Wi-Fi Calling: Enable It on Jio, Airtel, Vi and BSNL

The short answer

With Wi-Fi calling (also called VoWiFi), your phone places and receives ordinary calls on your usual number through a Wi-Fi network instead of the mobile tower, so you stay reachable inside a building where the network is poor. Jio, Airtel and BSNL add no extra fee for it (an active plan is still required), while Vi bills these calls according to your plan in the circles named on its website, Madhya Pradesh among them. Leave VoLTE switched on and enable Wi-Fi Calling from the SIM or mobile network settings on Android (Samsung keeps it in Settings → Connections), or go to Settings → Mobile Data → Wi-Fi Calling on an iPhone (iPhones with two SIMs name that menu Mobile Service).

Below you’ll find what every operator provides, what your handset must have, and exactly where each brand hides the toggle.

Customers rarely walk into Mobivault, our shop in Bhopal, complaining that calls cut out indoors, and the few who do have usually heard of Wi-Fi calling already. This guide is for those times when the setting can’t be located or simply refuses to work.

In this article8 sections

Which operators offer Wi-Fi calling, and what it costs
What has to be in place first
Switching on Wi-Fi calling on Android phones
Switching on Wi-Fi Calling on an iPhone
Checking that Wi-Fi calling is active
No Wi-Fi calling option, or calls failing? Work through these fixes
Common questions
Sources

Which operators offer Wi-Fi calling, and what it costs

Network	Where it works	Charges	Operator page
Jio	All over India, over any Wi-Fi connection	Nothing extra, though an active voice plan is required	Jio Wi-Fi Calling
Airtel	Every circle apart from Jammu & Kashmir, using any broadband line or Wi-Fi hotspot	Free of extra cost; billed the same as an ordinary call under your plan	Airtel Wi-Fi Calling
Vi	Limited to the circles Vi names: Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Kolkata, Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra & Goa, Mumbai, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, UP East, UP West and West Bengal (Vi’s pages don’t fully agree with one another, so double-check with Vi if you live in Andhra Pradesh or Telangana)	Billed according to your plan: no charge on unlimited packs, base tariff on the rest	Vi WiFi Calling
BSNL	Live in every telecom circle (nationwide rollout announced on 1 January 2026)	Wi-Fi calls carry no additional charge	PIB release on BSNL VoWiFi

Taken from the operators’ own websites and BSNL’s PIB announcement; last checked on 10 October 2026.

These calls run on your Wi-Fi data rather than eating into your mobile data pack. By Airtel’s estimate, five minutes of talking needs under 5 MB. You can ring any number on any network, and the person at the other end doesn’t need Wi-Fi calling on their side.

What has to be in place first

Three things must line up for Wi-Fi calling to work: the handset, the operator and the settings. Go through this checklist before anything else:

A compatible handset. Whether it works comes down to the model, the software it runs and your operator. Jio and Vi each offer a handset checker on their Wi-Fi calling pages. BSNL’s announcement gives no list of phones; instead, it tells customers to go to a BSNL customer service centre or ring BSNL’s mobile helpline (1503 from a BSNL number, 1800-180-1503 from other networks).
Up-to-date software. Airtel and Vi want you to install the newest software update before anything else. For iPhones, Apple explains that updates to network provider (carrier) settings can bring support for features like Wi-Fi Calling.
VoLTE turned on. Jio, Airtel and Vi all tell you to leave VoLTE and Wi-Fi Calling both enabled. On some handsets VoLTE shows up as HD Voice or VoLTE calls. You’ll normally find it in the same mobile network menu as the 5G toggle, so our walkthrough for when 5G isn’t showing can point you to that menu on your brand.
An active plan on a 4G or 5G SIM. Airtel requires an Airtel 4G SIM, Vi a 5G-ready SIM (Vi’s 4G SIMs already are 5G-ready), and Jio an active tariff plan. BSNL’s announcement is silent on the SIM type, so check with BSNL if no Wi-Fi Calling option shows up.
Wi-Fi that actually works. It needn’t be broadband from your own operator: Jio accepts any Wi-Fi network, Airtel names every broadband provider, Vi is fine with any Wi-Fi, and BSNL points to Bharat Fiber or other broadband. Expect poor call quality on a slow or patchy connection.
Airplane mode switched off. According to Airtel and Vi, Wi-Fi calling won’t function while airplane mode is on.

Switching on Wi-Fi calling on Android phones

Join a Wi-Fi network before you begin. The toggle generally sits among the SIM or mobile network settings (on Samsung, look under Connections), and it tends to appear only when the handset and the operator both support the feature. With two SIMs, enable it for whichever SIM you’ll make calls from. Expect menu names to vary slightly from one software version to the next.

Samsung Galaxy phones

Go to Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi Calling.
Flip the switch on. With two SIMs, enable it for the one you’ll be calling from (SIM 1 or SIM 2).

Samsung India gives a second route as well: in the Phone app, tap More → Settings → Wi-Fi Calling. Certain models also have a Wi-Fi Calling tile in Quick settings that you can tap.

Google Pixel phones

Go to Settings → Network & internet → SIMs.
Choose your operator’s SIM and select Wi-Fi calling.
Switch on Use Wi-Fi calling, then make a test call.

If the option is nowhere to be seen, Google says that means the feature isn’t supported by your operator.

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO phones

Go to Settings → SIM cards & mobile networks. Certain HyperOS versions name this menu Mobile networks instead.
Pick the SIM you’ll be calling from.
Enable Make calls using Wi-Fi.

vivo and iQOO phones

Go to Settings → SIM card & mobile network. Some versions place it at Network & internet → SIMs & mobile network instead.
Select the SIM you plan to use.
Enable VoWiFi, which some versions label Make calls using Wi-Fi.

According to vivo, the switch comes on by default with some operators. If your screens don’t match these steps, type VoWiFi into the Settings search bar at the top.

OPPO, realme and OnePlus phones

Go to Settings → Mobile network. On older versions the same menu appears as Dual SIM & mobile network, SIM card & mobile data or Wi-Fi & internet → SIM & network. Still can’t spot it? Search for Wi-Fi calling from the bar at the top of Settings.
Select the SIM you’ll call from, and then choose Wi-Fi calling.
Switch it on. Where a calling preference is offered, realme recommends picking Wi-Fi calling preferred.

Switching on Wi-Fi Calling on an iPhone

Jio’s minimum requirement is an iPhone 6s or newer. On Apple’s list of features for Indian operators (updated February 2026), Wi-Fi Calling appears for Airtel and Jio. Vi’s handset list covers iPhones up to the iPhone 15 series, even though Apple’s list doesn’t show Wi-Fi Calling for Vi, and BSNL doesn’t feature on Apple’s list at all. Vi or BSNL users on an iPhone should update iOS and install any pending network provider settings update. Still no Wi-Fi Calling option after that? Check with your operator.

Go to Settings → Mobile Data. If your iPhone carries two SIMs (or one SIM plus an eSIM), the menu is named Mobile Service instead; Apple’s guide refers to it as Cellular too.
With two SIMs, scroll down to the line you’d like Wi-Fi Calling on, such as Jio or Airtel, and tap it.
Choose Wi-Fi Calling, then switch on Wi-Fi Calling on This iPhone.
Press Enable. You might be asked to type in or confirm an address for emergency services.

Tip: No Wi-Fi Calling option? Join a Wi-Fi network and head to Settings → General → About; any pending network provider settings update will pop up with a prompt to install it. A few operator pages still give the old route, Settings → Phone → Wi-Fi Calling, but Apple now places the switch within the mobile data settings.

Checking that Wi-Fi calling is active

iPhone: Pull up Control Centre. When Wi-Fi Calling is available, the status bar reads “Wi-Fi” and your calls go through Wi-Fi Calling.
Pixel: During a call over Wi-Fi, “Wi-Fi calling” or “Internet call” appears on the notification screen.
Other Android phones: Check the top status bar for a Wi-Fi calling or VoWiFi icon; Vi says it shows up during a call. Each brand draws the icon a little differently.

For a quick test, join your Wi-Fi, move to the corner where reception is worst and call someone. Should the Wi-Fi cut out mid-call, Airtel says the call moves over to VoLTE through a seamless handover (with VoLTE off, it drops instead), and BSNL says its own service likewise passes smoothly between Wi-Fi and mobile networks.

No Wi-Fi calling option, or calls failing? Work through these fixes

Confirm the service is offered in your area. Vi covers only some circles, and Jammu & Kashmir falls outside Airtel’s coverage.
Install the latest software. iPhone users should also look in Settings → General → About for a network provider settings update.
Make sure VoLTE is enabled for that SIM, and then toggle Wi-Fi Calling off and back on.
Reboot the phone. Per Google, a phone that detects problems with Wi-Fi calling disables the feature until they’re sorted out, and you may have to reboot it or contact your operator to get it switched back on.
Test the Wi-Fi itself. Check that the internet is really working, power-cycle the router by unplugging it and plugging it in again, or switch to another Wi-Fi network. Apple points out that Wi-Fi Calling isn’t compatible with every Wi-Fi network.
Switch off airplane mode. Airtel and Vi both say Wi-Fi calling won’t run while it’s on.
Reset network settings only as a final resort. On an iPhone, open Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Reset → Reset Network Settings. Doing this erases saved Wi-Fi networks along with their passwords, so have your Wi-Fi password ready. On a Pixel, go to Settings → System → Reset options → Reset mobile network settings; on Xiaomi, use Settings → Connection & sharing → Reset Wi-Fi, mobile networks, and Bluetooth.
Get in touch with your operator and ask them to confirm that Wi-Fi calling is activated for your number and handset. For BSNL, dial 1503 from a BSNL number or 1800-180-1503 from any other network.

When a customer brings a phone to Mobivault with the Wi-Fi Calling option missing, the culprit we run into most often is VoLTE being turned off for that SIM. Switch VoLTE back on and the option returns.

Warning: Wi-Fi calling isn’t something to depend on in an emergency. Jio states that emergency numbers and short codes relying on location services, such as 100, 101, 102, 108 and 112, can’t be dialled over Wi-Fi calling. Apple says an iPhone will use the mobile network for emergency calls whenever one is available.

Mobivault shop note: When someone struggling with poor signal at home or in the office asks us about buying a new phone, the first thing we check is whether the handset they already own supports Wi-Fi calling on their operator.

Common questions

Will I pay anything extra for Wi-Fi calls?

Not with Jio, Airtel or BSNL, which all say there’s no additional charge. Airtel bills a Wi-Fi call just like an ordinary call on your plan, while Vi charges these calls according to your tariff plan, which makes them free on unlimited plans. The data for the call comes out of your Wi-Fi connection.

Can I use any Wi-Fi, or does it have to be my operator’s broadband?

In most cases any Wi-Fi will do. Jio says it runs on any Wi-Fi network, Airtel’s list takes in every broadband provider plus Wi-Fi hotspots, Vi is happy with any Wi-Fi, and BSNL refers to Bharat Fiber or other broadband. Some Wi-Fi networks aren’t compatible with Wi-Fi Calling, as Apple points out, so try a different network if calls keep failing, and keep in mind that clear calls need a stable connection.

Must the other person have Wi-Fi calling as well?

No. According to Airtel and Vi, you can reach any number on any network, even when the person you’re calling has a phone without Wi-Fi calling support.

Do SMS and OTPs come through when I’m on Wi-Fi calling?

Airtel says Wi-Fi calling handles texts (SMS and MMS) along with calls, and BSNL says its service covers both calls and messages. Jio’s and Vi’s Wi-Fi calling pages say nothing about SMS. If OTPs still aren’t reaching you, our OTP SMS not received guide can help.

Can I make calls when my phone shows zero signal bars?

Generally, yes; that’s the whole point of the feature. Apple pitches it for spots where mobile coverage is thin or missing altogether, and Vi adds that signal strength isn’t critical, because the call relies on Wi-Fi. Your operator’s SIM still has to be active and inside the phone, though, and Google notes that only certain operators allow Wi-Fi calling without mobile service, so try it out at home before depending on it.

Wi-Fi Calling in India: Switch It On for Jio, Airtel, Vi and BSNL

Which operators offer Wi-Fi calling, and what it costs

What has to be in place first