Verizon Gets Green Light on FCC Waiver Needed for Wi-Fi Calling

Verizon Wireless is the only major carrier in the United States that has not introduced Wi-Fi calling, but it appears that could change in the near future as the FCC today approved the company's request for an FCC waiver [PDF] that will allow it to move ahead with its plans.

Like AT&T, Verizon applied for an FCC waiver to delay implementing a teletypewriter (TTY) service for deaf and hard-of-hearing people until December 31, 2017. Verizon plans to use real-time text (RTT) as an alternative and the waiver will allow it to avoid offering a TTY service until its RTT technology is deployed and operational.

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On its website, Verizon says it plans to support Wi-Fi calling "in the future," but has not specified when Wi-Fi calling could be implemented. When AT&T was approved for Wi-Fi calling, the feature was turned on within days of receiving the go ahead from the FCC.

Wi-Fi calling will allow Verizon customers to make phone calls over Wi-Fi in situations where their cellular signal is low, automatically transitioning between Wi-Fi and a cellular connection as needed. AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile have all already implemented Wi-Fi calling, but Sprint and T-Mobile have done so without obtaining the necessary waivers from the FCC.

Top Rated Comments

Leonard1818 Avatar
103 months ago
Wait why do you need the FCC to enable wifi calling? Government overreach at its finest.
It's that first "C" in FCC.

Why do you care? Something new to complain about? Starbucks cups getting old already?
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Vanilla Face Avatar
103 months ago
Wait why do you need the FCC to enable wifi calling? Government overreach at its finest.
They need a waiver (not the FCC to enable it) because federal regulation requires that telephone services support teletypewriter (TTY) for the hearing-impaired. Wifi calling does not support TTY.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleFan91 Avatar
103 months ago
Hooray!!! Now put it in 9.2 lol
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gsmornot Avatar
103 months ago
Verizon is probably the least important carrier to enable this, since their coverage map is so strong compared to the others.
Domino's has the best pizza. (commercial said so) :D
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KPOM Avatar
103 months ago
But when you walk out of the wifi area the call drops! I had to run this off because of that.
Not if you are in a VoLTE area. Wi-Fi calls on AT&T hand off to VoLTE (but not 3GSM).
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sziehr Avatar
103 months ago
Verizon is probably the least important carrier to enable this, since their coverage map is so strong compared to the others.
Right............ you keep on believing that. I know of so many places that have "Great" service and you can not hold a call to save your life. So in these places the wifi calling is going to be a boon. I also will no longer have a dead iPhone from straining to get service.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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