WiFi Calling Keeps Turning Off And Low Receive Signal

[RFtech53]

All,

I had posted about my WiFi Calling turning itself off. For some reason after a Moderator replied to my post, I can no longer reply. It keeps telling me that either I didn't verify my email address when I signed up (I'm getting email replies when someone posts), or something else I can't remember. So here we go.

The Moderator was likely blaming my WiFi router, and telling me I'd probably need to buy an amp ($400 for a good one), or buy a newer router.  I'm not about to do that after spending money on an expensive S21+.  I shouldn't need to. According to US Cellular's maps, I'm in a strong signal area and should even get 5G. Nope. Never seen the 5G icon at my home. And someone I see "No Cellular Service". 

My Asus AC66R is fully updated to the latest firmware and put's out a strong -35dBm signal. And I also have repeaters in the house where I need them. Oh, and I work at a large company that has about 1000 repeaters that are less than a year old, plus a state-of-the-art WiFi system in the building. My WiFI Calling turns itself off there too. There's several repeaters just in the lab I work in. 

Further, he stated that WiFi Calling is a Carrier specific function and so it has to be a carrier problem, not a phone problem. NOT !  WiFi Calling "ability" is carrier specific. The "function" of being able to turn it on or off IS WITHIN THE PHONE'S SOFTWARE. The carrier has no ability to turn my WiFi Calling switch on or off. Strike two from Samsung Support.

Last night while trying to turn it on, it kept asking me for my 911 info which I'd already put in a few days back. Every time I'd press on ACCEPT, it would loop back and ask me to put it in again ... over and over and over. It would never turn on the WiFi Calling then. That smells to me like a software issue.  But I'll admit, it could be a hardware issue too. 

I just got off the phone with US Cellular's technicians, and heard two very interesting things:

1. The problem with WiFi Calling does not happen with ANY other brand of phone they sell ... only Samsung. He rattled off about 6 other brands they sell ... no WiFi Calling issues with any of them. Only Samsung. It is a known issue that they have talked to Samsung about many times according to this technician. 

2. The weak signal receive that is making me need to use WiFi Calling (never had to before with any other phone I used including a Samsung S8+) is ALSO a known problem with the S21 phones. They've also talked to Samsung about this.

I wish I'd known all of this prior to buying a Samsung S21+.  And the other mistake I made was buying the phone directly from Samsung,  having to deal with support staff there that don't know what they're talking about, and shipping phones back and forth.

Oh ... I'm an RF Engineering Technician for a large Aerospace company. I don't know much about cell phones. But I do understand software and RF signals. 

[user751201tmO21]

So this is a sporadic issue with Sammy phones?

I ask because my wife and I both have S21s and exclusively use Wifi calling because we both WFH, so only use cellular when we're off property. We've not experienced this issue.

Did you purchase through US Cellular, or from Samsung?

[user751201tmO21]

Also, you're saying the S21s have an issue with cell reception?

We live on acreage in a rural area, so cell towers are not "everywhere" like around a city ... as you can see, I've got full bars on my phone (we're on the AT&T network)

[RFtech53]

Hello, the phone was purchased directly from Samsung as I mentioned in my post. also if you Google S21 Weak Signal, I believe you'll find more posts from others. I don't think they are all on US CELLULAR but I can't swear to that right now.

[user751201tmO21]

.
What's your dBm and asu?

[RFtech53]

-118dBm (I'm an Engineering RF Technician ... we'd call that signal level "way down in the mud"). asu is 23.

[user751201tmO21]

Yea, I found your post in another thread, where you stated

"Mine's horrible on my S21+. Almost -120dBm. I believe -113dBm is the weakest signal that is acceptable. "

But I'm confused ... you state -113 is the weakest signal ... the lower to zero you go, the better

Mine is currently -99 dbm 41 asu, inside the house.

[RFtech53]

That's a common misconception. The smaller the negative number, the stronger the signal. So -35dBm is much stronger than -110 dBm. https://www.wilsonamplifiers.com/blog/how-to-read-cell-phone-signal-strength-the-right-way/

[RFtech53]

I just looked at my phone and WiFi Calling has totally disappeared. I can't turn it on or off. the choice is gone. Samsung has a new phone on the way. Hopefully it will work better.

[RFtech53]

After a reboot ... The WiFi Calling choice came back. Yeah ... Twilight Zone