iPhone 15 Pro Max Question on WiFi calling

[Jackbequickly]

After the recent AT&T outage, I set up my phone for WiFi calling. Is it supposed to use more battery? Ever since I did, it seems to deplete my battery at a higher rate. Also does it only use WiFi calling if cellular no longer is available or does it force you on WiFi if there is a cellular signal available while covered with you home WiFi?

Thanks in advance . . ..

 

[okkibs]

It will prefer using Wifi for calls. To save battery you'd need to switch the device into airplane mode with Wifi on. To save battery I suggest either using the phone just on Wifi or just on the cellular connection. Connecting both at the same time always reduces battery life.

I have switched to using a VoIP phone number which has a couple benefits: You are freed from provider's limits/costs for using multiple devices on the same line since you can be logged into the VoIP line on multiple devices easily. And it works on any smartphone, laptop or tablet that has an internet connection. At that point it no longer matters if there is an AT&T outage or whether you have Wifi calling enabled.

 

[Jackbequickly]

Thanks. I have turned WiFi calling off. Glad I did get it set up as I could not do that until cell service resumed. Battery use is back to normal now and I will leave WiFi calling off unless I need it. I have 3-4 bars of 5G at the house if AT&T can keep it up and running. 🫤

 

[okkibs]

You might not be able to turn it back on at a time where AT&T has issues with their network so I wouldn't rely on that. There is also no guarantees that Wifi calling won't be affected by whatever issue is occurring even if you had set it active prior to that. It could also be that an issue affects just the Wifi calling and you'd miss calls with it enabled without knowing. A backup line with a different provider might be helpful if an outage would be a problem for you.

 

[jetsam]

It will prefer using Wifi for calls.

The OP is on AT&T. AT&T and Verizon prefer cellular, and will use cellular if there is a reasonably strong cellular signal. Only T-Mo prefers Wi-Fi.

OP - if you have 3-4 bars of 5G AT&T at your house, your phone will not use Wi-Fi calling, even if you enable it.

 

[Jackbequickly]

The OP is on AT&T. AT&T and Verizon prefer cellular, and will use cellular if there is a reasonably strong cellular signal. Only T-Mo prefers Wi-Fi.

OP - if you have 3-4 bars of 5G AT&T at your house, your phone will not use Wi-Fi calling, even if you enable it.

Maybe so, but even with 3-4 bars on 5G there was a difference in battery consumption.

 

[okkibs]

The OP is on AT&T. AT&T and Verizon prefer cellular, and will use cellular if there is a reasonably strong cellular signal. Only T-Mo prefers Wi-Fi.

Apologies, I wasn't aware that they are doing it differently from T-Mobile.

 

[andyw715]

Seems strange that WiFi calling would consume more battery than having the phone maintain a cellular connection as phone calls are low bandwidth
But like someone said earlier, if you have a strong cellular signal than your phone will most likely choose it instead. So even if the feature is on, it will only use it in the low/no cell signal situations.

Do people still use that Phone app anymore

 

[andyw715]

AT&T and Verizon prefer cellular,

I wonder why. You would think they would want fewer clients connected to towers; for those that don't currently have a wifi connection.

 

[antiprotest]

Does having WIFI calling enabled use more battery if you are outside and connected only to cell network?

 

[Viridian5]

FWIW I’m on T-Mobile and the price per minute for INTERNATIONAL WiFi calls is $3/minute, vs. 25¢/minute on cellular. Learned the hard way on a recent trip to the UK. Different plans may have different costs but be warned… and read that fine print

 

[mk313]

I'm not on AT&T, but I will chime in with my experience. No difference in battery life between having wifi calling on & off. Personally I live in an edge spot for TMo, and if I'm going to be on work calls, I turn off cellular to force it to wifi, which always results in better call quality for me (at my house; it is more hit & miss when I'm out & about).

If I were the OP, Id give wifi calling another try & give it a few days to see if it settles down. I can't imagine that it would impact the battery life in a significant way & wonder if something else was going on at the same time (system software, apps, music or podcasts downloading in the background, etc). If you do it for a week, and it's still giving you bad battery life, then I would turn it off, but I'd definitely give it another shot. Like one of the posters above said, you may not be able to turn it on during an outage & it's pretty helpful to have when you need it.

 

[Rychiar]

I use Wi-Fi calling for the sole purpose of texting android people over IP cus its madddening trying to send a photo to them over cellular

 

[jezbd1997]

Yes, wifi calling enabled does use more power. It's keeping an extra connection going via wifi instead of sleeping the wifi modem as often. As well as keeping the cell radio reachable (unless on airplane mode).
I have it disabled unless I am in an edge of coverage area.
I remember looking it up years ago when it first came to my carrier and others had the same issue.

 

[jezbd1997]

I'm not on AT&T, but I will chime in with my experience. No difference in battery life between having wifi calling on & off. Personally I live in an edge spot for TMo, and if I'm going to be on work calls, I turn off cellular to force it to wifi, which always results in better call quality for me (at my house; it is more hit & miss when I'm out & about).

If I were the OP, Id give wifi calling another try & give it a few days to see if it settles down. I can't imagine that it would impact the battery life in a significant way & wonder if something else was going on at the same time (system software, apps, music or podcasts downloading in the background, etc). If you do it for a week, and it's still giving you bad battery life, then I would turn it off, but I'd definitely give it another shot. Like one of the posters above said, you may not be able to turn it on during an outage & it's pretty helpful to have when you need it.

Wifi calling does use more battery, it's keeping an extra connection going via wifi instead of sleeping the wifi modem as often. As well as keeping the cell radio reachable (unless on airplane mode)
Push notifications are normally delivered via the cell radio and wifi goes into low power mode whenever you lock your device.
If you google this there's plenty of sources

 

[mk313]

Wifi calling does use more battery, it's keeping an extra connection going via wifi instead of sleeping the wifi modem as often. As well as keeping the cell radio reachable (unless on airplane mode)
Push notifications are normally delivered via the cell radio and wifi goes into low power mode whenever you lock your device.
If you google this there's plenty of sources

That could well be, and I'm not doubting that there is some impact, but I'm saying that in my usage, the impact has not been noticeable. YMMV, and I'm not making a universal statement, just sharing my experience.

 

[Jackbequickly]

At the suggestion of some, I switched back to WiFi calling at my house and watched the battery drain near twice as fast at my residence. I do not know why, but on my 15 ProMax, it is fact.

 

[Tru3B1u3]

I’m on Verizon

Cellular drains my battery far more where I live as the signal is weaker.

In my experience Wi-Fi Calling + Airplane Mode is GOAT!

Several times now I’ve been on a call and gotten around 4 - 6 hours out of Wi-Fi Calling with 30% or so battery remaining.

I was once able to push it to 8 hours on Messager.

 

[Kobs]

So Wi-Fi calling consumes less battery?

 

[mk313]

So Wi-Fi calling consumes less battery?

This seems to vary by user. For me, there is no discernible difference. For the OP, it consumes more battery. For some (TruB1u3) is helps to save battery.

 

[jezbd1997]

So Wi-Fi calling consumes less battery?

in airplane mode only, with cell and wifi on, no.

 

[JonaM]

This seems to vary by user. For me, there is no discernible difference. For the OP, it consumes more battery. For some (TruB1u3) is helps to save battery.

It will depend on your cellular signal.
If you have an excellent cellular signal it may use more battery as there's another permanently active wifi connection waiting for inbound calls.
If you have poor cellular signal then it may use less battery as it doesn't need to constantly hunt for a weak cellular signal.
So I think it will be down to each user to work out if they need to use it or not

 

[MacCheetah3]

Like @mk313 I haven’t noticed any battery drain difference. However, perhaps that’s because my iPhone rarely relies on Wi-Fi calling.

Maybe so, but even with 3-4 bars on 5G there was a difference in battery consumption.

Is the iPhone displaying Wi-Fi calling is active (i.e., Wi-Fi in the status bar while in Control Center, similar to the image below) even when you have 3-4 bars?

 

[reppans]

I used to have a weak cellular signal at home so used ATT wifi-calling which saved battery and improved voice quality. Set-up a one-touch shortcut to toggle between cellular antenna while out and wifi antenna while home - what’s the point of running multiple antennas when one does the job? Have a good cellular signal now, but maintain same practice. 4.5yo phone still good for >10hrs SOT with my normal efficient usage.

 

[Jackbequickly]

I turned the WiFi calling off as it is not needed. I get 3-4 bars of 5G at my house. Just wanted to set it up in case AT&T has another “issue”!