In Italy the Wi-Fi Calling is establishing itself: the cell phone always takes at home but the obligation to have the same operator for landlines and mobiles drives up costs.
A new feature is making its way that allows you to talk to your smartphone even in the absence of coverage, as long as you have a Wi-Fi connection on a fixed network from the same operator. AND Wi-Fi Calling. SOStariffe.it sheds light on the costs and offers of this technology: the obligation to have the same operator for landline and mobile to use the technology means spending up to 10 euros more per month but those who need unlimited Giga on mobile will not notice differences in spending.
The mobile network is down and we have to make an urgent call with our smartphone? Don’t panic, now there is a new feature that comes to our rescue. It’s about the Wi-Fi Calling: a new service, provided free of charge by some operators, which allows you to call and receive calls with your mobile phone even in the absence of a mobile signal, as long as you have a fixed connection on the Wi-Fi network of the same operator. L’SOStariffe.it Observatory sheds light on home Internet offers which allow you to use them.
A new free service, without the need for configuration and additional apps
The new feature, also called Voice Over Wi-Fi (VO WiFi), is just making its way into Italy, launched by WINDTRE, followed by other companies, such as TIM (in this case the service is called Voice ViFi) e Very Mobile (WINDTRE virtual operator who offers the service using the fixed network of the “parent company”).
The aim is to guarantee the functionality of the telephone even in the absence of a mobile network and to make quality calls even in parts of the house where coverage is often absent, such as buildings with thick walls or basements.
This happens without having to download any app or activate additional services and without the need for any particular manual configurationand, only by taking advantage of the home network. Also ideal for emergency calls in areas where the mobile phone has difficulty tracing the signal.
SIM and Wi-Fi network must be from the same operator
The WINDTRE service
To use the service we cannot use just any device. Only the most recent smartphones, compatible with “Voice Over WiFi” technology and certified by the operator that manages the fixed and mobile networks can take advantage of this feature. To use Wi-Fi Calling you need that the SIM and the Wi-Fi network are managed by the same operator. The mobile phone will automatically connect to the closest Wi-Fi on which we have registered. This limit applies to all proposals for using the Wi-Fi Calling function in Italy.
Wi-Fi Calling offers
To date, the service is free: the cost of the calls follows your tariff profile. In fact, there are no additional costs for using Wi-Fi Calling which, therefore, represents an accessory service, already included in the providers’ offers. Taking a look at the latter, we realize that their price, based on the data collected by the SOStariffe.it Observatory, is included between 32.98 euros and 39.90 euros based on the offer chosen.
The monthly fee includes both the cost of the fixed network Internet connection and the cost of a mobile offer with minutes, SMS and Giga (unlimited with TIM and WINDTRE and 150 GB per month with Very Mobile). Wi-Fi Calling, therefore, represents one more reason to choose landline + mobile converging offers (in the cases of TIM and WINDTRE) which combine both the landline subscription and the cost of the mobile offer in a single bundle.
Giving up the possibility of using Wi-Fi Calling it allows to reduce overall spending (for fixed and mobile). The surveys of the Observatory confirm how, by choosing the most advantageous landline and mobile rates of the moment, it is possible to reduce spending up to 22.99 euros per month (by opting for a landline offer with a discounted fee for one year and a mobile rate with more than 100 GB) or up to 29.98 euros per month (choosing an offer with an indefinite fixed price and a mobile offer with more than 100 GB).
A landline + mobile offer without Wi-Fi Calling but with unlimited Giga for the SIMon the other hand, provides for a minimum expenditure of 32.89 euros per month, very close to the cost of a similar offer with Wi-Fi Calling included. Being able to rely on this technology can, therefore, involve additional costs, while guaranteeing, at the same time, the advantage of being able to eliminate mobile network coverage problems at home.
Resorting to Wi-Fi Calling, due to the obligation to use the same operator for landlines and mobiles, limits the choice options for users, causing an increase in expenditure up to almost 10 euros per month. Who needs a mobile offer with unlimited Gigaon the other hand, will not find substantial differences in terms of expenditure and will be able to bet on one promotion with Wi-Fi Calling included without having to spend more.
Identifying the most suitable offer for us is child’s play
Before changing company, it is advisable to always carefully read the conditions of the offer. An excellent aid to review the rates on the market is the tool home internet rate comparison SOStariffe.itused to carry out this survey, which allows us to compare the main internet promotions of the moment in just a few steps.