My Thoughts on Technology and Jamaica: @WhatsApp Testing Free Voice Calling - Why Free Local, International Calling over 4G LTE may soon be Possible

Monday, February 23, 2015

@WhatsApp Testing Free Voice Calling - Why Free Local, International Calling over 4G LTE may soon be Possible

“We are rolling out a voice calling beta test to a small number of people, but we don't have anything more to share right now”

WhatsApp spokesperson commenting on reports of Persons being able to make WhatsApp Calls

WhatsApp, which Facebook purchased back in February 2014 for some US$19 billion as note in my blog article entitled “Facebook acquires WhatsApp for US$19 Billion - CEO Jan Koum Revelry will fade once faced with BBM and Google+, Guardians of the Galaxy of Mobile Social Networks”  is gearing up to make either Easter or the Summer of 2015 the Year of Free VoIP Calling went mainstream over 3G and 4G LTE Networks.

This as they’ve begun rolling out WhatsApp Voice Calling on Monday February 23rd 2015 in an apparent invitation based test as reported in the article “WhatsApp voice calling feature appears on Android handsets for few hours”, published February 23, 2015 by Nicole Fernandes , Deccan Chronicle.


WhatsApp hasn't officially mentioned this feature on their WhatsApp blog as they'd done the recent rollout of WhatsApp for Desktop called WhatsApp Web computers as noted in my blog article entitled “WhatsApp comes to the Desktop via the Browser - Why Desktop on Laptop and PC is Mobile Social Network's Last Frontier”.

WhatsApp Calling for Free – Selected Beta Testers calling a small invite-only list for Free

Apparently activated since Friday February 20th 2015 as reported in the article “WhatsApp starts rolling out voice calling feature to Android users”, published Feb 20, 2015, 11.54PM IST by Anupam Saxena, Times of India, it seems to work on the basis of seeding a select few users with the ability to make Voice Calls to a small number of other people.

On receiving the feature, these selected persons, basically beta testers, can call a select number of friends within WhatsApp for free. If you receive a call from someone who has WhatsApp Calling feature activated, you're prompted to update your WhatsApp to the latest version, which happens to be WhatsApp build (2.11.508).

You can only call other WhatsApp users and not Local or International Landline or Mobile numbers, even for a price or even free, in a manner similar to MagicApp and Call+ as reported in my MICO Wars Blog article entitled “How to make Free International Calls to Landlines and Mobiles Anywhere in the World”, as that' not being offered.

Interestingly, though, those WhatsApp-only call to other users via 3G or 4G are free and even then, only a limited number of WhatsApp users that have updated the latest version of WhatsApp.

For the rest of us unlucky souls, WhatsApp Calling is a feature inside of the latest build of WhatsApp. It's just disabled as WhatsApp hasn't announced widespread availability of this feature as yet on their WhatsApp blog

WhatsApp Voice Call Testing – Reddit user enables it by accident on Google Android Lollipop

Their much promised Voice Calling capability is currently being tested based on a report send by Reddit user Pradnesh Patil aka pradnesh07, apparently based in India, as reported in the article WhatsApp starts rolling out calling feature, published January 31st, 2015, 17:08 by Prasad, GSM Arena and “WhatsApp begins rollout of voice call functionality”, published February 2, 2015 4:45 PM PST by Nic Healey, CNET News.

Using a sideloaded version of WhatsApp build (2.11.508) on a Nexus 5 running Google Android 5.0 Lollipop, he was able to accidentally evoke the Voice Calling Functionality, even taking a few screenshots.



He also posted a video as proof that he’d encountered WhatsApp Calling in the Wild!


Other Reddit users, also based in India, have duplicated his efforts and have stumbled across Screens that show a new tab for Calls next to the tabs for Chats and Contacts as shown in the picture below.



WhatsApp Testing Voice Calling – Basic Features that need tweaking

This appeared to be an initial test by WhatsApp that's evoked by sideloading the latest build of WhatsApp onto a smartphone running Google Android 5.0 Lollipop. Possibly the functionality is already built into the latest update of WhatsApp, but only activated if you have a Google Android 5.0 Lollipop smartphone?

Google Android 5.0 Lollipop, the latest version of Google Android coming to a Samsung, LG, Sony, OnePlus, Asus, Nvidia, Android One, Motorola, Google Nexus and Google Play Editions smartphones near you as reported in the article “ANDROID 5.0 LOLLIPOP UPDATE ARRIVES ON THE T-MOBILE SAMSUNG GALAXY S5”, published February 18, 2015 By Andy Boxall, Digitaltrends.

So far the sporadic reports suggest that WhatsApp Voice Calling offers several Standard Call handling features:

1.         Speakerphone setting
2.         Mute button
3.         Texting while on a Call (Not sure how that's possible)

WhatsApp hasn’t sorted out all the kinks as yet. But they’re close.

WhatsApp has now begun Testing Voice Calling – 3G and 4G LTE Voice Calling is possible

Pradnesh Patil claims the feature gets switched on when a user that has it tries to call another user.

However, the WhatsApp calling feature is apparently being rolled on a Test Basis, with a select few possibly receiving invitations to become Beta-testers for WhatsApp since.

So far, individuals have reported trying to use WhatsApp Calling only for calls to go unanswered as it may not be enable for everyone, even if they have the latest version of WhatsApp. It also appears that you can only call other WhatsApp  users and not Local or International Landlines or Mobile numbers.

If WhatsApp is eventually allowed to make calls to landlines and Mobile Numbers, they'd have to compete against such established juggernauts like Google Voice or Google Hangouts that allow users to make International calls for mere pennies as noted in my blog article entitled “Google merges Google Voice into Google+ Hangouts - How to make Free US and Canada Calls with Google Voice in Hangouts App”.

WhatsApp Calling unlikely over 4G LTE – Digicel and LIME now have the right to block unregistered VoIP

That would be interesting, as it’s unlikely that Telecom Provider in the US of A and anywhere in the world would allow WhatsApp to do that for Free.

Most likely, American Telecom Providers and the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) would have to force WhatsApp and all other VoIP IM (Instant Messaging) apps with VoIP capability to register as Telecom Providers.

This is once they reach a certain critical mass and account for a significant amount of traffic on their 4G LTE Network as was the case in Jamaica recently with Digicel and LIME.

Both Telecom Provider used this argument along with the fact that VoIP Apps Viber and Nimbuzz were terminating Voice Calls without paying Interconnection Toll charges and thus promptly blocked them in July 2014 as reported in my blog article entitled “LIME and Digicel blocking all VoIP Services - How Telecom Providers can make money from Regularizing Paid VoIP Services

This as WhatsApp would be basically functioning like a MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator).

WhatsApp Calling to Local or International Landlines or Mobile numbers – VoLTE competitor needed

In doing so, they’d be following on the lead of Telecom Provider Digicel and Telecom Provider LIME who’d recently won the right in December 2014 to block VoIP Calling on their Network as reported in my blog article entitled “Minister Paulwell says VoIP Providers must Register to Terminate - Why WhatsApp may no longer be Free as IXP by January 2015, MNP by May 2015”.

And as my article suggests, this would mean that any such WhatsApp Calling Feature, be it from WhatsApp to WhatsApp or WhatsApp to Local or International Landlines or Mobile numbers, would only be possible if WhatsApp is a registered Telecom Provider in Jamaica!

Our American counterparts would most likely follow suit, as potentially, such a large VoIP Network with almost 700 million Actively Monthly users as reported in my blog article entitled “WhatsApp reaches 700 million Active Monthly Users - Double Blue Checkmarks from China, Japan and South Korea and Russia with Love” would result in them losing significant revenue!

Facing such resistance, WhatsApp may be initially told that they can only make VoIP Calls over Wi-Fi and not 3G and 4G Networks!

But as VoLTE (Voice Over LTE) is now active on Telecom Networks such as Verizon and AT&T as noted in my blog article entitled “Digicel and LIME going VoLTE - Why GSM extinct and Spectrum reused for M2M Services in HD Audio and Video Caribbean VoLTE-Age” many Americans may soon be clamoring for HD Voice and Video Calling alternatives to those offered by the Telecom Provider.

Especially now that they have the choice to unlock their smartphones and move to whichever of the five (5) Carriers and the myriad of other registered MVNO’s that operate in the US of A as noted in my blog article entitled “US Carriers must Carrier Unlock smartphones as of Wednesday February 11th 2015 – How Americans can get their smartphones Carrier unlocked”.

WhatsApp Voice Calling with Video Calling capability over 3G and 4G LTE Networks with the capability to call Local or International Landlines or Mobile numbers, albeit facing initial resistance, will eventually be accepted. This as the FCC will not stand-by and watch Telecom Provider create another monopoly, this time based on 4G LTE Networks!

For now, WhatsApp will continue testing WhatsApp Calling…….as Everything is Possible.



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