Wi-Fi technology does not interfere with cell signals.
Because Wi-Fi and cellular call signals operate on different radio frequencies, it is not possible for Wi-Fi technology to cause a cellphone to experience dropped calls. At the time of publication, there are four Wi-Fi protocols used in mobile phones that give the devices the option of making a wireless Internet connection without accessing the wireless service provider's network.
Frequencies
All cellphones use Global System for Mobile Communication, better known as GSM, or Code Division Multiple Access technology for sending and receiving cellular transmissions, such as calls and messages. Typically, GSM and CDMA phones operate on the 850, 900, 1,800 and 1,900 MHz radio frequencies, though some high-end CDMA phones may also use the 2,100 MHz frequency. At the time of publication, the 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g and 802.11n protocols comprise the Wi-Fi family. Each standard operates using the 2.4 GHz radio frequency, except for the 802.11a protocol, which uses the 5 GHz frequency.
GSM vs. CDMA
Although GSM and CDMA phones operate on the same radio frequencies, they are only compatible with networks that operate using like technology and do not interfere with each other's transmissions. At the time of publication, AT&T and T-Mobile are the only national wireless service providers that operate GSM networks, while Verizon Wireless and Sprint are the only national carriers to operate CDMA networks. GSM phones are not compatible with CDMA networks, and vice versa. Unlike GSM phones, CDMA phones do not require the use of a Subscriber Identity Module card, which stores information that identifies a GSM phone and its user to a carrier for network access. CDMA phone store this information internally and do not support SIM cards.
Bluetooth
Most mobile phones are equipped with Bluetooth technology, which allows users to perform an assortment of wireless tasks, including placing and receiving phone calls and sharing files with similarly-equipped devices. Bluetooth also operates on the 2.4 GHz radio frequency, making it impossible for this technology to interfere with and cause dropped cellphone calls. Although Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies use the same radio frequency, they are designed to coexist and not to interfere with each other.
Considerations
GSM and CDMA phones use specific radio frequencies in different parts of the world for sending and receiving cellular transmissions. North, South and Central American cellphones use the 850 and 1,900 frequency bands, while phones in the rest of the world use the 900 and 1,800 frequencies. Wi-Fi technology operates on the same frequencies throughout the world. Most mobile phones support a Wi-Fi calling application, which allows you perform tasks, such as placing and receiving calls, through a Wi-Fi connection instead of a cellular connection to a carrier's wireless network.
Tags: CDMA phones, radio frequencies, interfere with, mobile phones, radio frequency