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
111 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
111 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
111 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
111 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
111 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
111 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

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

Apple Releases Revised Versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 With Updated Build Number

Wednesday March 27, 2024 5:59 am PDT by
Apple on late Tuesday released revised versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 with an updated build number of 21E237, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The updates previously had a build number of 21E236. The revised updates are available for all iPhone and iPad models that are compatible with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, but they can only be installed via the Finder app on macOS...
applephilschiller

Apple's Phil Schiller Works 80 Hours a Week Overseeing App Store

Wednesday March 27, 2024 2:03 pm PDT by
With the App Store and app ecosystem undergoing major changes in the European Union, The Wall Street Journal today shared a profile on App Store chief Phil Schiller, who is responsible for the App Store. Though Schiller transitioned from marketing chief to "Apple Fellow" in 2020 to take a step back from Apple and spend more time on personal projects and friends, he is reportedly working...
maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
iphone 16 dummies

iPhone 16 Dummy Models Showcase Design Changes, New Buttons

Tuesday March 26, 2024 6:03 am PDT by
Images comparing purportedly accurate dummy models of the iPhone 16 series have been shared online, providing a closer look at the rumored design of the upcoming devices. The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are expected to get larger display sizes this year, according to multiple sources, while the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will be the same size as the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. ...