Alternatives to wifi calling

Forums › New Zealand Mobile and Wireless › Alternatives to wifi calling

lissie

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#289573 13-Sep-2021 17:45

I'm looking at buying a mobile wifi for travel next year - which gives me the option to use local sims but still to retain my NZ number. Im on PAYG with Skinny and they dont appear to offer WIFI calling.

Is Skype the only alternative? I'm looking for an option that will allow me to access my voicemail and then return calls

I help authors publish their books - DIYPublishing.co.nz

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#2777801 13-Sep-2021 18:34

You could port your number to 2degrees and use wifi calling.
Another option would be to port to a VOIP provider, but I’m not sure if that is allowed with normal mobile numbers

Linux

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#2777807 13-Sep-2021 18:46

Port your mobile number to 2degrees

freitasm

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#2777820 13-Sep-2021 19:22

Linux: Port your mobile number to 2degrees

And get a WiFi Calling-capable phone.

lissie

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#2777918 13-Sep-2021 23:58

freitasm:
Linux: Port your mobile number to 2degrees

And get a WiFi Calling-capable phone.

I live in Porirua- don't get any 2 degrees /vodafone coverage here - that's why I had to move to skinny

I help authors publish their books - DIYPublishing.co.nz

lissie

495 posts

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#2777920 14-Sep-2021 00:03

freitasm:
Linux: Port your mobile number to 2degrees

And get a WiFi Calling-capable phone.

What phone can't - surely if its got wifi it can make a call over wifi. Do I have to go back to Skype? Its an iphone SE

I help authors publish their books - DIYPublishing.co.nz

michaelmurfy

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#2777921 14-Sep-2021 00:03

lissie:

I live in Porirua- don't get any 2 degrees /vodafone coverage here - that's why I had to move to skinny

Porirua as a whole has rather good 2degrees coverage. I'd recommend grabbing a sim and giving it another shot. 2degrees have been rather good lately with sorting out the coverage blackspots by putting "Microcells" in on lampposts around Wellington.

Regardless, then you'll have WiFi calling provided you have a compatible phone.

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#2777932 14-Sep-2021 05:48

@lissie WiFi calling is a handset feature and requires no Apps to be installed and no not all handsets support WiFi calling that have WiFi

How long ago did you try 2degrees mobile in Porirua?

https://www.2degrees.nz/help/mobile-help/calling-features/wifi-calling

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boosacnoodle

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#2777990 14-Sep-2021 08:50

michaelmurfy:

Porirua as a whole has rather good 2degrees coverage. I'd recommend grabbing a sim and giving it another shot. 2degrees have been rather good lately with sorting out the coverage blackspots by putting "Microcells" in on lampposts around Wellington.

Regardless, then you'll have WiFi calling provided you have a compatible phone.

Do you have some examples of these I could look up on gis.geek.nz?

lissie

495 posts

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#2778118 14-Sep-2021 10:18

Linux:

@lissie WiFi calling is a handset feature and requires no Apps to be installed and no not all handsets support WiFi calling that have WiFi

How long ago did you try 2degrees mobile in Porirua?

https://www.2degrees.nz/help/mobile-help/calling-features/wifi-calling

Oh that is interesting and yes according to their would work exactly as I want it to - enable calls back to NZ at normal rates

Six years ago when we moved here we were on 2 degrees and had to swap to Skinny to get reception in the house. Every tradesman had the same issue - haven't checked recently to be fair

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#2778138 14-Sep-2021 10:51

@lissie Mobile coverage has changed shed loads in 6 years, Grab a $1 2d SIM and try it out I think you will be surprised then you can port the number on skinny to 2d

lissie

495 posts

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#2778142 14-Sep-2021 10:54

Linux:

@lissie Mobile coverage has changed shed loads in 6 years, Grab a $1 2d SIM and try it out I think you will be surprised then you can port the number on skinny to 2d

Its not urgent until we can go overseas -but I have friends on 2 degrees - will get them to test coverage the next time they are over.

I help authors publish their books - DIYPublishing.co.nz

michaelmurfy

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#2778164 14-Sep-2021 12:07

boosacnoodle:

Do you have some examples of these I could look up on gis.geek.nz?

Here is one you can also see on Street View: https://gis.geek.nz/map/celltowers/location/xwdloojw

There are many scattered around now.

neb

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#2809012 7-Nov-2021 19:38

Linux:
@lissie Mobile coverage has changed shed loads in 6 years, Grab a $1 2d SIM and try it out I think you will be surprised then you can port the number on skinny to 2d

Or just go with Vodafone and pay their $19/week prepay roaming rates, they're in most countries to the extent that I barely use my second SIM any more because already Vodafone fill the need.

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#2809017 7-Nov-2021 20:07

neb:
Linux:
@lissie Mobile coverage has changed shed loads in 6 years, Grab a $1 2d SIM and try it out I think you will be surprised then you can port the number on skinny to 2d

Or just go with Vodafone and pay their $19/week prepay roaming rates, they're in most countries to the extent that I barely use my second SIM any more because already Vodafone fill the need.

@ned Roaming is free using WiFi calling

richms

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#2809020 7-Nov-2021 20:23

Linux:

@ned Roaming is free using WiFi calling

Only if you have data from something else, and that is seldom free.

Richard rich.ms

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