[EVOP]

Is it possible that the blackberry saves battery by using my wifi signal to send and receive calls and texts or does it just work for internet

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[elvin1983]

Works just for the internet. The ability to call over the WiFi network is called UMA, and to my understanding there isn't a carrier that is currently supporting UMA on the 9900. SMS Text Messages are sent over the carrier network only, they cannot be sent over WiFi. They don't take mush power to send though.

I will say this, I've noticed when connected to WiFi that my battery seems to last longer than if I'm only connected to my carrier's 3G network. I'm guessing it takes less power to send/receive over WiFi than the network...

[Fnord]

Works just for the internet. The ability to call over the WiFi network is called UMA, and to my understanding there isn't a carrier that is currently supporting UMA on the 9900. SMS Text Messages are sent over the carrier network only, they cannot be sent over WiFi. They don't take mush power to send though.

I will say this, I've noticed when connected to WiFi that my battery seems to last longer than if I'm only connected to my carrier's 3G network. I'm guessing it takes less power to send/receive over WiFi than the network...

+1
Being connected to WiFi versus carrier network will draw less power, and thus save battery life. Of course, when you're not in range of a WiFi network you'd want to have the feature off so it's not constantly scanning. There are a couple good, free, app in App World that will do this (eg: Wi-Fi Manager, it will automatically turn on/off your WiFi radio based on cell-tower location).

[claykin]

TMobile will begin supporting the same type of Wifi calling app used on Android phones. Its an app written by Kineto wireless. I'm told a new 9900 OS will be released in November/December that will have this app embedded.

The big differences between the new Wifi calling app and UMA are:

1) UMA supports handoff between cell and wifi. Wifi app does NOT.
2) on TMo, UMA would allow users to make calls over Wifi back to your home Country with no roaming charges. Wifi calling app will bill all calls over Wifi at roaming rates (sucks doesn't it!)

The advantage of the Wifi calling app is that its said to be much more reliable than UMA. I for one had varied results using UMA. I found it didn't even work consistently when I changed my Berry to Wifi only mode.

[ast_ph]

Be sure to turn off wifi if not in wifi zone, as it will shorten battery life

Sent via BB Tapatalk.

[claykin]

+1
Being connected to WiFi versus carrier network will draw less power, and thus save battery life. Of course, when you're not in range of a WiFi network you'd want to have the feature off so it's not constantly scanning. There are a couple good, free, app in App World that will do this (eg: Wi-Fi Manager, it will automatically turn on/off your WiFi radio based on cell-tower location).

I tried Wifi manager and it caused serious problems with my 9900 running TMo's .250 OS. After I installed through Appworld, I tried to create a profile for my home wifi network. Wifi Manager would disconnect the Wifi OK when out of range but would not reconnect. I tried recreating several times. No luck. WORSE is that after several times trying to make Wifi Manager work, it would not allow any Wifi connectivity. So I rebooted the phone. Phone went into a reboot loop. I tried to access BB Safe mode. No luck. I was forced to use DM to reload the OS. Good thing I had a backup from yesterday.

I recommend you stay away from this FREE app at least until they resolve the OS7 issues.

[mehamgul101]

well i am using it just for the purpose of the internet and i think it has ability of that which are you asking to us here but wifi is a great technology in mobile i like it so much

[Fnord]

I tried Wifi manager and it caused serious problems with my 9900 running TMo's .250 OS. After I installed through Appworld, I tried to create a profile for my home wifi network. Wifi Manager would disconnect the Wifi OK when out of range but would not reconnect. I tried recreating several times. No luck. WORSE is that after several times trying to make Wifi Manager work, it would not allow any Wifi connectivity. So I rebooted the phone. Phone went into a reboot loop. I tried to access BB Safe mode. No luck. I was forced to use DM to reload the OS. Good thing I had a backup from yesterday.



I recommend you stay away from this FREE app at least until they resolve the OS7 issues.

Strange, I've been using it since week 1 of the 9900's release on Rogers (stock OS) and more recently on the 353 leak without any issues. I sometimes have to 'save' a network multiple time (guess I'm between several towers), but other than that no problems.

Maybe a bad install?

[axe50]

2) on TMo, UMA would allow users to make calls over Wifi back to your home Country with no roaming charges. Wifi calling app will bill all calls over Wifi at roaming rates (sucks doesn't it!)

If they are charging roaming rates while on Wi-fi then what is the point? This seems completely counter to what the intent of wi-fi calling is supposed to be about.

If this does prove to be true, I will sell my 9900 and get a used 9780. I could care less about losing the touchscreen and beefier specs. But wi-fi calling @ roaming charges is a show stopper.

[rocky]

If they are charging roaming rates while on Wi-fi then what is the point? This seems completely counter to what the intent of wi-fi calling is supposed to be about.

If this does prove to be true, I will sell my 9900 and get a used 9780. I could care less about losing the touchscreen and beefier specs. But wi-fi calling @ roaming charges is a show stopper.

Yes, many of us are sticking with the 9780 for this very reason. Well, that and the apps that have not caught up with OS7 yet.

[llamax]

Do Android phoes get charged roaming fees with the same app? Sounds like a quick way to confirm.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[fiddysheqel]

2) on TMo, UMA would allow users to make calls over Wifi back to your home Country with no roaming charges. Wifi calling app will bill all calls over Wifi at roaming rates (sucks doesn't it!)

How will they go about doing that?

If I were to be in Canada on WIFI, and I wanted to call my hometown in NY, and I disconnect from the Mobile Network (leaving only wifi on), how can they detect where it's coming from? In any detect mode they have, it could have been done with UMA as well, so what makes this different?

[claykin]

I'm only conveying what I've been told. I have been told that Android users were charged for making Wifi calls back home when overseas (using the Kineto Wifi calling app). Yes, seems counter-intuitive, but somehow I'm not surprised that the mobile phone operators think about the $$ lost when allowing free Wifi calling.

For me, I'll keep my old 8900 handy on overseas trips and swap SIM cards when I need to make UMA calls back home. I used UMA for 2+ years with the 8900 and never incurred any roaming fees.

[axe50]

I'm only conveying what I've been told. I have been told that Android users were charged for making Wifi calls back home when overseas (using the Kineto Wifi calling app). Yes, seems counter-intuitive, but somehow I'm not surprised that the mobile phone operators think about the $$ lost when allowing free Wifi calling.

For me, I'll keep my old 8900 handy on overseas trips and swap SIM cards when I need to make UMA calls back home. I used UMA for 2+ years with the 8900 and never incurred any roaming fees.

Ditto. I've got an 8320, 8900 and 9700 handy for travelling / roaming (although my 9700 is missing an end call button thanks to hurricane irene!)

[luvsql]

My reception on my 9900 on the Rogers network at home is horrible and have the SOS for most areas of my house therefore no phones calls or text messages. Rogers offers this service for $5 a month, but the 9900 removed the UMA on all its new devices. This would have allowed me to make and receive calls and texts via wifi instead of none at all.

[bigbamboo]

Be sure to turn off wifi if not in wifi zone, as it will shorten battery life

Sent via BB Tapatalk.

I use Smart WiFi - not free, but it works like a dream.

[llamax]

Get even more jealous like the rest of us: a guy in another thread posted screenshots of TMO leak with UMA enabled. Where's the leak for us with similar situations as above?

[basket_case]

TMobile will begin supporting the same type of Wifi calling app used on Android phones. Its an app written by Kineto wireless. I'm told a new 9900 OS will be released in November/December that will have this app embedded.

The big differences between the new Wifi calling app and UMA are:

1) UMA supports handoff between cell and wifi. Wifi app does NOT.
2) on TMo, UMA would allow users to make calls over Wifi back to your home Country with no roaming charges. Wifi calling app will bill all calls over Wifi at roaming rates (sucks doesn't it!)

The advantage of the Wifi calling app is that its said to be much more reliable than UMA. I for one had varied results using UMA. I found it didn't even work consistently when I changed my Berry to Wifi only mode.

From T-Mobile:

T-Mobile Support Community: Wi-Fi Calling

This is EXACTLY the same billing policy as UMA