Turn on wifi calling in your phone settings if your mobile signal is weak at home, at work or anywhere else with good wifi. Wifi calling, also called VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi), lets your phone make and receive normal calls and text messages over a wifi network instead of the mobile network. You keep your own number, you do not need an app, and in Belgium the calls cost the same as normal calls. Proximus, Orange Belgium and Telenet/BASE all offer wifi calling, and most smartphones sold in recent years support it. There is one catch that many people only discover on holiday: Belgian operators switch wifi calling off when you leave the country. Below you find what wifi calling is, how to turn it on for iPhone and Android, when it is free, why it stops working abroad and how to keep calling when you travel.
What is wifi calling?
Wifi calling is a phone setting that sends your normal calls over wifi when the mobile network is weak. Your phone picks the best connection by itself, so a call can start on wifi in your kitchen and continue on 4G when you walk outside. It solves the problem described in our guide on why mobile coverage in Belgium can be bad: thick walls, basements, new buildings with insulated glass and rural areas far from a mast.
Normal mobile call | Wifi calling | WhatsApp or app call | |
|---|---|---|---|
Network | 4G or 5G | Wifi | Wifi or mobile data |
Your phone number | Yes | Yes | No, the app account |
App needed | No | No | Yes, on both phones |
Can call any number | Yes | Yes | Only other app users |
Cost in Belgium | Your call minutes | Your call minutes | Data only |
Emergency calls (112) | Yes | Yes | No |
How to turn on wifi calling
Wifi calling only works when your operator, your phone and your SIM card all support it. Most iPhones since the iPhone 5S and Samsung Galaxy phones sold in Belgium since 2017 are compatible.
Phone | Where to find wifi calling |
|---|---|
iPhone | Settings, Phone, Wifi Calling: switch on Wifi Calling on This iPhone (on some versions under Settings, Mobile Data, Wifi Calling) |
Samsung | Phone app, the three dots, Settings: switch on Wifi Calling |
Google Pixel | Settings, Network and internet, SIMs: choose your SIM and switch on Wifi Calling |
Other Android phones | Settings, Mobile network or Call settings: look for Wifi Calling or VoWiFi |
When wifi calling is active, you see "Wifi" next to your operator name on an iPhone or a small phone and wifi icon in the status bar on Android. If you do not find the setting, install the latest software update first, because operators often switch the feature on through an update.
Which Belgian operators support wifi calling?
All three Belgian network operators support wifi calling in Belgium, according to the telecom regulator BIPT.
Operator | Wifi calling in Belgium | Wifi calling abroad |
|---|---|---|
Proximus | Yes | No |
Orange Belgium | Yes, including Tempo prepaid cards | No, not even in the EU |
Telenet / BASE | Yes | Ask your operator |
Other brands (Scarlet, Mobile Vikings, Digi and others) | Depends on your plan | Ask your operator |
Is wifi calling free?
Wifi calling costs the same as a normal call in Belgium. Calls come off your call minutes, and calls to international or premium numbers are charged at the normal rate. Wifi calling does not use your mobile data, because it runs over the wifi network you are connected to.
Wifi calling abroad
Wifi calling does not work abroad with Proximus or Orange Belgium, even on hotel wifi inside the EU. As soon as your phone connects to a foreign network, the feature switches off and your calls go over the local mobile network with roaming.
The practical alternative is to call over mobile data with WhatsApp, Signal or FaceTime Audio. These calls use very little data, based on Firsty's guide on how much data WhatsApp uses:
What you do | Data used |
|---|---|
WhatsApp voice call | 0.3 to 0.5 MB per minute |
WhatsApp video call | About 5 MB per minute |
WhatsApp message | Under 1 KB |
Google Maps navigation | 3 to 5 MB per hour |
A 15 minute call home every day for a week | About 50 MB |
Public wifi works for these calls too, but read our guide on mobile data versus public wifi before you rely on hotel or airport networks.
Should wifi calling be on or off?
Leave wifi calling on. Your phone only uses it when wifi gives a better connection than the mobile network, so there is no downside in normal use.
Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
Calls work in basements and thick walled buildings | Call quality depends on your wifi |
Same number and same price as normal calls | Does not work abroad with most Belgian operators |
No app needed, works with any number | Calls can drop when you walk out of wifi range on older phones |
Emergency calls to 112 remain possible | Some company or hotel networks block it |
Calling that works wherever you are
Good calling should not depend on which room you are in or which country you are visiting. Firsty's mobile plans are made for people who live in Belgium, with unlimited local calls and texts and data that keeps working abroad. The Firsty 15 GB plan costs €6.50 a month billed yearly and includes 1 GB in 176 countries, the Firsty 100 GB plan costs €15 a month billed yearly with 2 GB in 176 countries, and Firsty World costs €25 a month billed yearly with unlimited data in Belgium and the EU and 50 GB in 176 countries. No contract, no roaming setting to remember and no surprise bill. Every connection Firsty sells also connects someone in Belgium who needs it, not as charity, but as how the business works. Belgian plans launch soon, so join the waiting list at Firsty.app.
FAQ
What is wifi calling?
Wifi calling is a phone setting that lets you make normal calls and send text messages over a wifi network instead of the mobile network. You keep your own number and do not need an app.
Does wifi calling cost money?
In Belgium, wifi calling costs the same as a normal call and comes off your call minutes. It does not use your mobile data, because the call runs over wifi.
Does wifi calling work abroad?
Not with Proximus or Orange Belgium, which only allow wifi calling inside Belgium. Abroad, use WhatsApp or another app over mobile data, which takes about 0.3 to 0.5 MB per minute.
How do I turn on wifi calling on an iPhone?
Go to Settings, Phone, Wifi Calling and switch on Wifi Calling on This iPhone. If you do not see the option, update your iPhone and check that your operator supports wifi calling.
What is the difference between wifi calling and VoLTE?
VoLTE makes normal calls over the 4G mobile network, and wifi calling (VoWiFi) makes normal calls over wifi. Both use your normal number and your phone switches between them by itself.
Can I call 112 with wifi calling?
Yes. Emergency calls to 112 and 100 remain possible with wifi calling in Belgium, just like on the mobile network. This is one of the main differences with WhatsApp and other app calls, which cannot reach emergency numbers.
