vtnh

Q: Does Verizon WiFi calling work on an iPhone 5S with iOS 9.3?

Have been looking forward to FINALLY getting Verizon WiFi calling on my 5S once iOS 9.3 came out, but I'm now thinking maybe it only will work with 6, 6S, 6 plus and 6S plus.  Is this true?  Does it work with 5SE?

 

Thank you.

iPhone 5s, iOS 9.3

Posted on Mar 22, 2016 9:16 AM

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Q: Does Verizon WiFi calling work on an iPhone 5S with iOS 9.3?

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  • by razmee209,

    razmee209 razmee209 Mar 22, 2016 9:29 AM in response to vtnh
    Level 7 (33,371 points)
    Mar 22, 2016 9:29 AM in response to vtnh

    vtnh wrote:

     

    Have been looking forward to FINALLY getting Verizon WiFi calling on my 5S once iOS 9.3 came out, but I'm now thinking maybe it only will work with 6, 6S, 6 plus and 6S plus.  Is this true?  Does it work with 5SE?

     

    Thank you.

    You should ask Verizon this question, as it is a carrier feature.

     

    or you can look at their website and see if your phone is compatible or not.

  • by Templeton Peck,

    Templeton Peck Templeton Peck Mar 22, 2016 9:35 AM in response to vtnh
    Level 9 (62,070 points)
    Mar 22, 2016 9:35 AM in response to vtnh

    Why not update to 9.3 and find out or contact Verizon and ask them?

  • by FoxFifth,

    FoxFifth FoxFifth Mar 22, 2016 9:39 AM in response to vtnh
    Level 7 (26,754 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 22, 2016 9:39 AM in response to vtnh

    I haven't used it but the option to turn it on is now available after upgrading to iOS9.3 on my Verizon iPhone 5s

  • by Meg St._Clair,

    Meg St._Clair Meg St._Clair Mar 22, 2016 9:51 AM in response to vtnh
    Level 9 (59,146 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 22, 2016 9:51 AM in response to vtnh

    vtnh wrote:

     

    Have been looking forward to FINALLY getting Verizon WiFi calling on my 5S once iOS 9.3 came out, but I'm now thinking maybe it only will work with 6, 6S, 6 plus and 6S plus.  Is this true?  Does it work with 5SE?

    According to Verizon, it currently only works with the 6/6+ and 6S/6S+.

     

    As the iPhone SE (not 5SE, by the way) has not been released, Verizon hasn't provided any information on it.

  • by Meg St._Clair,

    Meg St._Clair Meg St._Clair Mar 22, 2016 9:52 AM in response to FoxFifth
    Level 9 (59,146 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 22, 2016 9:52 AM in response to FoxFifth

    FoxFifth wrote:

     

    I haven't used it but the option to turn it on is now available after upgrading to iOS9.3 on my Verizon iPhone 5s

    I'd be interested to hear if that works as Verizon says it's not an option for the 5S.

  • by FoxFifth,

    FoxFifth FoxFifth Mar 22, 2016 9:58 AM in response to Meg St._Clair
    Level 7 (26,754 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 22, 2016 9:58 AM in response to Meg St._Clair

    Meg St._Clair wrote:

     

    FoxFifth wrote:

     

    I haven't used it but the option to turn it on is now available after upgrading to iOS9.3 on my Verizon iPhone 5s

    I'd be interested to hear if that works as Verizon says it's not an option for the 5S.

    The on/off switch works!

    Not sure how I can test more than that. I was looking forward to the option as the place where I spend January through March had terrible cellular service from AT&T and Verizon even though it's in plain sight of downtown San Diego. A couple of years ago I switched from AT&T to Verizon hoping they might be better. They weren't but about a year ago both improved their service here. Since I now have decent cellular I don't know if there is a way to test the wi-fi option.

  • by Meg St._Clair,

    Meg St._Clair Meg St._Clair Mar 22, 2016 10:04 AM in response to FoxFifth
    Level 9 (59,146 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 22, 2016 10:04 AM in response to FoxFifth

    I have little reason to use it as Verizon's service in my area is excellent. I'll give it a try this evening. If I can think of someone to call. I hardly ever talk on the phone.

  • by Appledoc102,

    Appledoc102 Appledoc102 Mar 22, 2016 3:26 PM in response to FoxFifth
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Mar 22, 2016 3:26 PM in response to FoxFifth

    This is weird. iPhone 5S with 9.3. NO option under Phone Settings for WiFi calling. Same on my iPad Air, 1st Gen. Any idea if a settings conflict might be present? I believe the release notes say the 5S IS included in the Wifi calling for Verizon.

    Peter

  • by Appledoc102,

    Appledoc102 Appledoc102 Mar 22, 2016 3:41 PM in response to Meg St._Clair
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Mar 22, 2016 3:41 PM in response to Meg St._Clair

    I Called Verizon. WiFi calling is NOT supposed to be available on the 5S and below. Just the 6 and 6 S series. Has to do with the "HD" feature that allows talking on LTE while you can simultaneously browse on WiFi ( like ATT has had for a while). What ever! No other problems PTL. It will be available on the "SE". -:)

  • by Meg St._Clair,

    Meg St._Clair Meg St._Clair Mar 22, 2016 5:11 PM in response to Appledoc102
    Level 9 (59,146 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 22, 2016 5:11 PM in response to Appledoc102

    Appledoc102 wrote:

     

    I Called Verizon. WiFi calling is NOT supposed to be available on the 5S and below. Just the 6 and 6 S series.

    Yes, that's what I said.

  • by Kingoftypos,

    Kingoftypos Kingoftypos Mar 22, 2016 8:28 PM in response to Appledoc102
    Level 3 (757 points)
    Mar 22, 2016 8:28 PM in response to Appledoc102

    Verizon and Sprint uses CDMA technology for their cell service. AT&T and T-Mobile uses GSM. CDMA does not allow surf and talk at the same time. However, GSM does. Some phone makers did allow some of their phones to surf and talk while on a CDMA cell service. But that only worked when that particular phone was using two antennas at the same time. Thus using nearly double the power while on the internet (surf) and voice (talk) at the same time.

     

    With that being said, both AT&T and Verizon have rolled out HD Voice. HD Voice is a fancy way of saying that the voice part of the call is being done over the internet. AKA VoIP. This means that both AT&T and Verizon, the phone needs to be on the LTE network to work. Or be with in range of WiFi with WiFi calling enabled on the phone.

     

    A friend of mine, who has an AT&T iPhone was able to be on a VoIP call at home on his WiFi and leave the house and it'll transfer to AT&T VoLTE seamlessly. However, he could not move from VoLTE back to the WiFi until he was done with the call. Then a fix came out a month or so later. So now he can.

     

    KOT

  • by Meg St._Clair,

    Meg St._Clair Meg St._Clair Mar 23, 2016 5:33 AM in response to Kingoftypos
    Level 9 (59,146 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 23, 2016 5:33 AM in response to Kingoftypos

    Kingoftypos wrote:

     

    With that being said, both AT&T and Verizon have rolled out HD Voice. HD Voice is a fancy way of saying that the voice part of the call is being done over the internet. AKA VoIP. This means that both AT&T and Verizon, the phone needs to be on the LTE network to work. Or be with in range of WiFi with WiFi calling enabled on the phone.

    It's not generally referred to as VoIP buty rather VoLTE: voice over LTE. And, it's not the same as WiFi calling. The iPhone 6 and later has had VoLTE for quite some time. WiFi calling is new.

  • by Lawrence Finch,

    Lawrence Finch Lawrence Finch Mar 23, 2016 6:43 AM in response to Meg St._Clair
    Level 8 (38,064 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 23, 2016 6:43 AM in response to Meg St._Clair

    I've had WiFi calling on AT&T for several months, and I really like it. The call quality is better, for one thing. AT&T just added 2 additional features in iOS 9.3; you can now use any device that shares an Apple ID with an iPhone to make and receive WiFi calls using the iPhone's number. It can be over any WiFi network, and the iPhone doesn't even need to be on. Along with this, if you are traveling outside the US you can make and receive WiFi calls to/from US numbers with no international surcharge.

  • by FoxFifth,

    FoxFifth FoxFifth Mar 23, 2016 9:32 AM in response to vtnh
    Level 7 (26,754 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 23, 2016 9:32 AM in response to vtnh

    My apologies -- when I said the option was available on my iPhone 5s I was looking at Wi-Fi Assist and thinking Wi-Fi Calling.

     

    According to: Make a call with Wi-Fi Calling - Apple Support

    To use Wi-Fi Calling, you need an iPhone 5c or later on a supported carrier.

    but based on what Meg confirmed with Verizon (and what I see on my own 5s if I actually look for the correct option) it isn't available on the 5s.

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