WIFI Calling Preferences Being Forced to Cellular Preferred

It is definitely worth a try.  I'll give it a shot.

There is a big "however" involved here though.  The phone (or maybe T-Mobile One UI) has no business changing a setting that I have deliberately made.  That is not to say that on a case-by-case basis the phone/T-Mobile shouldn't opt to use cellular or wifi.    In this case I would interpret that to say: "Unless there is a reason not to, I very strongly suggest that you use ….".

I do have to say that I may have been incorrect on what was going on with specific reference to the S22 with the release date firmware.   I assumed that the phone was changing to cellular preferred, and that cellular (4G in my area) just didn't work well.  I now believe that there were dos things going on.  First, wifi calling just didn’t work at all with the release date (factory) firmware.  That is, it was completamente non-functional   That would explain why the phone was constantly reset to "cellular preferred".  Second, 4G calling had major problems that resulted in at least partially unusable calling (the first 5-30 seconds of 50% of the calls) was the problem.

Starting with the first (around 3/20/22??) firmware upgrade, wifi calling suddenly (apparently) started working.  When I had wifi calling turned on voice call were now 100% clear.  Suddenly I no longer had my preferences reset to "cellular preferred" except when I left home.  When leaving home it will sometimes change to "cellular preferred", but when reaching home to would revert back to "wifi preferred".  I still say it shouldn't do that ever though.

One of the reason I misinterpreted the major cause of the problem was that the phone UI does not clearly state the status of the call -- wifi vs. cellular".  That is still the case.  It really wouldn't hurt the to note that in that screen.  There is plenty of room.

So, at least for the S22 there is good news!  Still, T-Mobile needs the fix the "preference" problem.  T-Mobile also needs to train their support people better.  There was apparently at least a month where the S22 wifi calling didn't work.  Support should have know that.  They didn't.

I know this is an old issue, and I have also been seeking a solution for a LONG time, but I have cautious optimism that I may have discovered a solution. Samsung includes a "feature" called "Intelligent Wi-Fi" through its "Knox Ecosystem" that, apparently, attempts to adjust its phones to optimize data usage through the application of artificial intelligence to monitor user behavior over a period of time after which settings are automatically modified, including the prioritization of either wifi or cellular data for handling calls and/or texts. I recently noticed a notification on my handset informing me that it had automatically switched my wifi calling setting from wifi preferred to cellular preferred. For some reason, this prompted me to go to my actual wifi settings rather than my wifi calling settings, after which I tapped the 3-dots icon in the upper right corner and selected "Advanced" Wi-Fi settings. There I discovered a category called "Intelligent Wi-Fi" with a setting called "Switch to mobile data" turned ON, and that contained an explanation saying "Use mobile data whenever your Wi-Fi internet connection is slow or unstable." A little research revealed this article on Samsung's website: https://docs.samsungknox.com/admin/knox-platform-for-enterprise/kbas/kba-360034073174.htm, where I learned that Samsung had experienced problems in the past with users having their phones switched to cellular data against their wishes, causing them to update the software in the manner described in the article. This inspired me to turn the "Switch to mobile data" setting OFF, after which I have now gone several days without experiencing the dreaded automatic switching back to "Cellular preferred" on my Wi-Fi Calling feature. Not enough time has gone by for me to feel completely confident that this issue is resolved, but I am cautiously optimistic. We shall see.

Well, I was actually surprised recently.  My phone preferences automatically "optimized" briefly to "prefer wifi" rather than the other way around.  That was the first time I've seen that.  Either way, the phone/T-Mobile should never change a user preference.  It can/should change which way it chooses to make/receive a particular call, just not a preference.

I agree that it is likely some TMo bloat/firmware that is doing this since the VZW phone I was using didn’t have the problem.

Yes, I knew that they were likely just trying to get rid of me.  Since I'm retired I can take the time to go to Level 2/Manager support.  That is a task for this week now that I've done my research.

In the mean time I'm trying the Tasker hack that is supposed to automatically turn wi-fi preferred on if anything turns it off.  I don't know yet if that is going to help, but it is worth a try. 

Samsung support said that this isn't their problem since all wi-fi calling features are carrier specific.  I had to try.

I don't know if there is a root for the S22 yet.  Even if there is I probably won't do it yet since with a new model there is often a flurry of stock firmware updates for the first few months.  I've read that there is one coming.

Ken98045 wrote:

I was using an S21+ originally on the Verizon network and ported to TM.  This problem did no happen on that device.  I purchased a T-Mobile S22 Ultra and I immediately started getting this problem.

I have 1 - 2 bars cellular and 2 excellent Wi-Fi routers with a super high signal strength.  So, there is no possibility that anything is actually being "optimized".  '

I did call TM tech support.  They blamed Samsung.  It is very disconcerting that this problem has been going on for years!

I have no problem with the phone temporalmente switching to cellular if the phone sees a problem with wi-fi.  However, I have a major problem with them resetting the wi-fi preferred option I deliberately set.  That makes zero sense.  Suddenly a 30 second issue with Wi-Fi strength becomes a permanent preference for cellular???? 

This is a huge problem because all my calls are going from crystal clear wi-fi to very broken cellular.

At the very least if they "optimize" to cellular they should re-optimize back to wi-fi when wi-fi is better. Instead, it just goes in one direction.

 

 

I've been fighting this a LONG time.  I don't believe it to be a Samsung issue. They will tell you anything to get rid of you.  They DO know it is an issue for many.  Switching between WiFi calling and cell calling doesn't need to change the preferred method setting.  I've had inside sources tell me that it is TMo doing it.  They want you to use the cell system not WiFi which is why they keep pushing the change.  For those with good cell signal strength it doesn't matter, which is why they make the change.  For those with poor cell service it is a huge problem.  TMo needs to understand and stay out of your settings!

I too have a new S22U.  I did not automatically transfer across everything, but took the time to install new.  I purposely limited and avoided everything TMo related.  It has yet to happen to me on this phone.  I do not do auto updates and nothing TMo ever gets updated.  I am in the process of doing a debloat.  I will root this phone if I have to.

I was using an S21+ originally on the Verizon network and ported to TM.  This problem did no happen on that device.  I purchased a T-Mobile S22 Ultra and I immediately started getting this problem.

I have 1 - 2 bars cellular and 2 excellent Wi-Fi routers with a super high signal strength.  So, there is no possibility that anything is actually being "optimized".  '

I did call TM tech support.  They blamed Samsung.  It is very disconcerting that this problem has been going on for years!

I have no problem with the phone temporalmente switching to cellular if the phone sees a problem with wi-fi.  However, I have a major problem with them resetting the wi-fi preferred option I deliberately set.  That makes zero sense.  Suddenly a 30 second issue with Wi-Fi strength becomes a permanent preference for cellular???? 

This is a huge problem because all my calls are going from crystal clear wi-fi to very broken cellular.

At the very least if they "optimize" to cellular they should re-optimize back to wi-fi when wi-fi is better. Instead, it just goes in one direction.

Same issue for a long time.  I grabbed a screen shot the last time of the notification which says "WiFi calling preferences were auto updated..."  The key word there is auto.  I believe they periodically and automatically push down the change.  There has to be an advantage for them.

  I've called many times always having to go up 2 levels.  They deny it is happening nor that they have ever heard of it.  One time I talked to a tech that was quitting and he said his own phone does it and he couldn't get it resolved.

This needs to go to a class action law suit.  TMo has no right to change your phone settings.

I expect I will be leaving them as well.  What are our choices? I need a reliable phone.

Hola,

I am having same issue with T mobile (wifi calling preferred) so I do not have any signal in my phone and literally cant use for call or internet. I ported from ATT to T mobile and it seems like a scam. T mobile centre people do not have any idea about this issue or they pretend to be and call it unique problem and asked me to buy new phone. I recently bought phone and cant buy again just for this.

Please let me know if any solution you guys have for this issue

Gracias

I'm having the same issue, and I never get more than one or two bars at my house. The only thing that works is Airplane mode and turning the WiFI and WiFI calling back on. This is a terrible solution, but the only one that works.

@manotee well said. Ditto.