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User profile for user: Joe Streno
Joe Streno Author
User level: Level 1
41 points

iOS 8 T-Mobile WiFi Calling iPhone 5S : Outgoing calls fine, incoming calls go directly to voicemail.

iOS 8 T-Mobile WiFi Calling iPhone 5S : Outgoing calls fine, incoming calls go directly to voicemail.


Spent a good part of the morning on my landline phone troubleshooting this issue with T-mobile. (Up front, I'm a Mac consultant & very tech savvy. I get paid to troubleshoot. lol)


Bought a new iPhone 5S yesterday from the T-mobile store, just so I could use WiFi calling, seeing how it won't work on any iPhone below that model. I found out the hard way. 😉


Came home. Put my iPhone 5S into recovery mode & clean installed iOS 8. Set up my device as new. Installed apps, music, etc. Put my old sim card from my iPhone 5 into the 5S, placed a few LTE calls, then turned on WiFi calling. Placed a few calls. Seemed everything as working okay. Proceeded to work on setting up all my apps, and get my phone back to "my normal". Around 2 AM I backed up my phone in iTunes. Went to bed.


Fast forward to today. Turn my iPhone 5S on. See it's still connected to WiFi Calling. Go about business. I get a Notification ... "You have voicemail." Okay. I return the call. No problem. Fifteen minutes later. Another voicemail Notification. Huh? My phone was right next to me, didn't hear it ring or vibrate. I checked that the phone was not on Silent Mode, the Silent switch was not on, not in Airplane mode etc etc.


Pick up my landline & call my cell. Goes direct to voicemail. Huh? I turn off WiFi altogether & call the iPhone. Straight to voicemail, even though I have a 4G signal. I go back into Settings & turn off the WiFi Calling switch, to be certain I didn't find some odd software bug. Call my iPhone again. Voicemail. My phone can no longer receive calls on 4G, or LTE even with 2 bars. It's all I've ever needed.


I call T-mobile from my landline. They check everything on their end. I'm provisioned properly. I pull my sim, read back the serial number on it. It's all good. The sim is also new enough for WiFi calling. The rep calls my iPhone, goes to voicemail. She asks me to reset my iPhone 5S COMPLETELY. Begrudgingly, I do. Once reset and generically configured, she calls me & the call comes through on 4G. WiFi is on and I am connected to my WiFi network but WiFi calling is off, and not yet configured.


I turn on WiFi Calling again. I call the rep from my iPhone 5S, no problem. She can not call me, she goes to my voicemail. I wipe & reset the phone AGAIN. Once I'm back at the Home screen, she calls me via 4G. I can call out. She escalates the ticket & says I'll get a call back on Sunday to see what they come up with. So I wait.


While waiting, I turn WiFi Calling on again. Same problem. I then take my sim out of the 5S & put it back into my 5 which was just wiped and generically set up. I wanted to see if it was a hardware issue. I put the sim in the 5, get a 4G signal & call my iPhone 5 from my landline. Direct to voicemail. So whatever info is sent to T-mobile over WiFi with WiFi calling enabled on the 5S, remains that way until the 5S is wiped and reconfigured.


I have since wiped the iPhone 5S, did the initial set up & let iTunes configure it from my last "my normal" backup. The phone is working fine now if I DON'T turn on WiFi Calling.


As it sits right now, I'm waiting for a call back to see what may be going on on T-mobile's end as they investigate.


I just posted this to see if anyone else had had similar problems. (Sorry if it's too detailed. lol)


BTW ... I will also send this same post to Apple too & see if I get a response. I've also decided to call Apple tech support too, since this is a NEW phone. I'll report back.

iPhone 5s, iOS 8, 16 GB Silver/White

Posted on Sep 18, 2014 12:42 PM

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51 replies
User profile for user: garbuhj
garbuhj
User level: Level 1
4 points

Sep 18, 2014 2:59 PM in response to Joe Streno

I have the same problem. When on "T-Mobile WiFi" (with airplane mode+Wifi turned on) I can make outgoing calls perfectly, but when people try to call me it goes straight to voicemail.


Also as a minor separate issue, when I'm in this mode and tell Siri to call someone, she says "Your phone is in airplane mode" and wont make the call, even though when I manually go into the phone app I can make calls perfectly.


It also appears that visual voicemail doesn't work when in this WiFi mode.


And this is on a fresh iOS 8 "restore" install done through iTunes.

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User profile for user: Joe Streno
Joe Streno Author
User level: Level 1
41 points

Sep 18, 2014 5:14 PM in response to Joe Streno

Glad things worked out for you, garbuhj. I called Apple Support and after talking-to a first level tech was escalated to an AppleCare Senior Advisor (Nick). He is now escalated this to other departments, and they will be coordinating with T-mobile to try to get an answer, why it's happening in the first place.


I have to say, I wish the "restarting" my iPhone would have worked for me. Not the case. It had been restarted many times. The only thing that got me working again, was wiping the iPhone and cleaning installing iOS8 & NOT turning WiFi Calling back on.


I knew about the free routers & asked T-mobile tech if they could send me one. They waved the $25.00 fee and shipping as well. Thanks! I also checked my T-mo 911 info & it was current. I resaved it, but that didn't fix the issue either.


So now Apple & T-mobile are working on the issue. The Apple techs will also be reaching out to T-mobile. Nick asked me to contact him once I got the new T-mo router.


At least I have a functioning phone again. More when I get new info.

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User profile for user: MlchaelLAX
MlchaelLAX
User level: Level 4
2,286 points

Sep 18, 2014 6:17 PM in response to Joe Streno

Nicely detailed report.


Being one of the iPhone 5 owners (I ordered it the first day T-Mobile offered them back in April, 2013) that currently cannot get WiFi Calling to work, I am interested if you are following that problem also. Or have you just given up on that feature with the 5 now that you have the 5s?


I will certainly be getting one of those "free" new ASUS routers being offered by T-Mobile, because... why not!?!


What were the financial details of your 5s purchase, if you do not mind sharing?

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User profile for user: Joe Streno
Joe Streno Author
User level: Level 1
41 points

Sep 18, 2014 7:37 PM in response to MlchaelLAX

Michael ...


As far as all the info I've read on the web, and talking to T-mobile's top level "Apple Tech" the iPhone 5 will not do WiFi Calling. Apple does not currently support it in iOS 8. If you look in Settings>Phone you will not see the "WiFi Calls" item under the Calls section. That's what gave me my "first clue" that it wasn't supported. A subsequent phone call to T-mo support confirmed that. WiFi Calling is not supported on the iPhone 5 or below.


Pulled from another Apple Support thread:


Ranger375Sep 17, 2014 1:42 PM
Re: Will iPhone 5 support WiFi calling?in response to Winski | This helped me

Nope, it will not. I have T-Mobike and downloaded the update a couple of hours ago and there is no wi-fi calling. T-Mobile forums are blowing up. Talked to an advanced tech at T-Mobile and they are baffled because they were told the only problem with wifi calling may be the 4s, but were told iPhone 5 and above would be getting it since it was successful in beta for the 5. Adding to the confusion is that the 5c and 5s did get wifi calling with the update, but the confusing part is that the 5c is the same hardware as the 5. So, T-Mobile is perplexed that the 5c got wifi calling, but not the 5. They told me it was an Apole decision and apparently Apple led them to believe 5 and above would have wifi calling with no problems.


So though it may be possible ... don't know that Apple WILL support the iPhone 5. But stranger things have happened. It's kind of why I bit the bullet and bought a 5s. T-mo discounting them didn't hurt either!

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User profile for user: MlchaelLAX
MlchaelLAX
User level: Level 4
2,286 points

Sep 18, 2014 9:28 PM in response to Joe Streno

Yes, I read that other thread...


What is surprising is that it appears that T-Mobile was left in the dark about the lack of this feature on the iPhone 5. it is hard to fathom that Apple would be that far into blind-siding T-Mobile, just to have a negative promotional experience for both companies.


I have to assume that the 5 will support the feature, and, as usual, Apple will take its blessed time getting it to work right! I waited since April, 2013 for WiFi Calling on my original iPhone 5 purchase at T-Mobile (and kept my Blackberry Curve 6930 with a SIM adapter as a WiFi fone backup); I guess I can wait a little longer...


If not, I am going to look at the 6 Plus tomorrow anyway! 😉

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User profile for user: Joe Streno
Joe Streno Author
User level: Level 1
41 points

Sep 19, 2014 12:19 PM in response to Joe Streno

It's an enigma, wrapped in a mystery, wrapped in a burrito! Mmm ...


I'm either very brave, a glutton for punishment, just plain crazy, or all of the above! On a whim I decided to turn WiFi Calling back on on my iPhone 5S. Miracle of miracles ... it's now mysteriously working & on my current Optimum branded WiFi router.


Don't know if T-mobile did something on their end since yesterday, or if it was because I opened Settings>Phone>WiFi Calls>Update Emergency Address and just re-saved my current updated information. One of the things that T-mobile stressed, as the tech read from a e911 script yesterday, was the fact that I would have to do this once I got the new T-mo branded WiFi router. I have a feeling it IS a requirement for WiFi calling to work as exq0867 stated above.


Whether it was the alignment of planets, T-mobile fixing something on their end, or my just re-saving my e911 data on my iPhone— I now get calls inbound & out! Woo hoo!

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User profile for user: Joe Streno
Joe Streno Author
User level: Level 1
41 points

Sep 21, 2014 11:56 AM in response to Joe Streno

I may have spoken too soon. :/


I am now back to not getting calls in. Straight to voicemail. It seems arbitrary. It worked on the 19 & 20th, but doesn't work today the 21st. :/


I've additionally tried:


Turning WiFi Calling off on my iPhone 5s & restarting phone, then turning WiFi calling back on. Called my iPhone ... Nope!

Turned off my phone & all my home network gear (cable modem, wifi router). Restarted and waited for network to come up full. Then restarted my iPhone it connected to WiFi Calling. Called my iPhone ... Nope!


So now I'm back to where I was when this all started. I'm not ready to wipe my phone again. I WANT A PERMANENT FIX! Grrrrrrrr!

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User profile for user: MlchaelLAX
MlchaelLAX
User level: Level 4
2,286 points

Sep 21, 2014 12:31 PM in response to Joe Streno

So to summarize: All 5 owners, such as myself, currently have no ability to use WiFi Calling and 5s owners have the ability with no functional incoming calls - all calls go to voicemail.


I went to T-Mobile Friday:


I forgot to ask about the cost of the 5s.


The 6-Plus will not even ship for at least 4 weeks.


I brought up the router, but both of us forgot about it before I got frustrated and left, after they were talking me up their existing 6 inventory and then I found out none of them were a 6-Plus!

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User profile for user: Joe Streno
Joe Streno Author
User level: Level 1
41 points

Sep 21, 2014 1:24 PM in response to MlchaelLAX

Michael ...


According to all that I've read the iPhone 5 was supported in the WiFi calling beta, but upon "official" release of iOS 8 the WiFi calling ability was pulled from the iPhone 5 and lower BY APPLE not T-mobile. So the iPhone 5s, 5c and up are the only phones currently able to use WiFi Calling on T-mobile.


T-mobile is currently selling iPhone 5s for $549.84, that's what I got mine for at the local T-mo Store. Sold my iPhone 5 on eBay for $300.00 (buy it now) in less than an hour. 🙂


Still waiting on my T-mo WiFi Router. Hasn't shipped yet.


Yeah, I figured the T-mo Stores would not get Pluses to sell, that they would have to be ordered online. It has always been this way. T-mo will carry the entry level model of a device & you would have to order higher GB versions. I doubt they will ever carry the Plus as a stock item. Though the way sales are going ... they just might ... eventually.


I just spent another 45 minutes on the phone with T-mobile support today, trying to get an update. My inbound calling worked for 2 days, then mysteriously stopped this morning.


I even eMailed my assigned AppleCare Senior Adviser telling him WiFi calling stopped working again. Waiting to hear back.


And the saga continues.


Good luck on your end! 🙂

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iOS 8 T-Mobile WiFi Calling iPhone 5S : Outgoing calls fine, incoming calls go directly to voicemail.

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