Contact Us
For Business Enquiries
Frequently Asked Questions
1What is wireless charging? How does wireless charging work?
Wireless charging, also known as inductive charging, is a type of charging that uses an electromagnetic field to transfer energy between two objects using electromagnetic induction. The charger and the back of your phone (or in the case of incompatible devices, our Receivers), both contain coils that together create an electromagnetic field. The energy transferred through this field is converted back into conventional electricity that charges your phone.
2Is wireless charging more convenient than wired charging?
Wireless charging is much more convenient than wired charging in many ways. It allows you to simply place your device on a charger and pick it back up as necessary. Charging cables tend to fray and the attachment-strength loosens over time as well. Getting rid of wires is a good solution for tangled and frayed cables with fragile connections. Additionally, the availability of our wireless chargers in public places will allow users to leave their cables, charging adaptors, and power banks at home. Unlike charging cables, wireless chargers (including our Receivers for some devices) are compatible across any device from any manufacturer.
3Is wireless charging faster or slower than cabled charging?
Wireless charging speeds depend on your phone and its capacity for fast charging wirelessly. While USB cable charging gives you 5-18W of power, we can charge phones at 5-15W. Samsung fast charging is at 10W and Apple fast charging is at 7.5W, both of which we support. We also support a futuristic mode of wireless charging at 15W which is only available on a handful of smartphones currently. Depending on feasibility and safety certifications, we can increase power as per Qi standards which we follow.
4Does wireless charging exist in other parts of India? Is this technology globally available?
Wireless chargers are widely available in countries like USA and UK but the concept is still in its nascent stages in India. You can charge your phone wirelessly at any other wireless charging point throughout the world. We at WestCharge are working towards making safe and powerful wireless charging a way of life in India as well.
5Is wireless charging safe?
Our wireless charging systems confirm to the standards for Qi-certification set by the Wireless Power Consortium. These are tried and tested standards that ensure your and your device’s safety. We use some of the highest quality components from trusted global manufacturers which are certified for all safety standards.
6My phone feels a little warm to touch after charging. Should I be concerned?
It’s normal for your phone to get slightly warm while charging wirelessly, so there’s nothing to worry about. All our products have passed the necessary safety tests in order to make sure that it’s not harmful in any way. The amount of heat that may be produced by charging your device wirelessly will stay within safe and comfortable limits. Our chargers are constantly checking if your phone needs power, and at what power levels so we don’t overcharge or cause unnecessary heat.
7What happens if I put a piece of metal on the charger?
Our chargers are equipped with foreign object detection (FOD), and a piece of metal would be identified as a foreign object. Consequentially, the charger will make a long beep until the piece of metal is removed. This will only happen if the charger has been turned on, so avoid putting cutlery or coins, or even your phone face down on the charger after you have turned it on.
8What is the Wireless Power Consortium?
The Wireless Power Consortium is an open, collaborative standards development group of more than 600 member companies from around the globe. Their main purpose is to achieve worldwide compatibility of all wireless chargers and devices. They work towards defining, maintaining and developing the Qi standard for wireless charging.
9What is Qi?
Qi (pronounced ‘Chee’) is a global standard just like Bluetooth, NFC and Wi-Fi. The idea behind Qi is simple: all devices with the Qi logo will be compatible with Qi chargers. The overarching goal of the Qi standard is to achieve universal compatibility between wireless chargers and devices in a safe manner.
10How should I place my phone on the charger?
Place your phone face-up on the wireless charger. If your device is not compatible, ask for the appropriate Receiver for your device at the venue. Make sure that you plug the Receiver into your charging port such that it can comfortably be placed behind the phone. Place the phone with Receiver behind it at the center of the charging pad.
11Can I charge multiple devices at the same time on one wireless charger?
You can only charge one device at a time as of right now, but we are working towards making this possible in future versions of our charging devices.
12How do I know if my device is charging?
Using our App, you will get a notification that you are charging alongwith any other information as may be set by the venue. As with wired charging, the charging icon appears on your phone as usual, showing you that your phone is charging.
13Can I leave my phone case attached while charging?
In most cases, your phone should still charge just fine with the case on as well, but you may have to remove it if it is too thick. Metal cases will not work as metal is a barrier to wireless charging, and swipe cards/credit cards may cause interference as well. If you are using a Receiver, you will only need to remove your case if it hampers the connection of the Receiver to the charging port.
14Is it necessary to position the phone in a specific way on the wireless charger? What happens if the phone is not placed correctly?
You need to place your phone face-up in order to charge it wirelessly. For optimal performance, make sure that your phone is centered with the charging pad as all phones have the wireless Receivers in the centre of the back. No harm will come to your device if it is placed incorrectly, but you may need to adjust the placement a little bit to ensure that the device is charging efficiently.
15Is my device compatible? Does it have built-in Qi compatibility?
Download the App to find out whether your phone is wireless charging enabled or not, on starting up the App you will get an alert message accordingly. If your phone isn’t compatible, ask for one of our Receivers to charge your device wirelessly.
16Can I wirelessly charge a phone that does not support wireless charging?
Yes. Just ask for one of our wireless charging Receivers to charge an incompatible device. You can also use it to charge other devices like headphones, powerbanks, cameras with compatible power inputs.
17What is a Receiver? Where can I get a suitable Receiver for my phone?
The Receiver is a device that makes your device wireless charging compatible. If your phone is not compatible with Qi-charging, all you need to do is purchase one of our Receivers online or ask for one at the venue.
18If I place my phone on the charger, will it still ring? Will I get notifications?
Yes, your phone will function as it normally does even while charging wirelessly.
19Why do I need the WestCharge App?
The WestCharge App helps you locate nearby charging locations and activate our chargers so that you can charge your device wherever you are. Additionally, our App includes our device store, (optional) battery-notifications, and exclusive offers from our partner venues.
20Does the App allow access to my private information?
Privacy is taken very seriously at WestCharge and we follow the strictest privacy policies worldwide which is currently GDPR (European rules). Rest assured, your data is not at risk by using our App.
21How do I activate the charger?
After having downloaded the App, you will be able to see your venue. Click on it and enter the code that is written on the charger that you wish to use. Click connect and place your device on the charger. It couldn’t be simpler
22My phone’s battery has already died. How do I activate the charger if I can’t access the App?
Ask a friend or the staff at the venue to activate the charger for you. You will normally get 2-4 minutes of charging in this time. You can also SMS to turn on the charger. Send a message to 56263 with “CHARGE 123456” where 123456 is the charger code you want to turn on.