I have the same problem even with the latest update on my 925. Wi-Fi calling and texting works on my 521 with Windows 8, I've been using that at home for months because of no cell signal at my house. I made the mistake of updating the 521 to 8.1 yesterday thinking maybe everything would be good and now both phones can't text out.
T-Mobile WiFi Calling
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metalchick719
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Yes, this is a royal pain. Same here, calling works perfectly on Wi-Fi calling on my 925 since updating to 8.1 via developer preview, but texting does not. I'm sure this will be fixed when the 8.1 update is out officially. At least I hope so. If it doesn't, I'll just go back to using the HeyWire app for texting on Wi-Fi when I have no service.
Could this be what's holding up T-Mo from releasing 8.1 and Cyan OTA? I really want 8.1 as soon as I can get it, but I just moved somewhere with very little service so WiFi calling is a must. Using 521 on WP8.
metalchick719
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I just got an update to my wifi calling app. It still doesn't let me text over wifi. I'm on the developers preview. Hopefully the wifi texting will come back when cyan is released.
Does this mean that WP 8.1 with GDR1 will allow WiFi calling to fully function again? (And I refer to send and receive call and SMS+MMS as full functionality.)
That would be great, especially given the "later this year" news we recently heard about Cyan OTA with TMo!
That would be great, especially given the "later this year" news we recently heard about Cyan OTA with TMo!
metalchick719
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Which is weird because WiFi calling relies on the phone having some kind of data access. You would think they could route MMS in a similar way.
That's strange. My wife sent me a picture message while we were both on WiFi calling and I got it. The message did seem a bit different than usual in that it said something about receiving data. I guess it could be that it actually went through Messenger instead? Both on 521 and WP8.
k72
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Actually, it does. Prior to my reset, and now that I've updated, I send and receive picture messages all the time with Wi-Fi calling on and my data switched off. That's why I love it so much.
metalchick719
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k72
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Yup (assuming it doesn't have that bug). It's so nice to have on at home while I'm more likely to be texting because I can save on data. You should definitely give it a try.
metalchick719
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Well, I just gave it a try a few minutes ago, but sadly, it didn't work for me. Picture messaging and even regular text messaging refuses to work on my end. I even had to reboot my phone to get the calling app back to "T-Mobile" as it was stuck on "Wi-Fi Calling" even after I turned the feature off. I'm not liking the update Wi-Fi Calling got last week at all. It's super sloooooow when you try to turn it on or off. :unhappy:
Funny how this popped up, just now. Old topic.
Background: I used WFC back when it was prehistoric, a new service, 2007. I've had several phones with it all with different levels of success. You see, in the early days, all WFC ability was built into the hardware; from the Nokia 6086 - have a friend that still uses his as his main phone! - to the E73, all in the hardware. Along the way, it was figured out how to do it in the firmware, witness Android around v2.4. I've never seen the firmware versions as reliable as the hardware, and that has nothing to do with hand offs. A hardware phone will hand off in both directions (mostly!) WFC to cellular and back, generally seamless. Firmware updates is how TM got WFC into the 521 and other the phones after the fact via updates.
Firmware WFC can't do this, at least to the best of my knowledge. No hand offs. And that's how you can tell what phone has what.
Fast forward: I've been using a Lumia 810 but I wanted WFC and LTE. So now I have two 925's and I have discovered what the OP did in April. I cannot send SMS while on WFC. It immediately gives me an error message. I have to turn off either WFC or wifi to send it. What is most strange is that SMS uses voice frequencies, it has nothing to do with data service. Witness my no data TM SIM, SMS no problem.
MMS does require data service, regardless of wifi or over the air.
So, I've not aborbed the following link yet, but it does appear that Lumia's/WP do have an ongoing issue with this: Nokia Lumia 521 Wi-Fi Texting - Microsoft Community
If indeed, all this is the case that it appears to be, MS should be ashamed of themselves.
Background: I used WFC back when it was prehistoric, a new service, 2007. I've had several phones with it all with different levels of success. You see, in the early days, all WFC ability was built into the hardware; from the Nokia 6086 - have a friend that still uses his as his main phone! - to the E73, all in the hardware. Along the way, it was figured out how to do it in the firmware, witness Android around v2.4. I've never seen the firmware versions as reliable as the hardware, and that has nothing to do with hand offs. A hardware phone will hand off in both directions (mostly!) WFC to cellular and back, generally seamless. Firmware updates is how TM got WFC into the 521 and other the phones after the fact via updates.
Firmware WFC can't do this, at least to the best of my knowledge. No hand offs. And that's how you can tell what phone has what.
Fast forward: I've been using a Lumia 810 but I wanted WFC and LTE. So now I have two 925's and I have discovered what the OP did in April. I cannot send SMS while on WFC. It immediately gives me an error message. I have to turn off either WFC or wifi to send it. What is most strange is that SMS uses voice frequencies, it has nothing to do with data service. Witness my no data TM SIM, SMS no problem.
MMS does require data service, regardless of wifi or over the air.
So, I've not aborbed the following link yet, but it does appear that Lumia's/WP do have an ongoing issue with this: Nokia Lumia 521 Wi-Fi Texting - Microsoft Community
If indeed, all this is the case that it appears to be, MS should be ashamed of themselves.
k72
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I bought a 635 last month. It came with 8.1 and cyan. Wi-Fi calling would not enable at first, called T-Mobile, they did something and it was fine. I used it for calling, SMS, and MMS with Wi-Fi calling enabled and no data - my data stays turned off unless I am using it. I installed the GDR1 update, phone still worked fine, and I could send SMS, MMS, and make calls over Wi-Fi calling, with data switched off.
Jump ahead to a silly incident of mine that resulted in a factory reset - phone was just as it was when I bought it, but it still had GDR1 update. Wi-Fi calling would work for calling and SMS but not MMS. To receive or send an MMS, I not only needed data turned on, but I also had to turn Wi-Fi completely off (not Wi-Fi calling, but all Wi-Fi), which makes no sense at all, and was obviously separate from anything to do with Wi-Fi calling.
After installing the latest update from the developers preview, MMS works flawlessly again over Wi-Fi calling with data turned off.
In regard to MMS needing data, it does NOT need a data connection if you are using Wi-Fi calling.
However, it does appear that something is wrong with the messaging. Hopefully they will fix it soon.
Well, it seems like the current WiFi calling experience with the DP is probably no worse than on WP8. This was one of the main things holding me back from getting the DP so I will definitely consider it now. Just wish TMo would get with the Cyan program already!
metalchick719
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Guys, WFC is a GSM protocol known as Unlicensed Mobile Access, or UMA. Theoretically, any GSM carrier can provide it. In the US, only TMO and Cincinatti Bell do.
The fact is, it's not very consistent across phones, wifi networks, and various firmwares. I've seen, over the years of my experience, an almost complete failure for two months with TMO denying it's their issue, and then all of a sudden, people all over America find its working again. This was in 2008. And no one in CS knows anything about how it all works or how to resolve problems. Once upon a time if there was a connection problem, one would receive an error code. Now, it's just a generic statement about "Unknown error." Or, something.
My philosophy is just accept it as it is. Not perfect by a long shot.
The fact is, it's not very consistent across phones, wifi networks, and various firmwares. I've seen, over the years of my experience, an almost complete failure for two months with TMO denying it's their issue, and then all of a sudden, people all over America find its working again. This was in 2008. And no one in CS knows anything about how it all works or how to resolve problems. Once upon a time if there was a connection problem, one would receive an error code. Now, it's just a generic statement about "Unknown error." Or, something.
My philosophy is just accept it as it is. Not perfect by a long shot.
Found a possible fix. I'm running a Nokia Lumia 521 with Lumia Black.
I uninstalled the WiFi calling app and rebooted (did not reinstall). Now, the phone still says Wifi calling but I was able to send/receive texts. Will update if it's still working.
For what it's worth, the WiFi calling app appears to be incompatible with the 521 (if you go to the Windows store and try to download or reinstall, it says "This app is not available on your device").
I uninstalled the WiFi calling app and rebooted (did not reinstall). Now, the phone still says Wifi calling but I was able to send/receive texts. Will update if it's still working.
For what it's worth, the WiFi calling app appears to be incompatible with the 521 (if you go to the Windows store and try to download or reinstall, it says "This app is not available on your device").
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