Should Samsung Galaxy A11 WiFi calling work in the airplane mode?

[Rick880]

I recently activated a Samsung A11. When I tried to test WiFi calling in the airplane mode, the phone asked me to turn off the airplane mode to make the call. Making phone calls in the airplane mode has been the way to test WiFi calling with iPhone SE 2020 and Moto E for me and I thought Samsung phones would behave in the same way. The Samsung A11 is my first Samsung phone so I have no previous experience Samsung phones. Thanks for any comments.

[hpham]

Some phones won't work in forced WiFi Calling by turning on Airplane mode.

[Rick880]

Thanks for the reply. If so, how do I test WiFi calling in those kind of phones?

[hpham]

Thanks for the reply. If so, how do I test WiFi calling in those kind of phones?

You would have to go to some place with WiFi but no cell signal, like in the deep basement of an office building, or the computer room where I used to work which is two levels below ground.

[cv91913]

Thanks for the reply. If so, how do I test WiFi calling in those kind of phones?

As long as you have:

1. Turned on WiFi-Calling
2. Entered the e911 address and it was verified
3. If there is a setting to set WiFi-Calling preference, set it to WiFi preferred
4. Turn on WiFi

Make a call. There should be WiFi-Calling indicators. There could be a diamond shaped icon next to the phone icon on the status bar and or, a diamond indicator on the call screen. On some of my phones there is a scrolling "WiFi-Calling" on the status bar.

[Rick880]

Thanks. I noticed that the phone icons on the display were different with or without WiFi calling. Next I will try to find a place as hpham suggested to get the full confidence that WiFi calling function is good. I was an engineer before retired and knows that software can do a lot of tricks to present a "fake" looks like "real".

[rpz1]

Verizon is picky about what phones it allows wifi calling. Don't know about the A11. Did it even ask for your e911 address when you first set it up? Usually when you first set up/ activate a new phone that allows wifi calling it will do all that set up with the e911 etc.

[hpham]

I'm using my new Samsung S23 with a BYOP TF/Verizon SIM. I just did some testing. With the roaming preference set to either WiFi Calling or Cellular, I was able to force it do to WiFi Calling by turning on Airplane mode.

[Rick880]

I just spent the last half an hour to do what you did. Yes, I can actually make calls in the airplane mode with a caveat. The first call will failed but the second call (sometimes the third call) will go through. Also the phone app. will behave differently depending on how I turn on the airplane mode. If I turned on the airplane mode from within the Phone Setting->Connections->Airplane mode, I would get the message "Turn off the airplane mode to make the call". And if I turned on the airplane mode by toggling the airplane icon in the status bar, the first call would just fail. It seems that there is a lag after turning on the airplane mode before the phone can actually make wifi calling. Another thing is if I turn off the airplane mode (and wifi connection too) trying to make call through cellular, the call would fail with the message "Your phone's not registered on a network ...). But if I toggle the airplane mode on and off again. The call will go through as normal. So confusing and fun. In my old days, we tried call these kind of behaviors "feature by design", not bugs, so that we can get away from fixing them and have the product released according to the marketing planned schedule. It seems that the tradition continues.

[NanaC]

Thanks for the reply. If so, how do I test WiFi calling in those kind of phones?

My Samsung Galaxy A32 5G works without airplane mode for wifi calling.

If you want to test it without airplane mode call someone, make sure they answer. After the call is over look in your call log and if it used wifi for the call it will show it used it.

[Rick880]

Thanks for another tip to recognize that WiFi calling happened. Very much appreciated.

[NanaC]

Thanks for another tip to recognize that WiFi calling happened. Very much appreciated.

You're welcome.

[tomseys]

With every Samsung, iPhone and Moto smartphone that I've ever had, if Wi-Fi calling is provisioned and working correctly on the line, and the device is not somehow blocked, the Wi-Fi calling force test (Airplane mode on, Wi-Fi on - make a call) ALWAYS works - meaning you won't receive the disable airplane mode message when you try to make a call. It is actually a test to see if it is working.

On phones that I've ever gotten this disable airplane mode message, it was because Wi-Fi calling was not provisioned correctly on the line. I had to call in to TF corp office to get if fixed. Did this with 6 or 7 iPhones a while ago.

Usually this happens because the line on the phone is older and WF calling wasn't fully provisioned correctly at an earlier time and as a result does not have working Wi-Fi calling and this deficiency is later transferred to any device old or new and Wi-Fi calling on the line continues to not work. If this is a new line created very recently and WF calling previously worked on some other device or a new line created on the A11, then it might be a different issue since new lines usually are correctly provisioned.

In my experience with Samsung devices (iPhones are exactly the same) - at least on my A20, A51 and A53 5G (and a luna pro), the force test always works and, out of force test mode, if my signal degrades, Wi-Fi calling automatically switches on.

So for example, on my Samsung A53 5G, if I put the phone in Wi-Fi calling force test mode - which again is airplane mode on, wf-fi on (make sure on), I can see that Wi-Fi calling is working without even making a call.





Just look in any contact and you will see the Wi-Fi calling symbol - the green phone call button with the Wi-Fi symbol above it:







And of course if you make a call it works without any disable airplane mode message.


Taking it out of force test mode (turn off airplane mode) I can encourage the phone to enter Wi-Fi calling mode automatically by deliberately degrading the network signal.

In this case, I either put the phone into an aluminum illy coffee can and seal it, or into a microwave and close it (do not turn on) and Wi-Fi calling comes on automatically within seconds. It goes away as soon as network signal is good. It does this very fast. My iPhones behave the same way.







In the image above note that phone is not in force test mode but Wi-Fi calling is active because the network signal is very poor.


5 Seconds in an illy can achieved this. Same in microwave.

Once out for about 7 seconds, and the full signal is restored, phone automatically goes back to the 4G/5G LTE network and the green phone with wi-fi symbol is gone. This is with no special prefer wifi calling settings enabled.

Note: In my case I have a very good TF/Verizon cell/network signal so it is rare that I see Wi-Fi calling automatically activated.
Though I have seen it occasionally. I prefer it off unless I need it.

If your signal is not so great, Wi-Fi calling may automatically come on and stay on most of the time. Unless you disable it in the settings.

Some brands/devices may behave differently regarding when/how Wi-Fi calling is automatically activated.

If the problem with Wi-Fi calling on the phone (and what is described does not sound like normal behavior) is that Wi-Fi calling hasn't been correctly provisioned on the line, then you have to call the Tracfone corporate office and see it they can enable it/provision it properly.

Difficultly level = 9/10 (Android).

305 640-2000 x1029

In my case with the iPhones, the fix was for the corp office rep to disable Wifi calling and then reenable it in on the line via the administrative account tools they have. A kind of re-provisioning.

There are other work arounds one can try usually involving creating a new line for the phone since new lines are usually automatically provisioned correctly.

If line is new, then it may not be a provisioning issue but perhaps a device related issue or something else.


Added: I should mention that there is this link to "enroll" in Wi-Fi calling. It really doesn't seem to do much of anything in my experience.

https://www.tracfone.com/support/wifi-calling

I have found that it often gives inaccurate information so phones that have working wifi calling for example return as "not capapble" etc.

[Rick880]

Thanks a lot for sharing your experience. I didn't imagine that it could be such a complicate issue. I hope someone from Tracfone reads your write-up and fixes their system once and for all.

[tomseys]

It seems that there is a lag after turning on the airplane mode before the phone can actually make wifi calling. Another thing is if I turn off the airplane mode (and wifi connection too) trying to make call through cellular, the call would fail with the message "Your phone's not registered on a network ...). But if I toggle the airplane mode on and off again. The call will go through as normal. So confusing and fun. In my old days, we tried call these kind of behaviors "feature by design", not bugs, so that we can get away from fixing them and have the product released according to the marketing planned schedule. It seems that the tradition continues.

My Samsungs and iPhones experience a little lag too after turning on airplane mode and Wi-Fi when doing the force test. Takes maybe 5 seconds or so for Wi-Fi calling to kick in. Same in the reverse for it to disable.

But it works for me no matter where I set it whether from settings or from the notification shade.

Also when I turn airplane mode off and Wi-Fi off calls still work fine.

Added: Actually, on my iPhone calls work instantly but on my Samsung the first call placed within a few seconds of turning AP mode and WF off fails and then second call a second or too later works. This all in space of like 5 seconds. There was no network error message and I didn't need to toggle airplane mode on/off for it to work. Just a little time. If I wait maybe 5-10 seconds after turning off AP/WF calls work fine. I think in my case maybe as the phone was leaving forced wifi calling with airplane mode off and wifi off it briefly stumbled as it transitioned on the quickly made call and then it worked after.

It sounds like Wi-Fi calling is actually working on your phone (at least the force test is) but just with some different behavior.

Not sure why it does that or if something like a network reset would help.

I'm assuming that you do see the Wi-Fi calling symbol when you make a call or in the contacts.