Your mobile network is down. Maybe it’s AT&T, which went down for many users on Thursday. Or maybe it’s another service a week, a month, or a year from now.
But you really have to make a call. How do you do it?
The short answer: You need a Wi-Fi connection. If you have this, there are a few ways to overcome it.
Wi-Fi calling
First, make sure Wi-Fi calling is enabled in your phone’s settings. iPhone users can turn on Wi-Fi calling by going to Settings and then turning on Wi-Fi calling on the cellular settings page. Android users can enable Wi-Fi calling in the Phone app.
Once connected, you should be able to make a call, pretty much as normal.
Use an app
If you can connect your phone to Wi-Fi, you can use various apps to stay connected. Those with WhatsApp can make phone calls and exchange text messages without having a mobile phone connection. The same goes for Meta’s Messenger app, which allows users with a Facebook account to send messages, call or video chat.
If you have an iPhone, you can use FaceTime to make phone calls. If you don’t want to video chat with someone and show your face, you can choose the audio call option, which works just like a phone call. Those with Android and iPhone can use Google Voice to do the same thing.
In case of emergency, use SOS
If you need to call 911, there is another option, the SOS feature on many iPhones. When you activate SOS, the phone will automatically call the local emergency number and report your location information. It will also notify any emergency contacts you have set up.
iPhone 14 and newer models will make the call using satellites, even if cellular service and Wi-Fi are unavailable. It is important to use this feature only in an emergency. You can’t jump it just to call grandma.
Use a landline
Imagine a phone plugged into the wall. Calls you make to this device will be sent through cables attached to tall wooden poles.
Science fiction? Incredibly, this technology exists today! Not only that, but the sound quality is also often better.
These phones, sometimes called landlines, are actually found in many homes, perhaps in the home of someone you know. And these relics will work perfectly fine even during a long cell phone outage.
