Monday March 18, 2024 5:27 am PDT by
iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 should be released within the next few days, with a build number of 21E235, according to a source with a proven track record. MacRumors previously reported that Apple was internally testing iOS 17.4.1. As a minor update for the iPhone, it will likely address software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. It is unclear if the update will include any other changes. ...
M3 iPad Feature 3

New iPads Likely to Begin Shipping in April

Monday March 18, 2024 9:52 am PDT by
Apple's new iPad Pro models with OLED displays will likely begin shipping to customers in April, according to information shared today by Ross Young, CEO of display industry research firm Display Supply Chain Consultants. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also said the new iPad Pro models might not ship until "deeper" into April in his Power On newsletter on Sunday:I've repeatedly said that new...
iOS 17 Passkey With Apple ACCOUNT Feature

'Apple ID' Expected to Change to 'Apple Account' Starting With iOS 18

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:13 am PDT by
MacRumors was first to report that Apple was planning to rebrand "Apple ID" to "Apple Account" across its software platforms and websites like iCloud.com as early as this year, and now Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has corroborated this change. A mockup of the new Apple Account branding In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the new "Apple Account" branding will start to be used later this...