Who can I call with Alexa
Before going into the details of this guide and explaining yourself in detail how to call with Alexa, you may find it useful to know what the requirements are necessary to make a phone call and, above all, which contacts you can call with the Amazon system.
Alexa communications is a feature available within the Amazon Alexa application for Android (version 5.1 or later) and iOS (version 10.0 and later) devices: it is a service that allows you to make calls and send messages (at no additional cost) to contacts who in turn have downloaded and installed the app in question on their device and have correctly configured this functionality.
In addition, it will be useful to know that with Alexa Communications it is also possible to make calls to and from compatible Amazon Echo devices, such as Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Plus, Echo Spot ed Echo Show (the latter two devices are also compatible with video calls).
Finally, by activating the Drop In function, you can start instant conversations with Alexa contacts enabled for that option. In this case, unlike normal calls, the two interlocutors are connected automatically without the need to answer.
Set up Alexa for calls
Set up Alexa for calls it is a fundamental procedure both for making phone calls via the application for Android and iOS devices and for calling via a compatible Echo device.
After downloading the Alexa app from your device's store, start it by tapping its icon (a white round on a light blue background), enter your Amazon account details in the fields Email (phone for mobile account) e Password Amazon e fai tap sul pulsating Log in, to log in. If two-step verification is enabled on your account, also enter the verification code that was sent to you via SMS (in the appropriate field) and press the button Access.
If, on the other hand, you don't have an Amazon account yet, click on the button Create a new Amazon account, insertion and date richiesti nei campi Your name, Your email e Create a password (at least 6 characters) and tap the button Create your Amazon account, then enter the verification code that was emailed to you in the field Insertion codice and press pulsating Verifica to verify your identity and complete registration. For the detailed procedure, you can read my guide on how to register on Amazon.
After logging into the Alexa app with your Amazon account, tap on the option I am [name and surname] present in the screen Configuration, then tap the button Allow to allow the application to periodically update your contacts and send you notifications when you receive calls and new messages and press the button again Allow twice in a row (on the voices OK e Allow if you have an iPhone or an iPad) to confirm your intention and allow Amazon Alexa to access the data in question.
Now, press the button several times Following to view the main features of the application and tap on the item Done, to complete the first setup and start calling via Alexa.
If you want to activate the Drop In function for instant calls to compatible Amazon Echo devices, first launch the Amazon Alexa app, tap on the voice devices present in the menu at the bottom and, in the new screen that appears, choose the option Echo & Alexa.
Then select the device of your interest, click on the item Communication, fai tap sull'opzione Drop in and apponi il segno di spunta next to the voice ON. Alternatively, you can enable the Drop In function on an Echo device also via voice commands by saying "Drop In on [device name]".
After enabling the devices of your interest to instant calls, you can use the Amazon Alexa app to make a Drop In call to the devices you have enabled. You should know, however, that the latter are not able to make a Drop In call to the Amazon Alexa app.
Furthermore, it will be useful to know that you can enable contacts who can call you via Drop In by accessing the section Communicationby selecting the option Contacts (the icon oflittle man) and pressing the contact of your interest. Then move the lever next to the item Authorize calls with Drop IN da OFF a ON and confirm your intention by pressing the button OK.
The contact you have enabled will receive a notification with which they will be notified that you have authorized them for Drop In calls. The enabling, however, is not reciprocal: if you also wish to call the contact in question via Drop In, the latter must proceed with enabling by following the procedure I indicated in the previous lines.
Call contacts with Alexa
call contacts with Alexa, you can use both the Amazon Alexa application (by accessing the Communication section) and your Amazon Echo devices, via voice commands.
In the first case, take your smartphone or tablet, start the Amazon Alexa app, tap on the item Communication (l'icon del comic) present in the menu below and tap on the item Calling. Then select the contact of your interest (or write his name in the field Search for contacts) and tap on one of the options available between Audio call e Video call.
Alternatively, access the section Communication, fai tap sull'icon dell 'little man located at the top right, select the contact you want to call and press the icon of handset, to make an audio call, or on the icon video camera, to start a video call.
It will be useful to know that even with the Amazon Alexa application you can make a call using voice commands. After starting the latter, press the icon of comic (the central button in the bottom menu) and, if you haven't done so yet, tap the button Allow to allow Alexa to access your microphone and listen to your requests. At this point, to initiate a call, all you have to do is say "Call [contact name]"Or"Start video call with [name] contact".
If, on the other hand, your intention is to make a call via Drop In using the Amazon Alexa application, start the latter, tap on the item Communication, choose l'opzione Drop in located at the top and select the device you want to call from the list that appears below, in order to start an instant call.
To use voice commands, either via the Amazon Alexa app or using an Echo device, all you need to do to make a Drop In call is say the commands "Alexa makes a Drop In call to [device name]"Or"Make a Drop In call to [contact name]".
Call a mobile with Alexa
If you are wondering if it is possible call a mobile with Alexa, I'm sorry to tell you that the answer is no. In fact, as mentioned above, it is possible to make calls exclusively to Alexa contacts. Furthermore, it will be useful to know that you cannot even make a call to a landline number or to emergency numbers (eg 112 or 113).
However, Alexa allows you to connect your Skype account and make calls not only to your Skype contacts, but also to landline and mobile phone numbers, with the possibility of enjoying 100 minutes / month of free calls for two months.
To configure Skype in Alexa, start the Amazon Alexa application, tap the button ≡ located at the top left and select the options Settings e Communication. In the new screen that appears, tap on the item Skype, award-winning Log in and connect your Skype account by entering your login details in the fields Email, phone or Skype e Password.
Premium, quindi, sul pulsating Yes to allow Amazon Alexa to access Skype and all the data associated with your account and, if all went well, you will see the message Skype is connected! Enjoy 200 minutes of free calls.
Now, to make a Skype call using Alexa (even via Echo devices), all you have to do is say the commands "Alexa, call [contact name] with Skype"Or"Alexa, call [name] on Skype". Easy, right?
How to call with Alexa
