Verizon this week will begin to roll out Wi-Fi calling, finally joining its tier-one counterparts in supporting non-cellular voice services.
The nation's largest carrier said Wi-Fi calling will initially be available only for the Samsung Galaxy S 6 and S 6 Edge; support for iOS devices and other Android phones is expected early next year. The service will be deployed via software updates and will be offered to users with "Advanced Calling," which is the carrier's brand for its VoLTE HD Voice offering as well as its video calling service.
"When a customer uses Advanced Calling on our 4G LTE network and travels outside of coverage, the call will seamlessly transfer to a known Wi-Fi hotspot when available," Verizon said in a prepared statement.
Verizon enabled Wi-Fi calling for users with newer iPhones a few months ago, but the service works only through the Verizon Messaging app. Calls made through the native dialer are routed through the cellular network.
The operator had previously said it had planned to launch Wi-Fi calling by the middle of 2015, but added that it wasn't a priority because its network supported voice calls sufficiently. Verizon has also noted the increased difficulty of measuring Wi-Fi calls as opposed to cellular calls.
For more:
- See this Verizon announcement
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