Making Phone Calls Without Cell Service

Have you ever been in a situation where you need to make a phone call but don’t have service? Maybe you’re in your basement or the back of a store. Well, today I’m going to show you how to make a normal phone call over Wi-Fi.

https://youtu.be/1igoiiChlXw

First, you’re going to need an iPhone 5c or newer (aka an iPhone released after 2013) and a supported carrier network. I will leave a link below to an Apple support doc that lists the iPhone features each of the big carriers supports. But, you shouldn’t have an issue with any of the big carriers.

So, with your iPhone in hand, open settings, then go to “Cellular.” At the top of the menu, you will see many cellular features. Your options here will vary based on your location and what features your carrier supports. As an AT&T subscriber, I have access to Wi-Fi calling, calling on other devices, carrier services, and setting a password on my SIM card. If you can, open the Wi-Fi calling settings and flip the switch to turn the feature on. Now, depending on your carrier and location, you may be promoted with some questions. For instance, AT&T requests the user give an emergency address for 911 purposes. Once enabled, you can also turn on “Allow Wi-Fi Calling on other devices.” This feature will let you make phone calls from your other Apple devices, like a Mac or iPad.

And with that, Wi-Fi calling is set up. To see when your using Wi-Fi calling, look at your cellular reception in the status bar. Where it typically says your cell phone carrier’s name, 4G, or 5G will now display Wi-Fi Calling.

Now, the next time you don’t have a strong cellular connection, your phone will automatically use your Wi-Fi connection.

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