Vodafone has become the second UK operator to announce native Wi-Fi calling, with the service set to roll out to customers in the coming months.
The operator had been expected to launch the tech alongside voice over LTE during the summer. It said Wi-Fi calling was the first of several “future voice services” to be launched, although gave no date for the VoLTE launch.
Wi-Fi calling will be available to any contract customer with a compatible handset. Vodafone will not charge customers for the service.
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Vodafone UK Consumer Director Cindy Rose said: “Our Wi-Fi calling service allows customers to talk to loved ones, friends and colleagues for longer and in many more places. It is easy to use and doesn’t cost a penny more.
“It works wherever a customer is connected to Wi-Fi, in a café, at home or the office, and automatically connects just like a normal call when a mobile signal is weak or non-existent.”
She added: “Vodafone Wi-Fi Calling is one of a series of future voice services we are launching for our customers over the next few months.”
EE launched Wi-Fi calling in April but is continuing to test its VoLTE service as it preps it for launch later this year.
EE and Vodafone’s rivals O2 and Three both offer their own forms of Wi-Fi calling, although they are both in-app rather than native to a handset’s dialler.
Last month, Vodafone UK was one of the winners in the sell-off of Qualcomm’s L-band spectrum.