Verizon's Wi-Fi Calling Coming to Galaxy S6 on Monday, iPhone 'Early Next Year'

Verizon yesterday announced that it will begin rolling out support for Wi-Fi Calling next week, starting on Monday with Samsung's Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. iPhone users will need to wait a bit longer, with an update enabling the feature expected "early next year."

verizonlogo

Wi-Fi Calling will initially be available on the Samsung Galaxy S 6 and Samsung Galaxy S 6 Edge and will be rolled out as a software update in phases. Additional Android and iOS devices will receive Wi-Fi Calling capabilities via future software updates expected early next year.

Wi-Fi Calling allows phone calls to be automatically placed over Wi-Fi connections in areas where cellular service is poor, seamlessly transitioning between cellular and Wi-Fi as needed.

Sprint and T-Mobile have supported the feature for some time, and AT&T launched its support in early October. AT&T made waves by claiming Sprint and T-Mobile have been offering the feature illegally, due to Federal Communications Commission requirements for supporting a teletypewriter (TTY) feature for deaf and hard-of-hearing users.

AT&T received its waiver from the FCC just days later, and Verizon followed with its own request, with the FCC approving it several weeks ago. Sprint and T-Mobile have not received waivers from the FCC, but continue to operate Wi-Fi Calling and believe no waiver is required.

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 With Apple's Own 5G Modem 'Confirmed' to Launch in March

Tuesday November 19, 2024 12:12 pm PST by
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
airtag purple

AirTag 2 Rumored to Launch Next Year With These New Features

Sunday November 17, 2024 5:18 am PST by
Apple released the AirTag in April 2021, so it is now three over and a half years old. While the AirTag has not received any hardware updates since then, a new version of the item tracking accessory is rumored to be in development. Below, we recap rumors about a second-generation AirTag. Timing Apple is aiming to release a new AirTag in mid-2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman....
Magic Mouse Next to Keyboard

No, Apple CEO Tim Cook Didn't Say He Prefers Logitech's MX Master 3 Over the Magic Mouse

Sunday November 17, 2024 3:03 pm PST by
While the Logitech MX Master 3 is a terrific mouse for the Mac, reports claiming that Apple CEO Tim Cook prefers that mouse over the Magic Mouse are false. The Wall Street Journal last month published an interview with Cook, in which he said he uses every Apple product every day. Soon after, The Verge's Wes Davis attempted to replicate using every Apple product in a single day. During that...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

Apple Releases iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 With Security Fixes

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...
at t turbo indicator iphone 16 pro max v0 8hrh7w5f3w1e1

AT&T Turbo Indicator Showing Up in iPhone Status Bar for Subscribers

Wednesday November 20, 2024 3:42 am PST by
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence. Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476 The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 1 Redux

'iPhone 17 Air' Rumored to Surpass iPhone 6 as Thinnest iPhone Ever

Monday November 18, 2024 1:07 pm PST by
In a research note with Hong Kong-based investment bank Haitong today, obtained by MacRumors, Apple analyst Jeff Pu said he agrees with a recent rumor claiming that the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" will be around 6mm thick. "We agreed with the recent chatter of an 6mm thickness ultra-slim design of the iPhone 17 Slim model," he wrote. If that measurement proves to be accurate, there would be ...
bug security vulnerability issue fix larry

Make Sure to Update: iOS 18.1.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 Fix Actively Exploited Vulnerabilities

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:52 am PST by
The iOS 18.1.1, iPadOS 18.1.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 updates that Apple released today address JavaScriptCore and WebKit vulnerabilities that Apple says have been actively exploited on some devices. With the JavaScriptCore vulnerability, processing maliciously crafted web content could lead to arbitrary code execution. The WebKit vulnerability had the same issue with maliciously crafted...

Top Rated Comments

ldman15 Avatar
117 months ago
Maybe Samsung paid them to promote their S6 devices.
That's exactly what Samsung did. And that's why it took so long for them to announce it after they got the waiver. They were trying to sell early access to the highest bidder. It has nothing to do with testing it out on a few devices at a time. It's about money. It's always about money.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
A MacBook lover Avatar
117 months ago
Good. It's wise to roll out slowly then on a massive scale. ;)
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
criticalmind Avatar
117 months ago
Maybe Samsung paid them to promote their S6 devices.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
philipk Avatar
117 months ago
And they continue to lag behind everyone else in terms of features such as wifi calling. add the fact they are the most expensive of all the carriers and I just don't see why people stick with them.

I am on AT&T which is only a little cheaper, but their network now is as good as verizon.
I don't know where you live but AT&T is NOT as good as Verizon in much or even most of the country except for cities larger that 100,000.

I had AT&T from the iPhone 3 until two years ago after having Sprint first. In the urban areas it was great but it didn't work well in the rural areas.

I now live in a rural area in a village of about 3,000 people. Verizon is still the only real option. AT&T advertised they had two new towers in our county. Friends said it only helped on the major Interstate that runs through the county. That Interstate is ten miles from our village.

So please don't claim that Verizon isn't tops in coverage from rural areas.

This post is being written by a person who had to hold his nose to switch to Verizon. I was with Sprint from the day they opened shop until buying the iPhone 3 and then I was with AT&T. Both are superior to Verizon in (most) urban areas.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
malexandria Avatar
117 months ago
I don't understand why carriers can't activate these types of service across all devices at the same time. Not knowing anything about the telecom tech, but it seems like WiFi calling is a Carrier thing and not necessarily based on the device. Only reason to delay seems to be from a capacity standpoint?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
C DM Avatar
117 months ago
Verizon really treats Mac


Verizon tends to treat Apple and customers as third party citizens. Look at the recent shenanigans they have been implanting to Apple customers.
What recent shenanigans?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)