UMA Free WiFi Calling?

**Oo_Tut_oO** · 11-25-2011, 12:20 AM

I know that there are plenty of threads about this but I never got a sure answer. There are some threads that say the minutes used on UMA come out from our monthly bucket of minutes. Then there are threads claiming that the UMA calling is free.

Also on MyT-Mobile we have an option called Free Wifi Calling. The description of it states: "T-Mobile Free Wi-Fi Calling gives you unlimited Wi-Fi minutes, unlimited high speed data and when travelling internationally free calls back to the USA – all at no additional cost."

Can anyone shed some new light on this? Does anyone use this feature without using up their plan minutes?

**doxa sub750T** · 11-25-2011, 10:54 AM

The description is correct. The catch is if you add the service for $9.99 a month then all call is unlimited as they say. However, if you do have a WiFi calling capable phone, this feature allows you to use WiFi for voice, but minutes will come out of your bucket. It is still a great feature when you are in no signal area.

I have been using this great feature since having BB8320! Actually, if you have UMA, all SMS is free on international as well. Another unbelievable deal is that I only pay $9.99 per month plus a corporate discount for this feature for all my 5 family lines!!!

Now I just hope that they releasae new OS for BB7 with this WiFI calling functionality sooon. I couldn't careless about Hot Spot as I already have the device and service for that :-).

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

**raino** · 11-25-2011, 11:58 AM

Starting 5/13, both the feature and usage became free for EM and EM+ plans. Grandfathered plans still deduct minutes from the plan bucket. See this link for more details: T-Mobile Unlimited Wi-Fi Calling Feature Going Live Tomorrow

This is how T-mobile is supposed to bill for UMA calling, if you're on an EM/EM+ rate plan:

Calls made from the US to US numbers: free
Calls made from the US to international numbers: not free, subject to international rates
Calls made from outside the US to US numbers: free (no roaming either)
Calls made from outside the US to international numbers: not free, subject to international rates (but no roaming)

**doxa sub750T** · 11-25-2011, 12:46 PM

Not sure about that from 5/13 post, but my minutes never come off when using UMA on any of my WiFi calling capable phones. I am paying $9.99 for this unlimited WiFi calling feature for whole family lines for the past 5 to 6 years (ever since TMO started this cool service). This is my real life experience.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

**raino** · 11-25-2011, 05:16 PM

I've been with TMO for 8 months now and don't pay anything for UMA (I do have minutes deducted for UMA calls though, since I'm on a grandfathered plan.)

Originally Posted by doxa sub750T

I am paying $9.99 for this unlimited WiFi calling feature for whole family lines for the past 5 to 6 years

If you are on an Even More/Even More+ plan, why don't you give them a call/chat online? From what I know, it's been pretty easy to have them add the free wi-fi calling feature. Not sure if it is a plan level or individual line level feature, but I know it can be applied to everyone in the family plan.

If you haven't changed to EM/EM+, you can ask them to add the SOC code UMAUFTSP to each line. This is the internal code for the free wi-fi calling.

**doxa sub750T** · 11-25-2011, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by raino

I've been with TMO for 8 months now and don't pay anything for UMA (I do have minutes deducted for UMA calls though, since I'm on a grandfathered plan.)

If you are on an Even More/Even More+ plan, why don't you give them a call/chat online? From what I know, it's been pretty easy to have them add the free wi-fi calling feature. Not sure if it is a plan level or individual line level feature, but I know it can be applied to everyone in the family plan.

If you haven't changed to EM/EM+, you can ask them to add the SOC code UMAUFTSP to each line. This is the internal code for the free wi-fi calling.

I know exactly what you are talking about. I think that you miss what I am trying to say. My UMA call is unlimited or minutes would not come off my minutes bucket per month. This works great for me because I do not have unlimited minutes!

So for addional $9.99 a month in total for all 5 lines, it is a no brainer.

**raino** · 11-25-2011, 08:40 PM

What I'm saying is that you can still get all this without paying the $10, but whatever works for you.

**Oo_Tut_oO** · 11-25-2011, 09:56 PM

Thanks alot guys. I do have the feature added on two BlackBerry lines but it states that it is free so I'm not paying $9.99 for it. I had seen that 5/13 article but there are some newer threads saying that the plan minutes still deduct on UMA so it got a little confusing. So I am assuming my calls will not deduct my minutes using UMA in this setup.

**watbetch** · 11-25-2011, 11:34 PM

It's $9.99 on legacy plans. If you have a more recent plan you can get it for free.

**wattsj** · 05-05-2012, 10:56 PM

I have UMA calling capabilities..I work offshore in the GOM and in Nigeria. When im on wifi and have everything else turned of like all data and roaming data. I can still call home and im never charged. I am also on a unlimited plan. Could that be the reason why im not charged when im offshore in america? The other question is would i be charged international rate for using my UMA when im in Nigeria..I was figuring that im not charged in the states would this still be the same for somewhere else???????

**sjefferson21** · 05-09-2012, 09:12 PM

Originally Posted by watbetch

It's $9.99 on legacy plans. If you have a more recent plan you can get it for free.

so to clarify:

If I am on a newer plan, I can either use wifi calling without adding the JUST for the benefit of getting reception where i usually would not? But i can add the feature for free and then I would also not use minutes while using wifi calling?

**sjefferson21** · 05-09-2012, 09:12 PM

I've been using this feature and was never worried about the minutes, but it would be nice to know that I can be saving all of those minutes.

**supamas** · 05-09-2012, 11:27 PM

I just was recently speaking with a rep about this. The feature has to be added on (which is free) but it will give you the ability to make unlimited calls while under UMA. I hope that rep wasn't wrong.

Also, using UMA on ANY wifi network will work the same (as long as you have access, etc.)

EDIT: to clarify, UMA will work as if you were making a phone call on your home wireless network. Being in a different country will have no effect. I have tested this when traveling through Mexico and Europe.

**sjefferson21** · 05-09-2012, 11:43 PM

Originally Posted by supamas

I just was recently speaking with a rep about this. The feature has to be added on (which is free) but it will give you the ability to make unlimited calls while under UMA. I hope that rep wasn't wrong.

that is good news! I can probably bump down my minutes then.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

**supamas** · 05-10-2012, 12:16 AM

Yeah, its really not that much of a price difference sometimes. I would give it about 2 months to balance out your average and then make a decision. I just bumped my plan down to 1000 min for the fam because we hardly use min... we text and use data like a baws

**sjefferson21** · 05-10-2012, 05:02 PM

yea minutes don't really concern me, but I'm scared to drop them too low haha.

**SandAngel** · 05-17-2012, 04:06 PM

I have a legacy plan and have the UMA feature .
What it is for ME is I make all the WIFI / UMA calls I want and no minutes are deducted from my bucket. This feature was supposed to be $9.99 but way back they changed this for me and I now pay $0.

Honestly this feature is the ONLY reason I stay with TMOBILE. should they ever take it away I would switch all 5 of my lines.

**internationalBBuser** · 09-25-2012, 11:03 PM

I just wanted to add my two cents, as this forum was really helpful to me as I prepared for a recent trip to Southeast Asia. I have a BB Curve 8520 on T-Mobile under a grandfathered plan (you may recall the Fave Five deal of many years ago). I used my curve throughout Asia, and incurred no extra charges at all by using UMA calling.

Here's what I did: I turned off the Mobile Network (unchecked it under the "connections" icon), and turned my data preferences to "off when roaming." I then turned "on" the Wi-fi. I then connected to the wi-fi wherever it was available (Starbucks, hotel, etc...), and the UMA icon would replace the "EDGE" icon on the upper right hand corner of my home screen. From there, I called the US daily -- from places like Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, etc.... I talked for hours over a two-week span, and it was treated by T-Mobile as if I was simply in the U.S. making these same calls. The calls to my fave five folks didn't even come out of my plan minutes (they were treated as they always are: unlimited), but calls to numbers not in the fave five did.

Just thought I would post my experience to confirm that, yes, UMA calling is free (and only deducts plan minutes if on a grandfathered plan) if calling the US. I did not have experience with the folks in the U.S. calling me, however, so I cannot speak to that.

Also, I used data to browse the internet and sent text messages while on the UMA, and I was not charged roaming or anything else for those. As in, this use was also treated as if I was in the U.S., and therefore as if I was just normally using my phone.

**SandAngel** · 10-14-2012, 05:05 PM

******** nevermind double post

**eds817** · 10-17-2012, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by SandAngel

I have a legacy plan and have the UMA feature .
What it is for ME is I make all the WIFI / UMA calls I want and no minutes are deducted from my bucket. This feature was supposed to be $9.99 but way back they changed this for me and I now pay $0.

Honestly this feature is the ONLY reason I stay with TMOBILE. should they ever take it away I would switch all 5 of my lines.

How did you get them to not charge you the $9.99 for the Talk Forever Mobile? Even though the 9900 does not have the UMA feature built in I still get to make WiFi calls and they are not deducted from my 300 minutes. I am on the MyFaves 300 plan from years ago.

**SandAngel** · 11-12-2012, 08:10 AM

Originally Posted by EdS817

How did you get them to not charge you the $9.99 for the Talk Forever Mobile? Even though the 9900 does not have the UMA feature built in I still get to make WiFi calls and they are not deducted from my 300 minutes. I am on the MyFaves 300 plan from years ago.

I have no idea it just appeared on my account one day. I think it had something to do that I used to have the old FOUR PACK special which had to be removed due to some conflict in their computer. I called them asking where the FourPack Special went and they said it HAD to be removed do to conflict. next thing I knew the free soc code showed up on my bill to let me have the free UMA no minutes deducted .

Just to make it CLEAR because conflicting posts made in this thread.....
FOR ME..... LEGACY plan with UMA and no minutes deducted from my bucket
Tmobile has always been pretty nice to me. I have been a loyal paying customer many years.

**Armando175** · 11-21-2012, 09:24 PM

I just added "Free Wi-Fi Calling" (FREE feature) to three lines on my account. When I asked them if it would deduct minutes from my bucket of 1000 minutes, customer service said that it shouldn't so I'm hoping they're right. I have a question though, does my phone have to be on "Wi-Fi Preferred" which will give you the UMA icon or on "Mobile Network Preferred" which will give you the EDGE/3G icon and Wi-Fi icon too? Currently I have on "Wi-Fi Preferred". Thanks.

**raino** · 11-22-2012, 12:31 AM

[QUOTE=Armando175;7740632I have a question though, does my phone have to be on "Wi-Fi Preferred" which will give you the UMA icon or on "Mobile Network Preferred" which will give you the EDGE/3G icon and Wi-Fi icon too? Currently I have on "Wi-Fi Preferred". Thanks.[/QUOTE]

If you're trying to maximize your UMA time (and decrease deduction of minutes), WiFi preferred is the way to go. If you set it to MN preferred, your phone will latch on to a MN signal when both types of signals are present.

**SandAngel** · 11-28-2012, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by raino

If you're trying to maximize your UMA time (and decrease deduction of minutes), WiFi preferred is the way to go. If you set it to MN preferred, your phone will latch on to a MN signal when both types of signals are present.

Jeez I'm glad you posted this because although my current phone is set to wifi preferred I would have never remembered to set this when my new phone gets here!