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Wi-Fi Calling on Huawei P Smart


Hi,

I've got the P Smart FIG-LX1 C432 variant. With an iDmobile SIM, wifi calling connects, I get the 'iDMobile Wi-Fi Calling' on the status bar, I can make calls over wifi, but I can't receive any calls. The calls just go through to answerphone. I can receive calls as normal without wifi calling.

I've tested the phone with an EE SIM card, and wifi calling incoming and outgoing works. Curiously, with the EE SIM, I get 'EE Wi-Fi Calling' on the status bar, plus a VoWIFI icon right next to it. With the iDMobile SIM, I only get 'iDMobile Wi-Fi Calling' but not the VoWIFI symbol. Could that be an indicator of some incomplete wifi calling registration?

Has anyone tried iDMobile wifi calling with their P Smart?

Thanks!
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Best answer by df_xc 4 April 2019, 16:15

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10 replies

Userlevel 8
Badge +9
Hi @df_xc

I are experiencing very strange issue. I do not have Huawei P Smart I use Sony Xperia and I don't have VoWiFi icon on my phone and I can received and make call using WiFi calling without any problems.

Did you try standard troubleshooting steps? Like forgetting your WiFi and setting it up again, rebooting your phone, testing it in safe mode?

Have you tried to pop in to your local Carphone? Maybe one of the team members would know how to fix it.

Kind Regards
Hi @Hikari

Thanks for reporting about the VoWiFi icon.

I've tried all troubleshooting steps, resetting factory/network settings, and updating firmware, but still no luck getting incoming calls on WiFi calling with iDmobile

Unfortunately, I'm not in an urban area at the moment, so there's no Carphone Warehouse near me, hence the need for WiFi calling. I'll try though when there's one near.

Thanks
Userlevel 7
Badge +7
Hi @df_xc,

Please may I ask if the handset was purchased from iD Mobile or a different network? If the handset is purchased from else where it is likely that it wouldn't have the firmware to support iD Wi-FI calling.

If you could provide us with the information we can advise you further on this.

Thanks,
Kash
I purchased a SIM free unlocked EU version.

Could you tell me which firmware is required to support iDmobile wifi calling? Huawei support have informed me there's no iDmobile vendor firmware, but I could change it to the firmware that is supported by iDmobile.
Userlevel 8
Badge +9
Hi @df_xc

ID Mobile does not have provider specific firmware on the handset sold there, they use the same version as Sim Free handsets. The difference is that when you buy directly from ID Mobile or Carphone they make sure that this feature is added to the handsets and enabled by manufacturer as well as fully compatible and tested with this specific network. When you buy from third party seller there is no such requirement therefore manufacturer ship it with generic firmware without to much bothering to enable WiFi calling. Even if the option is there it wasn't enabled with ID Mobile in mind.

Example
I have got Sony Xperia phone and I tried Customized_UK, EE_UK and o2_UK firmwares and only the last one let me use WiFi calling although Xperia phoned sold by ID come with Customized_UK firmware but I bought my refurbished from 3rd party seller so I had to flash all available systems one by one and hope that one of them will work.

Hopefully I was able to explain it in understandable way.

Kind Regards
Hi @Hikari

Thank you for the explanation.

If this is the case, shouldn't that be stated on the list of compatible phones at https://www.idmobile.co.uk/help-and-advice/wifi-calling ?

Other networks like EE state that only handsets purchased directly from them will support WiFi calling, whereas iDmobile only gives a list of handsets and states they should be updated to the latest firmware in order to work.

It's misleading and had led to me wasting a lot of time and money.

Thank you
Well, I've found the issue that stopped incoming calls working with wifi calling.

I was forcing wifi calling mode, as I always have done with other networks by turning on aeroplane mode and then enabling wifi. This is normal practice, for me anyway, and is commonly recommended by other networks (google wifi calling aeroplane mode to see).

With iDmobile and my P Smart, this was resulting in outgoing calls working, but incoming calls to be rejected. I can get wifi calling working now with iDmobile only if I select another manually select incompatible mobile network to force 'emergency calls only' mode.

I'm not sure if this is a quirk just with the P Smart and iDmobile, but testing with EE on P Smart on aeroplane mode with wifi calling both incoming and outgoing are working.

Could anyone please check with other phones do wifi calling incoming calls work when aeroplane mode and wifi are enabled? Aeroplane mode is essential to keep wifi calling on in a patchy signal area to prevent interruption when in call.

p.s. I accidentally clicked 'best answer' to another post, is there anyway to undo that?
Userlevel 8
Badge +9
I have test it on my Sony Xperia. So when I turn aeroplane mode and WiFi calling I can make and receive calls but I cannot send or receive messages. But when both mobile network and WiFi calling are turned on I do not experience any issues at all.

Kind Regards
Thank you again @Hikari. That's very interesting. With my P Smart, WiFi calling won't connect unless mobile signal is not available (zero signal, aeroplane mode or manually selecting forbidden mobile network).

Would anyone else mind testing their phones in airplane mode with iDmobile WiFi calling?

Thanks!
Userlevel 2
@df_xc did you get anywhere with this, I have a Huawei P8 lite 2017 c432 which works fine with vowifi on id mobile.

I have recently upgraded to a c782 Huawei p smart fig-lx1 and also have no issues with Vowifi.

Though the p smart lte-a modem means I see better coverage than the older model.

My other half is on EE and gets that vowifi symbol even in good coverage areas.

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