Will the new bb10 devices have wifi calling?

**tonic27** · 01-13-2013, 12:49 PM

Hi guys any news on the new bb10 devices having wifi calling? I know we have BBM calling but use wifi calling when I'm travelling as I can call any number
Paul.

**ibpluto** · 01-13-2013, 12:53 PM

Yes....both voice and video through BBM

**tonic27** · 01-13-2013, 01:05 PM

Thanks for your reply. I know we have BBM voice and video (to come) but I want to know about WIFI calling aka UMA.
Paul.

**SlcCorrado** · 01-13-2013, 01:25 PM

I bet some will. Probably carrier dependent

**mark37724** · 01-13-2013, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by SlcCorrado

I bet some will. Probably carrier dependent

Exactly, best to ask your carrier to see if it is or will be available.

**BB_Bmore** · 01-13-2013, 01:48 PM

T-mobile always seems to offer this.

**tonic27** · 01-13-2013, 02:39 PM

This is why I'm asking. Orange UK use this and it's very important to me as I can save a lot of money!
Paul

**EGerhardt** · 01-13-2013, 06:32 PM

Since Orange offers it to you, you should be able to use it. Chances are that when we see six BB10 phones being developed we are seeing a GSM, a CDMA and a UMA one for L an N series. There has always been a UMA enabled BB available and I don't see RIM stopping now.

**donmateo** · 01-14-2013, 02:47 PM

How does one use Voice on a Bold 9900 ATT?

**EGerhardt** · 01-15-2013, 04:04 PM

Originally Posted by donmateo

How does one use Voice on a Bold 9900 ATT?

I'm pretty certain that AT&T doesn't offer UMA. If your carrier does offer it, you don't actively 'use' it, it's transparent. When you are on Wifi and make a call, it makes it via UMA.

**calicocat2010** · 01-15-2013, 08:37 PM

ATT doesn't. I was curious about WIFI calling and decided to look up the 9900 specs on ATT and sure enough No UMA so No Wifi Calling.

**Plazmic Flame** · 01-15-2013, 08:51 PM

WIFI calling is available on ANY device these days and has been available for sometime. It's a feature that would really help out those who live in bad signal areas but alas, from a business standpoint, the carrier would have to dish out money to support the feature plus you wouldn't be using any of your minutes so they lose out there too. It's a lose-lose for them.... and why are they in business? To make money. Business 101

The true question is: Will [insert carrier] allow wifi calling on BlackBerry 10 devices?

**zeteo** · 01-15-2013, 08:55 PM

Skype is an absolute must for me. The big players and even some smaller ones offer it. If BB does not have it, it will remain 2nd string to me.

**Phill_UK** · 01-15-2013, 09:03 PM

Originally Posted by Plazmic Flame

WIFI calling is available on ANY device these days and has been available for sometime. It's a feature that would really help out those who live in bad signal areas but alas, from a business standpoint, the carrier would have to dish out money to support the feature plus you wouldn't be using any of your minutes so they lose out there too. It's a lose-lose for them.... and why are they in business? To make money. Business 101

The true question is: Will (insert carrier) allow wifi calling on BlackBerry 10 devices?

Wifi Calling is an app-based alternative to UMA, and it is not available on ANY device. It is only supported by carriers who hold a UMA licence, and only one carrier per country can hold one of these.
So, to answer your question... No, we won't see additional carriers allowing Wifi Calling on BB10 devices.

**Plazmic Flame** · 01-15-2013, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by Phill_UK

Wifi Calling is an app-based alternative to UMA, and it is not available on ANY device. It is only supported by carriers who hold a UMA licence, and only one carrier per country can hold one of these.
So, to answer your question... No, we won't see additional carriers allowing Wifi Calling on BB10 devices.

Sorry about that, I got the two mixed up. I thought wifi calling was the new term for uma. Didn't know they were two desperate things.

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**Phill_UK** · 01-15-2013, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by Plazmic Flame

Sorry about that, I got the two mixed up. I thought wifi calling was the new term for uma. Didn't know they were two desperate things.

No worries, many don't understand the difference between the two.

UMA is chip operated, ie. a UMA chip is incorporated into the phone, similar to the 9700 and new Curves etc.
Wifi Calling is app-based, ie. no UMA chip is present and the app is baked into the OS, similar to the 9900 on 7.1

The only difference between the two is that when on a call with UMA, if you move out of range of your router, the call will seamlessly hand-off to your mobile network... with Wifi Calling, the call is dropped.

**Plazmic Flame** · 01-15-2013, 09:23 PM

Originally Posted by Phill_UK

No worries, many don't understand the difference between the two.

UMA is chip operated, ie. a UMA chip is incorporated into the phone, similar to the 9700 and new Curves etc.
Wifi Calling is app-based, ie. no UMA chip is present and the app is baked into the OS, similar to the 9900 on 7.1

The only difference between the two is that when on a call with UMA, if you move out of range of your router, the call will seamlessly hand-off to your mobile network... with Wifi Calling, the call is dropped.

So basically what we need is a reform to the UMA license? I find it crazy that only one carrier per country can have it. My guess is for Canada, that is Rogers.

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**Phill_UK** · 01-15-2013, 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by Plazmic Flame

So basically what we need is a reform to the UMA license? I find it crazy that only one carrier per country can have it. My guess is for Canada, that is Rogers.

That is correct, because it IS crazy!

We only have Orange in the UK that holds the licence, Rogers in Canada, T-Mobile in the USA...

Luckily for me, Vodafone UK offers a femtocell which boosts 3G signal over your home broadband connection for those in poor coverage areas. Many other carriers offer a similar service, and I guess it's the next best thing to UMA.

**geonap** · 01-22-2013, 01:05 PM

i hope if tmobile has wifi calling, it isn't as crappy as the 9900 is... i can never get it to work, UMA was amazing.

**dale-c** · 01-22-2013, 01:12 PM

Both T-Mobile and Cincinnati Bell in the US have offered UMA, so I don't know where you got your idea that "only one carrier per country can use it" How would that be regulated anyway?

It obviously is not true in the US

**Phill_UK** · 01-22-2013, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by dale-c

...so I don't know where you got your idea that "only one carrier per country can use it"

Not my idea... just something I read on here in the past and repeated it.
Never seen it challenged before, so assumed it was true.

**Doug Maude** · 02-27-2013, 01:43 PM

The BB10 does not have UMA!! Does anyone know when its coming?

**zeteo** · 03-01-2013, 08:41 PM

Then it needs Google Voice or Skype apps. These may not be necessary for everyone but for international use vital.

**shupor** · 03-02-2013, 12:08 AM

Originally Posted by geonap

i hope if tmobile has wifi calling, it isn't as crappy as the 9900 is... i can never get it to work, UMA was amazing.

Just saw this thread that may help clarify the why the 9900 appears to handle UMA poorly and it turns out it is a tmobile issue. Apparently, the handoff is seamless if you are switching between 2G and wifi but for some reason, their infrastructure drops the calls when switching between 3G/4G and wifi True UMA calling?* Does it work well? Support | T-Mobile.

**machoman1337** · 03-04-2013, 10:35 AM

Pretty much all new phones have the ability to do wifi calling, it's a matter of whether the carrier supports it or not.

For example Fido in Canada has an Android app just for wifi calling (it'll be treated the same as regular calling when it comes to charges, with no extra wifi-specific surcharge unless you count the monthly add-on you need to buy to enable it).