Google Pixel 3 4G & WiFi Calling

[andyproctor]

Hello,

I have just bought a Google Pixel 3 XL direct from a retailer today. I have 4G and WiFi Calling enabled on my Pay monthly tariff but looks like O2 do not yet support this handset for these features.

Can anyone confirm the same or any different? Also can anyone confirm if this is planned to be added in the future, I'm guessing in a system update?

Many thanks.

[jrwn]

I have WiFi calling working on my Pixel 3 bought direct from Google which is at the same build level as you quoted. Even though my O2 pay monthly account was originally enabled for WiFi calling with my old iPhone I had to contact O2 again by online chat to get it enabled again for my Pixel 3.  The service agent refered to applying a 4G & WiFi Calling bolt-on for the Pixel 3 which took up to 24 hours to update the phone's Moble Network->Advanced settings menu options.  This surprised me as I would have thought that the account option would be valid for all phone types supported by O2 and the carrier settings would update automatically to allow SIM card portability.  I suggest you contact O2 technical support again to get the feature re-enabled.

[Hogues]

Unsure if I should really have to contact support. In "MyO2", navigate via 'More' -> 'WiFi and 4G Calling'

The page states (in nice bold text), "You currently have WiFi and 4G Calling turned on."

Checking Bolt-Ons I can add to my account, there's nothing in there that suggests any link with WiFi calling, just additional data, picture messages, O2 Travel, International Bolt On and next-generation text service.

Really feel like there's not much more I can do without contacting support. A query to the O2 UK twitter advised me that I am on the correct build and that the service is a "gradual roll out". Presumably translating in to "wait". Linked to community post by @Chris_K titled "4G & WiFi Calling coming soon to Pixel 3 devices" (dated 5th Feb) which suggests "hopefully becoming available to all devices around the start of next week".

Should be well in the window for this by now!

[mas]

Have moved from iPhone (with WiFi calling activated on my O2 account) to Pixel 3 (with WiFi calling still activated in MyO2) and have had the same issues trying to get WiFi calling working.  I had a long chat with an O2 guru today who made some progress, but have now been advised to make an in-person visit to an O2 store.

Progress made was as follows:

1. Open Phone app and dial *#*#4636#*#*

2. This puts the phone in Testing mode with three options: Phone information, Usage statistics, Wi-Fi information.

3. Under Phone information there were two options half way down the screen to switch on VoLTE and WiFi calling which the guru advised me to do.

4. This enabled the option for WiFi calling under Network & internet > Mobile network > Advanced > Calling.

5. The option did not stay permanently however when the phone was rebooted.

6. In the same Testing mode under Phone information, tapping the three verticle dots (top right) brings up an additional menu.  I noted here that IMS Status indicated my phone was 'Not Registered'.

I have no idea where to go from here ... any thoughts / advice gratefully received.

I will update after my visit to the O2 store tomorrow (03/03/19).

[mas]

Just back from O2 store.

The only suggestion the guru had was to do a Sim Swap.  Now completed but no change.  4G and WiFi calling can be activated under the Testing menu but the settings disappear once the phone is rebooted.

[keyser]

Yeah the wifi calling thing is just black magic as far as I'm concerned. May as well just try a rain dance for all the good it does. Some kind of matrix is required with current status of every phone past, present and future. I'm enjoying wifi calling on Pixel 1 for the first time, all I had to do was wait 2 years for my O2 contract to expire! Poking around here in the dark trying to find a crumbs of knowledge about what the current status is of wifi calling. No one knows

[mas]

Had another long chat with a Level 2 O2 guru last night.  Was told WiFi cand 4G calling are only available on the Pixel 3 when purchased from O2 (and with O2 firmware).  Clearly not the experience of some in this forum.

This page suggests some models do need O2 firmware; but no mention of that in relation to the Pixel 3.

https://www.o2.co.uk/help/network-coverage-and-international/wifi-and-4g-calling

[Hogues]

This.

Was finally set up with a call from a O2 engineer after multiple web-chat assistants couldnt figure out why I wasn't seeing a Wi-Fi calling option.

Got the call today and, as has just been described above, was told that because my handset wasn't purchased directly from an O2 store or the O2 website, I will not be receiving WiFi calling functionality...

Wish this would have been made clear ANYWHERE as certainly would have affected my purchase, seeing as I dont get signal for 9 hours of the day whilst at work... Not a great welcome to the network really. 

As @mas describes, following the steps to enter testing mode allows WiFi calling to be enabled in the settings. Tested this and it works! Tried calling my mobile (with no signal) from a landline and was met with "WiFi Call from..." and the sound quality was absolutely fine. I've restarted my phone and the options are still there! My network shows as "O2 - UK Wi-Fi Calling", the Wi-Fi calling option still shows in settings, and remains enabled. A full power off / power on cycle results in the same, Wi-Fi calling still enabled, option still available in settings. 

@mas You seem to have sorted this issue! Found a fix not even the webchat gurus or dedicated engineers seem to have been able to conjure up. Do you still have to repeat your steps to get in to testing mode to re-enable the Wi-Fi calling option after powering on/off or using the restart option?

Baffling why this works when I was told that because I didn't have the right O2 software/hardware, it never would...

EDIT: As with @mas I am now finding that after a reset/power on/off, WiFi calling functionality only persists for a short period of time before disappearing. This means going through the process of getting up the testing interface using the "*#*#4636#*#*" method and turning the functionality back on again. 

Surely, seeing as this works, O2 can just unlock the WiFi calling option for us in the settings without having to go through this faff every time we turn our phones off? Seems quite petty to hide this just because I didn't purcahse my handset directly from an O2 store or the O2 website...

We know the functionality is there. We know it works. We know we have appropriate software. We know we have appropriate hardware. Please just enable this.

[mas]

At least we seem to be getting to a relatively consistent story (I have had at least 5 guru conversations telling me 5 different things). @Hogues I haven't been able to get the WiFi / 4G calling settings to 'stick' through a power down, restart.  Truth is it doesn't seem necessary to power down too often so at least it is a solution of sorts.

Completely agree with @Hogues ... 'We know the functionality is there. We know it works. We know we have appropriate software. We know we have appropriate hardware. Please just enable this.

Maybe the March security update (released last night) will bring some joy ... though am not holding my breath.

[Hogues]

@Chris_K sorry for dragging you back in to this via the mentions, but anything you can offer on this based on the discussions above?

(TL;DR - Devices not purchased directly from O2 retail or online are able to activate Wi-Fi calling after enabling it via the Testing menu accessed by entering *#*#4636#*#* on the keypad. Changes do not persist after device reboot. Any reason why this functionality is not officially supported?)

[jren207]

As someone else mentioned in this thread, I wonder if this will be available for the Pixel 2/2XL?

I would love to be able to use 4G and WiFi calling on my Pixel 2 XL.

Afterall, the Pixel 2 and 3 have the same version of Android available to them, and receive the same monthly patches.

Even though these monthly patches are primarily "security" patches, they do sometimes include other changes/bug fixes etc.

As the Pixel 2/2XL was never available via O2, I won't hold my breath, but it would be unfair to not be able to support it.

Other carrier settings are delivered/preinstalled with Android for setting up Internet and MMS access etc

It's a shame that the advanced settings that offer the persistent across reboot enablement of 4G/WiFi calling are only preinstalled in customized O2 firmware images.

I wonder if perhaps future patches will include these settings (at least for Pixel users... those with other brands such as Samsung will be at the mercy of Samsung, hence the O2 firmware requirement there).

Maybe that mysterious "Carrier Services" app that Google released (that's included in at least Android 9) will allow these settings to be deployed at a later date? (If we're really lucky, perhaps RCS settings too?).