On January 1st 2017 our already spotty cell phone (mobile) coverage got a little worse as AT&T discontinued their 2G cell network. Most current smart phones and tablets are designed for 3G and 4G – those generations of technology support the kinds of internet activity and voice that we have become accustomed to expecting.

The jargon for signal strength is mentioned as ‘how many bars’ you have on your phone. There is an icon on the phone that looks like a stairway with small steps leading to larger steps, these are the ‘bars’. Keep in mind that some phones do not confirm those bars automatically very quickly and it may say that you have three bars of signal because that is the last signal tested by the phone by the time you make a call the three bars will get tested and you may see you have no bars at all. If you are walking about the Sunrise Ranch campus you may notice the falling bars.

To address this, Robby has over the year upgraded most of the mobile phones on the ranch to current models. All iPhones 5c  and Android 6 and newer, have features, such as WIFI calling, that can help us bridge the gaps of coverage. In addition over the years Robby has systematically installed MicroCell devices which can be programmed to boost the signal on particular mobile phones for a localized area.

Here are some explanations and suggestions about how to get the most out of your phone. If you need help with these please put in a care desk ticket and we’ll get to you. We may also set up a noontime ‘lunch and learn’ about this next week (stay tuned for the day, won’t be Monday or Wednesday).

Thanks, Atom and the IT team

1.  MicroCell : The microcell or ‘M-Cell’ as we often refer, is a smallish (3-4 inch) square device that stands on its side it typically has a Cisco label some of the older ones are white and a little larger.. The MCell is programmed on-line to help boost the signal of up to 15 authorized phones but only 4 can be active on any one mcell concurrently but these phones must be programmed into the device for it to boost them. It uses our wired internet to boost the signal but is not the same as wifi calling. It will support the programmed phone in voice, data, and texting.

a.  The issue with these MCell is that you might need coverage in more places than the one where you are programmed.

b.  Many residents have had to ask to be programmed into MCell in new offices or residences when they move

c.  Since only 15 phones are authorized and only 4 concurrently active are supported, very busy areas need multiple MCell and not all numbers can be programmed into each one, jeez! This is one of the reasons for Wifi Calling (see below).

d.  There is nothing you need to do with your phone. Only IT can program the MCell so please fill out a care desk ticket caredesk@sunriseranch.org if you are not receiving a boosted signal where you work or live and we can check on the programming.

e.  You can often tell on your phone if the MicroCell is in use as it will show on the phone home display ‘MicroCell’

2.  WIFI Calling: Wifi calling is exactly what it says, the call instead of using the cell network in the ‘air’ uses our WIFI system. The phone when set to WIFI Calling will attempt to make its call via cell signal, THEN MCELL, and if there is insufficient signal will then switch and make the call on the WIFI that is connected to it at that location.

a.  WIFI Calling requires that you are in an area covered by a WIFI signal and that your phone has wifi turned on. This means that the main campus which has a single zone wifi should work fine and in your residence you should also have a wifi signal. If you do not use wifi in your home let IT know and we can confirm that a wifi router is available to get you that signal.

  i.  To turn on WIFI on Android go to Apps/Settings/Connections/WIFI and turn it on and make certain it is connected to a local wifi source.

  ii.  To turn on WIFI on iPhones go to Settings > WiFi and turn it on.

  iii.  Once this is turned on you will see the wifi icon displayed in the top area of your phone.

b.  Wifi calling itself must be enabled (this works only on the more current phones, old versions of applie or android phones will not have this option). Having wifi connected helps you use smart phone features like internet but it does not enable WIFI calling automatically.

  i.  To activate wifi calling on Android go to Apps/Settings/Connections/WIFI Calling and turn it on. You must be connected to a wifi source to do this. It takes a few minutes to activate.

  ii.  To turn on WIFI on iPhones Go to Settings > Phone > Wi-Fi Calling

  iii.  Once this is turned on you will see the wifi calling icon displayed in the top area of the phone

NOTE: Some people have found that the MCell signal that the phone attempts to use after the cell signal ‘in the air’ is pretty weak and if they set their phone to Airplane Mode and use Wifi calling it is actually better (but remember to take it out of airplane mode later or you will not get calls out of the Wifi area.

To enable wifi calling on an iPhone

1. Go to Settings > Phone > Wi-Fi Calling and make sure that Wi-Fi Calling is on.

Full instructions on the below page:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203032

For lots more information on wifi calling:

Here is the info:
Make a call with Wi-Fi Calling (for iPhone)

With Wi-Fi Calling, you can place a phone call if you have a Wi-Fi connection in an area with little or no cellular coverage. Learn how to make a voice call using Wi-Fi Calling.

To use Wi-Fi Calling, you need an iPhone 5c or later on a supported carrier.

Place Wi-Fi calls from your iPhone

Turn on Wi-Fi calling in Settings > Phone > Wi-Fi Calling. You might need to enter or confirm your address for emergency services.*

If Wi-Fi Calling is available, you’ll see Wi-Fi after your carrier name in the status bar. Then your calls will use Wi-Fi Calling.

*When cellular service is available, your iPhone uses it for emergency calls. If you turned on Wi-Fi Calling and cellular service isn't available, emergency calls might use Wi-Fi calling. Your device's location may be used to aid response efforts when you place an emergency call, regardless of whether you enable Location Services.

Here is what I found for Android devices:
https://www.google.com/amp/www.howtogeek.com/234608/how-to-enable-wi-fi-calling-on-an-android-phone/amp/?client=safari

How to Enable Wi-Fi Calling on an Android Phone

Wi-Fi calling allows your smartphone to place and receive phone calls, as well as send and receive SMS messages over Wi-Fi instead of the cellular network. Your phone will seamlessly hand off to the cellular network when you move out of Wi-FI range.

Android phones have supported this for longer than the iPhone has, but often just with customized Android devices purchased from the cellular carrier itself. There are also other Wi-Fi calling solutions you can use, including Google Hangouts, Google Voice, and Skype.

Enable Android’s Wi-Fi Calling Support

This feature is now integrated into the latest versions of Android in a more standard way. One day, you’ll hopefully be able to get any Android phone and enable Wi-Fi calling on any cellular carrier’s network if that carrier supports it, just as you can with iPhones.

If Wi-Fi calling is an option, you should find it in a standard place. Open the Settings app on your Android phone and tap the “More” or “More Settings” button under Wireless & network.

You’ll see a “Wi-Fi Calling” option here — activate it to enable the feature. If you don’t want to use Wi-FI calling, you can disable it from here, too.