AT&T began turning on Wi-Fi Calling for a portion of subscribers on Thursday, just days after receiving a waiver from the Federal Communications Commission, AppleInsider has learned.
One reader helped confirm that the option is in effect in places like Taylorsville, Utah. AppleInsider found, however, that even customers in New York City may not be able to turn the feature on, even if the carrier has switched from telling people that the option isn't available to saying it can't be turned on for a particular account.
To check whether Wi-Fi Calling is available, iPhone users should go into the iOS 9 Settings app, select Phone, and try toggling it on. Several steps are required if service is available, including entering an emergency address, and it may take a few minutes for the feature to become functional.
Last year, AT&T promised to activate Wi-Fi Calling sometime in 2015, but as recently as a week ago said it couldn't because it didn't have a waiver to temporarily ignore full TTY options for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. The FCC issued the waiver on Tuesday.
Two of the carrier's rivals, T-Mobile and Sprint, have been offering Wi-Fi Calling for some time. This has generated vocal complaints from AT&T, accusing the FCC of unfair enforcement.