An Post Mobile

It's a reasonable argument that VoLTE is an essential requirement when 3G is switched off. However, I would take issue with your suggestion that WiFi Calling is simply a discretionary add-on like WhatsApp. WhatsApp is fine for social person-to-person calls. However, you cannot generally phone or receive calls from GP practices, Hospitals, Banks etc using WhatsApp. Many services also use traditional SMS(not RCS) for 2-factor authentication, and Vodafone & 3 don't support SMS over WiFi Calling. Only Eir & GoMo support SMS. When homes are built or retrofitted to current building regulations (eg BER A1), they often lose traditional mobile coverage, at least in some rooms due to foil-backed insulation and reflective glazing. WiFi Calling is essential for dealing with these blackspots. It is going to become a more widespread issue as the housing stock is upgraded.

Foil is a problem ok. WiFi calling would be nice,but not much use if you're on the move, in an actual blackspot, not an artificial one.

Landline Voip is great if your landline allows remote access over WiFi. I did have some luck using voip apps to remote connect to my landline voip on my home router. The router has its own app (Fritzfone) which enables my mobile as a landline handset, but only within my local WiFi. I can however open a VPN back to the router when out or abroad, over WiFi, and make/receive landline calls from anywhere.

None of this however will give actual mobile number access, if someone rings my mobile no. It's a different matter, and I've had mobile calls during voip landline calls using my mobile phone. 4g voice is just voip by another name, but associated with a mobile no. It should be the default. Right now I'm in Tallaght, I tested there calling voucemail, and on my Sim status, my voice option was GSM, data was Gprs,(2G), no LTE despite 5 bars.

You don't have to pay premium. Gomo is also 15 and you get wifi calling, volte, 5G (admittedly not a major benefit over 4G) etc.

If you are in a position to bundle with broadband/TV, you can also get Eir Sim-only for €9.99pm including WiFi Calling, VoLTE & 5G, even cheaper than GoMo.

Regarding the re-invention of SIP calling - I would agree with the excellent points made by KildareP. One scenario where SIP calling is complementary to mobile is on a work phone, where the employee uses a SIP client to login the the corporate PBX when off-site, making and taking work calls on their office extension via their mobile. This is the standard approach taken by most corporate enterprises to allow remote access their office landline systems, while also allowing employees to partition their personal use of the phone using the mobile number. Mobile numbers have become the defacto standard for person-to-person social communication, while landline numbers still have an important role for enterprises and call-centres. WiFi Calling and SIP Clients ensure that both scenarios work well over WiFi, when required.

In my experience outdoor blackspots are extremely rare these days. Most blackspots are indoors in well insulated buildings. I appreciate this might be different on Vodafone/An Post since 3G switch-off - but Vodafone's outdoor coverage before this was also excellent. WiFi calling is the best solution for indoor coverage blackspots, and unlike WhatsApp does give full access to standard mobile numbers for both incoming and outgoing calls (and texts, if implemented properly). An interesting alternative for outdoor blackspots is Starlink "Direct to Cell". Starlink have started putting mobile base-stations in their newer satellites. They use standard 4G technology, so this works with normal mobile phones, and no need for a proprietary satellite phone. Your operator just has to have a roaming agreement with Starlink. Salt Mobile in Switzerland is the first European mobile operator to partner with Starlink. This will guarantee virtually 100% coverage worldwide.

Ignore that I got it working...

Shyte. Turned off WiFi and tried it there, 4g on the the indicator, but only 5.6 Mbs after three attempts, the third after letting Rteplayer run for 5 minutes to 'clean the pipes.' Player needs a minimum of 2MB/s. B normally means Byte, so 2MBs would be 16 Mbs, which seems high so perhaps they mean 2Mbs. Speed test upped to 5.6 Mbs after player ran, with no glitches.

AP now have a 12.99 plan with 50GB and 500 mins but only AP SMS.

Note that 12.99 manual top up lasts 28 days while Auto Top up is needed to get 31 days but minimum auto top up is €15 of which €2.01 is general credit.

Might suit some people but IMO it's a bit misleading for AP to say it's 12.99 per month when they won't facilitate that amount in their auto top up system.

https://www.anpost.com/Mobile/12-99-Plan

https://www.anpost.com/Shop/Products/Post-Mobile-Products/Keep-Number-12-99

Seen the ad earlier. Must look up the details.

Will it use 4G for calls? Not like AP who have degraded to 2G, which cuts your 4G data during calls.

The information online is sparse. On 5G, it says, "we are also 5g ready if you are, available across the Republic.." I haven't found a link to detailed terms. They also have a €10 10GB plan, which I assume is 10GB/month, though a 12 month commitment is required. There is reference also to saving your unused data, which is good news, as it was always annoying on low data plans to lose Gb through inactivity one month only to run short the next. Finally, they support eSims. As this technology is becoming available as a adapter, an actual sim card, it would be useful have one for those who wish to purchase cheap call and data plans abroad for holidays, which you can load in advance on an eSim, but that's another discussion..

Don't know why an post mobile still exists tbh. No reason to choose it over others at this point. Hasn't been for a while.

That is sits on vf isn't an incentive given the poor experience. They must get low priority on the vf network.

As Sky are offering eSim loading, for those with eSim phones or looking for information on it, thus is a good start,

https://www.androidauthority.com/esim-adapter-android-phone-3480601/

Changed to Sky. 5G but Data speed dissapointing in my 'fair' reception area. 2G on calls still an issue, and the VoLte 4g calls toggle disappeared with the Sky sim, not that it worked with AnPost. I upgraded my phone to an unlocked 5G S21 former Three network. I now read that Sky may not supply 4G calling to certain existing phones, which will in all cases be from another carrier. They even detail the steps needed to turn on VoLte and WiFi calling on iPhones, so it should be there for Android. From digging, and reading Sky UK posts, it seems that a thing called phone 'whitelisting' exists, with carrier blocks on features even if the phone is sim free or unlocked. I assume they want to sell you a phone as well to ensure 4g features work. I'm not much better off, data is flakey, only ping times improved. I'm also locked in for 12 months, unless I invoke cooling down within the next day or so. It's ironic that the very first post in the Sky mobile Ireland community forum was a complaint about no VoLte in a VoLte enabled phone, meaning 2G calling and no Data during calls. If you WFH using your mobile for calls while hotspotted to your laptop, you'd be rightly shagged if the boss rings and wants to discuss stuff on your now disconnected PC.

Trying to port an an post SIM to Vodafone to take advantage of €100 discount. Error on the port says on the Vodafone network which is correct ..but still I should be able to port away . Is there a way round this?