Iraqi telco Asiacell says it has launched the country’s first Voice over Wi-Fi (VoWiFi) service that enables users to make and receive voice calls in spaces with Wi-Fi coverage in areas – especially indoors – where cellular signal quality is poor.

Asiacell said the VoWiFi service, launched on Monday, addresses challenges such as network congestion and weak indoor signals that have emerged in the midst of rapid urban expansion in Baghdad and other Iraqi cities along with rise of residential and commercial towers.

VoWiFi provides a connectivity option for subscribers in locations with limited mobile network coverage, such as high-rise buildings, basements, or remote locations. VoWiFi also serves as an offload option for Asiacell when the cellular network is congested.

Asiacell subscribers can use the VoWiFi service automatically at no extra charge, and without having to download an app, said Chra Hussein, Chief Commercial Officer at Asiacell.

“We developed this service to meet the needs of our users in different locations and to offer them clearer calls without any hassle,” Hussein said in a statement.