Wifi Calling Drops or Overridden by Network

This situation occurred on my previous iPhone8 and continues on my current iPhone12. This situation does NOT occur on my spouse's Android Samsung S10.


Home has poor cellular network signal due to radiant barrier in roof (e.g., 1 bar in front of house and "no service" elsewhere in house), thus wifi calling is essential.


Phone is connected to home wifi provided by Xfinity who allows wifi calling. Phone is configured with wifi calling "on" and preferred while roaming. When properly operating, phone displays "XM Wi-Fi".


Frequently (multiple times per day) wifi calling reverts to cellular displaying either "Xfinity Mobile" or "No Service" while wifi and internet are active based on use with other home devices (e.g., spouse's phone, Mac, iPads, Windows laptop). I still have wifi for data, just not wifi calling.


I can usually reinstate wifi calling by either turning phone off/on or by resetting network settings per Apple Support guidance. These do not work 100% of the time.


The problem is that during these "outages" I am missing calls and am delayed making calls until I can successfully reinstate wifi calling.


Previous conversations with Apple suggest it is Xfinity. Conversations with Xfinity suggest it is Apple.


It is my understanding that wifi calling should ALWAYS override the cellular network, regardless of signal strength, with the connected wifi network supports wifi calling (please advise if otherwise). In my case it seems that any momentary cellular signal may be overriding wifi calling.


When the phone goes dark (to sleep) does the wifi shut down such that wifi calling is suspended until woken up by either an inbound call or me waking it up?


As always I appreciate any and all guidance.





iPhone 12

Posted on Jun 4, 2021 7:06 AM

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6 replies

Jun 4, 2021 11:43 AM in response to gregorydgones

OK I experimented on mine.

I turned wifi calling on. I have a strong 4-bar phone signal

Wifi calling did not take over!



But then I put the phone near the router but between steel plates to kill off the phone signal to 1 bar. Wifi calling took over.



in reinstating the phone signal the wifi calling kept control, and the only way to release it was to break the wifi connection.


On the basis of one empirical cycle it isn’t proof but may be indicative.

Jun 4, 2021 7:21 AM in response to gregorydgones

“…It is my understanding that wifi calling should ALWAYS override the cellular network, regardless of signal strength,…”


Wifi Calling will not kick in unless cellular signal is absent. The phone prefers cellular and will take over if it finds a cellular signal. However wifi calling should kick back in when cellular is lost again. That is my understanding.


Jun 4, 2021 12:07 PM in response to LD150

A good test. Xfinity states the priority between cellular network and wifi calling is driven by the provider network, so each may be different.


Back on the phone with Xfinity now as my underlying problem is that wifi calling is "on", Xfinity status is "no service", I have full data capabilities on phone through wifi, but cannot send or receive calls.


Looking more like a provider problem than Apple. We'll see. Thanks for your help.

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Wifi Calling Drops or Overridden by Network

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