[pepp7377]

Hi,

Has anybody used the 8320 overseas. I have the Blackberry curve with the t-mobil hot spot @ home and I'm wondering whether I'll be able to make free phone calls over unencrypted wireless connections in New Delhi and Bombay when I'm there next month.

I'm completely new to this system and t-mobile has been terrible in answering my questions: How do I know for sure when I'm making a phone call from the US overseas and I'm using the wireless network. Even when I have the name of a wireless network appearing on my main screen I noticed I got charged for one call as an international call when I went to my t-mobile billing page online.

Does the screen have to post "UMA" in the upper right? with the red circle and 2 red lines?

Thanks,
Dan

[monkeypaw]

Many people, including me, have used the 8320 on wifi overseas. Plenty of threads about this.

Turn the mobile network connection off when you're trying to call with wifi. You have to be on UMA to make the call over wifi. If you can't get it to go to UMA, you're not calling on wifi.

[John Clark]

TMobile doesn't officially support use of UMA when overseas. They don't even acknowledge that it works or doesn't work. However, as many have said, it does work. The tricky part can be finding a compatible wifi location to use. I've had mixed success with hotels, etc. here in the US. I haven't actually tried mine overseas yet.

[TroyDBrown]

Official T-Mobile FAQ:
Can I make or receive calls from outside of the United States?

T-Mobile cannot guarantee Wi-Fi service outside your home or US HotSpot locations.

Calling from international locations with your T-Mobile HotSpot Phone and Wireless Router works the same as if calling from the US. The normal domestic rates apply when making a call to a location within the US, and international long distance applies when making a call to a location outside the US.

NOTE: There are no call hand offs to or from networks other than T-Mobile USAxxx8217;s network, and Wi-Fi calls cannot be made or received at T-Mobile HotSpot locations outside of the US.

Link to it:

T-Mobile HotSpot @Home – Technical Information

[John Clark]

Pretty much what I was told by a TMo insider. It *should* work (and does) but don't call them and complain when it doesn't.

[TroyDBrown]

I have had very good results internationally.

[te73]

I recently tried my phone out in Costa Rica - be sure Mobile Network is off, WiFi is turned on, and UMA icon is active or you cannot make calls over Wifi. I encountered limited ability to use UMA in Costa Rica hotspots myself...from reading other posts and several tests myself, this was probably due to one or more of the following problems...

1) Weak signal (this is based on my experience at one hotel - I could not get UMA active until I had 3 or 4 bars on the Wifi signal indicator...Wifi signals were weak at every hotspot in Costa Rica and I had to practically stand on top of the atenna to get a strong signal...so this may or may not be a problem in other countries as well???)
2) Perhaps lower-speed connections? This is just a guess based on other posts I've read...
3) There was a UMA outage while I was there - ironically on two of the days I was trying to connect.

I get my bill around the 26th so I'll report back on final billing results, but everything I've read so far indicates that as long as you don't use the GSM side of the phone (Mobile Network) and stick to the Wifi side (UMA), the bill should only deduct plan minutes for billing (no int'l charges).

[timkartes]

just got back from austria yesterday and used it fine for days with no issues. just make sure wi-fi only and then you don't have to think about it ;)

[sjsilverman]

I used mine from the 1st until the 7th in mainland China. Worked like a charm. Hooked up my travel router in the room, turned off the mobile network and turned on wifi...free calls all week back and forth with the States. Also, I didn't have to give an international number to people so they could reach me...just direct dial my US number.

[bryanus]

when you call back to the US, do you dial the 10-digit number or do you have to dial the country code, etc.?

Originally Posted by sjsilverman

Also, I didn't have to give an international number to people so they could reach me...just direct dial my US number.

[John Clark]

You dial as if you are in the US. It's no different than making a call from the US.

[sgtcasey]

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[bryanus]

That's really interesting stuff. Thanks for the clarification.

I tried it out for the first time last night and was on a UMA call for over an hour and a half. No problems, but the quality was a little iffy to me. I also use Vonage and that seemed much better in terms of call quality. There were multiple periods that i wasn't sure if the other person could hear me. Not sure why.

[sgtcasey]

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