1. Volareman's Avatar
    Now that a few more 9900s are floating around, do we know about UMA on them yet? When I daydream about this flagship blackberry, my daydreams ends when I think "OMG, what if I can't call over wireless on tmobile!!!"
    JUSTQUAN2 and Pr3ston27 like this.
    07-12-11 10:54 AM
  2. Fubaz's Avatar
    on the support carriers, yes
    07-12-11 11:16 AM
  3. Volareman's Avatar
    on the support carriers, yes
    Meaning if the carrier does it now, it should do it on the 9900? (e.g. 9700 does it on tmo, 9900 will do it too?)
    07-12-11 12:31 PM
  4. adam917's Avatar
    I think in addition, the unit has to be one as supplied by the UMA carrier in question (T-Mobile USA 9900 using a T-Mobile USA SIM), due to the specific UMA settings (which I know can be altered/added, but not always easy).
    07-12-11 01:51 PM
  5. roundersfan's Avatar
    How good is UMA on existing Tmobile blackberrys? i'm thinking about switching from ATT to TMO because i travel internationally a lot...

    if UMA really works as promised, it would save me a lot of $$ being able to make calls while "roaming" internationally on UMA
    08-13-11 07:27 PM
  6. Sharma15's Avatar
    I would love to have UMA on my phone soon. Although the H+ network goes faster than my WiFi LOL. But yeaaa I miss it dearly

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    08-13-11 08:34 PM
  7. Jonnycraig's Avatar
    How good is UMA on existing Tmobile blackberrys? i'm thinking about switching from ATT to TMO because i travel internationally a lot...

    if UMA really works as promised, it would save me a lot of $$ being able to make calls while "roaming" internationally on UMA
    can't tell u about USA companies (but will probably be the same as the UK) but when you start roaming the phone loses the ability to use UMA (which is a pain for orange uk users as we can now roam freely to tmobile uk and we then lose the ability to use UMA (where i work i use UMA to make sure i have signal but the wifi doesn't cover the entire building))

    concerning UMA usage its good aslong as the wifi router isn't busy/broadband isn't busy
    08-14-11 07:00 AM
  8. GJW's Avatar
    How good is UMA on existing Tmobile blackberrys? i'm thinking about switching from ATT to TMO because i travel internationally a lot...

    if UMA really works as promised, it would save me a lot of $$ being able to make calls while "roaming" internationally on UMA
    I use my tmo UMA all the time when traveling internationally. It saves hundreds of $'s every trip! It works well when your hotel (or where ever you are with a hotspot) has a decent connection speed. Usually I bring along a very very small portable wireless router that I connect to my hotel room ethernet connection and my phone works great with that. I usually turn off the mobile network when I do UMA calls outside the US to ensure that the phone doesn't switch back to the local cell service in the middle of a call which could cost a lot of money depending upon how long your call lasts.

    This is one of the most compelling reasons for my staying with tmo.
    08-14-11 10:04 AM
  9. psyry's Avatar
    UMA is a NO go on the first line of 9900! I am just as bummed as you Hopefully it won't take too long to launch after the initial device launch!! O Blackberry Gods WHYYYY?
    08-16-11 08:56 PM
  10. psyry's Avatar
    And I am speaking to TMO people!
    08-16-11 08:57 PM
  11. Mikethaler's Avatar
    I use my tmo UMA all the time when traveling internationally. It saves hundreds of $'s every trip! It works well when your hotel (or where ever you are with a hotspot) has a decent connection speed. Usually I bring along a very very small portable wireless router that I connect to my hotel room ethernet connection and my phone works great with that. I usually turn off the mobile network when I do UMA calls outside the US to ensure that the phone doesn't switch back to the local cell service in the middle of a call which could cost a lot of money depending upon how long your call lasts.

    This is one of the most compelling reasons for my staying with tmo.
    Minor point. In the U.S. your call could, possibly, jump to a cell tower in the middle of a call. That can't happen overseas. What could happen is that the call could jump just as you are dialing the number. You make the right move by turning off the mobile network.
    Don't forget, TM Android phones now have wifi calling.
    08-21-11 01:06 AM
  12. Mikethaler's Avatar
    How good is UMA on existing Tmobile blackberrys? i'm thinking about switching from ATT to TMO because i travel internationally a lot...

    if UMA really works as promised, it would save me a lot of $$ being able to make calls while "roaming" internationally on UMA
    Most often the connection on UMA will be as good as cell tower connection.
    We have used it on various BB since it first came out on the 8320. From Australia to Zambia. Ireland to Israel. (Zambia didn't work well, poor internet.)
    Great sitting in the Dubai airport w. free wifi making calls for free that otherwise would be $3/min. (Obviously, would have spent lots of time at $3/min.) Remember to disconnect the ability to connect to cell tower.
    TM also has a $20/mo. unlimited intl email option for BB. (67 cents/day while you are out of the country. If you use that, you need to make doubly sure all data sucking programs that run in the background are off. Otherwise, big data bill$.

    ...mike
    08-21-11 01:16 AM
  13. BlazorBoy's Avatar
    How can we be sure it will be added later? Maybe this is a move in prep for the merger?
    08-23-11 07:15 AM
  14. HaTaX's Avatar
    How can we be sure it will be added later? Maybe this is a move in prep for the merger?
    T-Mobile isn't the only carrier that has UMA, Rogers also uses it and lists the new BBs as getting a software update to enable it: http://mobilesyrup.com/wp-content/up...parison-bb.png

    I'm sure it will be coming before the end of the year, hopefully sooner then that.
    08-23-11 09:36 AM
  15. sjsplaty's Avatar
    I spoke to my T-Mobile business rep a couple of days ago. He told me that the 9900 will release without UMA...he called it "GAN-Lite". He said that it will be enabled in a future software update, though he couldn't tell me when. Deal killer for me until it is enabled. Guess my 9700 will have to last a few more months. It seems a bit short-sighted on T-Mo/RIM's part, if you ask me. UMA is one of the major reasons that many of their customers remain with them. I hope this will be fixed soon, because my money is staying in my pocket until it is.
    08-23-11 08:34 PM
  16. Mikethaler's Avatar
    I'm keeping my 9700 as well because of the UMA fiasco. I notice by the link in HaTax's post, above, that Rogers not only doesn't have UMA in its 9900, it doesn't have it in the 9810, or 9860 - new BB phones that TM isn't getting, it appears. It is on the new 9300 Curve, which TM doesn't seem to be getting either.
    I would but the lack of UMA on RIM's shoulders.
    I also don't like the fact the camera is slightly degraded because they designed it so it couldn't have auto-focus. That is not a deal killer like the lack of UMA.
    Remember, most (all?) Androids since late last fall have wifi calling ability (a UMA lite).

    sjsplaty - What is meant by "GAN-lite"? What/who is GAN?
    08-23-11 09:02 PM
  17. sjsplaty's Avatar
    From wikipedia:

    "Generic Access Network or GAN is a telecommunication system that extends mobile voice, data and IP Multimedia Subsystem/Session Initiation Protocol (IMS/SIP) applications over IP networks. Unlicensed Mobile Access or UMA, is the commercial name used by mobile carriers for external IP access into their core networks."

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generic_Access_Network
    08-24-11 08:47 PM
  18. Mikethaler's Avatar
    sjsplaty -
    Always learn something new on these forums.

    Followup question: GAN/UMA routes calls thru the cellular network. Calls show up on your cell bills. (I assume I have this straight.)
    How does Skype et al differ except for the fact that calls by pass the cell system altogether? I would guess that quality might be consistently better on UMA/GAN because except for the first, leg of the call which is on wifi - the rest of the call would be processed by (hopefully) the better quality network of the cell carrier.
    08-24-11 09:04 PM
  19. fiddysheqel's Avatar
    Keep in mind this is GAN-Lite: It won't handle WIFI to NETWORK handoffs.
    08-24-11 09:29 PM
  20. Mikethaler's Avatar
    Keep in mind this is GAN-Lite: It won't handle WIFI to NETWORK handoffs.
    Isn't that what's been used on Androids since last fall?

    When UMA first came out, TM was definitely interested in making sure it worked well in handing off calls back and forth cell to wifi to cell. I was one of the beta testers. We were given one of two dumb fones - a Samsung or a Nokia with UMA. one of our instructions was to make report on how well handoffs worked (or didn't work). We were also told to test it on as many diff. wifi locations as we could. i remember walking around the neighborhood and connecting to whatever open wifi locations there were and, as I walked by, watched it switch to cell tower again.

    I rarely make use of UMA here in U.S. When i do, I am stationary so don't really care about handoffs. Those of us who make heavy use of it over seas. even basic UMA won't, thankfully, switch to an expensive tower.

    Interesting point. UMA calls are (or were) processed as tho they originate in Texas. I was on a regional California plan at the time and would use a Cingular phone when out of state. I was in Florida for a week, still testing UMA. My next bill showed $$$$ in roaming calls. All calls, including wifi, were roaming!! (Of course they removed the charges.)
    I'll need to look at the timing of my next [U} listed call.
    08-24-11 09:52 PM
  21. BlazorBoy's Avatar
    I agree UMA is the main TMo attraction, both for US and abroad usage. There CS is also very good.
    08-26-11 10:02 AM
  22. sjsplaty's Avatar
    It remains to be seen whether it will be a full UMA impelementation, or a Gan-Lite/Wifi Calling implementation. It would make sense that it would be a full UMA implementation with handoff, since that is what BB's have had since the feature was introduced originally some years ago. Since the phone isn't available for everyone on Tmo AND the feature isn't even out yet, and in my experience, my golden retriever knows more about this stuff than the sales reps, we will have to wait to see exactly how it is pushed out. Either way, I won't be getting the 9900 until some form of wifi calling is turned on.

    Mikethaler: In some respects you are correct in that the basic idea is the same as skype, et al, though I can't tell you exactly about the technical aspects. Basically a device (computer, mobile, etc) connects via the internet and routes calls to some point where it is handed off to the basic global telephone network. To find out whose wires actually carry the call and at which point, you'd have to do a lot more research. Due to some QoS stuff, I find that UMA calls are much clearer than Skype calls, either while using Skype via IM+ on my 9700, or callnig direct from my desktop or laptop.
    Last edited by sjsplaty; 08-26-11 at 10:16 AM.
    08-26-11 10:14 AM
  23. Mikethaler's Avatar
    To find out whose wires actually carry the call and at which point, you'd have to do a lot more research. Due to some QoS stuff, I find that UMA calls are much clearer than Skype calls, either while using Skype via IM+ on my 9700, or callnig direct from my desktop or laptop.
    Calls via cell tower on GSM are usually close to landline quality. In the early years of CDMA, voice quality was pretty bad. VQ on att and Cingular was deficient in lots of cases a few years ago because they only used 1/2 codec (think that's the right term).
    UMA calls are often as good as the excellent cell tower calls. As you point out, other VOIP calling isn't as consistently good.
    My intro to GSM was on a trip to Europe when systems here were still on AMPS (analogue). I remember getting a call from my office while on a Venice canal boat and was surprised the quality was like land line.
    08-26-11 10:27 AM
LINK TO POST COPIED TO CLIPBOARD