Wonder if the Seas - Beware - No WiFi Calling

[LGW59]

14 hours ago, DeputyDawg46 said:

AT&T 

no wonder, they also suck on land.  I am certain the ship has wi-fi calling but your tech savy just aint working on WOS right now.

[not-enough-cruising]

17 hours ago, DeputyDawg46 said:

I am currently on the Wonder of the Seas and have the Surf and Stream Wi-Fi package. However, I can send emails and texts, but you cannot use Wi-Fi calling. The IT advised me that this ship does not have agreements with US carriers and subsequently cannot allow that option.  It is a real disappointment for such a new ship!!  I’m not sure what RCI is doing to rectify this issue. Will do more inquiries and update as applicable. 

There are no such agreements in existence for WiFi calling, WiFi calling will work on any open platform (absent a fire wall filtering it out) WiFi with a officiant bandwidth 

[Sunshine3601]

15 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

VoIP can be blocked. One way around that is a VPN. However they can also block VPN's. VPN's are  blocked on some ships. 

We experienced that first hand on Anthem in January.     We could not access our VPN and after several wifi calls with our IT people and Royals IT people it was determined the VPN that was being used was blocked by Royal's IT in Miami.    So we handle to cancel our 2nd leg of our b2b (which we got fully refunded) but was very sad.       Since then our IT dept has been in communication with Royal's IT dept. and has set up our laptop to access work software/files through a different VPN.   Let's hope it works because we leave on Anthem on March 20th for another b2b!   

[Ocean Boy]

31 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

We experienced that first hand on Anthem in January.     We could not access our VPN and after several wifi calls with our IT people and Royals IT people it was determined the VPN that was being used was blocked by Royal's IT in Miami.    So we handle to cancel our 2nd leg of our b2b (which we got fully refunded) but was very sad.       Since then our IT dept has been in communication with Royal's IT dept. and has set up our laptop to access work software/files through a different VPN.   Let's hope it works because we leave on Anthem on March 20th for another b2b!   

Hopefully, it will be far less stressful for your husband than the last cruise.

[twangster]

Worked fine all week on Spectrum Mobile.  
 

There is a FB discussion on this.  It seems only AT&T is impacted.  Verizon worked.  TMo worked.  
 

For me it was just like any other cruise.  It just worked.  

[Ocean Boy]

4 minutes ago, twangster said:

Worked fine all week on Spectrum Mobile.  
 

There is a FB discussion on this.  It seems only AT&T is impacted.  Verizon worked.  TMo worked.  
 

For me it was just like any other cruise.  It just worked.  

Though a series of mergers in the past I ended up with AT&T. But I am starting to think it is time to look elsewhere for cell service.

[twangster]

3 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Though a series of mergers in the past I ended up with AT&T. But I am starting to think it is time to look elsewhere for cell service.

I’ve worked in the cellular industry.  No carrier is best everywhere.  It’s creative marketing you pay for with the big carriers.  So many affordable options that have great service too.  

[Charles4515]

38 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Though a series of mergers in the past I ended up with AT&T. But I am starting to think it is time to look elsewhere for cell service.

 

I stay with AT&T because I get a large discount with them and their service works well here.. My neice switched to AT&T from Verizon because she had an offer from AT&T Fiber which is her home internet for a large gift card to switch. That was last September and she has given up on getting the gift card. They have sort of ghosted her. She did end up with a lower monthly rate than Verizon. Cell phone carriers are horrible. 

Edited March 12, 2022 by Charles4515

[LGW59]

Just now, Charles4515 said:

 

I stay with AT&T because I get a large discount with them. My neice switched to AT&T from Verizon because she had an offer from AT&T Fiber which is her home internet for a large gift card to switch. That was last September and she has given up on getting the gift card. They have sort of ghosted her. Cell phone carriers are horrible. 

Exact same happened to me with the gift card scheme, never saw it and I gave up.  Switched to TMobile in 2019, best cell/Wi-Fi service ever!

[resetjet]

I believe that in tos you are not supposed to use voip or vowifi(wifi calling) with voom.  Its is possible to block this traffic. You can block the ports of well known services.  Its a layer 2 protocol and is given priority to assure qos.  It can wreak havok on a wifi network if everyone is getting calls all the time.  Simply put if its blocked,  they did it on purpose.  I do not know about contracts,  but i assume its bs as it works  most places you go.  

[twangster]

10 minutes ago, resetjet said:

I believe that in tos you are not supposed to use voip or vowifi(wifi calling) with voom.  Its is possible to block this traffic. You can block the ports of well known services.  Its a layer 2 protocol and is given priority to assure qos.  It can wreak havok on a wifi network if everyone is getting calls all the time.  Simply put if its blocked,  they did it on purpose.  I do not know about contracts,  but i assume its bs as it works  most places you go.  

 

You're not wrong about the TOS yet the marketing says you can all day long and promotes it.

[resetjet]

5 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

You're not wrong about the TOS yet the marketing says you can all day long and promotes it.

Hard for me to imagine a ship of 10,000 cell phones on a satellite network,  all getting calls all the time and not having issues.  But i guess not enough people are doing it to drag the network down.  

[twangster]

Just now, resetjet said:

Hard for me to imagine a ship of 10,000 cell phones on a satellite network,  all getting calls all the time and not having issues.  But i guess not enough people are doing it to drag the network down.  

 

10,000 phones?

 

Half of people still refuse to use a phone on a cruise.  "Lock it in the safe".  You'll see that a lot here.

 

2,000 phones ready to make a phone call doesn't equate to 2,000 phones all making a phone call at the same time.  Not everyone is on those cells phones engaged in a call all at the same time.

 

1 facetime video call equates to 100+ voice phone calls.  

 

1 person streaming a football game equates to 100+ phone calls.  

 

I have been doing VoIP for over 20 years including engineering cellular backhaul links over IP.  

 

WiFi audio calls are not bring down the network.  That argument was shot down on corporate networks literally 20 year ago back when they weren't the robust local area networks they are now.  

 

[Ocean Boy]

1 hour ago, LGW59 said:

Exact same happened to me with the gift card scheme, never saw it and I gave up.  Switched to TMobile in 2019, best cell/Wi-Fi service ever!

I have been considering T-mobile. I've heard that they are better at allowing unlocked non-branded phones the ability to do wifi calling. This seems to be a major issue with AT&T and android phones.

[Sunshine3601]

3 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

Hopefully, it will be far less stressful for your husband than the last cruise.

Yes, I sure hope so.    If not, we have a back up plan!   Relax and enjoy the cruise without having to work😀

[Sunshine3601]

3 hours ago, twangster said:

I’ve worked in the cellular industry.  No carrier is best everywhere.  It’s creative marketing you pay for with the big carriers.  So many affordable options that have great service too.  

I have had Virgin Mobile (now Boost) for many years and used it overseas in London, on cruise ships with an app for wifi calling and works great everywhere.      Best part is I only $40 a month for unlimited data, calls and texts.   I see so many people that pay way more and are unhappy with their services for various reasons.

[DeanD]

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

I have been considering T-mobile. I've heard that they are better at allowing unlocked non-branded phones the ability to do wifi calling. This seems to be a major issue with AT&T and android phones.

We have been on T-Mobile the last 3 years.  Prior to that, over time, we were on Alltell, 360.net, Sprint and AT&T.  We'd looked at T-mobile years earlier but the only Digital option was a problem 20 years ago but now that analog is gone, not so much.  I can honestly say that for the first time in my life, I am happy with a cell phone carrier.  I call, chat or go by the store and things get taken are of.  It's also about 2/3 the price of when we were with AT&T.  We're on the Military Magenta Max and have 5 phones on the plan.  The 50 and over plan is the same but slightly higher..  Messages and data are free at most international locations and international calls are reasonable without any add on plan.  The one knock I have is that the coverage is not as good in more rural areas here as AT&T or Verizon but it has improved considerably over the past few years.  

[JsMom2]

I had the same issue with wifi calling on wonder last week.  Couldn’t make or receive calls on my iPhone, but was able to use iPad for wifi calling.  
 

However when we were in port , I did have some wifi calls come through on my phone.  
 

At least I know it wasn’t just me!

[Cel_cruise]

Ugh…my work phone is ATT..I hope this is fixed before my 15 April cruise!!

[resetjet]

5 hours ago, twangster said:

 

10,000 phones?

 

Half of people still refuse to use a phone on a cruise.  "Lock it in the safe".  You'll see that a lot here.

 

2,000 phones ready to make a phone call doesn't equate to 2,000 phones all making a phone call at the same time.  Not everyone is on those cells phones engaged in a call all at the same time.

 

1 facetime video call equates to 100+ voice phone calls.  

 

1 person streaming a football game equates to 100+ phone calls.  

 

I have been doing VoIP for over 20 years including engineering cellular backhaul links over IP.  

 

WiFi audio calls are not bring down the network.  That argument was shot down on corporate networks literally 20 year ago back when they weren't the robust local area networks they are now.  

 

Half dont use their phones?  The royal theater looks like a xmas tree.

 

anyway we are talking about devices,  not people.  These days you can have up to 8 clients in a room.  5500 pax and 2500 crew.  
 

the crew however does not get internet in the day.  They get whats ap and some internet at night as there isnt enough bandwidth.  
 

When you say video is 100 phones calls you are forgetting one important point.  Upload.  Streaming a video is download.  Phone is both.  With satellite internet the upload is 1/10th the download.  
 

the number of clients all on wifi in a tight area is staggering.  Not only that wifi and metal dont get along.  all those clients all fighting for a turn to transmit.  
 

honestly just getting off oasis and symphony i was amazed at the performance.  Its seems to be mostly at night when the crew gets on that it bogs.
 

coco cay had oddysey and symphony all day and it held up.  I assume they are backhauling the ships networks,  but no matter what its 100 times easier on a land based satellite system that does not move.  I suppose the could have dropped fiber there as well to some land based network.

 

why do you think its against tos?  The simple answer is upload….  
 

on a fiber based network i feel different.
 

 

 

 

[twangster]

Just now, resetjet said:

anyway we are talking about devices,  not people.

 

Because we all know phones like to call other phones when we are not using them?  Even if every guest brought two phones with them VoIP only uses bandwidth during a call and only when speaking.  Many cellular providers use voice detection to minimize bandwidth consumption.  

 

2 minutes ago, resetjet said:

When you say video is 100 phones calls you are forgetting one important point.  Upload.  Streaming a video is download.  Phone is both.  With satellite internet the upload is 1/10th the download.  
 

 

The bandwidth is closer to symmetric.  It's an industrial product, not a consumer satellite service.  

 

5 minutes ago, resetjet said:

coco cay had oddysey and symphony all day and it held up.  I assume they are backhauling the ships networks,

 

CocoCay lost it's O3b uplink during the pandemic.  They have a microwave through the Berry Islands for island needs when no ships are there. When ships arrive they connect to the pier and guests on Cococay use the ship satellite connection.

 

[JasonMason]

I was on Wonder for the inaugural and had this problem also… The only workaround I found was to do a FaceTime audio call, which seemed to work ok - as long as I was talking to someone that also had an iPhone.. There were a few times when they also had general signal issues with the internet connection during the sailing (one I remember in particular was just after we left Labadee). One thing that is important to remember is the ship is still brand new - there are bound to be things that don’t quite work as expected just yet.. Give it some time and the issues will be resolved - it seemed like half the doors weren’t working on the ship too, but hey, just some growing pains!

 

…Ironically the Bionic Bar seemed to be working every time I walked past it!

[resetjet]

24 minutes ago, JasonMason said:

I was on Wonder for the inaugural and had this problem also… The only workaround I found was to do a FaceTime audio call, which seemed to work ok - as long as I was talking to someone that also had an iPhone.. There were a few times when they also had general signal issues with the internet connection during the sailing (one I remember in particular was just after we left Labadee). One thing that is important to remember is the ship is still brand new - there are bound to be things that don’t quite work as expected just yet.. Give it some time and the issues will be resolved - it seemed like half the doors weren’t working on the ship too, but hey, just some growing pains!

 

…Ironically the Bionic Bar seemed to be working every time I walked past it!

Its possible they use a land based system in haiti,  then they switched over.   I am sure the haiti networks are lightening fast!!!!!  They do not have enough access points in labadee.  We were in a dead zone.

 

I dont think they plan on working it out.  They will lose money on cellular at sea. They obviously are blocking it to a large degree.  There is no other explanation.

[LilBlackDress]

16 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

Locked or unlocked would not make a difference. WiFi calling is over WiFi. There are some Android phones that can not do WiFi calling. In any case pretty sure he mentioned doing WiFi calling on other cruises. 

AT&T Blocks Wi-Fi Calling on most if not all of the unlocked phones using their service! Why, I have no idea but I found that out the hardway one year... Sucks too because you can't but the larger internal memory unless you buy an unlocked phone. 

[John&LaLa]

17 hours ago, twangster said:

Worked fine all week on Spectrum Mobile.  
 

There is a FB discussion on this.  It seems only AT&T is impacted.  Verizon worked.  TMo worked.  
 

For me it was just like any other cruise.  It just worked.  

 

@Ourusualbeach could not get WiFi calling to work on Symphony last week. Got an error message from his Canadian cell phone provider.