Quick Answer
Yes, an incoming phone call will interrupt a WhatsApp call that is in progress. When you receive a phone call during a WhatsApp call, the WhatsApp call is put on hold and you will hear the ringtone for the incoming phone call. You can choose to answer the phone call or reject it and return to your WhatsApp call. The interruption is brief, lasting only as long as it takes you to handle the incoming call.
Detailed Answer
WhatsApp calls utilize an internet connection, while regular phone calls rely on your cellular network. When a phone call comes in during a WhatsApp call, the cellular network signal takes precedence, which puts the WhatsApp call on hold temporarily.
Here is a more detailed look at what happens when you get a phone call during a WhatsApp call:
– You will hear a beep or ringtone sound during your WhatsApp call indicating an incoming regular phone call.
– At this point, the WhatsApp call is automatically put on hold. Your WhatsApp call partner cannot hear you anymore.
– You have the option to answer the phone call or reject/ignore it.
– If you answer the call, you can talk normally on the phone call while your WhatsApp call remains on hold in the background.
– As soon as you hang up the regular phone call, the WhatsApp call will resume from where you left off.
– Your WhatsApp call partner will have heard silence or music on hold while your phone call was in progress.
– If you reject or ignore the incoming phone call, the WhatsApp call will automatically resume within a few seconds.
So in summary, a regular phone call will briefly interrupt a WhatsApp call, but you can quickly get back to your WhatsApp conversation by handling the phone call. The interruption typically lasts less than 10-20 seconds in most cases.
Why Does This Happen?
This brief interruption occurs because of the difference between how WhatsApp calls and regular cellular network calls operate:
– WhatsApp calls use voice over IP (VoIP) technology to place calls over the internet using your phone’s data connection or WiFi network.
– Regular phone calls use your cellular network (like a GSM or CDMA network) to connect calls. This is more reliable for voice calls, but costs cellular plan minutes.
– Your phone can only use one connection at a time for calls – cellular or internet. So when a phone call comes in, it takes over the voice channel.
– Incoming cellular calls are given priority over WhatsApp internet calls, which is why the WhatsApp call is put on hold.
Advantages of This Behavior
The fact that a phone call can interrupt a WhatsApp call has some advantages:
– You won’t miss important incoming phone calls while on a WhatsApp call.
– Cellular calls are still more reliable than internet calls in certain conditions, so you can seamlessly transition to a phone call when needed.
– You can still make and receive urgent calls using your regular phone number, even if you rely mostly on WhatsApp calling.
– It allows you to maintain connection on both cellular and WiFi networks simultaneously for calls.
– The interruption is brief, so you can quickly switch back to continue your WhatsApp call.
Disadvantages of This Behavior
There are also some disadvantages or annoyances to consider:
– The interruption can disrupt an important WhatsApp conversation at inconvenient times.
– Your WhatsApp call partner may hear silence or hold music while you handle the phone call.
– You may answer a phone call when you meant to ignore it and return to the WhatsApp call.
– Spam phone calls can repeatedly interrupt a WhatsApp conversation.
– If you actually wanted to take the phone call, you have to manually put your WhatsApp call on hold.
– Sudden interruptions like this can be frustrating or seem unprofessional.
How to Minimize Disruption from This
Here are some tips to handle this behavior gracefully:
– Silence your ringer or set phone to Do Not Disturb when you need uninterrupted time on WhatsApp calls.
– Ask contacts to call you on WhatsApp instead of your phone number if it is an urgent matter during WhatsApp calls.
– Apologize to your WhatsApp call contact if a disruptive interruption occurs and recap what you were talking about.
– Disable or block phone numbers that frequently spam call you if it becomes an issue.
– Use a headset to smoothly transition between your phone and WhatsApp calls.
– Move the WhatsApp call to a device like a laptop or tablet without cellular access to avoid interruptions.
– If you need to take the call, explain that to your WhatsApp contact and promise to call them back shortly.
Does This Happen on All Platforms?
This interruption of WhatsApp calls by incoming phone calls happens on both iOS and Android devices. However, the exact handling may vary slightly:
iOS
– On iPhone, you will hear a series of beeps when a phone call arrives during a WhatsApp call.
– You can choose “End & Accept” to automatically end the WhatsApp call and answer the phone call.
– Or choose “Hold & Accept” to put WhatsApp on hold and answer the phone call.
Android
– On Android, you will hear the ringtone sound when a call arrives during WhatsApp.
– The WhatsApp call is automatically put on hold when you answer the phone call.
– You cannot put the WhatsApp call on hold manually – it happens automatically.
So in essence, the behavior is the same across platforms – the incoming phone call temporarily interrupts the WhatsApp call. But the exact interface for handling the interruption differs between iPhone and Android.
Tips for Seamless Calling
Here are some tips for making your calling experience smoother when using both WhatsApp and phone calls:
– Use a Bluetooth headset to transition between calls easily.
– Make people aware if you prefer WhatsApp calling over phone calls.
– Set your phone to “Do Not Disturb” or turn off ringer when on important WhatsApp calls.
– Ask contacts to text you first before calling during urgent situations.
– Silence notifications from less important apps to avoid other disruptions.
– Move to a laptop or tablet for uninterrupted WhatsApp call time if needed.
– Use WhatsApp’s built-in call recording so you can recap any parts of a call that were disrupted.
– Have your microphone muted by default, and unmute only when speaking, to handle interruptions.
– Apologize for disruptions, recap where you left off, and reschedule if needed.
Conclusion
In summary, incoming phone calls will briefly pause an ongoing WhatsApp call on both iPhones and Android phones. This occurs because cellular voice calls take priority over internet-based WhatsApp calls. While this can be disruptive, the interruption itself is short-lived if you handle the incoming call promptly. With some adjustments like using Do Not Disturb mode, you can minimize disruption and maintain a smooth calling experience using both WhatsApp and regular phone calls together.
| Platform | What Happens |
|---|---|
| iPhone | Hears beeps, can choose “End & Accept” or “Hold & Accept” |
| Android | Hears ringtone, call is automatically held |