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Hi All.
I've had an X10 mini pro on T-Mobile UK for nearly a year, and love it, but I am faced with a problem:
At work, I get absoluteley no signal. However, there are Wifi networks everywhere that are freeley available. It seemed logical to me that I aught to be able to get my phone to use those wifi networks to obtain a signal, so I did some research and found this generally to be reffered to as UMA (Unliceneced Mobile Access?)
For anyone who's coming across this technology for the first time, this is a facility which allows your mobile phone to use wifi connections as a backup for service signal, and switch seemlessley between them for use on calls (through your regular phone number [NOT VOIP!]) and texts.
I've read a lot of conflicting oppinions and statements on this, and wanted to ask here (In a place of expert knowledge and understanding) what the real truth is behind all this.
1: Is UMA a hardware or software based tool?
-I've heared numerous statements on this, including:
a) "Your phone can not do this if you don't have the correct hardware"
b) "The standard hardware (provided you have wifi access) is all you need, only the software needs to allow support"
C) "You need sufficient wifi technology AND the correct software to enable this"
Which is true?
2: "Service Providers are holding back on UMA support as it removes their justification for charging the user for calls"
- I've seen this in a few places, but it doesn't make sense to me. Sureley, despite the fact that the call is connected by a wifi signal, it still needs to find its way through a telephone exchange. Telephone exchanges cost money to maintain and manage, so that can't be right? can it?
- If anything, sureley this would give service providers a competative advantage as they can guarentee better signal coverage. It would seem more logical to me that the issue is less with the hand set, but with the providers managing the incoming and outgoing call data via the wifi network?
3: "UMA is/isn't supportend on android version X.X"?
- Again, I've seen conflicting info on this. What's the score?
Thought this was the right place to discuss all this and find the real truth behind UMA. My final question of course being:
4: Is there a UMA app or method by which I can use wifi as a signal backup? If not, is anyone looking into it and how soon may users see the benefits?
Appreciate any light that can be shead on this to dispurse the smoke and mirrors that seenm to surround it.
Thanks,
Oliver
hmmm
Supprised noone's responded to this... did I miss something?
In the USA, T-mobile has an app that does this. T-mobile USA uses the term wi-fi calling.
Is there such a thing in the UK? I know that the Optimus T (essentially the same as Optimus One) has this ability. I found this list of phones that work with this feature on T-mobile USA.
Phones that can make use of this new feature:
Blackberry 8520
Blackberry Bold 9780
Samsung Vibrant (SGH-T959)
Samsung Vibrant II (Galaxy S 4G)
LG Optimus T
myTouch 3G Slide
myTouch 4G
Motorola Defy
Motorola Cliq 2
Motorola Cliq XT
Sidekick 4G
G2
G2X
Nokia Astound (C7-00)
Nokia Mode (E73)
Samsung t339
Some other older android phones can work as long as the app has been ported for the device. Very YMMV
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do not think your phone is available through T-mobile USA, so it is not on the list. Someone figured out how to bring wi-fi calling to non-tmobile Roms for the Optimus T/Optimus One phone. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1116268 However, I am fairly certain that this type of app needs the cooperation of your carrier to work.
Action_Man_1 said:
Hi All.
I've had an X10 mini pro on T-Mobile UK for nearly a year, and love it, but I am faced with a problem:
At work, I get absoluteley no signal. However, there are Wifi networks everywhere that are freeley available. It seemed logical to me that I aught to be able to get my phone to use those wifi networks to obtain a signal, so I did some research and found this generally to be reffered to as UMA (Unliceneced Mobile Access?)
For anyone who's coming across this technology for the first time, this is a facility which allows your mobile phone to use wifi connections as a backup for service signal, and switch seemlessley between them for use on calls (through your regular phone number [NOT VOIP!]) and texts.
I've read a lot of conflicting oppinions and statements on this, and wanted to ask here (In a place of expert knowledge and understanding) what the real truth is behind all this.
1: Is UMA a hardware or software based tool?
-I've heared numerous statements on this, including:
a) "Your phone can not do this if you don't have the correct hardware"
b) "The standard hardware (provided you have wifi access) is all you need, only the software needs to allow support"
C) "You need sufficient wifi technology AND the correct software to enable this"
Which is true?
2: "Service Providers are holding back on UMA support as it removes their justification for charging the user for calls"
- I've seen this in a few places, but it doesn't make sense to me. Sureley, despite the fact that the call is connected by a wifi signal, it still needs to find its way through a telephone exchange. Telephone exchanges cost money to maintain and manage, so that can't be right? can it?
- If anything, sureley this would give service providers a competative advantage as they can guarentee better signal coverage. It would seem more logical to me that the issue is less with the hand set, but with the providers managing the incoming and outgoing call data via the wifi network?
3: "UMA is/isn't supportend on android version X.X"?
- Again, I've seen conflicting info on this. What's the score?
Thought this was the right place to discuss all this and find the real truth behind UMA. My final question of course being:
4: Is there a UMA app or method by which I can use wifi as a signal backup? If not, is anyone looking into it and how soon may users see the benefits?
Appreciate any light that can be shead on this to dispurse the smoke and mirrors that seenm to surround it.
Thanks,
Oliver
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try this solution, T-Mobile and Orange have done a deal where they can use eachothers signals, go back to netwoork settings and you should find " T-Mobile-Orange 3G"... Connect to that and it may work.
It seems that T-Mobile and Orange both have very bad coverage compared to other competators.
Hello, I'm going to Japan in May/June & I was wondering if the international I9100, not the Japanese SC variant, is compatible with the data networks over there. I did some Googling but didn't find any conclusive answers. I apologise if the question is "noob", or if this is not the right section to post this in.
In addition, this is my first time in Japan (specifically, Tokyo) with a smartphone so I was looking at prepaid data plans for non-Residents, and chanced upon b-mobile (http://www.bmobile.ne.jp/) which appears to offer pretty good choices. My Japanese is at around the N3 level but reading a wall of text gives me a headache so I've been referring to softbanksucks.blogspot.com for more cognitively-friendly, English translations of certain related news.
1) They've launched a new prepaid card (at least I think it's prepaid) called the Chameleon 4G which rides on DOCOMO's 4G network. My question is, since my I9100 is not LTE-capable, will I still be able to tap on the data network (if I get that card) but maxed out at a speed my phone is able to handle.
2) Since this is my first time, I would like to ask if anyone who has been to Japan has any recommendations for getting a prepaid SIM card with data (eg. Plans, things to look out for, tips, etc). I was looking at data SIMs with talktime too but they all seem to be post-paid.
Many thanks for any help rendered!
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サンソングガラクシS II からタパトクで書いた。
Docomo should work the i9100 as it uses a GSM network. From my memory, either docomo or softbank may actually deny giving you a sim card for unlocked phones. At least that was the case for my friend while he was working in tokyo.
Kaze105 said:
Docomo should work the i9100 as it uses a GSM network. From my memory, either docomo or softbank may actually deny giving you a sim card for unlocked phones. At least that was the case for my friend while he was working in tokyo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm that's strange, especially since he was working there and all. I heard both companies started selling prepaid SIM cards not too long ago, albeit at an exorbitant price. Thanks for clarifying the networks though!
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サンソングガラクシS II からタパトクで書いた。
I'm actually going in late May as well and was wondering the same thing. Fact that SGS2 will work is great news, as far as getting a sim, can't you just bs them and say a friend will give you some old phone when you meet up or whatever? If they offer and sell prepaid sims, I wouldn't imagine it being that much of a problem...
As far as networks, I gathered that majority over there is UMTS aka HSDPA these days, which most GSM phones have anyway, so that shouldn't be a problem at all.
Skv012a said:
I'm actually going in late May as well and was wondering the same thing. Fact that SGS2 will work is great news, as far as getting a sim, can't you just bs them and say a friend will give you some old phone when you meet up or whatever? If they offer and sell prepaid sims, I wouldn't imagine it being that much of a problem...
As far as networks, I gathered that majority over there is UMTS aka HSDPA these days, which most GSM phones have anyway, so that shouldn't be a problem at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure the bs will work, 'cause from what I hear, you need an actual Japanese address & some kind of Japanese identification.
It's much easier to get a data-only SIM card & maybe couple that with a Skype Premium subscription for the period of time you'll be there, for calling.
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サンソングガラクシS II からタパトクで書いた。
Or via a friend, which is what i ended up doing. IMO much easier to just connect with or make a new friend and have them hook ya up.
Sent strait from the oven
Safe travels :laugh:
I'll be taking a trip to Western Europe shortly and am looking for options to continue to use data in a few countries. Not concerned with phone calls. My phone is CDMA so that is out. Also have access to a T-Mobile Galaxy S II, but it is not unlocked. Also I don't think the T-mobile version works well for Europe. I was looking into getting a portable hotspot MiFi for the trip and found Xcom Global, but $15 a day seems a bit much.
What's the best option to stay connected? Is there any company that offers temporary android phones with data for travelers? Or a cheaper company for a MiFi? Need data in London, Amsterdam, and Paris.
Please use the Q&A Forum for questions &
Read the Forum Rules Ref Posting
Moving to Q&A
Whoops. Sorry.
Well I did find my old Touch Pro 2 which does run on the Europe frequencies. Now I need to figure out the SIM cards. Any suggestions from anyone else who has used SIM cards in Europe? I will be traveling between London, Paris, and Amsterdam. Could use some coverage on the Eurostar between Paris and London as well since they don't seem to have wifi yet. Thank you for any help.
I guess I'll need to unlock it for SIM and then disable sense, etc. so that only wifi tether is running to save battery as much as possible.
to day I stated to have problems with my internet on my SGP621 LTE I'm on T-Mobile and i'm getting the connect me messages basically t-mo want's me to get a separate tablet data plan. I was wondering if there is a work around so that I can use my tablet as a regular phone with data internet access without an additional data plan which I would not pay for. is there a way to make my tablet SPG621 to show as the regular Z3 phone and not as a tablet so that I can use the internet 3G/4G LTE thank you:crying:
I think that's just an offer. You don't have to do this. As far as i know you can use your SIM in any device you like. And ... Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact can be considered as a big phaplet.
jaime4272 said:
to day I stated to have problems with my internet on my SGP621 LTE I'm on T-Mobile and i'm getting the connect me messages basically t-mo want's me to get a separate tablet data plan. I was wondering if there is a work around so that I can use my tablet as a regular phone with data internet access without an additional data plan which I would not pay for. is there a way to make my tablet SPG621 to show as the regular Z3 phone and not as a tablet so that I can use the internet 3G/4G LTE thank you:crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
jaime4272 said:
to day I stated to have problems with my internet on my SGP621 LTE I'm on T-Mobile and i'm getting the connect me messages basically t-mo want's me to get a separate tablet data plan. I was wondering if there is a work around so that I can use my tablet as a regular phone with data internet access without an additional data plan which I would not pay for. is there a way to make my tablet SPG621 to show as the regular Z3 phone and not as a tablet so that I can use the internet 3G/4G LTE thank you:crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with nico_las. I use my SGP621 on T-Mobile USA as well, and it's not mandatory I switch over to a tablet plan. It's just an offer you can refuse.
Is there a way to refuse this offer? Like, my data no longer works as of maybe two hours ago, and I am not the only one reporting this. Can I refuse an offer and retain it? I called 611 but as usual the pre-paid support folk never know anything outside of their scripts...
the problem is that t-mo knows is a tablet and the internet wont work, calls ant and text does work but not mms and everything that requires internet, if any body know how to disguise as a phone/phablet like the z ultra by modifying the IMEI or something. thanks
Yes, I am currently Experiencing this Issue as well, and I told T-mobile Rep to stop forcing people like this. I can just sell this phone and buy a note 4, with smaller screen and it will work just fine.....but they basically want to force people into it, so they can make money out of it.
I am interested in how to disguise the tablet as a phone as well.
I really really want to kick Tmobile in the ass and never come back as a customer........but they know other carriers do the same thing......We are at the losing ends
we need to ask to devs if we can get help on this issue. what we need is to disguise out tablet as phone or phablet
I think you're being overly optimistic. I appreciate it. But we barely have support enough on this device to get a proper root, much less ROM support. I feel like it should be possible to pass this off as a normal Z3... But not sure. In any case it will take root at minimum and most likely an unlocked bootloader... Which I don't plan on pursuing until I know I can keep remote play, DRM, cast support, etc.
I hope it happens... And I'm with you... But I think it's a lost cause. I'd like to hear from an actual Dev about it though... Just not a lot of them in the English world with this tablet not on shelves outside of Asia.
Hey guys, a few thoughts.
First, there is chatter about this in 3 or 4 different threads. It doesn't have to be this thread, which I created yesterday, but we should band together and use a single thread for longer-term discussion.
Second, I actually don't think that this is an attempt by T-Mo to gauge more money out of us; we are a tiny percentage of their user base and are probably an attractive demographic for T-Mo in a sense. This is simply bureaucratic disorganization (I think they simply don't know how to provide 'free data for life' without considering the 621 a 'data only device,' damn you all who rallied for that), and unfortunately execs are not going to make an immediate priority of satisfying a tiny percentage of prepaid customers on cheap plans. What I personally expect will happen at some point, T-Mo will act in accordance with its 'uncarrier' mantra and be the first carrier to recognize that there is increasingly no difference between a phone and tablet. They will offer substantially the same plans for any data enabled device and will be the first carrier to officially support "phablets.'
Third, I am also very curious what can be done to trick T-Mo's system, in the mean time. I can say firsthand that altering the device model # inside your build.prop file will do nothing. Switching up the APN, nothing. But I didn't personally get that creative before giving up. One thing to note, on an older device, I downloaded a root app to ltyer my DNS servers (switched from T-Mo to OpenDNS). Within X many minutes of rebooting I could not make phone calls or receive texts and no data icon appeared either, but I did have data and T-Mo was probably unable to meter my data usage. Try at your own risk.
Fourth, *****ing accomplishes nothing. The great thing about buying unlocked, is the ability to switch carriers at the drop of a dime (which is coincidentally what T-Mo deserves from us right now). AT&T has LTE on four frequencies and the 621 supports all of em. I already made the switch to AT&T, and everything is smooth at the moment. And I can always switch back. As a light talker I miss my $30 plan (and the small $$ I had left over in my acct), but $60 for talk, text, and a tetherable 4 GBs of LTE isn't terrible when you can buy 5-10% off discounted refill cards from Calling Mart. Cricket is also on AT&T's network now and $60 will get you 20 GBs of <= 8Mbps LTE, $10 more if you want to tether without worry. I would be curious for an expanded discussion regarding our options, since I am only so familiar with the ins, outs, and possible pitfalls of them.
good one
Would anyone like to test for compatibility/pitfalls/etc on Harbor Mobile? $50/mo for unlimited talk/text/LTE and 3GB tethering on T-Mo's network, purportedly.
https://www.harbormobile.com/plans/
They also have a good looking tablet data plan ($15 for 5GB) that would be more useful if we had dual sim slots.
MetroPCS would be the other competitive T-Mo pre-paid option. Not sure how these companies detect phones/tablets. They don't offer free data for life, which might or might not make a difference.
Possible Solution?
jaime4272 said:
to day I stated to have problems with my internet on my SGP621 LTE I'm on T-Mobile and i'm getting the connect me messages basically t-mo want's me to get a separate tablet data plan. I was wondering if there is a work around so that I can use my tablet as a regular phone with data internet access without an additional data plan which I would not pay for. is there a way to make my tablet SPG621 to show as the regular Z3 phone and not as a tablet so that I can use the internet 3G/4G LTE thank you:crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I work for T-Mobile and have also have the same issues with my Z3tc I, being a store manager, have limited resources available to me but i plan to submit a ticket in hopes of resolving this issue, it would help if i had multiple issues to report however. If you folks are willing to help me out with this (power in numbers as they say) i think we may have a chance of getting a fix, what i need from each of you is your T-mobile telephone number that you've been using your Z3TC on and i can submit this ticket. Email your name and phone# to [email protected] and I'll do my best
I was about to e-mail Tyson, and just saw this posted (by a post-paid customer) to a T-Mo Support thread I had participated in:
"Just got off with customer service with the solution. To fix the problem you need to get a new sim card. The customer service rep said T-Mobile will provide them for free then everything should work fine. What happened is the info on the sim says its a tablet, once the sim info gets changed on T-Mobile's end there is no way to change it back and the only solution is to get a new sim card. Hope this helps you guys."
(https://support.t-mobile.com/thread/86423?start=15&tstart=0)
thref23 said:
I was about to e-mail Tyson, and just saw this posted (by a post-paid customer) to a T-Mo Support thread I had participated in:
"Just got off with customer service with the solution. To fix the problem you need to get a new sim card. The customer service rep said T-Mobile will provide them for free then everything should work fine. What happened is the info on the sim says its a tablet, once the sim info gets changed on T-Mobile's end there is no way to change it back and the only solution is to get a new sim card. Hope this helps you guys."
(https://support.t-mobile.com/thread/86423?start=15&tstart=0)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think this is correct. I already got a new SIM for mine because that's what Tmobile support had me do originally. It didn't fix the issue. However I noticed under my account that it had my device listed as a Xperia Z tablet as in the old version when I got the new SIM. So maybe if you change it to a Z3 and get a new one it will work... But I doubt it.
The tech support I most recently talked to said they updated their systems with the Z3TC information and classified it as a tablet so the data won't work unless you get on a tablet data plan. But if I get on a tablet data plan then I can't have phone and text on the same SIM. He said there was no way for them to accommodate both.
And I tried explaining that the only difference between tablet and phone is phone capabilities... Which we have... So it should be a phone.
I see that more and more people are having this problem and being that t-mo knows that our SGP621 is a tablet the only thing to do is to disguise it as something else other then a tablet. I know that phablets do work fine like the xperia z ultra. we need some technical help on doing this guys.
Need more help
tysontthompson said:
I work for T-Mobile and have also have the same issues with my Z3tc I, being a store manager, have limited resources available to me but i plan to submit a ticket in hopes of resolving this issue, it would help if i had multiple issues to report however. If you folks are willing to help me out with this (power in numbers as they say) i think we may have a chance of getting a fix, what i need from each of you is your T-mobile telephone number that you've been using your Z3TC on and i can submit this ticket. Email your name and phone# to [email protected] and I'll do my best
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've got about 5-6 people's info so far, if i could get 10 or so i think we could make some headway here. I have tried SIM swaps, tried using a regular z3 for a couple days and switching back, tried rooting and IMEI changing nothing has worked thus far... this seems like the best chance here.
tysontthompson said:
I've got about 5-6 people's info so far, if i could get 10 or so i think we could make some headway here. I have tried SIM swaps, tried using a regular z3 for a couple days and switching back, tried rooting and IMEI changing nothing has worked thus far... this seems like the best chance here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you still looking for folks for this?
I just ordered one and will be trying to use it on Tmo.
Just sent you my contact information, I'm also having the same issue with T-mobile.
Thank,
Scott
tysontthompson said:
I've got about 5-6 people's info so far, if i could get 10 or so i think we could make some headway here. I have tried SIM swaps, tried using a regular z3 for a couple days and switching back, tried rooting and IMEI changing nothing has worked thus far... this seems like the best chance here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This won't be a problem on AT&T's network. Why not just switch? For high data users, Cricket has competitive prices, for low use folks there are several mvnos to choose from.
afblangley said:
This won't be a problem on AT&T's network. Why not just switch? For high data users, Cricket has competitive prices, for low use folks there are several mvnos to choose from.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does anyone have an update on this? I think I got hit too. My internet stopped working this morning and I've been calling T-Mo and they said they don't know what the problem is.
I'm sorry if this wasn't in the right area, I googled up this same question and this board has it the most it seems. If its in the wrong area, please move the topic to the right area so I know where to ask next tome (or link and I'll delete this ((if possible)) and recreate).
I've been using PDANet USB Tethering for the last 3 years or so with Boost Mobile, Samsung Galaxy S3. My phone is showing severe signs of age and issues, and I'm having tons of PDANet related issues. I have unlimited 4G LTE data, but I can't use my wireless tether because the phone company detects it and stops it at 8GB where as USB tethering I've gotten 100+ GB in a single month no issues.
I'm looking for a new phone I can get, that I can somehow mask everything I do on it so that the phone company is unable to see what I'm doing on it, and won't be able to determine if I'm using my phone's wireless tethering features. I prefer a smartphone, obviously, cause I do take it with me where I go and like to have access to my apps. I'm inexperienced with installing ROMs or rooting, never figured out how with my S3 because all the topics are outdated and inaccurate and I only ended up damaging the phone trying. I've got about a week or two to find a new phone that will work with Boost Mobile. My current phone's network mode is CDMA/LTE/EVDO, just to give you an idea of what network I'd need to use for Boost (CDMA I guess?). I need 4G as well, it seems that 3G doesn't work at all at my location and I only get 1 bar of 4G LTE when I'm at home in a specific 3 inch by 3 inch space in my room that I have to tape my phone down to, but at least it works.
There's no other internet options available to me where I live, so my phone is my internet. Just to clarify before people suggest getting an internet service.
Just to be sure, I don't want anything made by Apple, but that should be obvious, posting in the Android forum.
I have found that Boost Mobile won't let me use anything but like 6 specific phones only. Two of the choices being the S7 and the S8.
I've done a search on Amazon looking for unlocked S8 phones, however the comments and reports all claim these unlocked devices are a lie and don't actually work with services they claim to, or have conflicting reports and such. I'm unable to find an Unlocked S8 for use with Boost Mobile.
I've found that I can edit the APN to add 'dun' to my type list, to bypass the data limit of Mobile Hotspot, however I am hoping that it doesn't also cause the company to start charging me hundreds of dollars a month. I want to make sure they can't actually see the traffic either, I don't want my ISP knowing what I'm doing online, because they will just turn around and sell every website I visit to third parties which is now a thing in the USA.
I'd rather Boost not know whats installed on my phone or what websites I visit.
Thread closed as per OP request.