[crj_lll]

Here is the problem.

I want to pick up an 8320. I am trying to find out if the @ Home service is neccessary to have to use the wifi calling? Of course when I ask T-Mobile, they say it is.

The conflict I have is more of a commonsencial one. If the unlimited wifi calling can only be used with the @ home service,

#1) Does that mean it will not work without the @ home wifi router?

or

#2) Does that mean the service in the phone is turned off unless I putrchase the service?

What I am not understanding is that if I have a broadband service in my office or home what do I need their service for?

Those 2 reasons above are the only things I can think of that would cause me to need their service.

Any help would be appreciated.

[anon(153966)]

No, you can have the 8320 a LinkSys Router, and still make calls! But, it will not be free, UNLESS you pay for the @Home service, $9.99...

Alternatively, if you have MyFaves, it works with it, too...

And yes, I'm using it, and it really does work...

[Trevor]

This has to be the coolest service. I really wish T-Mobile had service in my area.

[berrywhite]

What this means is if you do not have th ''at home'' service you will not be able to make phone calls via wifi. You will still be able to access the internet via wifi.

[crj_lll]

No, you can have the 8320 a LinkSys Router, and still make calls! But, it will not be free, UNLESS you pay for the @Home service, $9.99...

Alternatively, if you have MyFaves, it works with it, too...

And yes, I'm using it, and it really does work...

Ok, I guess this is my question.

If you use this service on another carrier, how do you think the minutes would work? Would they be free because the call goes through the data service?

[crj_lll]

What this means is if you do not have th ''at home'' service you will not be able to make phone calls via wifi. You will still be able to access the internet via wifi.

Ok, so I am back to what I said before. If you cannot make calls without the plan, then it has to be controlled by T-Mobile by the router they give you or by turning the service off in your phone.

I cannot see any other way to.

Does anyone know which it is?

[Trevor]

Ok, so I am back to what I said before. If you cannot make calls without the plan, then it has to be controlled by T-Mobile by the router they give you or by turning the service off in your phone.

I cannot see any other way to.

Does anyone know which it is?

This feature is limited to T-Mobile I believe. There is no other carrier. I guess I am confused what you are asking.

[anon(153966)]

Maybe I didn't make myself clear - once you have the 8320 and a Router (not the T-Mobile one) you CAN make calls, via Wi-Fi! Minutes taken from your package, unless you have MyFaves, and thus making a MyFaves call, it would be free...

It's NOT compulsory to have the T-Mobile @ Home Router. But, if you want to take advantage of the free calling from home, then you have to get the @ Home package, $9.99 a month...

Clear as mud?

[crj_lll]

This feature is limited to T-Mobile I believe. There is no other carrier. I guess I am confused what you are asking.

The feature is a Blackberry feature. Wifi Calling is built into the phone.

How it is billed depends on each carrier. That is what I am trying to figure out. The T-Mobile representative is trying to tell me that I cannot use a fautre of the phone unless I purchase the service from them

[crj_lll]

Maybe I didn't make myself clear - once you have the 8320 and a Router (not the T-Mobile one) you CAN make calls, via Wi-Fi! Minutes taken from your package, unless you have MyFaves, and thus making a MyFaves call, it would be free...

It's NOT compulsory to have the T-Mobile @ Home Router. But, if you want to take advantage of the free calling from home, then you have to get the @ Home package, $9.99 a month...

Clear as mud?

ok, so what I am understanding is that the T-mobile can tell whether you are using the UMA or regular cellular to make a call. If you do not have the plan, they will bill your minutes. If you are on the plan, then that use is free.

I wonder what would happen when you use the UMA on another carrier, like ATT? I would asume now they would be regular minutes.

Navilyn, can you make a WIFI call if you take your sim card out? This will tell me if the ophone looks for a carrier for soem kinfd of info before it completes a wifi call.

[anon(153966)]

It was my understanding that AT&T didn't support UMA...

As for the SIMless call, I'll try it later.

Edit: nothing works without the SIM card! Happy now?

[Trevor]

The feature is a Blackberry feature. Wifi Calling is built into the phone.

Didn't know that, thanks for clarifying.

[crj_lll]

It was my understanding that AT&T didn't support UMA...

As for the SIMless call, I'll try it later.

Edit: nothing works without the SIM card! Happy now?

Ok, wikipedia to the rescue. They had the answer

GAN is designed around connecting directly to an existing 2/2.5G GSM network. As such it is only suitable for network operators who have an existing GSM network. For operators such as '3' in the UK this is not the case. To address the issue a development called EGAN is under way in 3GPP.

So the service does use the GSM network connection. It is not truly stand alone VOIP like you would have in your home from a ISP.

[kasperapd]

The feature is a Blackberry feature. Wifi Calling is built into the phone.

How it is billed depends on each carrier. That is what I am trying to figure out. The T-Mobile representative is trying to tell me that I cannot use a fautre of the phone unless I purchase the service from them

It is a BlackBerry feature, but it will only work on networks that support it... T-Mobile is the only US carrier right now who supports it. AT&T does not support UMA.

[fredbarry]

Also keep in mind that if you are paying for the @Home service you can also use the phone at Tmobile hots pots and even other free hotspots -- and the calls are free. If you begin a call at your home router (Tmobiles's router or your own) or a hotspot then the call is free even if you leave the hot spot area -- the call automatically switches to cell towers and is still free. If you begin a call using regular minutes and then enter a hotspot then it is not free. Hope this helps.

[pnutbudrcherryberrysanwich]

ok i look at some posts here and am noticing that alot of you are saying the wi-fi option is only 9.99 but when i look at tmos site i see it for 19.99 is there a way i can get it for 9.99 or was that just a repeated typo?

[alicat876]

9.99 was the promo price which is over. 19.99 is the price for H@H now.

[SoCalBBr]

9.99 was the promo price which is over. 19.99 is the price for H@H now.

Do you remember when that promo ended?

[VIDGMER]

I went Fed-Ex Kinko, it switched EDGE to WIFI/ UMA.



Notice:
Hotspot- wifi icon- UMA


Note: I am not the subscription hotspot of the T-Mobile, however I pay (BIS) data plan only. that is it..

[berrywhite]

I love Wifi calling! I have a few places where I visit frequently for work that no one has service! I walk in and BOOM switches over to wifi and I can make and receive calls and get my emails!!!!

[FReQ Z]

alright, I asked this in another thread, but I wanted to make sure...

if I don't subscribe to @home, and I go through Wi-Fi for my calls, it uses my normal minutes, right? but what about nights/weekends when normal calls are unlimited (the plan I have)? are my nights/weekend calls through UMA all unlimited minutes?

edit: sorry... this was answered in the Curve forum. thanks!

[SLVR6]

I think the point of what wifi (UMA) calling is was missed. When the phone, any UMA capable phone, makes the connection to a wifi router it the will try to make a connection to a specific IP address. This IP address is T-mobiles servers that control and route the UMA calls. A UMA call has nothing to do with the GSM network. For instance, when I was traveling last month I would turn off my GSM antennae when I got back to the hotel and only leave on the WiFi, phone made connection and I made free calls. End of story. Any clearer yet?

[Curve]

i have tmobile n i have the hotspot @ home i pay $19.99 for 2 lines combined and i just signed up for it like a month ago. so theres a 9.99 individual plan and 19.99 for dual accts. hope this is some use.

[SLVR6]

i have tmobile n i have the hotspot @ home i pay $19.99 for 2 lines combined and i just signed up for it like a month ago. so theres a 9.99 individual plan and 19.99 for dual accts. hope this is some use.

I think you must have still received the special. They told me it was $19.99 for 1 line and $29.99 for multiple (up to 5 on family plan). Found out since I beta tested last year I am getting @home for the best price, free!

[Mini2Go]

I think I'm beginning to understand this whole picture, but please, for the love of all things semantical, let's not call the HotSpot@home calls free (besides SLVR6 and those who were beta testers) since there IS a monthly charge.

If I understand this correctly, paying for the HS@H feature is equivalent to buying unlimited WiFi calling. Otherwise you can still use the feature, but the voice/data minutes used count against your current plan.

Did I get it right? If so, I hope it 'splains it better for those of you still scratching your heads!