What is VoWiFi?

• Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), India’s premier state-owned telecommunications provider, announced the nationwide rollout of Voice over WiFi (VoWiFi) on January 1.

• VoWiFi is also known as Wi-Fi calling. 

• VoWiFi enables customers to make and receive voice calls and messages over a WiFi network, ensuring clear and reliable connectivity in areas with weak mobile signals such as homes, offices, basements, and remote locations.

• VoWiFi is an IMS-based service that supports seamless handovers between WiFi and mobile networks. 

• Calls are made using the customer’s existing mobile number and phone dialer, without the need for third-party applications.

• VoWiFi is supported on most modern smartphones. Customers only need to enable WiFi calling in their handset settings.

• The service is now available to BSNL customers across all telecom circles in the country. 

• The service is particularly beneficial in rural and remote areas where mobile coverage may be limited, provided a stable WiFi connection is available. 

• VoWiFi also helps reduce network congestion and is offered free of cost, with no additional charges for WiFi calls.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)