Troubleshoot Wi-Fi calling and SMS
Wi-Fi calling, or Voice over Wi-Fi (VoWIFI), allows you to make and receive voice calls, SMS (text) messages, and MMS (photo and video) messages (currently Optus and Vodafone only) with a compatible mobile phone over the Wi-Fi of an internet connection.
This page provides some tips on fixing your service if it’s stopped working.
Quick tips to try first
- Put your phone in “airplane” mode. You will need to reconnect to your Wi-Fi connection after turning on airplane mode.
Mobiles will always try to use a “real” mobile service first, before using an internet service, to make its connection. One bar of “real” service can prevent Wi-Fi calling from working properly, causing dropouts or preventing connections from being made at all.
- Close all open apps and try again.
- Turn your phone off completely, then turn it back on again. See “Tech tips” for advice on doing this.
- Check that your phone has Wi-Fi turned on. Sometimes it can just randomly turn off, particularly if you haven’t used your phone for a while.
- Check the internet is working.
- Try moving closer to the internet router. There may be interference on the line if you’re too far away from it.
Be aware of the type of connection you’re using. If you’re connecting over a satellite connection, you will get delays on the line, as a result of the distance to the satellite in orbit.
For more information see our Tech Tips.
Check for network outages
Check the status of both your internet service, and of your mobile provider. Outages on either one can cause your service to stop working.
Check phone compatibility
Not all mobile phone handsets allow Wi-Fi calling and SMS services. Your mobile service provider will have the most up-to-date lists of the phones that support Wi-Fi Calling and SMS.
In addition, some providers will only supply Wi-Fi Calling on handsets bought directly from them.
These links will have the most complete and accurate list of compatible handsets.
Check phone software is up to date
Phone software often updates the way your phone manages this service. Ensure it’s up to date.
If you have an nbn™ Sky Muster™ Plus satellite plan, phone updates are unmetered, so they don’t use up your metered data.
Check the user manual for your phone if you’re uncertain how to install updates. Restart your phone after completing a software update.
For more information see our Tech Tips
Ensure both “VoLTE” and “Wi-Fi Calling” is turned on
If you have recently performed a software update, you may need to manually turn services back on again.
There’s two parts to this: turning on VoLTE (see below), and then turning on Wi-Fi Calling.
If you only turn on Wi-Fi Calling, your calls may have an obvious delay, and calls won’t move seamlessly between using an internet connection and an available 4G connection – they’ll drop out as the different connections become available.
iPhone
Turn on VoLTE
You may need to take the phone out of “airplane” mode to do this.
- Tap the Settings icon on the Home screen.
- Tap the Mobile menu item.
- Tap the Mobile Data Options menu item.
- Tap the Enable 4G menu item (this option may not be available if the phone is in “airplane” mode).
- Select the Voice & Data option to enable VoLTE.
Turn on Wi-Fi Calling
- Tap the Settings icon on the Home screen.
- Tap the Mobile menu item.
- Turn on Wi-Fi Calling.
Android (e.g. Samsung phones)
Turn on VoLTE
- Go to your phone’s calling app.
- Select More or the three dots in the top right corner.
- Select Settings.
- Turn on Wi-Fi Calling.
Turn on Wi-Fi Calling
- Open the Apps icon.
- Locate and select the Settings Icon.
- Select Connections.
- Select Wi-Fi Calling.
Select ON to enable Wi-Fi Calling.
Try a different internet connection
If you have access to a different internet connection, even if it’s a much slower connection, try connecting to that before trying to use Wi-Fi Calling or SMS again.
If it works, there may be a problem with the first internet connection. If the internet connection is otherwise working, contact your mobile phone provider’s support team.
Go somewhere with mobile reception and try again
If at all possible, wait until you’re somewhere with full mobile reception and internet access, and try all the above tips again. Mobile providers occasionally send out updates to the network directly to your phone, and if you don’t have these updates, some services may not work effectively.
You can try resetting network settings to force these updates to occur.
If you do go somewhere with mobile reception, you’ll need to place your phone in “airplane” mode, forcing it to use the internet to place calls using Voice over Wi-Fi.
Mobile services will always try to make a connection via the 4G network first, then 3G, and finally Voice over Wi-Fi if no other option is available.
Contact your mobile service supplier
It is worth contacting your mobile service provider’s support team for assistance. Be aware, however, that they aren’t always very familiar with using Voice over Wi-Fi in areas with no mobile service at all, and may ask you to connect to the network to run tests.
Contact us
If you have tried the above tips and are still having trouble, the Regional Tech Hub team may be able to assist. Contact us.