That’s right… thanks to Wi-Fi calling features, you can now make and receive cellular phone calls on your cell phone and cell phone number when you are connected to almost any wireless network … no cell towers or cellular signal is necessary but don’t count on it working very well over the current or former HughesNet systems as they currently do not offer support for those features! Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t!
Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and others have release Wi-Fi calling features in their newer phones! Whether you have a Samsung S7 or an iPhone 6s, or almost any of the newer cell phones on the market today, chances are good that your cellular provider can activate a Wi-Fi calling feature so that you can make or receive calls on your cell phone, even in rural and remote areas as long as you are connected to wireless Internet! You no longer need to use Skype Voice or other VoIP services that often cost more, and you can use your existing cell phone number to make or receive calls!
Starlink, for example, does very well with Wi-Fi calling, while HughesNet currently does not do so well with it! We offer an iDirect Satellite Internet system for fixed and mobile applications that does support Wi-Fi Calling really well though!
This has been a very popular solution for our customers who live 40+ miles away from the nearest cellular tower/signal! Many of them have a satellite Internet solution installed at their home already but have struggled to get reliable phone service. Cellular amps seem to work sometimes and not others, and VoIP services offered by satellite internet providers are often expensive and the call quality isn’t that great for some! Now you can simply connect your cell phone to a wireless internet router or access point and use your cell phone, so there is no longer a need for additional VoIP services or other expensive solutions.
Believe it or not, we discovered this feature while we were finishing up a satellite internet installation in Polebridge, MT last year! A neighbor had stopped by to chat with us and connected to the wireless router in the home to get online to check her e-mail! A few minutes later after she connected to the wireless signal, her cell phone rang! She looked as me as I looked at her and she said “Should I answer it?” and I said… “Heck yes!” She started talking to a friend and then said “No, I’m not in town, I’m up at the cabin?” There was silence on the other end for a moment, except both parties were somewhat shocked! The conversation carried on as normal as if she was talking over a typical cellular connection in town! When she was done, she placed a call to another friend just to make sure it wasn’t a fluke!
So, how do you get Wi-Fi calling? Well, you’ll have to first check with your cellular service provider to see if they offer the WiFi Calling feature itself! Then you are going to have to ask them if your cell phone is capable of supporting that feature and upgrade your phone if not! From what I’ve heard, I don’t think Verizon charges for this feature, but we can’t promise that! We know that AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint offer Wi-Fi calling features. (see links to more information below)