Only about 25% of mobile phone users are frequently taking advantage of Wi-Fi calling, according to a new survey by network benchmarking company Global Wireless Solutions.
Wi-Fi calling is a free service that doesn’t require a separate application or log-in — but it does require a consumer to take the time to go through a simple set-up process on their mobile phones. GWS surveyed around 5,000 consumers and said that its survey results “are even more surprising, because [we found] Wi-Fi calling is not being used in places where cellular service isn’t available or there can be poor signal issues –including the home.”
Only 25% of those surveyed said they were using Wi-Fi calling “often,” compared to 32% who responded that they either had never heard of Wi-Fi calling or didn’t know how to turn it on. Another 18% said they had turned on the feature but didn’t know how often they were actually using it.
When consumers did use Wi-Fi calling, though, they generally had a good experience with it. Among the survey respondents, 88% who had used Wi-Fi calling said that it worked as well or better than cellular, while 12% who had used Wi-Fi calling ended up turning the feature off because the call performance was worse than their cellular connection.
Asked where they use their mobile phone the most, half of respondents said at home, compared to in the local area (17%), at work (15%) and while commuting (12%).
GWS also asked consumers about factors that will play into their next decision on cellular service contract or purchases. The top three factors were monthly contract cost (19% of those surveyed said it was a factor), the value they felt they were getting for the money (18%) and network reliability (18%). Network coverage (16%), network speed (13%), mobile device cost (8%), availability of a specific mobile device (4%) and contract length (3%) also will impact their decision, consumers reported.
