Comments on: Review: T-Mobile Hotspot@Home UMA/Wi-Fi Calling

By: Raymond J.

Raymond J. — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 02:25:39 +0000

I like this evolution. I think it is about time that the cell companies are investing in better technology and let us get rid of land lines totally. Why should we bother when the future is wireless anyway? - Ray J.-Mobilhuset:Mobil uten Abonnement

By: mikeeeee

mikeeeee — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 01:05:39 +0000

mike b

what kind of router are you using?

with the dlink router i experienced the same problems you are.

i upgraded to the linksys when i added an @home line and the problems stopped dead.

i use a katalyst and my wife uses a 339.

i would kill for an android app to make my g-1 UMA as blackberrys are useless outside my door for about 6 miles or so but, my g-1 has a signal about a mile away.

t-mo has rocks in their heads for phasing UMA to the back burner.

when my obligation is up i’m going to verizon with their femtocell network extender.

By: Mike B

Mike B — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:27:42 +0000

I’ve been using UMA on T-Mo with 1st a Samsung Katalyst and now a Samsung T339, both suffering from many dropped calls and 1-way audio. I understand the BB works much better, but I still have time on my contract before I can get promo upgrade pricing on the BB. T-MO has dropped promotion of @home and also the add-on pricing to their old voice plans. You can still add it if you know about it.
I think they realized that for $10/mo bundled with unlimited mobile to mobile and unlimited UMA calls, they were losing money. I know that the 2500 min a month used on UMA would cost me a lot more then I’m paying now ($80/mo for 2 phones including the $10/mo UMA service). Also, their losing the contract with Starbuck’s to provide WiFi killed their big @hotspot promo. They are still promoting it big time to corporate accounts though. From a pricing perspective, I think they are thinking why bother with UMA phones, but they forget about their coverage problems at home.
Another solution is to get their @home router and add a line at home for $10/mo and manage it all with Google Voice, but then there are plenty of VoIp options out there that are cheaper still.

By: Hands On: Blackberry Bold 9700 – T-Mobile | BerryReview.com »

Hands On: Blackberry Bold 9700 – T-Mobile | BerryReview.com » — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:13:55 +0000

[...] Carriers: The 9700 is pretty big news on T-Mobile. This is the first 3G BlackBerry on T-Mobile’s network and its friggin awesome. For AT&T, this is a nice addition to its already huge lineup of BlackBerries. I have been testing the T-Mobile one so far and have had very few complaints. Also, because the 9700 also has WiFi, if you are using T-Mobile this phone will let you use their UMA WiFi at home service to make calls over WiFi using your T-Mobile number (see previous post here). [...]

By: Jeff

Jeff — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:39:45 +0000

I’ve been using UMA on my BlackBerry Curve for a while now but I don’t remember having to pay extra for it. It’s great for traveling because I can make free calls to the USA (and Canada with Google Voice).

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:28:34 +0000

I love UMA! I’ve been using it ever since I got the Curve 1 nearly a couple years ago. (Has it been that long?) It is definitely one of the under-appreciated features from T-Mobile. While other carriers are fiddling around with their expensive femtocell options, UMA is far superior, mainly because wi-fi is everywhere!

Props to the writers of this article for getting the details right. It’s been frustrating how misunderstood this service is, namely that it’s free if you want to use your minutes, but enjoy improved coverage. The only cost is for the unlimited UMA minutes options.

I really appreciated this service while traveling, back when I didn’t have a plan that included roaming. I just turned the wi-fi radio on and leave the cellular radio off. It’s even useful for SMS and data when you’re out of cellular coverage and bandwidth of the hotspot you’re connected to isn’t able to carry a voice call because it’s too low. Now that I’m on the unlimited nationwide plan I still appreciate the improved coverage through UMA. Basements of the world are now covered!

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:18:58 +0000

I think the experience differs based on the router. Using a cheap D-Link Di-524 I have no problems at all. It hands off to and from cellular with no drops, only a split-second cut out of audio. It is not designed to hand off from one wi-fi access point to another. I think if you got rid of the other routers you’d have better luck. It sounds like you have too much wi-fi going on there.

My only complaint is interference while using A2DP (Stereo Bluetooth) on the same device. A2DP and UMA don’t get along well – too much fighting over finite 2.4 GHz radio bandwidth. Non-A2DP Bluetooth headsets work better.

By: SLVR6

SLVR6 — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:59:08 +0000

Yes, your phone will connect (provided you have added the WiFi router and connected to it) and have service through the WiFi. It doesn’t matter whose router it is, your phone connects through it. Tmo does offer a home line VOIP service that is tied to a router (you even put a sim card in it).

I have traveled all over the world and UMA has worked great for me. I am very torn right now though because Tmo is pretty bad where I have moved to and even though UMA would be helpful while traveling still, I think solid service is going to have to win.

By: DavidB

DavidB — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:40:15 +0000

So you guys that have this:
If I am in a locatuon that has no TMO cellular service, if my UMA was turned on and somebody calls my cell number, my phone rings just as if I DID have cell service? But ONLY “my” hotspot, right? I can’t be at your house and my phone could ring through your wifi, or would it when in range of ANY approved TMO UMA hotspot?

By: Bob

Bob — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:05:35 +0000

T-Mobile’s UMA is a really great service, but it looks like T-mo has dropped the ball. They no longer advertise it on their web pages. They no longer include it in a searchable option for their phones. And, worse yet, the number of phones that support UMA has dwindled. Yes, most Blackberries support it, and that’s great for me, but they used to have quite a few low end phones, and now it is only a couple. If T-mo drops UMA, then I drop T-mo. As the ad says, “There’s a *map* for that.”

By: Darth Tazman

Darth Tazman — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:19:39 +0000

I’ve heard the T-Mobile is discontinuing this add on for individuals and only allowing it for businesses. In fact on the My T-mobile website I can no longer find a way to add it anymore.

By: Luis Merlos

Luis Merlos — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:51:48 +0000

Yes I just switched to it, I have 4 lines plus a home line with them, I didn’t have to extend my contract but I do get charge if I was to switch to the no contract plan. all 4 cell phone lines have Unlimited internet for lik $45 a month they bundle it for me, and all my lines share minutes and messaging. Have not received my first bill, but what I was told is when either one of my lines becomes available for an upgrade I get the discount, the other one with no contract you do have to paid the full price for the phones but you can have it set to be paid in monthly premiums

By: sgt-d

sgt-d — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:49:38 +0000

i always make sure inter-access point handover is on, it just doesn’t work for me most of the time.

uma is undoubtedly a great idea. i just wish it worked better for me.

By: webchetan

webchetan — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:19:18 +0000

Did anyone of you changed to the new Even More or Even More Plus Plans from T-Mobile? I am just confused which one to take. I would prefer the Even More Plan, as I can get discounts on new phones which arrive and just have to be with them for a 2 year contract, which is fine. Whereas the Even More Plus plan though is cheap and awesome, there are caveats, like you cannot get phone discounts and in an event if you want to change to a contract basis plan in future, you may not be able to do so and you may also lose your current phone number with them! Basically they might not let you have the number which you currently have ( I have it since 10 years with TMobile, what a loyal customer I am )

So you see my point…

By: Nikolaus Walch

Nikolaus Walch — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:05:02 +0000

What you can’t use it with the G1 or MyTouch? Terrible!

By: mikeeeee

mikeeeee — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:38:40 +0000

UMA is good.

i use both t-mo’s services.

hotspot@ home and plain old t-mo @home.

can’t wait for t-mo to come out with a UMA android.

By: Nikolaus Walch

Nikolaus Walch — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:07:09 +0000

You don’t need a home line from T-Mobile if you don’t want one. I had two 8320s on a T-Mo router with no home line, but then decided to get a home line which is only $10/month for unlimited minutes. The home line has been flawless, but again you don’t need to get it if you don’t want it, so just keep your current VoIP service if you want.

By: webchetan

webchetan — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:51:09 +0000

Do we get a new VoIP number if we subscribe to TMobile @ Home service? The reason i ask, is that I already have awesome # 1 VoIP service (You know which service I am talking about ). So I don’t want to have my mobile #, then home VoIP # and now TMobile @ Home the 3rd number…

any thoughts advise?

Thanks

By: Nikolaus Walch

Nikolaus Walch — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:48:42 +0000

Thus I’d like a Storm 2 on T-Mo

By: Nikolaus Walch

Nikolaus Walch — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:39:55 +0000

You talked to a dumb person then. Before I switched from Sprint to T-Mo in 2007 I asked a T-Mo rep. at a mall how it worked and he openly told me it worked over wifi from anywhere in the world. Everything he said turned out to be true.

By: ShvartzBerry

ShvartzBerry — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:37:03 +0000

This is very interesting. When I was looking into switching carriers, I spoke to a rep about the Hotspot @ Home feature and they told me that the way it worked was only that the Wi-Fi “assisted” the cellular cool and therefore, would not allow me to make free calls outside of the country (like Canada.) I ended up going with Verizon since they are the only provider which has any plan that would give you free roaming/long distance in Canada. But based on the above, it seems the information from the T-Mobile rep was incorrect. Good to know.

By: beamolite

beamolite — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:30:39 +0000

I’ve had this feature on my T-Mobile plan for a long time. It’s one of the reasons I stay with T-Mobile. I don’t know why they don’t promote it more. It is very reliable.

By: Nikolaus Walch

Nikolaus Walch — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:25:02 +0000

I understand your circumstances/setup may be different, but I don’t reboot my home nor multiple access points at work, and can go from UMA to EDGE without any issues (but I do have a good EDGE signal in my office). You should make sure your wifi profile has “Allow inter-access point handover” enabled.

I did have issues when I was not using one of the T-Mo routers, but the T-Mo routers have been great to prevent any dropped calls.

By: sgt-d

sgt-d — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:14:29 +0000

uma is great, mostly in theory. while it does work pretty good there are some major issues. the idiot in the next room that is downloading the internet will have you screaming for some edge or EDGE love – in short order. when the network is clogged your conversation is completely garbled. switching between edge and uma or vice versa is a lesson in frustration, and 90% of the time ends in a dropped call. it has its pluses though… i can’t get a signal from any carrier (just in my office, stupid crap!) but i have several wi-fi routers so i can always get uma. on my devices tho, at least from my experience, you can only have one of the wi-fi routers turned on when the phone first connects to wi-fi or the device gets confused and never connects… even if only one of the connections is enabled on the device. i was having to reboot multiple routers once each morning to get a connection – for the last week i’ve left them all off except one and the phone always seems to reconnect just fine. i have a better connection at home so uma is pretty enjoyable there at least.

By: Nikolaus Walch

Nikolaus Walch — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:11:54 +0000

Forgot to mention also worked when was in Germany