Airtel is working on making indoor calls better: Here's how
Bharti Airtel is gearing up to commercially launch Voice over Wi-Fi (VoWi-Fi) service in India next month, according to ET Telecom. The service, which has been in testing for some time now, will allow users to make phone calls using their Wi-Fi connection even when cellular network is not available. Here's understanding the service and how it works.
What is VoWi-Fi calling?
Essentially, Voice over Wi-Fi (VoWi-Fi) is a term "employed to describe the delivery of commercial telephony services using Voice over IP (VoIP) technologies from mobile devices connected across Wi-Fi". It can be used over private WLANs, home Wi-Fi networks, and even public Wi-Fi hotspots.
Airtel will be first telco to roll-out VoWi-Fi in India
While Reliance Jio debuted VoLTE service in India, Airtel is leveling up against its arch-rival by being the first to offer VoWi-Fi. The service will be offered for free and it will not require any separate app. Subscribers will be able to use it on any Wi-Fi connection inside their homes or workplaces via compatible handsets.
Test results have been fairly good for Airtel
Notably, Airtel has been testing the services for some time now and select customers and company employees have been using the service for a couple of months as part of the beta testing. Citing a person familiar with the matter, ET Telecom reports that the "results and calling experience feedback has been fairly good."
How to use the feature?
For VoWi-Fi, your phone must support this technology and the service should be activated for your number by the service provider. To get started, simply head to your call settings menu within 'Wi-Fi Calling' and turn on VoWi-Fi. Once it is turned on, Wi-Fi calling will be activated and you'll be able to make calls over Wi-Fi when there's low or no cellular connectivity.
