I'm about to make the jump to the T-mobile $30 prepaid plan. Only 100 min/mo of voice, so the plan was to use my google voice over wifi/data for all outgoing calls, and hopefully be able to get incoming calls the same way. I'm guessing the answer is no, but is there any way to get real time incoming calls without having an active data (either wifi or mobile data) connection? In other words, is there any way for the phone to wake up only for those calls?
I've managed to tune my phone (Galaxy S4 with goldfinger ROM) so that I'm only using 0.4%/hour battery at idle. Using 2G constantly drops me to >2%/hour, and wifi is around 1.2-1.5%/hour. Not horrible, but significant over the course of the day.
If there's no other way, I'm thinking I'll just have the data turn on at intervals to check for push messages if I'm somewhere where I won't be able to get to a charger. Again, no deal breaker here, but I'm a bit of a battery nerd...
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im not sure i asked this correctly on another post..
using tmo prepay plan of 100 miin and 5gb data , and unlimited text,
if i use wifi to call, will it charge my phone minutes?
i get conflicting info from reps.
thanx much
If you are using the wifi calling feature from T-mobile, it uses your minutes. If you're using some sort of voip solution while on wifi it will not. I have the same plan as you and I use GrooveIP for all calls while on wifi. The sound quality is OK. Some people complain about it, but it's definitely usable, and it keeps me under the 100 minutes of the plan. The other thing about it is that it uses google chat to complete the calls, so you have to have a google voice account (free) and people calling you will have to dial your google voice number. This wasn't a big deal for me since I was already using google voice and everyone used that number to reach me anyway, but if all your contacts have your cell #, you'll have to get them to start using a different number to call you. You can set up google voice so that it forwards all calls to your cell and to google chat simultaneously. Then set up GrooveIP to only work when on wifi. This way you'll get your calls whether on wifi or not. It also works on 3g/4g, or is supposed to. I didn't need to even try as unloading the calls when on wifi keeps me well under the 100 cell minutes, so I can't tell you about the quality of that.
pcassaro said:
If you are using the wifi calling feature from T-mobile, it uses your minutes. If you're using some sort of voip solution while on wifi it will not. I have the same plan as you and I use GrooveIP for all calls while on wifi. The sound quality is OK. Some people complain about it, but it's definitely usable, and it keeps me under the 100 minutes of the plan. The other thing about it is that it uses google chat to complete the calls, so you have to have a google voice account (free) and people calling you will have to dial your google voice number. This wasn't a big deal for me since I was already using google voice and everyone used that number to reach me anyway, but if all your contacts have your cell #, you'll have to get them to start using a different number to call you. You can set up google voice so that it forwards all calls to your cell and to google chat simultaneously. Then set up GrooveIP to only work when on wifi. This way you'll get your calls whether on wifi or not. It also works on 3g/4g, or is supposed to. I didn't need to even try as unloading the calls when on wifi keeps me well under the 100 cell minutes, so I can't tell you about the quality of that.
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well tyvm..
i put up thanx for you.. when im ready, i would like to PM you to get all the hoops in line..
i do have google voice , so i have a jump start
amkaos said:
well tyvm..
i put up thanx for you.. when im ready, i would like to PM you to get all the hoops in line..
i do have google voice , so i have a jump start
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glad to help. just let me know if / when you have questions.
That $30 plan is awesome, isn't it!
amkaos said:
im not sure i asked this correctly on another post..
using tmo prepay plan of 100 miin and 5gb data , and unlimited text,
if i use wifi to call, will it charge my phone minutes?
i get conflicting info from reps.
thanx much
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It depends on where the call was started from. If your call originates on wi-fi and you have the feature on your plan then it is free to you. If the call originates on the T-Mobile network and you then go to a wi-fi call it will be using your minutes. YOU MUST have the free wi-fi calling feature on your account as well for it not to use your minutes.
For example, I use Talkatone or Sipdroid for my phone calls so I don't want these apps to get briefly disconnected when i connect to a wifi network because i may miss an incoming call. Plus, since voice calls use such little data and I'm almost always have strong 4g signal, it seems like it would make sense to just keep calls on 4g all the time. It's also annoying if i'm at home in a call over wifi and need to go somewhere, then i have to call the person back.
Any ideas? I'm using an un-rooted Galaxy S3 t-mobile currently, but will probably root in the future if absolutely needed when i have the time to mess around with that (and when i'm not absolutely depending on this phone to be fully working following day).
Anyone? I've recently rooted my t-mobile s3. running stock rom.
ok so i tied my number to google voice because my phone doesn't get signal in 90% of my workplace (it has wifi though) and the cell signal by my house is pretty low so all calls sound like crap. so what i was hoping to do was be able to place calls and texts from my sprint number through google voice. if i go into the settings of the google voice app i set it so the google voice app gives me notifications when i receive texts and i am able to use it to text and receive texts as long as i have a data connection (wifi most of the time) now the problem with this is that if i don't have a cell signal and am connected to only wifi, calls dont come through at all like i would expect them to..
before i did the integration i was able to place calls over wifi but it would display my google voice number to the people i was calling but now that i did the integration i cant make or receive calls over wifi? if anyone knows how to enable that it would help a lot, if it can even be done that is...
on a side note, i experimented with it using my house phone and noticed that if i have no signal and am only on the wifi, the people who are calling me (in this case me calling my cell phone from my house) still hear a ringing tone and after about 30 seconds get my voicemail. so what the heck. you would think if its ringing that i would get calls over the wifi but apparently not...?
Install GrooveIP....works perfect.
lostsoul77 said:
Install GrooveIP....works perfect.
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for the longest time i have known about that app but thought it was only necessary on phones that weren't activated on any carriers.. *facepalm* i just installed it and it worked perfect! thanks a lot man! im so happy right now hahaha
*thanked*
Ok,
After reading the forms and after asking questions here (and experimenting) I finally figured this gear s out! Forgive me if you all knew this...but to me it was a process to figure out. For all my talk below...assume BT on and WIFI off.
I am on verizon: not sure if same on other carriers...but my mobile settings are
gear network ON/OFF/Auto (this is confusing...should be called GEAR PHONE RADIO
if OFF- disables mobile network (see below) and cannot recieve text on GEAR number OR Calls on Gear number
IF AUTO- on BT:can only use phones number for text/calls...but off BT can use gears phone number for calls/text
if ON- can always use gear phone for text/sms EVEN if on BT...(can use both at all times).....but see below...lose 10% battery per hour
Mobile network: check box for on or off ....should be called (mobile network)- it is what either connects you remotely if not withing bt range OR uses mobile network to stream/download if away from phone. when ON you can get text/alerts from phone even if phone left home (and on)
SO:
Today- had BT on paired to phone and had gear network auto (which means its OFF since was on BT)- 7 hours 20% battery with lot of use!!!!!!!!!!!
Today- had BT on paried to phone and had GEAR network ON (always was on BT)- lost 20% in 2 hours with light use
I recommend: keep gear network on auto (and mobile network checked).....if you step away from phone and dont need alerts...change gear net off. If you are ever somewhere where you MUST be reachable (2 methods): leave gear network ON always......but you will max get 9-10 hours on your fully charged gear.
hope this helps....sorry if was obvious to you all
I seem to get different results to you.
I have network always on, but have set it to GSM only (2G) - not sure if you have that option? Some of the network operator provided Gear S have that option removed I believe?
I can run for 24+ hours easily, I have set calls to dial out from the Gear S but I respond to SMS messages via the link to my mobile. I was out tonight and I was getting SMS messages from my phone sat at home on my desk and responding via the return link to it on the mobile network.
If i switch on the 3G networks it does suck the battery though as you suggest, but 2G is plenty fast enough for sms, emails and notifications.
I have have had the permanent clock on today too for testing, not many messages and no calls from the watch, but I did get almost 20 hours before I had to put it on charge at 2%
Clock it quite bright though in a dark theater - but does look very cool
I am in the UK and have the latest firmware, did you get the update? Some are saying this helps with battery life.
bisto321 said:
I seem to get different results to you.
I have network always on, but have set it to GSM only (2G) - not sure if you have that option? Some of the network operator provided Gear S have that option removed I believe?
I can run for 24+ hours easily, I have set calls to dial out from the Gear S but I respond to SMS messages via the link to my mobile. I was out tonight and I was getting SMS messages from my phone sat at home on my desk and responding via the return link to it on the mobile network.
If i switch on the 3G networks it does suck the battery though as you suggest, but 2G is plenty fast enough for sms, emails and notifications.
I have have had the permanent clock on today too for testing, not many messages and no calls from the watch, but I did get almost 20 hours before I had to put it on charge at 2%
Clock it quite bright though in a dark theater - but does look very cool
I am in the UK and have the latest firmware, did you get the update? Some are saying this helps with battery life.
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Verizon won't have the 2g/gsm option as it is cdma. Same with the latest firmware... our carriers here get in the way and slow down updates.
Hi all
I have question regarding buying new SIM and data plan.
how much MB have you in one month ? (average)
I understand all calls, SMS, emails are transfered via internet to the watch.
If i replay some SMS on my watch it goes also to my PHONE and from there SMS in sent ?
What about CALLS I have made (which number is shown)
You only use voice, text, and data on the Gear's plan when it's not connected to your phone via BT. If not on BT it has access to Internet and carrier data and uses Internet first unless there's a signal issue where it'll fall back to carrier data. It works just like your phone because it is a phone. When connected via BT calls and texts you create on the Gear are passed through to your phone so that's which plan applies. In that situation the phone's (not the Gear's) phone number is used/displayed. If not connected to BT the Gear's separate phone number is used/displayed and its plan will be charged for voice, text, and (carrier) data.
How much carrier data the Gear uses depends on how often it's not connected to your phone, how often it is connected to the Internet, and which apps you use on it. Streaming Milk in stand alone mode will use a nice chunk of data.
I have a 10MB data plan for my gear. so far i havent gone over it, but havent checked the actual usage. most of the time the gear is connected by BT. usually on the weekends i use it stand alone for texting.
I have a 100 mb data plan.. the maximum I have used in a month is 30 mb
My Gear S uses less than 1MB/mth and my phone about 2. Its rare I am not on WiFi with my phone and I don't stream music or video with my Gear S. I next to never take my phone with me so my Gear S is on data off and on all day long. Email gets forwarded to my watch but without attachments so it takes very little data.
I have 20mb plan and usually with just the remote connectivity i never go over that. And a little tip...have the phone use edge and your battery consumption when remotely connected will almost be like Bluetooth. You don't need 3G speeds for the fowarding of your notifications from your phone.