iPhone drops calls when using wifi calling

[VLASHA68]

Hello all,

I have weak cell signal in my office in the basement so I am using Verizon WIFI calling feature. I have been getting random call drops. Has anything like this happened to anyone here? My WIFI connection is strong and it is up when the calls drop. Any ideas?

Thanks

[mama23dogs]

IS cellular off?   If the phone is getting some cell signal, and trying to connect, it may not be handing off properly.

[VLASHA68]

Cellular is on. Should I disable it completely when using WIFI calling?Did

not see that as a requirement for WIFI calling...

[mama23dogs]

IT isn't required, but since you do have some signal, your phone may be trying to handoff to cellular, which it does very poorly from what I've heard. 

OThers  report turning off just LTE works. 

Try both and if you still have problems bother the guys in tech support to look over the phone.

[vzw_customer_support]

mama23dogs, thank you so much for your input.

VLASHA68, we want you to be able to maintain the phone call especially when you are using WiFi Calling. Let's ensure that you are able to stay connected. Do you have WiFi Assist turned on? If so, please turn off WiFi Assist. Settings>Phone>WiFi Assist. Are you seeing WiFi Calling in the top left corner?

ZangY_VZW
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[MontanaKid]

My iPhone call with WiFi assist got dropped within two minutes. I then made the call with my wife's Android Samsung and the call did not get dropped. So the issue appears to be the iPhone,  not the Wifi or ISP.

[vzw_customer_support]

We want you to be able to maintain the phone call especially when you are using WiFi Calling. Let's ensure that you are able to stay connected. How long have you had this issue with Wi-Fi calling? Do you have WiFi Assist turned on? If so, please turn off WiFi Assist. Settings>Phone>WiFi Assist. Are you seeing WiFi Calling in the top left corner?JasperM_VZW

[dbscalet]

I am having the same issue with an iPhone XS Max. I have WiFi calling turned on and a strong Fios gigabit connection but my phone will not switch to WiFi calling mode. I have disabled and re-enabled WiFi calling to try and force the switch, tried it in airplane and not in airplane mode, disabled the cellular antenna, and tried restarting my phone. Somedays it works but I regularly lose this connection across both the 2.4ghz and 5ghz bands. My router is centrally located in my home and my phone is currently connected to the internet. I have an extremely poor LTE connection in my neighborhood. I just can’t get get or maintain a WiFi call. #help

[vzw_customer_support]

Let's work on getting the connection to stay. Did you get a chance to check the Wi-Fi Assist? Please go to settings > phone > Wi-Fi Assist and turn it off. Please keep us posted. DoloresK_VZW

[dbscalet]

There is no “WiFi assist” option in my iPhone settings. There is settings > phone > WiFi Calling (on or off). WiFi calling is currently set to on. 

[vzw_customer_support]

Let's make sure you are going to the right area. On your device you would need to go to settings, cellular, and down at the bottom you will find Wi-Fi assist. Please turn this feature off and test your device for me. We will be standing by for your results.

JasperM_VZW

[dbscalet]

WiFi assist is not enabled/turned on. My phone is connected to my FiOS router and I have internet connectivity. WiFi calling is enabled but my phone does not stay connected (or loses its connection mid phone call) to the WiFi calling feature. I do not have good cell service in my home area so when I lose the WiFi calling option, I cannot make or receive phone calls. 

[randys12]

So you are saying to make Wi-Fi calling work the best, since I have the same problem of Wi-Fi calls dropping all the time, put in airplane mode make sure Wi-Fi is on and turn off Wi-Fi assist. Is that correct? By the way when I turn airplane mode on it does not turn the Wi-Fi off ever on either of our iPhones 10 and 10r. Only turns off cellular, so I don’t know if that’s an error my phones are making or if that’s normal. 

[vzw_customer_support]

We always want to ensure you have the right information about your features. THe phone is always designed to prefer the cellualr signal. Airplane Mode will stop all cellualr connections but allow WiFi to remain enabled so this is working as it should. When doing this for WiFi CAlling you are forcing the device to only be able to pick up the WiFi network and the quality of the call will then solely be based on the home connection.

YaleK_VZW

[Montgomery_Minds]

This is one of the top hits on search (privacy-protecting DuckDuckGo) for dropped calls on Verizon wifi calling.

I have this problem with my iPhone 6s+ on a PrePaid account running iOS 12.0 in my basement office where I have weak cellular signal, 0 or 1 bars, and strong WiFi--the router is sitting right next to me--5 bars.

One clarification: turning off "WiFi Assist"--where this setting is located: I found it in iOS 12.0 (they keep moving them around) in Settings -> Cellular -> way at the bottom under the long list of all the apps and what cellular data each uses.

But a question: My iPhone under the "WiFi Assist" setting has a description that reads, "Automatically use cellular data when Wi-Fi connectivity is poor."

But that's the exact opposite situation. My WiFi is strong--5 bars, and cellular is poor, 0 or 1 bars. Are we to believe that a feature designed to switch over to cellular when WiFi is weak is actually doing the exact opposite and switching over to cellular when cellular is weak and WiFi is strong. That would be sad. Facepalm sad.

Plus if I turn off "WiFi Assist" what about when I walk into my back yard, and there's 100 feet between me and the wifi router. Isn't that the exact time when I want WiFi Assist on so it can switch over to cell data and keep my music (say) streaming over the internet? Are you saying, esteemed vzw_customer_support Community Manager, I can't have BOTH features: WiFi calls that don't drop AND smoothly switching over to cellular data when I'm out of wifi range? I have to choose one feature or the other. Or manually switch back and forth when I am going out of range or in range of my wifi router? That would be unfortunate.

Please clarify the purpose, design, and function of the "WiFi Assist" feature.

[vzw_customer_support]

Sorry to hear about the dropped calls, Montgomery_Minds. I definitely want to help clear up your concerns. I know this has been a difficult situation for you. Wi-Fi Assist is an Apple feature rather than a Verizon specific feature. For more on Wi-Fi Assist, see this from Apple: http://spr.ly/6606G3gso Basically, the feature is designed to ensure that you have a constant connection at all times, switching you to cellular data when the Wi-Fi connection is deemed to be poor. This feature would not necessarily help with Wi-Fi Calling however Does this help clarify? Regarding Wi-Fi Calling, have you tried restarting your Wi-Fi router and phone? Have you tried resetting network settings on your iPhone? If not, here's how to do so: http://spr.ly/6608G3gsq Keep in mind that resetting network settings will delete all saved Wi-FI passwords and you'll need to reconnect to any Wi-Fi networks that you want the phone to connect to automatically. 

RyanM_VZW

[VLASHA68]

It's got to be a pain to disable LTE wireless every time I need to make

calls on WIFI and teen able when on the street.

[vzw_customer_support]

Let’s take a closer look into this issue, VLASHA68! Do you notice this issue happening with all WiFi calls or are the dropped calls isolated to just the office? Is it one number that you are calling or does it happen regardless of the phone number?

ChrisM_VZW
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[VLASHA68]

Not all calls are dropped, but calls that last for 40 minutes or more do

get dropped. I am usually on a conference call and connected to a business

conference bridge. I am the only one that drops and not other participants.

I do have full wifi signal strength as I am a foot from the wireless router.

On Saturday, July 23, 2016, Verizon Wireless Customer Support <

[VLASHA68]

@VZWSupport, when I look in the settings

-->phone -->WIFI assist is not there. I only see WIFI Calling ON. Do I need

to disable it?

On Saturday, July 23, 2016, Verizon Wireless Customer Support <

[vzw_customer_support]

VLASHA68,

Yes, please turn feature off and retest. Please keep us posted on any updates after turning it off.

KarenC_VZW
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If my response answered your question please click the "Correct Answer" button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!