- Ron Barak
- August 9, 2022
- Reading Time: 7 minutes
While Wi-Fi calling has many benefits for businesses and individuals across the globe, it also has some limitations. Wi-Fi calling can reduce business costs and extend the battery life of devices. However, it can sometimes be unreliable and the quality of your call can suffer as a result. Read on to find out the advantages and disadvantages of using Wi-Fi calling in your business, and how to turn off Wi-Fi calling (Samsung and iPhone devices).
Wi-Fi calling enables users to make calls and send texts over a wireless internet connection, rather than a typical mobile network connection. This is advantageous because individuals and businesses can still use their phone when they are somewhere without a mobile network coverage. Users instead simply connect to Wi-Fi and make the call as normal.
Most UK networks are compatible with Wi-Fi calling, including but not limited to Vodafone, EE, O2 and Three. Many other applications also use Wi-Fi calling to connect their customers, the most common being WhatsApp and Skype.
Why Do Businesses Use Wi-Fi Calling?
Many businesses enjoy the benefits of Wi-Fi calling because it eliminates their dependence on mobile network towers providing coverage. Limited signal is not a problem. With a Wi-Fi connection, calls can still be made and business operations can continue to operate at a high level.
The numerous benefits of Wi-Fi calling means that it is used by a variety of individuals and businesses. It is particularly useful for those who live or work in areas with patchy mobile network coverage. In these areas, signal isn’t easy to come by and calls are often crackly or dropped.
What Are the Advantages of Wi-Fi Calling?
The main advantages of Wi-Fi calling are that it can be used in a wide range of places. It also saves businesses and individuals data (and hence money) and provides an easy way to contact people overseas.
Useable Anywhere with a Wi-Fi Connection
Wi-Fi calling is a fantastic productivity tool for businesses and individuals, because it can be used anywhere with a Wi-Fi connection. This means it can be used indoors, outdoors, on public transport and even underground. This is ideal for employees who want to make the most out of their commute to work in the morning by getting ahead on emails for the day.
Save Data
When you opt for Wi-Fi calling, you aren’t using a mobile network to make a call. This means that you save your data for when you really need it. Both businesses and individuals can benefit from this!
Reduce Mobile Phone Bills
Due to a reduction in the amount of data used, many businesses and individuals find that Wi-Fi calling reduces their mobile phone bills. This is particularly important to business and people adapting to new costs.
International Contact
Making calls overseas via a mobile network can be an expensive practise. With Wi-Fi calling, most networks don’t charge any extra to make these calls. This is particularly useful for businesses with international clients and stakeholders who need regular contact as part of their business operations. It also makes it easier for businesses to outsource customer support services overseas.
A Professional Appearance
Businesses no longer need landline numbers to appear professional when making calls to clients or customers. Professional, linked Wi-Fi calling numbers can be set up via an app for all of the employees of a business.
Suited to a Hybrid Working Model
Whether you’re working from home or in the office, Wi-Fi calling is a fantastic tool to have in your day-to-day life.
Extending Battery Life
Searching for mobile network connections can use valuable battery power on your phone or table. This can be reduced by using Wi-Fi calling within range of a wireless internet connection.
Why Should Businesses Use Wi-Fi Calling?
Businesses should use Wi-Fi calling to increase employee productivity, reduce overhead costs and make it easy for their employees to contact international colleagues and clients. With a Wi-Fi calling system in place, businesses can realise these benefits while maintaining a professional appearance.
What Are the Disadvantages of Wi-Fi Calling?
The main disadvantages of using Wi-Fi calling are that not all devices support this type of calling, and Wi-Fi networks can become overloaded if too many people are connected. This can result in a poorer call quality. In addition to this, Wi-Fi calling will not work out of range of a wireless internet connection. Your call may switch automatically to a cellular data connection which can increase your bills if you are not aware of it.
Not All Devices Support Wi-Fi Calling
Before you purchase a brand-new Android or iPhone, make sure it is compatible with Wi-Fi calling. The vast majority of smartphones are compatible. However, if you have a particularly old model, you may need to make the upgrade in order to benefit from calls made over a wireless connection.
Wi-Fi Networks Can Become Overloaded
In addition to this, calls made in places with public Wi-Fi can sometimes be of poor quality due to overloaded Wi-Fi networks. You are unlikely to have this issue in the home or at your workplace. You are more likely to have this issue on public transport, in hotels, airports, universities and other crowded venues.
Automatic Switching to a Data Connection
Another drawback to be aware of is that if you use Wi-Fi calling out of range of a wireless internet connection, the call may swap automatically to a cellular data connection. If you are not aware of this then it can result in unexpected data usage and, hence, unexpected bills. The best way to handle this is to buy a package with plenty of, or unlimited, mobile data. This means you can avoid any nasty surprises. Alternatively, you can turn off Wi-Fi calling (Android 11, Samsung or iPhone).
Why Should Businesses Turn Off Wi-Fi Calling (iPhone and Android Devices)?
Businesses should be aware of some of the downsides of Wi-Fi calling so that they can mitigate the risk of unexpected delays, dropped calls or unexpected bills.
For example, a person flying abroad for a business trip may not want to rely on Wi-Fi calling when they are at the airport. The network may become overloaded and it may be difficult to make a call. Instead, they could use mobile data or mobile network coverage to make a call.
Businesses should also consider how to turn off call forwarding on Samsung or other devices.
Why Should Businesses Turn Off Wi-Fi Calling?
Business may want to consider turning off Wi-Fi calling if they prefer to use mobile network coverage or another method of making calls and sending texts. This will be preferable if they want full control over the reliability, coverage and voice quality of the calls they make.
Reliability
Firstly, many businesses prioritise reliability over everything else. Reliability is key when it comes to the product or service that the business provides, their customer communications, and internal communications among colleagues. This is why many businesses choose to opt out of Wi-Fi calling services and keep their mobile communication cellular. Businesses using a mobile network connection such as the one offered by Mobile2CRM benefit from solid, reliable connections that don’t rely on wireless internet. As well as turning off Wi-Fi calling, businesses may also want to turn off call forwarding (iPhone 11).
Coverage
In addition to this, many businesses choose to turn off Wi-Fi calling (iPhone and Samsung) because it relies on great Wi-Fi coverage. This is something that is not yet universally accessible across the world. Coverage can be patchy in rural areas and Wi-Fi networks can easily get overloaded in crowded areas.
Call Quality
In addition to this, the reduced call quality that comes with Wi-Fi calling proves a problem for many businesses. Especially for businesses that rely on frequent mobile connections with suppliers, clients or colleagues, increased call quality means a more efficient method of communication.
Unexpected Charges
It can be difficult enough to manage changing business overheads payments, without the added hassle of unexpected mobile data charges. This is another reason by many businesses across the world choose not to use Wi-Fi calling as their primary method of communication.
Device Management
When making decisions about devices in the workplace, Wi-Fi calling is just one extra factor to consider. Unlike Wi-Fi calling, calls made with a mobile network connection are compatible with every single phone, regardless of make or model.
Employee Privacy
Lastly, using a mobile network and built-in CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system such as Mobile2CRM means that your employees’ privacy is protected, always. Separate work and leisure calls, and log business calls automatically in a CRM system from anywhere in the world. As well as turning of Wi-Fi calling, businesses and individuals should also consider how to turn off call forwarding (Verizon and Samsung devices).
How to Turn Off Wi-Fi Calling: Android 11, Samsung and iPhone
How to Turn Off Wi-Fi Calling Samsung Phones (Android)
Through the Phone app:
1. Open the ‘Phone’ app
2. Tap the three dots in the top right corner and select ‘Settings’
3. Select ‘Wi-Fi Calling’ and toggle the switch on or off
Through the Quick Settings panel:
1. Swipe down from the top of the screen to reveal the Quick Settings panel
2. Swipe left to find the Wi-Fi calling icon
3. Toggle the switch on or off
How to Turn Off Wi-Fi Calling iPhone Devices
- Open ‘Settings’.
- Tap ‘Cellular’ and select ‘Wi-Fi Calling’.
- Slide the ‘Wi-Fi Calling on This iPhone’ button to green to turn on.
An Alternative to Wi-Fi Calling for Businesses
Mobile2CRM helps businesses upgrade their mobile communications system. We provide a range of solutions that eliminate the need for Wi-Fi calling and instead base business communications on cellular-native networks. This allows for higher quality, more reliable business communications between colleagues and customers.
The business was established with the vision of empowering enterprises to utilize their mobile communication capabilities to increase their customer reach and revenues. Our painless and cost-effective solution ensures that every business call, anywhere, at any time is automatically logged into your own business CRM system.
Any business calls made by your employees, whether at the office, home or elsewhere, are captured and transferred into the CRM and call recording systems. This enables businesses to effectively monitor and record calls without infringing on the privacy of employees’ personal mobile devices.
In summary, there are many benefits to Wi-Fi calling, including reduced mobile phone bills, flexible coverage and extended device battery life. However, there are also many drawbacks that businesses should be aware of, including decreased reliability, coverage issues and poor call quality. Businesses across the world can benefit from cellular mobile network connections, particularly when integrated with an automated CRM system for recording and tracking business calls.
Ron Barak
VP Business Development
