SMS over Wifi Calling

[Chris_K]

Hey everyone. I have some fantastic news to share on a network functionality customers have been asking about for a while. We’re excited to confirm that we’re now expanding the Wifi Calling capability to also work with SMS. This means customers who are using Wifi Calling will also be able to send and receive text messages over a wifi network if they are using a compatible device.

What devices and when?
The service launched on select handsets on 10th January 2022 and we’ve been monitoring the stability first before announcing it here on the Community. Right now the service is only available on the Samsung Galaxy S20 family – the regular S20, S20 Plus and S20 Ultra.

We will be rolling out capability to more handsets but cannot confirm exact dates at this time.

How do I activate the feature?
Customers with a compatible device will need to have the Wifi and 4G Calling service provisioned on their account and will need to update their device to the latest software version.

Note that the update for the S20 family of devices will come in the form of a ‘System configuration update’. Your device will notify you when the update is available, and you will be asked to apply the update. The device will then restart, and the update will be applied. At this point, SMS over Wifi Calling should now work as expected.

Why can’t all current Wifi Calling handsets support SMS over Wifi Calling?
Each device that supports Wifi Calling today will need to receive a software update in order for SMS over Wifi Calling to work. There are some handsets we support today that are now too old to receive software updates and therefor will not become compatible with SMS over Wifi Calling. Newer devices will receive updates, but it will take time for the manufacturers to develop and release the software, for which we have no further details or ETA – but we’ll continue to work closely with manufacturers to help implement this.

I’ll update this thread as and when new devices become compatible with SMS over Wifi Calling.

[pgn]

A thread worth watching, this one, thanks @Chris_K. 

WiFi Calling (handset dependent) and now SMS over WiFi are an area where Community Guides are a bit scarce - perhaps because the O2 pages for enabling Voice over Wifi exist, perhaps?  Hopefully some similar website advice to follow in due course, or a section on that page to encompass SMS over WiFi soon! 🤞

[Chick_Lunchbox]

Are handsets not supplied with o2 firmware likely to benefit from sms-over-net?  O2 like to give out that only o2 firmware phones work with volte/vowifi but this is not the case. 

[Junior]

Has anyone on here actually got access to sms over Wi-Fi and can feedback how it’s working so far?

[npdcjksncjkjcsk]

Something i didnt even think to ask when i joined O2 a couple of months ago, i foolishly assumed that it was something all networks had, now i am currently stuck with a sim plan thatll ill have to pay out my remainding balance just so i can swap to another carrier that has this feature. 

[madasaf1sh]

@npdcjksncjkjcsk 

It is coming to o2, they are just starting out slowly... 

Just note that no MVNO such as Virgin, or GiffGaff / 1P Mobile offer SMSoWIFI  and to be honest after seeing implementations of this across other networks, i dont know why people are so excited about it, as its as flakey as you can get... 

[npdcjksncjkjcsk]

Ive had it with 3 for years, the problem i am experiencing at the moment is several websites i use for work keep wanting to send me text messages for confirmation (including the absolute ball ache i have had today trying to get my office account set up after the recent storm damage) and i happen to work in one of the  1% of the UK that doesnt get phone signal so i am reliant on sms over wifi. I cannot progress with websites unless i drive several miles away from my office, which just doesnt work for me. Like i said i should have looked a bit more closley before signing up. 

[kguk]

i have a s20 and the latest software update but still can't text message over Wifi 

[Junior]

Hi @O2Sarah- 

any idea when pay monthly iPhone customers will have access to SMS over Wi-Fi? Been a customer 15 years but need this facility so may have to leave o2. 
thank you 

[Absthechatter]

I have an S20 Ultra. Do I need to have O2 software? Mine is unbranded. Getting fed up of never receiving the texts for 2 factor authentication. I believed the coverage checker that said excellent signal indoors and out.... Of course I get none! 😃 

[DrJase]

Hi,

Does anyone know if the Samsung S22 Ultra is able to:

1) Voice over Wi-Fi? 

2) SMS over Wi-Fi?

Thanks in advance.