In September, Vodafone NZ will begin rolling out Wifi Calling to a selection of smartphones, allowing customers to make and receive calls and texts using the Wifi signal.

To use Wifi Calling, Vodafone customers need a voice-calling enabled mobile plan, an eligible phone with Wifi Calling turned on, and a good quality Wifi connection. It’s a service that is perfect for those with little or no cellular connectivity, for example in remote locations.

Sharina Nisha, Head of Network Services, says: “We’re always looking for user-friendly technology solutions to help keep our customers connected. While we invest hundreds of millions of dollars every year to upgrade our mobile network, due to New Zealand’s topography, demographics and digital infrastructure there are places where the Wifi signal might be stronger than the mobile signal, such as in buildings with thick walls, or in more remote parts of the country. This is where Wifi Calling can help.

“Vodafone customers simply need to turn on Wifi Calling in their settings to make or receive calls and texts using Wifi on a compatible phone, and it only takes a few minutes to set up. We’re working with device manufacturers to confirm the timeline for what devices will be Wifi Calling enabled through software updates and when, and we’ll continue to add more device information on our website over the coming months.”

Sometimes referred to as Voice over Wifi (VoWifi), Wifi Calling will be initially enabled on a handful of Samsung Android devices. More smartphones sold by Vodafone NZ will be enabled for Wifi Calling over the coming months, including OPPO models. After Apple releases its latest iOS software updates, iPhone 6S devices and above are expected to be enabled for Wifi Calling.

It’s free to enable and use Wifi Calling. Call minutes are taken from a customer’s plan allowance, and international or special calling rates apply.

For more information about Wifi Calling, please visit www.vodafone.co.nz/wificalling