[SLVR6]

Just wanted to check since this may be quite useful for me when traveling. Has anyone received a clear answer as to how the UMA access will work when connecting through a wifi router outside of the US? I have had answers from it will only work from a hotspot to any wifi access point should work and give you unlimited calling. Thanks in advance for any answers!

[sylus27]

You will get unlimited calling anytime you are connected through wifi, no matter where you are. If you are calling back to the states there's no charges, but if your call is to someone out of the US you will be charged long distance. When you leave the wifi network, and connect back into the country's GSM network you will be charged roaming.

[SLVR6]

I hope that is the case and that is how I am assuming it works. I know the hotspots charge a per minute fee, but it is much lower than normal calling. Back to the US is mainly what I am worried about as that could greatly cut down my bills when overseas as well as many of my colleagues. Thanks!

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[SLVR6]

Any more thoughts?

[sylus27]

Basically, as long as you are hooked into a wifi network and calling a US number it doesn't matter where in the world you are. Those are all free calls with the hot spot at home feature (just make sure you've added that). It gets a little more compicated when you are dialing an international number or are roaming (on a GSM network). It sounds like you are more concerned about calling back to the states, though.

[Augustus]

Dear Sylus27,

Re calling back to the States using Wifi: just to be clear, are you saying that I can make free calls on my Curve if I am connected to the Wifi network in a foreign country (e.g., via my hotel)? If so, then exactly how do I connect and make such calls? Do I need to DO anything other than ask the hotel to turn Wifi on in my hotel room (and then call as normal)? What is the exact procedure?

Many thanks,
Augustus

[John Clark]

It doesn't matter where you are located when you're connected via wifi and have UMA. It's exactly as if you are on a Tmobile tower in the US. If you were in Chicago and dialed Hong Kong you will get charged. If you dial across town there is no charge other than whatever your rate plan allows for minutes.

The trick is getting the wifi setup at hotels. However, once you have logged on to a network and you have UMA in the top right corner you are calling as if you were in the US. Plain and simple.

If you are in Germany, on UMA and you dial home you would dial just as you normally do in the States. If you need to make a call to the front desk at the hotel and you dial the number you will get charged for an international call.

[IronCurtain]

So if I were to call from Italy on my Curve to the US and it was through wifi, it wouldn't cost anything, even for international roaming? Also if I used my phone to call WITHOUT wifi from italy, the normal roaming/ld charges would apply?

Also, do you get charged for sending emails/SMS/MMS over GMS (not wi-fi) if I was in Italy and did it to a US customer?

[Augustus]

Reply to John Clark,

Many thanks. So, on UMA while overseas calls back home are charged as if in the States. BUT calls while overseas to other overseas numbers while on UMA are charged as if you are calling that number from the States, i.e., they are international---right??

Augustus

[John Clark]

Reply to John Clark,

Many thanks. So, on UMA while overseas calls back home are charged as if in the States. BUT calls while overseas to other overseas numbers while on UMA are charged as if you are calling that number from the States, i.e., they are international---right??

Augustus

That is correct. It's exactly as if you were calling that number from the States.

[SLVR6]

Yep, I used it in Argentina several places. Worked great!

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[partyfeind]

does your phone need to be unlocked to make UMA calls overseas?

[mughal]

does your phone need to be unlocked to make UMA calls overseas?

I haven't tried it myself, but I don't think you need an unlocked phone for this. Accessing different Wi-fi networks is a feature of UMA regardless of the phone being locked or unlocked.

Of course, if you want to swap SIMs while overseas so you're not paying roaming when off UMA, that would require an unlocked phone.

[ny3ranger]

It doesn't matter where you are located when you're connected via wifi and have UMA. It's exactly as if you are on a Tmobile tower in the US. If you were in Chicago and dialed Hong Kong you will get charged. If you dial across town there is no charge other than whatever your rate plan allows for minutes.

The trick is getting the wifi setup at hotels. However, once you have logged on to a network and you have UMA in the top right corner you are calling as if you were in the US. Plain and simple.

If you are in Germany, on UMA and you dial home you would dial just as you normally do in the States. If you need to make a call to the front desk at the hotel and you dial the number you will get charged for an international call.

Ok but why you do have to have hotspot@home for $19 bucks a month to use UMA. I get uma signal when I wifi connect to my home router. So if I was out of a country and I saw the UMA sign I can make the call back home to the US without the roaming charges right. I dont think I have hotspot@home unless it comes with blackberry data with BES from t-mobile.

[mughal]

Ok but why you do have to have hotspot@home for $19 bucks a month to use UMA. I get uma signal when I wifi connect to my home router. So if I was out of a country and I saw the UMA sign I can make the call back home to the US without the roaming charges right. I dont think I have hotspot@home unless it comes with blackberry data with BES from t-mobile.

You don't need hotspot@home to use UMA. If you have hotspot@home then your calls on UMA are unlimited and don't count against your voice minutes (though you'd still have to pay international charges, etc.). But if you don't have hotspot@home, your UMA calls are billed just like calls from your local calling area, and do count against your voice minutes.

[Dr.Sadistic]

And UMA is a service of certain phone companies only?

[mughal]

And UMA is a service of certain phone companies only?

Correct. Any WiFi phone can use WiFi to surf the web, send/receive emails, etc.; but only if the carrier supports UMA can you use WiFi to make voice calls.

In the US, T-Mobile definitely supports UMA, and AT&T definitely does not. Not sure about other carriers.

[wrxm33]

I want to clear things up.
1. If I'm outside US, do I need to turn on the Mobile Signal in order to log on to UMA? or I can turn on Wifi to logon to UMA?
2. If the UMA connection is disconnected in between a call, will I get charge after switching back to the regular cell connection (roaming)??

[mughal]

I want to clear things up.
1. If I'm outside US, do I need to turn on the Mobile Signal in order to log on to UMA? or I can turn on Wifi to logon to UMA?
2. If the UMA connection is disconnected in between a call, will I get charge after switching back to the regular cell connection (roaming)??

1. Just need WiFi. In fact, to avoid accidental roaming, you can keep your Mobile Signal off.
2. Yes.

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[kontender]

T-mobile (USA) is valuable for this benefit alone. I live outside of the united states now but got my plan in southern cal, USA. I use my american phone to stay in contact with everyone, calls, emails, sms, mms, and all apps work fine, I pay my regular bill. No long distance charges, or roaming, of course i only use it with a uma signal.

[lolivet]

I need a little clarification on something regarding this.....what is the difference between the WiFi icon and the UMA icon as far as calling the US from, say, Canada?

[NuNu4U]

UMA, It works great! I am currently in Belize and I am Using UMA on my curve, It works just like you where in your home town. I just pick a name from my contacts and It will call them as if I was across town. No need in 001 area code and phone number. You just use your regular minutes as you normally would.