Wi-Fi calling coming to AT&T in 2015
Friday in New York, Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO of AT&T's Mobile and Business Solutions group, announced that the carrier will go live with Wi-Fi Calling sometime next year. Wi-Fi calling, which allows you to make calls and send texts over a Wi-Fi network, is supported on the new Apple iPhone 6 and Apple iPhone 6 Plus.
Last week, T-Mobile said that 100% of phones sold by the carrier will now include the feature. T-Mobile gets a head start on AT&T as de la Vega said that the mobile operator would not launch the new service until it was thoroughly tested, which points to a 2015 launch. AT&T will offer VoWiFi with seamless handoff in place, similar to T-Mobile's version. The AT&T executive sees Wi-Fi calling complementing its current voice options like VoLTE and 3G Voice. The announcement was made at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia Conference.
Sprint has offered Wi-Fi calling, although its service is limited to a few Android models. Other carriers like Republic Wireless have their customers make calls over Wi-Fi where possible, using Sprint's cellular network to fill out gaps where there is no Wi-Fi available.
Last week, T-Mobile said that 100% of phones sold by the carrier will now include the feature. T-Mobile gets a head start on AT&T as de la Vega said that the mobile operator would not launch the new service until it was thoroughly tested, which points to a 2015 launch. AT&T will offer VoWiFi with seamless handoff in place, similar to T-Mobile's version. The AT&T executive sees Wi-Fi calling complementing its current voice options like VoLTE and 3G Voice. The announcement was made at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia Conference.
"We're very focused on making sure it's a great experience for customers, but we see it as a complement, not a replacement. We feel good about a great nationwide network with unlimited talk and text."-Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO, AT&T's Mobile and Business Solutions
Sprint has offered Wi-Fi calling, although its service is limited to a few Android models. Other carriers like Republic Wireless have their customers make calls over Wi-Fi where possible, using Sprint's cellular network to fill out gaps where there is no Wi-Fi available.
source: LightReading via TechCrunch
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