WiFi calling / VoLTE: the UK networks doing it best in 2025
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We rank the UK mobile networks with WiFi calling and VoLTE to find which support the most phones with the best functionality. Last updated: 28th January 2025
What we are looking for
Some networks’ WiFi calling / VoLTE is better than others
✔ Phone calls and texts with no signalSkip to best-rated
UK mobile networks are switching off their traditional transmitters for calls, which work on 2G and 3G signal. So it’s never been more important that your provider has good alternatives in place.
WiFi calling lets you make/take calls and send/receive SMS over WiFi where there’s no mobile signal. 4G calling (VoLTE), as the name suggests, lets your phone use 4G/5G data signal for calls/texts.
But having tested multiple mobile networks in real life, we know there are some big differences between how WiFi calling and VoLTE work on each network. Some offer better quality. Some support more devices.
What does WiFi calling mean?
It’s a feature on most modern phones that lets you make and take calls over WiFi signal, rather than conventional mobile phone signal.
Which UK mobile networks have WiFi calling?
The networks currently offering WiFi calling are 1pMobile, ASDA, Co-op Mobile, EE, Honest Mobile, iD Mobile, Lebara, O2, Sky Mobile, SMARTY, spusu, Talkmobile, Tesco Mobile, Three, Vodafone and VOXI. We rank the best below.
How do you test if WiFi calling is working?
You’ll usually have a small icon pop up at the top of your screen that shows you’re on a WiFi call. Or it might just say “WiFi calling” or something similar.
WiFi calling may kick in more easily on some networks than on others. On some networks you might need to be somewhere with no phone signal at all, such as in the middle of your house for it to kick in.
The majority of devices will straight up tell you on the call screen that you’re connecting to a call over WiFi signal.
What shall I do if my WiFi calling isn't working?
If you can’t get WiFi calling to work like it should, you can try doing the following:
1) Look at your device’s instructions on the manufacturer’s website to see if WiFi calling is supported on your phone at all
2) Double check that your mobile network includes the feature on your plan
3) Look to see if WiFi calling is turned on in your account settings (a few networks will have it deactivated by default)
4) Make sure that WiFi calling is turned on in your phone settings (it can turn itself off if you switch networks)
5) Make sure the most recent software update has been installed on your phone
6) Get in touch with your mobile networks’ customer service. If they can’t help then you can always return your SIM with 14 days of purchase and get a full refund if you bought it online
How much does WiFi calling cost?
The networks that offer it don’t charge you anything extra to get it.
If you’re on a pay monthly contract then WiFi calls will come out of your UK minutes like normal. If you have unlimited minutes that means you can make as many calls over WiFi as you please.
Calls and texts will be charged at the regular rate if you’re on pay as you go.
Can you use WiFi calling abroad when roaming?
Typically not. O2 did used to have a WiFi calling app called TuGo, which let you make WiFi calls abroad, but they got rid of this a long time ago now.
We think this is probably just a limitation of the current technology. We don’t think networks are purposefully stopping users from using it abroad
You could use apps like Facebook Messenger, Skype or Whatsapp to make calls over WiFi while roaming, instead of racking up a large bill on international calls.
In recent times quite a few networks have removed EU roaming from their plans, and some of these may charge you extra outside your allowance for making calls from or within the EU (read our guide to the best roaming networks here).
Do you need an app for WiFi calling?
WiFi calling is usually offered as an in-built software feature on most networks, which means you don’t need a separate app in order to make calls over WiFi. It just works using the regular call function on your phone.
It used to be the case that networks had apps so that users on unsupported devices could use WiFi calling, but that doesn’t tend to be the case these days.
What’s the data usage with WiFi calling?
You won’t use up your mobile data while making calls over WiFi as you’re connecting to a call and not using data signal in doing so. So don’t worry about your data while making WiFi calls.
Making 4G calls also won’t use your data, even though you’re connecting via 4G. Again this is because you’re making a call, so the usage won’t come out of your data allowance.
Which phones support WiFi calling?
Networks started introducing WiFi calling in 2015, so devices from around that time were typically compatible with the feature. But this only applies to certain models (iPhones and higher-end Samsung Galaxy models). These days it’s supported by basically every new smartphone model.
What complicates things is that different network providers support different devices for WiFi calling. The best thing to do is check each networks’ supported devices list to see if it will work on yours.
How good is WiFi calling sound quality?
Usually networks will claim that this will depend on the strength of your WiFi signal. Since there are tons of variables such as your broadband speeds and WiFi router we can’t compare networks on call quality.
Can you also receive calls on WiFi calling?
Absolutely. If you’re connected to WiFi signal and your phone is supported for WiFi calling then you can receive calls the same way as you would on conventional call signal.
This guide takes you through the best networks for WiFi calling and VoLTE and shows you the differences, based on our own testing and experience.
Our best-rated WiFi/4G calling networks
Three’s WiFi calling is among the slickest
Three have now essentially completely shut off their 3G. And they never had 2G anyway. That means your phone will have to have 4G calling (VoLTE) enabled to be able to make a phone call on Three.
Luckily, we’ve always found Three’s VoLTE and WiFi calling to be exemplary. Their technology has always supported the largest number of devices - even if you bought yours from another network.
WiFi calling in our tests kicked in nice and early. You don’t have to have zero signal before it steps in. VoLTE works wherever you have 4G. We also moved from WiFi to 4G calling (and vice versa) without calls droping.
We also successfully sent and received SMS over WiFi. And call audio quality is very good too. Overall, we think Three are definitely one of the safest choices if you want good WiFi calling and 4G calling.
Useful link: How to get WiFi calling on Three
iD Mobile's WiFi calling is very similar to Three’s
iD are a budget provider owned by Carphone Warehouse but who piggyback off Three’s network. They were the first of the non-main networks to include WiFi calling, so it’s a very settled feature on iD (read their guide).
In tests, we've found iD's WiFi calling very good. It kicked in whenever you've got WiFi, not just when your mobile bars are low. We successfully moved from WiFi to 4G mid-call without it dropping too.
And we found sending/receiving SMS texts over WiFi and 4G worked smoothly on iD. They have expanded their list of supported devices. We’ve previously found unlisted phones also still worked.
In all, we found iD’s scheme noticeably slick for a smaller, lower-cost network. Because they use Three, you are now reliant on 4G calling with iD Mobile too. We’d say they’re a very safe choice for this.
Useful link: Read iD Mobile's guide to their WiFi calling
EE also have excellent WiFi calling / VoLTE
EE are among the four major UK networks, so they’ve long been able to support most devices for WiFi calling. This is because they can make sure manufacturers include their WiFi calling settings in software updates.
In our testing, we found it easy to send and receive SMS texts over WiFi and 4G. WiFi calling also kicked in, even when we had strong call signal. And we were able to move from WiFi to 4G without the call dropping.
We also found that lots of models that weren’t listed still worked for WiFi calling, even some very old ones. It’s still worth checking, but there’s a good chance it’ll work even if your phone’s not listed.
It comes on all their pay monthly plans and PAYG bundles and 4G calling works well with EE’s excellent 4G coverage. The scheme also pairs nicely with their WiFi on the Underground, keeping you connected to calls.
Useful link: Read what EE say about their WiFi calling
1pMobile get you access to EE’s excellent technology
✔ Cheap pay monthly plans with WiFi callingSee WiFi calling page
at 1pmobile.com
(opens in new window)
1pMobile are a low cost provider using EE's network (read our review). From testing, we're pretty sure that 1pMobile just use most of EE's technology "off the shelf", including their excellent WiFi calling.
We found 1p and EE’s WiFi calling to be basically identical. It worked on the same devices, even Androids not bought elsewhere. It kicked in without issue and we could move from WiFi to 4G without our call dropping.
SMS texts also worked in our test over WiFi. WiFi calling is included whether you pay monthly or pay as you go. The only downside vs EE is that you don’t get the WiFi on the Underground.
You still benefit from their hosts’ massive 4G/5G network to connect to calls as you move around. In all, we think people will be pleasantly surprised with 1pMobile, despite their cheap and cheerful appearances.
Useful link: Read 1pMobile’s guide to WiFi calling
Where to next within this guide?
Other good providers for WiFi calling
SMARTY, VOXI, Vodafone, Lebara and ASDA are good
The next networks have decent WiFi calling and VoLTE as long as your phone is supported. On SMARTY, Vodafone, VOXI, Lebara and ASDA, the lists of devices that will work are shorter than the providers above.
In tests, we were able to move from WiFi to 4G calling mid-call without it dropping on each of these networks. Although, we did find WiFi calling less reluctant to kick in if you still had conventional mobile signal.
We were also able to send and receive SMS messages on all of them. Call quality was also decent. So they’re all safe pairs of hands, as long as your phone is actually supported in the first place.
It’s worth checking their device lists up front to avoid disappointment. See SMARTY’s here (we have found unlisted phones still worked though). See Vodafone’s list here (applies for VOXI too). Lebara’s is here. ASDA here.
Useful link: Read SMARTY’s guide to their WiFi calling
O2 and Sky Mobile support fewer phones than others
O2 are one of the main UK networks while Sky are a decently sized provider that piggyback off their network. They both include WiFi calling on all plans, but their schemes have a few issues holding them back.
We were able to transfer a call from WiFi to 4G without it dropping on both providers and sending/receiving SMS texts worked just fine. We found WiFi calling reluctant to kick in on O2, however.
On Sky we noticed the audio quality wasn’t as good as on other networks. And on O2 it didn’t display a message saying VoLTE was working, only that we were connected to 4G which was a bit confusing.
The main issue though is getting older Androids or phones bought elsewhere to connect. This is an issue on both providers. And O2’s 4G isn’t quite as widespread as other networks, so VoLTE isn’t quite as useful.
Useful link: Read O2’s WiFi calling guide
Where to next within this guide?
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Networks with OK WiFi calling or none
Talkmobile, Tesco, giffgaff and spusu need some work
Here we’ve grouped Talkmobile, Tesco Mobile, giffgaff and spusu together as providers that have decent WiFi calling schemes but have a few issues that keep them from being placed any higher.
The main issue with Tesco, giffgaff and Talkmobile’s schemes is that their support for older Androids is very sparse. We especially ran into issues getting various Androids to work with Talkmobile’s scheme.
But these schemes are still good in terms of functionality. We could send and receive SMS texts just fine and transfer a call from WiFi to 4G signal without it dropping. It’s the phone support that lets them down.
For spusu, it’s the functionality that’s the issue. You can’t move from WiFi to 4G without the call dropping and audio quality is worse than on other providers. But it was simpler to get it working on older devices.
Useful link: Read Talkmobile’s FAQs page about their WiFi calling
There’s no WiFi calling on Lyca Mobile or Talk Home
✖ No WiFi calling on these providers
Lyca Mobile and Talk Home Mobile are two budget providers on EE’s network and both still don’t offer WiFi calling as a feature. They do have 4G calling, however, so you can still connect to calls and texts.
We tested Lyca’s 4G calling and found it worked fine. It kicked in right away and audio quality was good where we had decent signal. We haven’t tested Talk Home’s yet, but we imagine it’s pretty similar.
Neither network list their supported devices, but on Lyca it worked with every device we tried. It’s still a big downside that neither offer WiFi calling, as it’s not guaranteed that you’ll get good 4G in your home.
At the very least they both use EE’s excellent 4G network, so you can make the most of their 4G calling. But there’s not much excuse for providers not to have WiFi calling these days.
Useful link: Read Lyca Mobile’s guide to their 3G switch-off
More about how WiFi calling works
Calls and texts when you've not got mobile signal
✔ Most modern phones now include it
The basic point of WiFi calling is to allow your phone to connect to your mobile network via a WiFi connection, instead of conventional mobile phone signal. We've all experienced poor indoor signal. WiFi calling helps.
Where WiFi calling is different from using separate apps like WhatsApp or Skype is that it just works like normal on your phone. You make a call straight from your normal phone app or contacts. Same with SMS texts.
You'll be reachable via your regular phone number and it's what shows up when you call or text other people too. In fact, eventually you won't even think about it. It'll just work silently in the background, like 2G/3G/4G/5G.
Your phone and mobile network will need to support the feature though. Some networks don't. Older, more basic phones don't either. If your network doesn't have WiFi calling, your SIM will usually disable the option to turn it on, so you might still have it, even if you can't see it.
Useful link: See which networks we rate best for WiFi calling
WiFi calling is charged just like your normal minutes
✔ WiFi calls are billed in the usual way
There's not a mobile network in the UK that charges extra specifically for WiFi calling. It's now just considered one of the many ways your phone connects to a mobile network, like 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G.
That means you'll pay for WiFi calling just like you pay for any other call with your mobile provider. If you have a monthly allowance of minutes, WiFi calls come out of that. If it's unlimited, WiFi calls are unlimited.
If you pay as you go, WiFi calls cost your normal minutely rate. Some networks do only include WiFi calling on their pay monthly plans, so pay close attention to our rankings above.
WiFi calling doesn't use up your mobile data. Neither does its cousin 4G calling (VoLTE). But if your home broadband or public WiFi you're using does limit or charge for usage, WiFi calling will count towards that.
Useful link: Which UK networks have WiFi calling?
Downsides of WiFi calling and its limitations
✔ WiFi calling is mostly an improvement
WiFi calling isn't flawless. Over a good WiFi connection, you should notice an improvement in audio quality and clarity vs an old-fashioned 2G/3G call. But if your home or public WiFi is poor, it can cause choppy call quality.
We've also heard about issues with certain routers / broadband providers not working with WiFi calling on different mobile networks. There are so many potential combinations, issues are practically inevitable.
Fortunately, many phones and even mobile networks will avoid WiFi calling if the WiFi connection is poor. Most providers can also switch to a 4G call mid-call if WiFi drops out, to keep the call going without it dropping.
But it is still a downside to WiFi calling that you can only move to a 4G call mid-call. If there's no 4G near you and your WiFi connection drops, so will your call and you'll have to start again.
And finally, no UK mobile network provides WiFi calling while abroad. We think it's due to the complication of how a call is routed from your phone, to WiFi, to a foreign mobile network to your home network. Rather than it being mobile not wanting people to be able to do it.
Useful link: See SIM only plans with WiFi calling as a feature