Wifi Calling

[vent1020]

So, we are getting the free WiFi with our package. A couple of questions. With my phone(I think most phones now-a-days) I can make phone calls over WiFi at my house. Can you do this while on the ship? Would there be any type of international charges? I imagine not, but wanted to check.

 

If anyone is familiar with WiFi calling while on a ship, I'd appreciate any information you can provide. Thanks in advance.

[RD29P5]

You'd probably get a more accurate answer from your cell provider. I don't think NCL can legally or logistically monitor what the passenger's are doing with the wifi. Yeah they can block content with filter's, but that's about it.

[POA1]

It will really depend on whether or not the ship's Internet leaves the correct ports open for your carrier's WiFi calling. WiFi calling doesn't use standard HTTP/HTTPS ports in most cases, so it would be very easy to block. Who's your carrier?

 

AT&T Needs: UDP 500 & 4500 and TCP 143.

 

T-Mobile Needs: UDP 500 & 4500 and TCP 443

 

Verizon Needs: UDP 500 & 4500 -- Not sure on the TCP ports.

 

UDP 500 is Internet Security Association and Key Management Protocol (ISAKMP) and Internet Key Exchange (IKE)

 

UDP 4500 is IPSec NAT Traversal

 

TCP 143 is IMAP.

 

TCP 443 is HTTPS and will definitely be open.

 

The MTU (max packet size) should be 1500 or close for best results.

 

The real question is whether UDP ports 500 & 4500 will be open. I'd tell you to call NCL customer service, but I doubt that will end well. You will get to listen to snippets of Pitbull's "Escape" though.

[POA1]

You'd probably get a more accurate answer from your cell provider. I don't think NCL can legally or logistically monitor what the passenger's are doing with the wifi. Yeah they can block content with filter's, but that's about it.

 

This would really be a matter of ports being open or blocked, not content filtering.

[garycarla]

You could call the carrier... but I highly doubt you will get any sort of accurate answer. LOL!

 

Pretty sure if they can find a way to block it, they will since they would rather you pay the $2.99 a minute.

[vent1020]

Well, if it helps anyone else, I found this post on another thread.......

 

There is even a better option. If you have a newer phone your carrier may offer wifi calling. My Samsung S8 and Verizon are working on the cruise I am on now. I upgraded my free 250 to unlimited. Then turned on airplane mode and then turned on WiFi calling. My cell portion of the phone is now disabled and phone works as normal

[mking8288]

We've used our "free" WiFi minutes/MB data on the Breakaway & Gem (most recently this May) to do WiFi calling ... VoIP using Skype, FB Messenger, FaceTime and Hangouts (Google Voice) - taking full advantage of SMS & messaging, as well as web browsing, as these will work on a good 2G/Edge and 3G data connection. Video calling including Duo do take up more bandwidth but has not been an issue for us - on both Google/Nexus devices and iPhone (5S) that are factory unlocked and zero carrier sim locking, etc.

 

We will be on the BA again fairly soon to see if anything changed ... have not heard anything this summer from the Escape & Getaway that common http ports have been blocked or filtered.

[Cyclops32]

It will really depend on whether or not the ship's Internet leaves the correct ports open for your carrier's WiFi calling. WiFi calling doesn't use standard HTTP/HTTPS ports in most cases, so it would be very easy to block. Who's your carrier?

 

AT&T Needs: UDP 500 & 4500 and TCP 143.

 

T-Mobile Needs: UDP 500 & 4500 and TCP 443

 

Verizon Needs: UDP 500 & 4500 -- Not sure on the TCP ports.

 

UDP 500 is Internet Security Association and Key Management Protocol (ISAKMP) and Internet Key Exchange (IKE)

 

UDP 4500 is IPSec NAT Traversal

 

TCP 143 is IMAP.

 

TCP 443 is HTTPS and will definitely be open.

 

The MTU (max packet size) should be 1500 or close for best results.

 

The real question is whether UDP ports 500 & 4500 will be open. I'd tell you to call NCL customer service, but I doubt that will end well. You will get to listen to snippets of Pitbull's "Escape" though.

If they support VPN then it should not be a problem. Udp 500a does 4500 are very common.

 

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[johnrich]

We’ve been on Getaway twice and both times we were able to use FaceTime audio on our iPhone to call others who had iPhones. We tried regular FaceTime (with video) but the quality was very poor. Using just audio it worked great! I believe there are some Android apps that will do the same thing but in either case I believe both caller and receiver must have the app installed whether FaceTime or the Android app.

 

 

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[4Suzyq]

I've had the same experience as MKing using phone and video apps,on the ship and in port. Now sometimes I don't care to be so available and purposely miss incoming calls