Wifi calling - text issue.

[StandingDuck]

I've been with Smarty a year now and have a recurring issue that comes up at leasr once a month.

I use wifi calling exclusively at home, as I live in a remote rural area with zero mobile mast signal inside or outside.

Wifi calls always work fine, the issue I keep having is with texts. Generally the work okay, but every few weeks I suddenly will not receive texts. I know this is the case as my phone is suddenly unusually quiet! When I spot this, if I send a test text to myself it is not delivered. Strangely if I then quickly send a rapid succession of texts to myself then the first (and subsequent) test texts are suddenly received, at which point my phone also takes delivery of other texts from other people. These can be texts from days earlier, if I have not left home during that time and caught a signal from a tower somewhere.

It is like me sending myself a rapid series of texts releases some kind of text blockage.

I'm at a loss as my phone (Samsung A52) is on Smarty's wifi calling list, and I have tried all (and I mean ALL) of the suggested settings, workarounds etc.

I have raised it with Smarty several times, and each time I am told their 'technical team' will look into it. Nobody ever gets back to me, and a year later the problem persists.

It does not seem to be device specific, as my partners Samsung A32 (also on the wifi calling list) does it as well.

It's also not broadband related, as we have changed broadband providers in this time and it happens regardless.

There must be a valid and logical technical reason as to why this happens, and a fix.

Any thoughts?

[MSF]

@StandingDuck  Have you looked at this article? : https://www.samsung.com/us/support/troubleshooting/TSG01001439/

[StandingDuck]

Hi,

Yes, I have followed all of those steps many many times, believe me.

This os clearly a Smarty issue, as everything will be absolutely fine for weeks, then this issue comes back for several days, then goes away again, then repeats etc.

[Chalkychap]

Okay @StandingDuck, I also rely on using WiFi Calling at home, in my mobile not-spot.

I've recently experienced something similar - my SMARTY WiFi Calling was working, but I wasn't receiving text messages via the WiFi Calling service.

My solution was: 

1. Turn off Wi-Fi Calling.
2. Forget / remove my home Wi-Fi network.
3. Turn-off the Wi-Fi on my handset.
4. Restart my handset.
5. Reconnect to my home Wi-Fi network.
6. Turn on Wi-Fi Calling.

Thereafter, I received a flurry text messages, but problem solved. Perhaps this might help in your situation.

[StandingDuck]

Hi @Chalkychap 

Likewise, I've carried out those steps several times in the past, and in fact a few weeks ago we even changed broadband providers (not because lf this problem by the way) and it persists, so it isn't linked to a wifi network issue either.

[Chalkychap]

Okay @StandingDuck, it sounds like the steps didn't help on this occasion.

Have they ever worked in your location? 
Does SMS via WiFi Calling service work when you're not at home?

Given WiFi Calling uses the Internet to reach the SMARTY Mobile core network (via a network gateway), routing and quality of service (QoS) issues may affect the service from time-to-time. Voice calls with WiFi Calling may benefit from QoS, while SMS might not.

Out of curiosity, what broadband providers have you used recently?

[StandingDuck]

@Chalkychap  I used to be with O2 (both of us with our current phones) using Sky broadband, and texts via Wifi worked as expected.

We both switched to Smarty, and the frequent text issues began.

We recently changed BB to Vodafone and the issue persists.

All things point towards it being an issue with Smarty.

[JJP2RidesAgain]

I would be surprised if it was Smarty :

WiiFi Calling allows you to make and receive Calls, MMS and SMS over a WiFi network. You can use this capability if you have a compatible WiFi Calling device, network and you don't have sufficient mobile network coverage to make a call.

I know this is stating the obvious, but it’s called WiFi calling as it’s uses the WiFi connectivity of your broadband, not your mobile network, otherwise it would be called “mobile network calling”

If you have set your device to make calls through WiFi calling, then your device’s mobile connectivity will be turned off, and as you say, you have zero mobile mast connectivity inside it outside, so there is no connectivity to Smarty which could be causing an issue. 

I just wonder whether bog standard text messages are fine and the problematic ones are those which contain lots of emoticons etc ? Are they cross phone platform ? I.E. you have an iPhone and the problem texts are from Androids, or vice versa ? 

See here :

https://www.uctel.co.uk/blog/disadvantages-of-wi-fi-calling-in-the-uk-why-it-cant-replace-mobile-con... 

Which includes this :

4. Limitations in SMS message reception

One of the most important factors to consider is Wi-Fi Calling's limited ability to receive SMS messages. While this service enables you to make voice calls, it doesn’t support the full range of SMS functionalities, making it impossible to receive critical SMS messages like one-time passwords for authentication purposes.

[StandingDuck]

Hi @JJP2RidesAgain , it is any kind of text message, when I receive them they all come through fine, when I don't then none come through.

It also makes no difference what brand/device etc the texts are from, it's always either 100% or nothing.

Like I say, we were bith with O2 for years and never had one problem with texts, then both moved to Smarty and we now both experience the exact same issue, which only reinforces that this is a Smarty issue.

The weirdest thing for me remains that if I send myself a flurry of texts, it releases the blockage every time. I've stressed this to Smarty to help them investigate, but as I say nobody ever gets back to me with any findings.

[JJP2RidesAgain]

You said in your  opening post that  you have no mobile mast connectivity in your rural location, so I fail to see how this issue is down to Smarty. 

Not surprised that Smarty tech support haven’t got back to you. Imagine the conversation :

“These customers use WiFi calling for calls and texts, as they have no mobile mast nearby, every couple of months, they have an issue with texts, they think it’s do with Smarty”

“Yet there is no mobile mast nearby ?”

”No”

”Er, um ?”

Two answers that I can think off - Use an app like WhatsApp, which allows you to make and take both audio and video calls, and in addition, send text messages, or switch back to O2 or try another network, doing a search on your postcode, as hopefully, at least one network may now offer connectivity where you are. 

[StandingDuck]

@JJP2RidesAgain it is evidently a Smarty issue, because (I repeat) I had zero issues with O2 wifi calling for years, moved to Smarty and I have wifi calling issues on a Smarty confirmed wifi calling mobile phone.

Gee...could the issue be with Smarty, or with O2 who I left and whose wifi calling systen worked perfectly?

[JJP2RidesAgain]

WiFi calling :

Turns off the mobile cellular connection

You yourself say that there is no mobile mast near you in your rural location

So unless Smarty have perfected the use of “flying carpet mobile masts”, then no a non existent smarty mobile mast isn’t going to be causing the issue. If you can’t see that, then well…You could always go back to O2 of course…

You do understand WiFi calling works over WiFi provided by broadband, hence the name, and not a mobile cellular connection ? Obviously, you don’t. 

[StandingDuck]

@JJP2RidesAgain I am fairly certain my texts are all relayed via Smarty, given they are my mobile provider. My broadband provider doesn't do it for me just because I am on their broadband network, the mobile operator is still involved.

Thanks for your contribution anyway.

If anyone who actually has a working suggestion is reading this, be glad to hear it.

[Chalkychap]

Did you purchase your current handsets from O2, @StandingDuck? 

[StandingDuck]

@Chalkychap I bought it direct from Samsung and already open to any network.

[Chalkychap]

Is the Android version a factor, @StandingDuck?
Perhaps SMARTY added the Galaxy A52 to their WiFi Calling compatible list with a version of Android, which predates the version on your handset.

Given receipt of SMS text messages, using SMARTY WiFi Calling service is happening intermittently, I'd speculate SMARTY won't be able to resolve the issue. Going back to O2 may be the only solution.

[StandingDuck]

Maybe, I don't know though.

The only published info from Smarty on compatibility, that I am aware of, just states compatible models, not software versions.

I'm inclined to think Smarty don't actually know the answer, as 'technical support' never actually get back to me with any support.

[Chalkychap]

I'm not sure SMARTY Mobile have a technical support team, @StandingDuck. 

I'd suspect SMARTY rely on their parent (Three UK) for technical support with their WiFi Calling service.

Given you've got a problem of an intermittent nature, I'd be doubtful that SMARTY can to solve the issue, @StandingDuck. 

[StandingDuck]

Customer Support seem to think they do, as each time I have raised it via livechat in the app they have promised to have tech support investigate!

[Chalkychap]

Have you had any feedback / updates about the tech support investigation into your issue, @StandingDuck?

Maybe this is #MoreMalarkey, #LessSMARTY.

[StandingDuck]

Nope. I've requested support several times, been told each time it will be investigated, nobody has ever gotten in touch with an update.

[JJP2RidesAgain]

Yet, you say yourself, you don’t have a mobile mast anyway near 🙄

[StandingDuck]

I'm sorry, as I know 'intent' can be hard to read, but I really can't tell if you are intentionally being as combative as possible rather than helping (or simply don't comment if you are not helping).

What I will say to you though, in response to that, is I intentionally looked for a mobile provider with Wifi calling supported for my device, precisely because there is no mobile signal where I live.

I don't understand why you keep piping up about mobile masts in a sarcastic manner, the lack of a mobile mast near me is why I was looking for Wifi calling. Because there is no mobile signal.

[Chalkychap]

I'm left wondering about the UC Tel blog about WiFi Calling, @JJP2RidesAgain. 

Item 4 about limitations in SMS message reception doesn't ring turn in my experience with WiFi Calling at SMARTY Mobile, and other operators. I use SMARTY WiFi Calling at home and receive one-time-password (OTP) SMS text messages.   

[StandingDuck]

I receive those texts too (when not in a 'not working today' phase).

I've read that on many forums in the past about those texts not being receivable via Wifi calling, and it simply isn't true.

[jak22]

Despite some of the replies this is a real issue. I'm now seeing an up to hour delay receiving SMS and when these are needed as part of logging in they need to arrive straight away. Disabling WiFi immediately received the SMS - I'm now trying disabling WIFI Calling and reboot. Its not device specific - Pixel here.

The issue seems to go away after the reboot - whether Wifi calling is on or off . Because it started working again Online chat just see it as a "glitch" so no real fix.

[StandingDuck]

Online chat seem to either be outright liars, or Smarty are simply unable to identify the cause of the issue and/or fix it, as I have raised it several times and been told they will investigate.

It's also annoying having to go through the whole 'have you tried x, y and z?' everytime I ask about it, of course I have tried simple stuff like reboots blah blah blah.

It's as clear as day that this is an issue specific to Smarty.

I do WANT to be with Smarty, for my own reasons, so the 'go back to O2' suggestions are not helpful given I left them for my own reasons. However, the fact remains that I had years of zero wifi calling issues with O2, then switched to Smarty and I am plagued with SMS problems over wifi calling.

There is no coincidence, it literally started when I switched to Smarty. Smarty also are the only one of the two that confirmed my handset as compatible, it wasn't even on O2's list.

[Chalkychap]

Okay @StandingDuck, it seems unlikely SMARTY will attempt to fix something that happens intermittently. Maybe you could try the EE network or Vodafone network instead?

[jak22]

Another occurrence of website generated text messages not arriving. This is with WIFI Calling off so likely it's a different issue - but other posts are wrong to suggest WIFI Calling issues aren't Smarty related - they're involved in handling SMS just as when they arrives via mobile.

The SMS arrive and the problem goes away after a phone reboot - so maybe it re-registering with the network fixes the issue - but the timing of the problem - starting in recent weeks - means it could be some recent Pixel update that's causing the issue.

[Chalkychap]

Okay @jak22, curious to know why use WiFi Calling if you're able to receive SMS text messages with WiFi Calling disabled?