Will VoLTE and VoWiFi work on a locked Pixel 8 bought at Google store

[brother-glen]

Many threads have commented that voice over wifi or lte is disabled by Verizon on unlocked devices.

I'm planning to buy a new phone, hopefully direct from Google because the add-on perks are better. At the Google store I can select a Verizon phone (presumably locked). I'm fine with a locked phone.

But will voice over wifi and lte work?

Cell service in my area is spotty, though verizon is best out of all the carriers.

[Scott5337 · Accepted solution]

Both should work fine. My Pixel 7 Pro is an unlocked model direct from Google, on the Verizon network. There are 2 issues though: 1) the phone will try to use 5G by default and Verizon removed the option to use 4G LTE only. You can make it use LTE only from the phone app > diagnostics menu if you know which option to select. 2) WiFi calling works most of the time for me. Phones running on Verizon are notorious for always trying to use the cell signal, no matter how weak, for calls. But I have made calls using WiFi calling. Google Meet (formerly Duo) is much better at WiFi calling if the other party has a GMail account and has Meet on their phone. You don't have to look at each other if you don't want to, but the call experience is more clear and reliable.