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T-Mobile kicked off their latest Uncarrier 7.0 event in San Francisco where John Legere and friends announced the latest development in their Uncarrier revolution. Of course, Legere took a minute to bash the competition and announce that August 2014 was the single biggest month in the company’s history, thanks to 2.7 million new customers before finally hatching his latest scheme: “WiFi Unleashed.”
WiFi Calling gets an overhaul
While WiFi Calling on T-Mobile really isn’t anything new, it seems they’ve been doing some work on making the entire process as seamless as possible. T-Mobile will be taking away the already little setup involved in WiFi Calling. Now, T-Mobile’s smartphones will automatically connect to a WiFi network out of the box, providing a seamless hand off between their LTE network and your own home WiFi. Place a call using WiFi Calling and you can jump in your car and never drop a call (unless you’re in a HSPA+ network, then all bets are off).
Free ASUS wireless router
Should you find your current wireless router sucks, T-Mobile will provide you with one of their own specialty ASUS-made wireless routers that feature an easy plug-and-play setup. The best part? They’ll provide every Simple Choice customer with the router free of charge (with a $25 deposit and as long as you have at least 1 WiFi Calling capable device). For those that don’t, T-Mobile will provide early upgrades via their JUMP program — eligible or not. What’s more is that moving forward, every single smartphone T-Mobile sells under their roof will now support WiFi Calling with zero setup.
Free in-flight SMS/MMS courtesy of Gogo
With network coverage in your home settled, T-Mobile takes to the sky. They’ve struck a deal with Gogo (the guys responsible for in-flight WiFi service) to give T-Mobile customers free texting/picture messaging and access to voice mails via their Visual Voice Mail app while flying. There’s no data and no calling, but at least it’s something.
Free routers will be available September 17th and you should have noticed a handful of updates going out to T-Mobile’s already WiFi Calling equipped devices today. I guess the only question we have is will this be enough to get you to switch from your current wireless provider, or will this been seen as nothing more than one of the many perks offered to T-Mobile customers?
A full list of T-Mobile’s WiFi Calling capable devices can be found here.
get some more coverage and i’ll come back.
They did get more coverage.. Did you see, read, or hear the announcement? That is what was talked about.
Them “getting more coverage” does not mean my/your area is any more covered now. As well, what level of coverage. So, you just throw it out there like it is a forgone conclusion we all suddenly got new great coverage and should go go go. We all didn’t. Some did. Many didn’t.
More is more. Guy.
No. More means nothing if the “more” does not cover YOU.
Maybe we need to be more clearer for J Cav. T-Mobile needs better cell tower coverage when you are not in a Wifi covered area.
There. Done.
Doesn’t help when you are walking down the street or driving away and you end back up with no coverage.
These guys are killing the competition in all ways really – except the most critical part and that is coverage. Either way, stealing customers away from the big guys is awesome for us all. Even better for those that get god coverage in their area. Keep on it T, keep hitting the big guys in the nutz sack.
“These guys are killing the competition in all ways really – except the most critical part and that is coverage.”
Do you realize how much better coverage just became by launching and expanding WiFi calling?
Except WiFi calling is still a moot point in some locations where WiFi signal sucks to go along with the horrid T-Mobile service.
Like the dreaded library corner at my school. There’s this corner where WiFi signals just drop, and reconnect to a different access point, and Tmo just can’t penetrate into this area. That’s why I can’t wait until they get their hands on some lower Ghz spectrum.
I wouldn’t get my hopes up for a major improvement with low GHz spectrum. In my experience, it hasn’t been different. In fact, at one point, I had a Sprint LTE phone (GS3) and a Verizon USB LTE stick and the Sprint LTE got better service in doors at 1900MHz than the Verizon stick did at 750MHz where both would be equal outside.
The comparison made was at my school in Atlanta where I was in a classroom that was center in the building. Mind you, the Sprint phone had LTE service, but just barely. The Verizon service stuck on low 3G service.
uhhh.. sure. Does me zero good when I am traveling around. Why? I then have to jump on their network and in my area – terrible. So, your point has little to now value.
I need more than cool wifi calling, which BTW I can now do for FREE ALREADY WITH GOOGLE HANGOUTS so….
Since you travel so much, you mean there are no places around you that have WiFi? Hotels? Restaurants?Cafes?Offices?
Also for google hangouts you use your google voice number. So….
1. I don’t travel like that. I mean travel outside to places outside not indoors. No, I am not a hotel, restaurant, cafe, office traveller. So, bad assumption. Places where you NEED cell coverage. I live an outdoor life that takes me all over. And BTW, when I do travel like you assumed, no, wifi is not always as prevalent as you assume AND often, if it is, you have to be a guest, make a purchase, etc. to jump on the wifi. Not all places, IF they have it, freely allow access to it.
2. Yeah, so for Hangouts I use a FREE GV number. And? For wifi calling on T Mobile you need a T Mobile phone with… a phone number. Difference?
Difference is that T-Mobile number is a given. You have a number given to you. You have to go get a FREE GV number due to you being cheap. So your doing extra work work nimrod.
You, my friend, are a tard.
And let me show you how much of an ill informed tard you are… I have a phone #. You have a phone #. I have a second phone # from Google. You do not. That second phone # is FREE. That second phone number allows me to take and make calls under a different number for different purposes. Can you possibly see the great value in that? From 1phone, I can call from 2 different numbers. Getting that FREE GV # takes 3 minutes and has free VM, free calling, texting, etc. That FREE GV # allows me to make calls freely from a tablet as well. I feel bad for you, your are utterly clueless about how this all works.
I do have a Google Voice number. I know how it works. But why go through google…when it works the same way from your original carrierr? #TheMoreYouKnow
“But why go through google”? “But why go through google”? Seriously?? I just laid it out.
1 phone… 2 phone numbers… use 1 for 1 thing, use a second for something else. All on 1 phone. Separate phone line, separate voicemail, separate texting… all for FREE. Or, from a wifi only tablet, GV allows you to make calls!!! So, a device never intended to make calls can make phone calls! Oh, and, thanks to that FREE GV # that is so awfully hard to get, I can make free calls from my computer! Right from Gmail. No minutes used. Hands free, right from my desktop or laptop. Good Lord, how can you not see the benefits of that???
You claim to have a GV number and not only do I doubt that, but IF you do, you have no idea how to use it or it’s FREE power. That is crystal clear. I bet you will now go investigate it and find out what you have been missing the whole time.
I have a google voice number. Had it since 2010… I just dont need it anymore.
You said coverage is where T-Mobile needs to work on. Well…that’s what their doing by improving WiFi calling and Cell Spot. Has nothing to do with GV. And also..GV does not support MMS..T-Mobile WiFi calling does.
But anyhow.. You win. There ya go.
Very good point!!
They are working on coverage. In the next 9 months they’ll be set for the future and to compete with Verizon and ATT on basis of coverage.
Those lovely 2G data roaming areas will be a part of T-Mobile for a long time. They are not interested in being on the level of AT&T and Verizon in terms of coverage.
Too bad none of my Nexus devices are on that list, but it’s not surprising since Wifi calling requires some firmware tweaking last I heard. If they could make it a pure software thing that would be awesome but that may not be possible.
Seivert covered that. WiFi calling requires native support..so it’s not something that can be added to unlocked phones coming to T-Mobile.
But wifi calling can be done, right now, for free, with Google Hangouts and needs no phone tweaking, unlocking.
Right..but with a Google voice number no?
And you need a T Mobile phone … with a phone number no?
Google Voice phone numbers are free. I don’t understand the point or the difference.
Your pathetically cheap. You need a phone number period. How are you going to complain About a service if you don’t even plan on using it in the first place cause your so cheap? Go play in traffic.
I TRIED TO USE IT DOUCHE BAG! I tried the “test drive”. Service was not good for me and in areas I travel. So suck it.
And cheap?? I am on Verizon.. how can I be cheap? AND, I buy my phones straight out so not carrier supported. Is that cheap??
Man, your assumptions are laughable.
Your lack of comprehension is laughable.. you tried WiFi calling before..OK..But these new implementations are launched TODAY. How can you bash something you never tried? WiFi calling has been enhanced. It is not the same as before. So oh well. It works for me so deuces.
Oh man.. I have used wifi calling for a long time. Doing it on VZW. The Hangouts recent change just consolidates a feature we have been able to use for some time. I have and do make wifi calls from Google Talk and Hangouts for a long time. Now, they are merging the function into Hangouts from GV.
“these new implementations are launched TODAY” For you, on T Mobile, are just now getting to do something I have been doing for a long time on VZW – who also covers my area with great cell coverage.
And WHO CARES about T Mobile wifi calling if the rest of the service and cell coverage cannot work for you when no wifi around? See how you just glossed over that fact I put in your face. Nice cherry picking.
Wifi calling and VoIP are NOT the same things.
One is an over the top application and the other is an extension of a true telephone network over the internet.
I’d prefer to keep my same number. Sprint has Google Voice integration. That’s one thing I miss when I was on Sprint.
I was able to use my same number and all my messages and stuff went through Google Voice.
Now if I want to use Google Voice, I have to change my number, but Google Voice doesn’t support MMS. They’re sent to emails. I haven’t checked anything recent about that matter, though.
But the main thing is me preferring to keep my number. For me, changing my number is like changing my email address. All the places I’ll have to go to that actually matter. I’m way too lazy for all that. LoL!!
Yeah, I don’t buy into carrier phones. Too much crapware. I wonder how the new hangout gv integration may help this. I believe that texts sent via gv go across wifi and now if they can offer voip for gv then this is moot.
Wondering if the next Nexus wont bake it into the OS like Apple did with the iPhone 6. Wouldn’t surprise me one bit.
I was just gonna say that. If Apple sees the potential… I’m quite sure Google does as well.
I hope so but maybe Google Voice integration will be able to ease the pain until then (still need MMS support)
You can send MMS with your GV # via the latest Google Hangouts update. The only thing is that the person getting the message has to click a link to see it
Source:
http://www.droid-life.com/2014/09/10/mms-now-a-part-of-google-voice-hangouts-sort-of/
Great to know thanks for the info!
I’m sure Google feels the pressure now since Apple and EVERY other oem puts it on there for tmobile. It’s a shame Google never supported this unique tmobile feature when tmobile has supported Android since the G1.
I just finished watching this. I’m impressed. What they are introducing is like Sprints Wi-Max except they are doing it right.
I’m a big user of Tmobile’s WiFi Calling feature and I can only imagine how much better it would be.
By using this method, they are able to give better service inside buildings which are otherwise difficult due to bandwidth.
Even without Band 12 support, VoLTE will help.
when they stop charging me minutes to use my router, my internet, my isp, and my data for wifi calls is when i will give a sh*t about their wifi calling.
wow.. didn’t know they did that. Is this the nasty ‘fine print’ they don’t tell you about.
Nope just an old ass plan where WiFi calling uses plan minutes
How old of a plan are you on
I don’t know if that plan was ever in Tmo stores, but I know Walmart had a plan like that. I was going to get it. That was back in the days when Tmo didn’t have an unlimited-no-throttle plan.
It was back in the times of the HTC G2. Let’s see… if my math is right, it should have been around 2010. It’s a pretty old plan, but pretty legit.
I started my plan in 2012 and it is also available on there website to this day, you just have to order a SIM card from them and activate a new line in their site.
what are you talking about? and if you are on an older plan you should really switch, it is much better and cheaper. there is nothing to complain about.
You have minutes?!?
Yes, I have minutes and not unlimited because I don’t need them. I talk less than 100 min a month. My plan is the prepaid $30, 100 min, unlimited text and unlimited data ( 5gb of lte) plan. So my plan is not old and actually a hell of a lot better for me than anything else. So maybe you guys shouldn’t jump to conclusions.
I’m not impressed at all. I will be impressed when their roaming data isn’t pathetic.
So basically you are saying that T-Mobile wants to be Republic Wireless, but with more phones to choose from and more expensive service.
Well, actually T-Mobile already has the fastest 4G LTE in the country and much more reliability than Republic. There’s also truly unlimited data plans; I used 192GB on T-Mo last month – no way in hell Republic would let you get away with that. And you speak to a live person if you need help, no live humans at Republic. I can choose from tons of phones including my next one, a Note 4, Republic lets you pick one of two really average phones. The wifi handoff on Republic is far from seamless. Oh and did you tell the fine readers where the cell signal comes from? Sprint’s awful CDMA network. The worst carrier. So no, T-Mo has no desire to be like a tiny, crappy company. You get what you pay for.
192GB?!?!?!?! That’s a lot of porn!
Some people really need to find something to do with their lives.
Woo! Free router! I hate my Linksys ea4200!
Godisfairytale,you work for tmo?
There are these people known as fanboys. They pick a team and they root for it no matter what.
If I bring my Galaxy S5 from AT&T will it work with T-Mobile’s WiFi calling or does it need special T-Mo software?
It needs the special T-Mobile software that’s in T-Mobile carrier branded phones for Android or OEMs that support it natively like Apple or Blackberry.
Does anyone know what model router you get? Does anyone know if it’ll support other devices/laptops as a general purpose router, or only t-mobile phones? Will it be secured or open to any t-mobile customer?