Unfortunately only for a very limited number of brands 😑

It’s just a shame that SC has limited its use in Switzerland. When it was launched in 2015, it was officially announced that WIFI calling would also be possible abroad in the future. Unfortunately, the SC does not want to activate the function abroad for reasons that are incomprehensible (other than profit-optimized ones for the SC itself).

Some competitors have been offering this for several years and it works perfectly there, no problems, as the SC fears.

Dear SC, finally allow the function abroad and let your customers decide whether they want to switch on WIFI calling there or not.

This function is particularly important abroad, as mobile phone coverage can be very poor outside of large cities. With an internet connection and WIFI calling, the connection would often be better or even possible!

Can anyone please comment on WHY WiFi calling does not work outside Switzerland? This is extremely uncomfortable when traveling to anywhere rural outside of Switzerland. Swisscom is the only company I know of that does this, all other cell provider will simply allow WiFi calling as soons as there is a WiFi connection. Blocking this seems to have no added value for either Swisscom or the customer.

@WouterPattje

WiFi Calling only works in the Swiss network with your mobile subscription. However, you can use it to call international numbers from within Switzerland.

patience is the mother of all virtues, wait and see

Does WiFi calling work even if the phone is in airplane mode and still connected to the WiFi? This worked very well back then with SALT, but since I joined SWISSCOM it no longer works for me.

This works perfectly for me.

@Daufatheur38 works for my Galaxy s10e

It works perfectly with my iPhone SE2.

@Daufatheur38

Please check the settings. Is WiFi calling even active? Very often if you change provider or insert a new or different SIM card from the same provider into your cell phone, WiFi calling is inactive again by default.

I have just come across an old message from a Swisscom agent in 2019, stating that WiFi Calling is not yet supported from outside of Switzerland. We are now in the year 2023, and WiFi Calling is still not available to Swisscom customers from abroad. Seriously, what is wrong with Swisscom? While other mobile phone companies have been offering this feature for many years already, Swisscom continues to force their customers to pay for ridiculously high roaming rates. What a shame!

It’s administrative limitation due to complications with the billing. I’m not aware of any other provider offering free WiFi Calling in roaming.

There are workarounds to this using SIP, or just using one of the numerous apps that allow calling over internet.

It’s a shame that it’s not activated abroad (only at Swisscom!)!

Good morning,

It says “with your Mobile subscription, WiFi Calling only works on the Swiss network. But you still have the possibility of calling a person by WLAN, even if they are abroad” does this mean that can we only reach people who have a Swiss subscription via this means?

@Pleusezi30 You can call any number in Wifi Calling as in a standard mobile call. The network is responsible for routing the call to its recipient whether in Switzerland or abroad.

DanielD

It seems using Wi-Fi Calling abroad is still a matter of choice of carriers. I’m in the UK and Swisscom Wi-Fi Calling does not work. However, I have a US T-Mobile SIM and another Spanish Movistar SIM and both let you use Wi-Fi Calling abroad, which is very convenient. No UK carriers allow Wi-Fi Calling abroad, but in February I realised O2 UK now allows it, as it has worked for me in Spain.

why doesn’t this work abroad? It would be practical because I only have WiFi in the hotel and no cell phone network because it’s too remote in Colombia

@Vautzutiol37

I personally wouldn’t use Wi-Fi calling abroad over the WLAN where everyone has access.

I also only create a VPN connection via WLAN abroad, e.g. on my devices at home.

@Vautzutiol37 but with WIFI calling abroad you pay the same international mobile phone tariff as if you were connected via GSM/4G/5G.

This works with Salt and I have better reception abroad - you only pay as much per call as if I were in Switzerland. An incoming call in Colombia is free

@Geldiople31

Well, better reception abroad probably depends on the local roaming partner you choose! Yes, this is the case with WiFi calling at Salt, but you have to be careful what kind of subscription you have. Wifi calling also sometimes has its pitfalls, especially abroad with slow/poor Wi-Fi. It sometimes takes some time for the cell phone to connect via WiFi calling. If you don’t notice this, the costs can be just as high. However, since you have zero mobile network locally, you cannot actually be reached via your mobile number. You just have to make calls using a messenger such as WhatsApp, Threema or Skype. With Skype you have the big advantage that you can reach all landline and mobile numbers very inexpensively, for example in Switzerland and worldwide. When I’m outside the EU, I almost always do this via Skype. This works without any problems and in good quality, provided you have reasonably good and stable WiFi.