Texting

[Blauelini]

On 10/23/2021 at 7:24 AM, brillohead said:

The only thing is to make sure you enable WiFi calling on your phones NOW, while you're at home.  You have to be connected to the cell towers in order to enable the feature initially -- you can't start it up for the first time on just WiFi.

If everyone sets up WiFi calling on their phones, and then connects to Voom on the ship, you can just call/text like everyone was at home.  Same for people on land -- they can call you and your phone will ring just like you are at home.

And you don't get charged for the voice calls either by your cellphone carrier as I understand it? 

[Biker19]

14 hours ago, Blauelini said:

And you don't get charged for the voice calls either by your cellphone carrier as I understand it? 

Correct.

[Nike4000]

On 11/22/2021 at 5:48 PM, brillohead said:

If there's a setting or something that you were missing, please post it here so others with that phone will have the fix!

 

@brillohead Just home from the AT&T store. They said that Android phones do not have the ability to send text messages via WIFI. Per the AT&T rep, Android devices send text messages using the cellular connection and the only way around it is to use a service that pushes the messages through data - like Google Hangouts. He said that Google has a project in the works to shift texting to be data-based on a future version of Android, but for now, texts are still sent using the cellular network. He said that from the beginning, Apple built their messaging platform on a data-based network, which is why the iPhones have zero issues sending text messages over WIFI.

 

Also, for WIFI Calling, he said that I shouldn't use Airplane mode, and instead turn off my cellular service. To do so, go to Settings > Connections > Mobile Networks and then switch off Mobile Data. He said that should do the trick. We tested it in store & I was able to call the store without any issues while on WIFI - which didn't work when I used Airplane mode with WIFI enabled. 

 

So, I'm going to have my family install Google Hangouts on their phones so we can test it out on the ship. Everyone has a Gmail account, which "should" make it super easy.

[Biker19]

8 minutes ago, Nike4000 said:

He said that should do the trick.

And it may also yield a huge bill - when out of airplane mode you don't know if the phone may use the ships cell signal for the phone call. To be safe (from charges), try everything using airplane mode only.

[Nike4000]

18 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

And it may also yield a huge bill - when out of airplane mode you don't know if the phone may use the ships cell signal for the phone call. To be safe (from charges), try everything using airplane mode only.

 

Hopefully with Mobile Data turned off, it wouldn't connect to the ship's cell tower, but I don't think I want to be the one to test that! I'm 99% certain I'm going to go with a combination of the WIFI package, Airplane Mode, & Google Hangouts to communicate with my family. Anyone off the ship will just have to wait until I get back - or contact my wife, who has an iPhone.

[brillohead]

Yeah, I DEFINITELY would not trust what the AT&T rep told you, @Nike4000... 

For starters, I have an Android phone (Motorola), and I used to have an Android phone (also a Motorola), and before that I had an Android phone (Samsung) ... and ALL of them support Wi-Fi calling and Wi-Fi texting (SMS) in Airplane Mode with Wi-Fi enabled.

I would not believe that turning off "mobile data" means that you're completely disconnected from the cellular network... my interpretation of that is that you wouldn't have "internet access" (and any apps that need data/internet wouldn't work properly), but that your cell phone (non-data connection) would still work as usual through the cellular network -- just without data.  That could be why your call went through just fine at the AT&T store... because you were making a cellular call, not a Wi-Fi call.

I think your plan to stay in Airplane Mode with Wi-Fi enabled is the way to go.  Also, if everyone in your group has a Facebook account, you can make phone and video calls and send messages via Messenger for free off the Wi-Fi, same as at home.  (Saves everyone from having to learn Hangouts just to use for the cruise, if they already use Messenger anyway.)

I'm still shaking my head that the AT&T dude told you Android couldn't send SMS via Wi-Fi.  What a moron.  

[SRF]

On 11/24/2021 at 11:49 AM, Nike4000 said:

 

@brillohead Just home from the AT&T store. They said that Android phones do not have the ability to send text messages via WIFI. Per the AT&T rep, Android devices send text messages using the cellular connection and the only way around it is to use a service that pushes the messages through data - like Google Hangouts.

 

That is BS.  My SO had an Android phone, and wifi texting works fine.

 

Instructions from Verizon for setting it up.

 

https://www.verizon.com/support/troubleshooting-wifi-calling-android-video/

 

And I just double checked, she sent me a text via wifi texting (Airplane Mode ON).

[SRF]

8 hours ago, brillohead said:

Yeah, I DEFINITELY would not trust what the AT&T rep told you, @Nike4000... 

For starters, I have an Android phone (Motorola), and I used to have an Android phone (also a Motorola), and before that I had an Android phone (Samsung) ... and ALL of them support Wi-Fi calling and Wi-Fi texting (SMS) in Airplane Mode with Wi-Fi enabled.

I would not believe that turning off "mobile data" means that you're completely disconnected from the cellular network... my interpretation of that is that you wouldn't have "internet access" (and any apps that need data/internet wouldn't work properly), but that your cell phone (non-data connection) would still work as usual through the cellular network -- just without data.  That could be why your call went through just fine at the AT&T store... because you were making a cellular call, not a Wi-Fi call.

 

You correct.  Turning off Cellular Data, only turns off the use of cellular for internet (data) access.  And calls and texts will still use Cellular.  And you could run up a HUGE bill.

 

And yes, best is to leave the phone in Airplane Mode, with Wifi turned on.  That will turn all ALL cellular functions.

[CFIGuy]

A couple of things of note. First, for the $1.99 per day texting package, they charge you for the full voyage, regardless of what day you sign up for it. My son signed up for it with 3 days remaining on the cruise, but was charged for the entire 7 nights. Guest services and corporate explained that for this service this is how it was…

 

Also, the texting thru the app is a separate charge (not included in) WiFi package (my son wants to text with his teen friends who don’t have WiFi package but do have texting package).

[Nike4000]

I agree with everything y'all have shared about the daunting bill I'd encounter by only disabling mobile data. 

 

@brillohead Unfortunately between the 4 of us there are only 2 who use Facebook, so Hangouts it is! 

 

@SRF Thanks for sharing the video, unfortunately I'm on AT&T so it's going to take me a little time to adapt that video to the settings options I have. Fortunately I have the day off, so it'll be a fun project to confirm that my settings match what the video shows.

 

Gonna be fun! 

[brillohead]

5 hours ago, Nike4000 said:

 

@brillohead Unfortunately between the 4 of us there are only 2 who use Facebook, so Hangouts it is! 

WhatsApp is another free option, if you want to try that.  You have to set that up while you still have cell coverage (you need a code to confirm your cell phone number), but once it's set up, it's free to text/call.  That's what we used when my son was in Afghanistan last year.  

[SRF]

Ones I have used:

 

Hangouts - Google, supposed to be replaced by Chat but it seems that enough people complained about Chat that Hangouts still is around.  If you have a Gmail account, you log into either  with that login.

 

Chat - The "new" Google communications application.  IMO, it is HORRID.  Hate it.

 

WhatsApp - Free app, uses your phone number as ID.  It works well, but I haven't really chatted on it.

 

Viber - Been around a while, works well, but for some reason, I don't use it much.

 

Messenger - Part of Facebook.  I think you have to be Facebook friends to chat.

 

Skype - Was great, then MicroSoft bought and screwed it up, but it is back being good again. This one does allow calling any phone, but at a small cost (a few cents per minute).

[Lou33]

Last week on Explorer, we were able to send and receive text messages from home, but not with attachments.   We have iPhones that were set to Airplane mode and Wifi Calling was turned off.  There must be something with the Royal App that allowed the messages to get through.  

 

We also got some push notifications, like when somebody came to our front door and triggered our security camera.  

Edited November 27, 2021 by Lou33

[Biker19]

3 hours ago, Lou33 said:

There must be something with the Royal App that allowed the messages to get through.  

It's not the app itself, but how the internet firewall is set up on the ship to allow some internet traffic through without a Voom package.