Three finally lets you make Wi-Fi calls and texts without a separate app

By Lulu Chang January 30, 2017

Rebtel Calling — lewistse/123RF

We’ve some long-awaited good news for our friends in the U.K. After literally years of waiting, British mobile service provider Three has enabled native Wi-Fi calling for your iPhone. That means that if you have an Apple mobile device and are using Three as your carrier, you’ll be able to make and receive calls and texts anytime and anywhere you have Wi-Fi. Previously, in order to take advantage of this feature, users would have to use the separate InTouch app, which took up precious real estate on the iPhone’s home screen.

But happily, those times have passed. Now, if you have any iPhone that launched in 2014 or later (which includes the iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, iPhone SE, and iPhone 7, and all the associated Plus models), you’ll be able to make Wi-Fi calls natively.

In order to take advantage of this, you’ll need to make sure you’re running the latest software on your iPhone, which means upgrading to iOS 10.2 if you haven’t already. To do so, simply head over to Settings, then General, and click on Software Update. Download and install the most recent software update, then make sure that you also have the latest carrier software package installed on your iPhone. This is done by visiting Settings > General > About, whereupon you ought to see a “Carrier update available” message pop up.

From there, things get much simpler. Go to Settings > Phone, select “Wi-Fi Calling,” and switch the “Wi-Fi Calling on This iPhone” option to the on position. Confirm that you do indeed want to be able to make calls when you don’t have service but do have Wi-Fi, and get chatting.

It’s actually not just the iPhone that now has this feature. The LG G5, Samsung S6, and S6 edge also no longer require the separate Wi-Fi calling app, and Three says that more phones will soon be added.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…

Computing

Wi-Fi 6E devices will embrace 6GHz. Here’s what it means to you

amazon slashes prices on linksys dual band and tri mesh wi fi routers the router 01 1

A Wi-Fi spectrum shortage threatens your ability to stream high def video, VR, and more, and Wi-Fi 6E devices using a new 6GHz band may save the day — if regulators ever approve it. Here’s what you need to know.

Last September, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai mentioned that the FCC was interested in “opening up 1,200 megahertz of spectrum in the 6GHz band for different types of unlicensed uses,” including Wi-Fi.

Mobile

AT&T just made it a lot easier to upgrade your phone

Do you want to upgrade your phone more than once a year? What about three times a year? Are you on AT&T? If you answered yes to those questions, then AT&T’s new “Next Up Anytime” early upgrade program is made for you. With this add-on, you’ll be able to upgrade your phone three times a year for just $10 extra every month. It will be available starting July 16.

Currently, AT&T has its “Next Up” add-on, which has been available for the past several years. This program costs $6 extra per month and lets you upgrade by trading in your existing phone after at least half of it is paid off. But the new Next Up Anytime option gives you some more flexibility.

Mobile

Motorola is selling unlocked smartphones for just $150 today

Someone holding the Moto G Stylus 5G (2024).

Have you been looking for phone deals but don’t want to spend a ton of money on flagship devices from Apple and Samsung? Have you ever considered investing in an unlocked Motorola? For a limited time, the company is offering a $100 markdown on the Motorola Moto G 5G. It can be yours for just $150, and your days and nights of phone-shopping will finally be over!

Why you should buy the Motorola Moto G 5G
Powered by the Snapdragon 480+ 5G CPU and 4GB of RAM, the Moto G delivers exceptional performance across the board. From UI navigation to apps, games, and camera functions, you can expect fast load times, next to no buffering, and smooth animations. You’ll also get up to 128GB of internal storage that you’ll be able to use for photos, videos, music, and any other mobile content you can store locally.