Did Vodafone forget to mention that in order to operate their WIFI calling service, your cell phone must have been purchased through them?

Forums › One New Zealand (including Vodafone, WxC, Farmside) › Did Vodafone forget to mention that in order to operate their WIFI calling service, your cell phone must have been purchased through them?

bramwell

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#293176 4-Jan-2022 07:23

... So if you have the latest phone, but it wasn't purchased through Vodafone, it won't update to WIFI calling.

Geeks, can you tell me please - surely this capability could be rolled out to all cellphones via an app? Have Vodafone made a conscious decision to do this so that we all have to go out and buy new phones from them?

BTW, this info was given to me yesterday after countless wasted hours of phone calls, emails and 'chats' with Vodafone about our dreadful service.

We are in a rural area so we had relied on Sure Signal for cell reception. Now that Sure Signal has been discontinued we have no cell service, and we can't get Vodafone WIFI calling because our phones (iPhone 8) were purchased from Apple.

Aaargh!!!

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Smpl Mnmlst
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#2842705 4-Jan-2022 07:26

Did you intentionally forget to add a post to your thread?

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bramwell

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#2842707 4-Jan-2022 07:30

Nope, just hit 'enter' too quickly ... 😅

liquidcore

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#2842708 4-Jan-2022 07:31

Your iPhone should support WiFi calling no matter where it’s purchased from. Do you have the latest iOS version installed?

freitasm

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#2842709 4-Jan-2022 07:41

You don't have to buy the phone from them. I have two handsets here with Voice over WiFi (Samsung Z Fold 3 and OPPO X3) and neither came from them. Also, as above, the iPhone models listed on their site should work just fine.

You just have to have a compatible device.

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MaxineN

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#2842710 4-Jan-2022 07:44

You need to be running iOS 15 to get VF WiFi Calling. I'd also make sure it can update it's carrier package to the very latest(I think it's at 48 or 49?).

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bramwell

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#2842711 4-Jan-2022 07:46

Thanks guys.

One of their 'Customer Solutions Specialists', who tells me he works alongside CEO Jason Paris, told me unequivocally that unless our phones were purchased through Vodafone, we will not get the necessary update to allow us to operate on Vodafone WIFI calling.

So is this really not the case? ... !!!

MaxineN

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#2842712 4-Jan-2022 07:48

bramwell:

Thanks guys.

One of their 'Customer Solutions Specialists', who tells me he works alongside CEO Jason Paris, told me unequivocally that unless our phones were purchased through Vodafone, we will not get the necessary update to allow us to operate on Vodafone WIFI calling.

So is this really not the case? ... !!!

That's not at all true, they're just saying that to cover their behinds. Truthfully they have a supported list. Yes buying from them is guaranteed to work(in theory) but as long as it's on the list, it should just work.

When it comes to Apple devices, it does not matter. It literally does not matter where you buy it from. It will work providing you have the latest iOS update and it's got it's latest carrier package.

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freitasm

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#2842713 4-Jan-2022 07:49

Here is the list of phones that work and you could buy from anywhere in New Zealand (I do not recommend importing).

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freitasm

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#2842714 4-Jan-2022 07:50

bramwell:

One of their 'Customer Solutions Specialists', who tells me he works alongside CEO Jason Paris...

I pretty much doubt this 'Customer Solutions Specialists' works alongside the CEO. More like "If I say I'm important then my word is final."

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hairy1

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#2842716 4-Jan-2022 07:53

We have a 2Degrees sourced S20 Ultra here which is on the list and doesn't work. I haven't been able to find anyone that can tell me why but I think there is some truth to non Vodafone sourced handsets not working.

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MaxineN

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#2842717 4-Jan-2022 07:55

hairy1: We have a 2Degrees sourced S20 Ultra here which is on the list and doesn't work. I haven't been able to find anyone that can tell me why but I think there is some truth to non Vodafone sourced handsets not working.

https://www.vodafone.co.nz/our-networks/wifi-calling/

This says otherwise.

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hairy1

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#2842718 4-Jan-2022 07:57

Wifi calling is not available on the handset. It's a Dual Sim which I think is the problem but bought NZ new.

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quickymart

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#2842719 4-Jan-2022 08:01

Odd, I didn't get my phone from Vodafone but it has a wifi calling option (dual SIM too). I tested it and it seemed to work fine, although the mobile signal is usable enough at my place that I don't need to use wifi calling at the moment.

bramwell

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Master Geek

#2842720 4-Jan-2022 08:05

Thanks for all this info guys. I want to be sure I have their latest 'Carrier Update'. When I click on this in my iPhone settings I see "PRL 1'. Is someone able to please help me understand if this is Vodafone's latest version? Or how do I go about sorting that out please?

I had written an email to CEO Jason Paris because for some time there we couldn't get any reception at all once they dropped Sure Signal - that is, we couldn't get cell reception and our WIFI was off more than it was on. So we had no ongoing reliable source to contact emergency services. The CEO completely ignored me and had one of his minions contact me. 😅

bramwell

161 posts

Master Geek

#2842770 4-Jan-2022 08:10

MaxineN:

hairy1: We have a 2Degrees sourced S20 Ultra here which is on the list and doesn't work. I haven't been able to find anyone that can tell me why but I think there is some truth to non Vodafone sourced handsets not working.

https://www.vodafone.co.nz/our-networks/wifi-calling/

This says otherwise.

Their website refers to a 'compatible device' and they have now told me that a 'compatible device' is one purchased through them.

It would be great to know which is the truth :-D

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