Being a T-Mobile user these days is almost universally seen as the smart thing to do. When AT&T failed to buy the company, its executives needed a different direction to take action. Current and money-savvy bargain hunters have decided to go after people who have always wanted to upgrade to the iPhone while it was available. I will not completely disassemble them. This is all great, but without T-Mobile Wi-Fi Calling, switching would be the worst decision users have ever made.
T-Mobile’s network is growing faster and faster, but still not as universal as Verizon and AT&T subscribers get. There are large areas in the country with no T-Mobile service at all, worse yet, there are places where T-Mobile service is available but very spotty. Wi-Fi calling allows users to make calls and send text messages with their T-Mobile phones – even when there is no T-Mobile reception.
Here’s how to use T-Mobile Wi-Fi calling on Windows Phone and save yourself some frustration. Before you get started, it’s important to have the basics. With Windows Phone 8, T-Mobile provided users with a Wi-Fi Calling app. In the past, you needed the T-Mobile Wi-Fi Calling app to use Wi-Fi calling on Windows Phone. This is no longer the case. It’s fully built into Windows Phone 8.1, meaning you can now remove this app from the list of installed apps on the left of the Start Screen. After doing this, you will need to restart your Windows Phone.
Second, it’s important to note that T-Mobile Wi-Fi calling is no way to pay your service bill or have to manage your minutes. Wi-Fi calls still depend on whether you have paid for your monthly services.
Unlock If you have set a password on your Device by swiping up on your Windows Phone on the lock screen, you will now need to enter it.
Welcome to the Start Screen. Put your finger on the top edge of your screen and reveal the Action Center.
The Action Center is where you can keep track of all your notifications and quickly access settings. For T-Mobile Wi-Fi Calling to work, you must be connected to Wi-Fi. Look at the top left corner of your screen to make sure your Wi-Fi is on and connected. Quickly tap on it to turn on Wi-Fi. If you’re at home and have already set up your Wi-Fi, your Windows Phone will connect almost instantly.
Now with Wi-Fi on and an internet connection available, look for Live Tile on your Start Screen. In our example, it’s the Live Tile in the top right. Don’t touch it. Instead, look underneath to make sure Wi-Fi Calling is enabled. If so, it will say “Wi-Fi Calling” at the bottom. If you’re ready to go, tap the Phone Live Tile.
From this point on, everything should work just as if you were doing a simple search on T-Mobile’s real network. You can tap a name on Speed Dial to get a list of your close friends and instantly make a call using T-Mobile Wi-Fi Calling. You can also tap on different numbers in your History to make a call. The important thing is to look for the Wi-Fi Calling notification in the top left corner of your screen. If you are connected to Wi-Fi you should always see this notification. If you don’t see the notification, you’re not making a call over Wi-Fi. You can tap the dialer button to enter someone’s real phone number as well.
That’s it, this is how you use T-Mobile Wi-Fi Calling on Windows Phone. Again, it is absolutely essential that you have a good Wi-Fi connection to use this feature. If you don’t, the person on the other end of the call may receive distorted audio. It’s also important to stay within the Wi-Fi network you’re connected to after making a Wi-Fi search. Windows Phone will warn you if you are moving away from the Wi-Fi router. If this happens, your call may drop without warning. Next, you need to approach the Wi-Fi router or try to place the call on T-Mobile’s network.
To read: How to Use T-Mobile Wi-Fi Calling on iPhone
No, T-Mobile Wi-Fi Calling isn’t an excuse to stop paying your monthly service bill, but it’s a great way to get a signal from places you wouldn’t normally see. Especially useful inside buildings with great internet connections and poor cellular signal reception. Beyond phone calls, T-Mobile uses Wi-Fi to send text messages to users. T-Mobile Wi-Fi Calling is completely free with your service plan. Apple’s iPhone also has T-Mobile Wi-Fi Calling features built-in. So is Google’s Android operating system.
