Sykes

Technically making a voice call using the Internet is not yet against FAA regulations. In the FAA reauthorization bill passed in October Congress mandated that the FAA create rules that ban in-flight voice calls, but the FAA has not yet actually taken action on that item.

Most airlines have rules prohibiting voice calls (and depending on how those rules are implemented they may carry the weight of regulation), but there are no current FAA regs against it.

nomad420

Well not mine, shuts it off I am on it now and can do it anytime. Absolute, wifi disabled. I am looking at it now. Don't know what you have but I suspect all iphones are like that. I do it all the time when I want to reset my wifi connection. Bluetooth off as well.

I knew you could turn them back on but when on "Air Plane Mode" ALL should be deactivated by default. Maybe some phones allow you to configure this but I would doubt that.

threeoh

Wow, so much misinformation on this thread.

As others have said, old version of iPhone turned off wifi when you activated airplane mode but allowed you to turn wifi back on while in airplane mode. This was how iOS operated for a long time.

New version doesn't turn off wifi when you hit the airplane mode button. I just tried it on my phone, still connected to wifi. iOS 12.01. This change is probably why some on this thread are saying different things.

Android obviously operates differently.

"Wifi calling", which some carriers support and others don't, allows you to route normal telephone calls (and SMS) over wifi in places where you can't get cell reception (works great in my basement). This is why OP's phone rang, not because they were briefly connected to a tower and not because they were using Skype, but because of a carrier-supported VOIP option that integrates seamlessly with the phone's "telephone" functionality. As some have reported, unlikely to actually work because the wifi provider blocks things that look like VOIP connections.

Wifi calling is great for when you're travelling abroad, too, and don't want to pay roaming charges.

n198ua

BThumme

I've had FT calls connect, mostly for stuff and giggles. I will never forget facetiming my gf for like 20 seconds on LAX-SIN somewhere over the Pacific ocean. It wasn't crystal clear, but it was doable for the 20 or so seconds. I went to the galley and mostly didn't talk. It's a pretty cool experience, one that I think many of the younger members here would appreciate, and older members not so much.

It's cool, but I also don't want to be "that guy".

WineCountryUA

VPN is not prohibited -- the use of wifi for streaming services or voice calls are prohibited. The poster was referring to the use of VPNs to do prohibited activities.

luke5111

I think you got it, WineCountry, although I thought they would have found a way to block that. We have lousy cell phone coverage in our home so I turned that on recently.

I had it on airplane mode so it wasn't on the cellular network. Pretty sure WineCountry's response was the reason but I didn't realise that would work

username

Different network protocols and network ports are used for different things and not all UA planes are setup the same way. That is why some things work and some things don't.

There is also this: Occasional Inflight iMessages Received (but didn't pay for access)

I use Wifi Calling all the time - even when I am home or in decent reception area. I put the iPhone on airplane mode and turn on Wifi. It drains the battery a lot slower and I guess the radiation is lower. I find the stability of Wifi calling varies - it seems to be related to the ISP. Since talking on the phone is not allowed and I am too cheap to pay for inflight Wifi, I have never tried it in-flight.

Even when I don't pay for inflight Wifi, I do sometimes get notifications from the CBS App and the Vonage App. Then the discovery about iMessage working. My Wifi Calling icon has never shown up on my phone inflight but that is probably because I did not pay for Wifi.

You wonder how we will look at this thread 10 years from now

jsloan

Current versions of iOS store the WiFi and Bluetooth status from the last time you used airplane mode. If either (or both) was (were) connected the last time you turned airplane mode off, it (they ) will be reenabled the next time you turn it on.

nomad420

While perhaps not entirely for this forum but I am a little surprised Apple did that. "Air Plane" mode should always shut ALL transmission communication including wifi/ bluetooth down. Yes you can turn on as an option some of the other modalities (ie. wifi) and I will often do that but seems strange the current default (not on mine but I have a 6S+) is now what was on or off when you turned airplane mode off the last time. Look I personally don't believe it makes a huge difference as far as air safety but that is an argument for elsewhere but as long as some feel emitting a signal from any cell device should not happen during take off then the default I feel should be ALL off JMHO.

LordHamster

Since US airlines now allow both wifi and bluetooth to be used during all stages of the flight, in the US at least, Apple's implementation makes sense. IMHO

lincolnjkc

Yeah, when wifi was first rolling out I did a Skype for Business (formerly known as Lync) video call with a coworker just to see viability. Didn't want to be "that guy" so I don't think I even said anything but listened to him [via headset, of course) and IMed back without any issues for the couple minutes we had the call up. Since we have PSTN interconnection with S4B it certainly means voice calls would be viable -- but I am in the camp of "I really don't want to listen to the lawyer blabberhead from the UC continue his case management/strategy call at 30,000 feet, TYVM"

jmanirish

My, uh, friend took a conference call on the wifi (via regular iPhone wifi calling with AT&T). It was unavoidable due to a flight delay, and he only had to listen in (not speak or disturb anyone). He said it made it 30 minutes without issue.

kenn0223

nomad420

That assumes you get decent WiFi service on your flight and that is far from a given, there is an entire thread dealing with UA 's abysmal WiFi service. I now only rarely buy it as I have had so many issues over the past several years.