Reliance Jio is said to have announced a new benefit for international travellers. According to a report, the telecom service provider (TSP) now offers free incoming SMS support over Wi-Fi calling (VoWiFi) at no additional cost. Users can reportedly receive important messages abroad without requiring an active international roaming (IR) pack. The move is aimed at helping users stay connected while abroad without incurring additional roaming charges, especially for receiving important messages like OTPs and banking alerts.
Free Incoming SMS Over VoWiFi
According to a FoneArena report, Jio users can receive incoming SMS messages at no additional cost while travelling internationally. This service reportedly works as long as they are connected to a Wi-Fi network and have Wi-Fi calling enabled on their smartphone. The report mentions that this facility operates entirely independent of an international roaming pack.
This reportedly means users can avoid extra roaming charges or having to activate an international pack typically associated with receiving messages abroad. In theory, the feature can prove to be particularly useful when receiving time-sensitive messages such as one-time passwords, banking notifications, transactional messages, and service verification messages. Such messages may be essential when trying to log in to accounts, complete transactions, or access secure services, and missing them when abroad can be inconvenient.
The feature is said to operate independently of local foreign SIM cards or partner roaming networks. Instead, SMS messages are securely routed over the connected Wi-Fi network, promising reliability and privacy, according to the report.
To use the facility, consumers can reportedly connect their smartphone to a Wi-Fi network while abroad and enable Wi-Fi calling (VoWiFi) in their device settings. It does not require any special activation from the telecom operator. Once enabled, incoming SMS messages will reportedly begin to arrive over the Wi-Fi connection.
However, they must have an active Jio domestic base recharge plan, a handset that supports Wi-Fi calling, and access to a stable internet connection, such as at hotels, airports, cafes, or office networks.
