MONTREAL – Videotron said Monday that it is the first Canadian carrier to launch Wi-Fi calling, allowing customers to place toll-free calls over Wi-Fi to local numbers or back to Canada from over one hundred countries.
Customers must have a mobile device that supports voice over LTE (VoLTE), have a mobile plan and SIM card that are compatible with VoLTE, and have the VoLTE feature in their account, the Quebec wireless carrier said Monday. Calls and texts can be made as usual without using an app.
Currently, the service can be used on the iPhone 7, 7+, 8, 8+ and X, as well as Samsung S7 and S7 Edge, though the company said that other devices will be added in the coming weeks.
Videotron added that voice over Wi-Fi technology takes over from the mobile network and routes calls in areas where cell coverage is suboptimal, such as basements, tunnels and buildings.
“We are confident that this new generation of mobile voice services will meet our customers’ needs and make their lives easier when they’re travelling and when they’re not,” said marketing VP Bertrand Hébert, in the news release. “Videotron is strongly committed to mobile innovation and is constantly testing the technological limits to provide the best possible customer experience.”
More information on Wi-Fi calling is available here.
