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Cell Phone Usage on Sea Days


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22 hours ago, brillohead said:

Google "how to enable wifi calling" with your phone type and carrier ("how to enable wifi calling Verizon Android" or "how to enable wifi calling iPhone Sprint" or whatever).

Go through the steps to enable wifi calling.

Put your phone in Airplane mode and turn wifi back on if needed.

Make calls as normal from home (or anywhere, doesn't matter) via wifi.

Turn off Airplane mode.  Now anytime your phone doesn't have a good cell signal but IS connected to wifi, you can still make/receive phone calls and texts as normal.

Purchase a Voom package in the Cruise Planner.

On the ship, put your phone in Airplane mode and connect to the ship's wifi. Now you can make/receive phone calls normally without incurring any additional calls.  Just make sure your phone stays in Airplane mode.  You can also make calls in port if you're at a restaurant or other facility with wifi.

 

This sounds pretty easy!  My hubby is pretty tech savvy so he will be able to help me too.  I think I should be okay if this is all I have to do!  I was also thinking about telling my cellphone provider (Verizon) that I'll be traveling internationally.  That way if for some reason wifi calling doesn't work then at least I can call mom when I'm in port!  

Thank you!

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22 hours ago, Sail n Snow said:


Who is your cell provider?   If for some reason you don’t have WiFi calling. There are other options.

 

If you mother has a cell phone you both have iPhones you can call over WiFi using FaceTime.

Or download what’s app and use that again assuming you both have cell phones. 

 

The other option is to download the google voice app an.d signup.  It’s free to make calls with over WiFI but I’m not sure how RC identifies there internet as Voice doesn’t work from some countries.  

I have Google Pixel phone with Android OS and mom has a flip phone with some no name provide (Charity Mobile).  I have Verizon.  I think wifi calling should work!

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19 minutes ago, Kissmya63 said:

I have Google Pixel phone with Android OS and mom has a flip phone with some no name provide (Charity Mobile).  I have Verizon.  I think wifi calling should work!

Pay special attention to the instructions in Wi-Fi Calling Setup and Use...

 

https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/wifi-calling-faqs/

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On 3/1/2020 at 10:06 PM, d9704011 said:

Is it possible for the OP to get a ‘false positive’’ by using the wifi of their own service provider?  Should the test be done on a public wifi ie.  local Starbucks or McDonalfds?

 

No, wifi calling is wifi calling.

 

Turn on airplane mode, then turn on wifi.

 

You MUST set up wifi calling while connected to cellular, so BEFORE you leave.

 

Not all carriers support wifi calling.  Also, not all phones support it, but most smart phones do.

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20 hours ago, Longhorn Cruiser said:

If your cell provider doesn't allow wifi calling, there are a few apps that you can use for wifi calling.  Both of these work on Android and Iphones.

 

Google Voice  (you will need to get a second google voice number)

Viber

 

I would get both just in case.

 

Worst case, you can call from your cabin at $7.95 a minute.

 

 

 

The problem with the 3rd party calling can be:

 

1) the other people cannot call you without  having the same app.

 

2)  the other people have to have the same app to talk at all.

 

Both of these can be an issue for someone who cannot deal with texting (as per the OP).

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17 hours ago, Kissmya63 said:

This sounds pretty easy!  My hubby is pretty tech savvy so he will be able to help me too.  I think I should be okay if this is all I have to do!  I was also thinking about telling my cellphone provider (Verizon) that I'll be traveling internationally.  That way if for some reason wifi calling doesn't work then at least I can call mom when I'm in port!  

Thank you!

I assume that just as wifi texting, wifi calling will not cost anything. 

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52 minutes ago, SRF said:

 

The problem with the 3rd party calling can be:

 

1) the other people cannot call you without  having the same app.

 

2)  the other people have to have the same app to talk at all.

 

Both of these can be an issue for someone who cannot deal with texting (as per the OP).

 

This is not true with Google Voice.  You are assigned a specific telephone number that the other party can call and they do not need the App to do it.  It is just a separate telephone line.

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1 hour ago, SRF said:

 

No, wifi calling is wifi calling.

 

Turn on airplane mode, then turn on wifi.

 

You MUST set up wifi calling while connected to cellular, so BEFORE you leave.

 

Not all carriers support wifi calling.  Also, not all phones support it, but most smart phones do.

If you set it up at home and leave it in that setting, once you turn off airplane mode will the phone work as usual. And once on the cruise you put it on airplane mode? Is that what you mean about setting it up while connected to cellular?

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39 minutes ago, pthjudy said:

If you set it up at home and leave it in that setting, once you turn off airplane mode will the phone work as usual. And once on the cruise you put it on airplane mode? Is that what you mean about setting it up while connected to cellular?

 

Wifi calling is a setting on your smart phone.  Some people that live in areas with poor cell phone reception keep wifi calling on all the time so they can make calls over their home wifi network.  The first time you enable wifi calling on your phone, you need to set up an emergency address for the e-911 system.  I used my home address.  Verizon required this to be done while connected to cellular.  Wifi calling stays on once enabled, you can turn it off just like you can turn off roaming or any other feature of your phone.

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13 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

Wifi calling is a setting on your smart phone.  Some people that live in areas with poor cell phone reception keep wifi calling on all the time so they can make calls over their home wifi network.  The first time you enable wifi calling on your phone, you need to set up an emergency address for the e-911 system.  I used my home address.  Verizon required this to be done while connected to cellular.  Wifi calling stays on once enabled, you can turn it off just like you can turn off roaming or any other feature of your phone.

One last question, I promise: once set up, would there be any reason to disable it?

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I will now be an enabler (wifi, that is). Interesting how many new things we can learn from Cruise Critic. I could say I never leave home without it but that would be plagiarizing.  It does happen to be the truth. Thank you all. 

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20 hours ago, pthjudy said:

One last question, I promise: once set up, would there be any reason to disable it?

 

I have mine enabled all the time.

 

If I am not connected to wifi, it uses cellular.  If I am connected to wifi, it uses wifi.  I can't tell and don't care. 😄

 

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