Over the last couple of years, remote working and working from has become more popular. Some countries have as many as 8 out of 10 companies all using some remote teams for their operations. If you work from home, or telecommute for part of the week, WiFi calling could help you to stay connected to your team, your business and help you do your job.
The growing trend of remote workers and telecommuters creates a need for technology to advance and new functions to develop. The move towards internet calling and simplifying the options for people working from home without Technical Support means that it must be fast, simple, and easy for the layperson to install and use.
With more people moving into their home office in both city and remote areas, wi-fi calling offers a solution for people to do their jobs, make cheap local and international calls and continue earning money to support their families.
Both Android and iOS devices support Wi-Fi calling. It is easy and quick to set up through the settings application on mobile phones.
How does Wi-Fi calling work?
Wi-Fi Calling is simply making phone calls over the internet. It uses VoIP technology, otherwise known as Voice over Internet Protocol and uses the internet to make these calls. Applications such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and Skype use VoIP for their voice calls.
It is a way of making phone calls without the need for a cellular connection and can be done without a Sim Card too. The issue of course, is that you need a steady internet connection, and usually with a high enough bandwidth to be able to make calls. Low connection, slow connection speeds or intermittent internet connection can affect calls very badly. Have you ever been on a phone call and then the voice at the other end turns into a robot? That is probably because the person is using VoIP to make the call, and their connection has dropped.
What do you need to make Wi-Fi Calls?
The most important thing that you need for this is a stable and consistent internet connection with good bandwidth. Wi-Fi calls can be made through mobile phones with Wi-Fi connection capabilities or from computers connected to the internet. You need to be sat at your desk connected to the internet, or within about 100 feet of your Internet router to connect to its Wi-Fi capabilities. You need to enable your mobile phone or you need to download software to support Wi-Fi calling. If you are calling through your desktop or Laptop computer, investing in a good headset is also essential.
Wi-Fi calling can be an advantage anywhere in the world with developing countries such as South Africa and The Philippines taking advantage of the technology to advance their economy and build huge call centres in their cities.
Pro’s and Con’s of Wi-Fi Calling
Choosing to use Wi-Fi calling is a big decision for businesses and both sides of the argument need to be carefully considered. Adding it as an option for personal use requires much less thought and analysis and many people just simply try it. Using it for business takes planning, organisation and possibly new technology and phone systems added into the call centre hub.
Some of the Pro’s include:
It is a great backup tool to use for when other phone solutions go down, or when there is a bad connection. It is a good backup solution for people working at home or transitioning between home and the office. It is a backup option for freelancers to use, and is a good tool to have in the box of tricks.
People can use their own phones and you don’t need to buy additional handsets if people are happy to use their own device
From a fixed point, or from people sat at their desk, it can be a more reliable connection and cheaper than many other phone solutions.
Some of the negatives include:
It is very unreliable where internet connection is bad, or choppy. If the user is not near a router or their internet source, it becomes weaker. If the user has a large family, or many people using their bandwidth, the internet strength can get worse and be unreliable. It is unreliable in public spaces, on free Wi-Fi or in places with a lot of people.
It requires the internet. There are hot spots everywhere, but then there are cold spots and tunnels and black spots too. It requires steady, consistent, and strong internet, and that does not always happen.
Some carriers are not compatible or will not support Wi-Fi calling. Some phones need Apps and upgrades, some are simply not suitable for the technology.
Can I Keep my number?
Yes, and no. This is a mixed response because you can keep your number depending on the device or devices that you are using for Wi-Fi calling, but would you want to? Having multiple numbers can provide much needed online security, it can help you to have a better work-life balance. It can mean that only those who you want to have your number, actually have it and use it. You know who is calling and when. If you turn off Wi-Fi calling, then you know that you can control when you get phone calls from work, friends, family and when you can have downtime.
There are several things to consider when installing and using Wi-Fi calling, we hope that this information has been helpful, but if you have additional questions, especially around your digital footprint and the importance of using different phone numbers for different elements of your life, please get back in touch
