T-Mobile UMA charges?
 

Im not paying the $10/mo for UMA, but whenever I turn my wifi on at home it connects and I get the UMA icon instead of EDGE. If I make a phone call will it actually go through UMA? And will I get charged for using it without subscribing?

Yes, it will go through UMA. You can use UMA all you want but it's billed the same as if you were on EDGE.

I have unlimited data. If its billed as if I was on EDGE that means I can use it at no additional charge then, yes?

That's correct. On unlimited data, it makes no difference. If you get the @Home plan ($9.95 add-on) then you can make unlimited calls using UMA. Without the plan your minutes just come out of your bucket whether on UMA or EDGE.

Wirelessly posted (Blackberry Pearl 8100)

Wait you just confused me o_O. I don't have the @home addon. That means my minutes are still being used even though I'm on UMA?

Correct, without a Hotspot @ Home plan you will not get free calling on UMA. However, if you're in your "free" time slots (Weekends and nights) then all of it is free anyways. Just consider UMA to be a speed boost for data and stronger signal for cell use without the H@H plan.

Wirelessly posted (Blackberry Pearl 8100)

Ok thanks. One more question. Does UMA allow apps normally wouldnt take advantage of wifi do so? I ask because I know Opera Mini isn't coded for wifi (yet), but when I'm connected to UMA at home its noticeably faster than when I'm on EDGE.

Actually, Opera is now coded for Wi-Fi with official 4.1 version.

Wirelessly posted (Blackberry Pearl 8100)

That's strange. I'm using 4.1 and it won't use wifi unless UMA is enabled. Is there something I need to do to get it working?



EDIT- Nevermind. For some reason the final version of 4.1 didnt install correctly. I uninstalled and reinstalled it and now I see wifi in the options, Thx everyone for the info!

I do not have the H@H plan, but i do have the unlimited data plan. Now when I walk up to the house, the BB automatically connects to UMA. I have had the phone for a 2 weeks, so i have made a few calls from home, using UMA. I checked the t-mob. WWW site and look at all the calls i make, and the ones at home, are designated by a "U", meaning UMA, not a "F" or what ever designations they have. The times i placed the calls were not during off peek hours. So to answer his question. My feeling, if you have the unlimited data plan, are connected to UMA, ALL calls go over UMA system, and do not subtract from your "Bucket" minutes. JUst my 2 cents.

Not true.

As according to HotSpot @Home by T-Mobile | Unlimited WiFi Cell Phone Service Plan > FAQ > In addition to great in-home coverage, what else should I know about T-Mobile HotSpot @ Home?

With the T-Mobile HotSpot @ Home Add-on associated with your account, you can enjoy unlimited calling from home or thousands of T-Mobile HotSpots across the country. If you're on a Family Plan, you can add unlimited Wi-Fi calling for everyone on your plan for just one low price.

If you just need better coverage, a T-Mobile HotSpot phone without the add-on will still give you great coverage on calls from home. Calls are simply applied to your nights and weekends, MyFaves, or other unlimited minutes or are subtracted from the balance for your voice plan.

MMMM ok, when i look at my bill on t-mob. I see this:

05/29/08 INCOMING 04:15 PM 330-000-0000 (F) 14
05/29/08 AKRON, OH 02:06 PM 330-000-0000 (V) 2
05/29/08 AKRON, OH 02:04 PM 330-000-0000 (F) 3
05/29/08 AKRON, OH 02:02 PM 330-000-0000 (V) 2
05/29/08 AKRON, OH 11:36 AM 330-000-0000 (F) 13
05/30/08 Cust Care 07:19 PM 888-000-0000 (U) 1
05/30/08 INCOMING 06:59 PM 330-000-0000 (U) 1
05/30/08 AKRON, OH 05:53 PM 330-000-0000 (U) 3
05/30/08 AKRON, OH 05:52 PM 330-000-0000 (U) 1
05/30/08 AKRON, OH 03:59 PM 330-000-0000 (V) 1

ok, now the "F" stands for mobile to mobile
"V" is my fav's
"U" is the hot spot at home.

at the first of the month, I had 1000 minutes in bucket minutes left, all the other numbers for calls were all 0. I made a few calls from home on H@H, and then checked my bill, it listed the 4 "U" calls, i looked and saw that that it deducted 0 minutes from the 1000 bucket, 0 from MtoM, and 0 my fav's, the "use em or loose" em were also empty. So, from what I can see, on the "U" system, it deducts 0 minutes from your plan.

Wirelessly posted (Blackberry Pearl 8100)

All calls made over UMA for me are still deducted from my bucket unless they are myfavs, nights & weekends, or mobile to mobile.

If they were free you wouldn't have to pay the $1 /mo to subscribe to H@H and that just wouldn't make sense.

There have been mistakes made by TMo when billing these. However, I wouldn't plan on that working forever.

its strange how it says Wirelessly posted (Blackberry Pearl 8100) when I have a Curve o_O

You change that manually in your WAP forum preferences.

That's because HotSpot @ Home gives you unlimited calls on UMA. This is why no minutes were deducted in your case, because if you have the add-on then it won't deduct minutes.

If you do not have H@H, it will eventually end up coming back to get you. Might as well add it since 10 bucks is a pretty nominal fee when you consider how much you could save in reducing your plan's overall price as well.

I talked to T-Mobile rep and he told me that when you are making a call through Wi-Fi (UMA) your minutes will not get deducted from your bucket, regardless you have HotSpot@Home or not. It's a free call! If your device see your neighbor unsecured Wi-Fi network then your call will go through your neighbor's network and it's a free call.
I am not sure if you will get charged if making an international call through Wi-Fi.

That is totally incorrect. Either you misunderstood or he didn't explain it correctly.

If you DO have the H@H plan then calls over wifi are unlimited.

if you DON'T have the H@H plan then calls over wifi come out of your bucket of minutes.

It's as simple as that.

No matter where you are in the world if you connect to UMA then it's as if your phone is in the US on a TMobile tower. If you call to a foreign country you will be charged as an international call. If you call to the US (from a foreign country but on UMA) then it's a regular call and goes against your minutes (or unlimited if you have H@H.)

Hmm, really. I am pretty darn sure the rep told me that. And I kept asking are you sure and he kept saying yes.