On 9/11/14, Traci Duncan <[email protected]> wrote:
Hi guys,
For those of you that understand this technology, could you share if
this is
something we should be excited about? Lol! If I understood part of
the
article, this wifi calling/volte will come to iPhone 5s/5c via iOS 8?
tMobile has been tempting me for Months now, but I'm just so reluctant
to
leave VZW.
Thank you,
Traci
http://www.cnet.com/news/t-mobile-makes-big-wi-fi-push-on-heels-of-iphone-6s-wi-fi-calling/
T-Mobile makes big Wi-Fi push on heels of iPhone 6's Wi-Fi calling
The wireless carrier is expanding its existing Wi-Fi calling and
texting
service with promises of more coverage in the home and in the air.
SAN FRANCISCO -- For T-Mobile's next "Uncarrier" act, the company is
broadening its Wi-Fi calling and text message feature, thanks in part
to
Apple's decision to include the feature in the latest iPhone.
The brash T-Mobile CEO John Legere at a previous Uncarrier event. The
latest
event focuses on the carrier's Wi-Fi push. Sarah Tew/CNET
"Uncarrier 7.0," as the company has dubbed its event on Wednesday, is
less a
shake-up of the industry and more augmenting a feature already
available to
millions of its customers.
The company on Wednesday announced a program, called "Wi-Fi Un-leashed"
to
get more of its customers on smartphones that are able to make calls
and
exchange text messages over a Wi-Fi network. That entails offering
faster
upgrades through its Jump early upgrade program.
"Wi-Fi Un-leashed is a game changer," CEO John Legere said in a
statement.
"This is like adding millions of towers to our network in a single
day."
To ensure each customer makes the most out of Wi-Fi, T-Mobile also said
it
would offer a customized Wi-Fi router for free (with a deposit) tweaked
to
better work with its smartphones. T-Mobile has also signed a deal with
GoGo
inflight Wi-Fi service to offer free text messages, picturing messages,
and
visual voicemail in air on any US-based airline.
The increased focus on Wi-Fi calling and messaging is due to Apple's
spotlight on the feature. But it's also a way for the company to shore
up
lingering concerns from consumers about the quality of its wireless
service.
While it has done a lot of strengthen its coverage and speed over the
last
two years, there remains coverage gaps in more rural areas and a bad
rap
from legacy customers who suffered through poor service in the past.
With Wi-Fi calling, T-Mobile can make the argument that call quality
will
remain strong wherever there is a nearby Wi-Fi network, particularly
homes
in weak coverage, or in parts of the house like a basement, where a
cellular
signal may fail to get through.
This is the sixth "Uncarrier" event and seventh program for T-Mobile,
which
has campaigned on shaking up the industry and upending the conventions
of
the wireless business. That includes the location of its event, based
here
instead of Las Vegas, which is where the rest of the US wireless
industry is
holding a confab at the CTIA trade show.
The impact of each Uncarrier event has diminished with each new
program.
Uncarrier 1.0 killed off contracts and the follow-up event introduced
the
early-upgrade programs, both of which have been adopted by its rivals.
Uncarrier 5 and 6 consisted of a free seven-day trial and data-free
music,
which were nice bonuses for new and existing customers, but not a
game-changer.
Still, T-Mobile can't stand still. Sprint has shown signs of life with
its
own aggressive slate of promotions, including a special lower priced
$50
iPhone-centric service plan introduced after the iPhone 6 was unveiled
on
Tuesday. Sprint and T-Mobile, which saw their merger plans fall apart
last
month, have gone back and forth on various promotions.
T-Mobile's Wi-Fi calling feature isn't new, and many of its smartphones
already offer the capability, with Apple playing catch up. The company
said
it has 20 million customers in its base with a Wi-Fi calling-capable
phone.
Apple highlighted as the sole US carrier currently offering the feature
in
its presentation on Tuesday. Along with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus,
older versions of the iPhone, going as far back as the iPhone 5C and
5S,
would get the feature with the installation of the iOS 8 software
upgrade.
But for customers with voice-over LTE, T-Mobile touts a seamless
hand-off
between a Wi-Fi call and a VoLTE call. In July, T-Mobile launched its
voice-over LTE network across the nation, which is only compatible on
specific smartphones. The iPhone 6 is among the phones that is
compatible
with VoLTE.
Verizon Wireless said it had no plans for Wi-Fi calling, insisting that
its
cellular coverage was sufficient. AT&T said it plans to offer the
feature,
but gave no time line. Sprint couldn't be reached for comment on its
plans.
As part of the campaign, it will allow members who don't own a Wi-Fi
calling-capable phone who are on the carrier's Jump upgrade program to
immediately get a device, regardless of when they were supposed their
upgrade. Customers who sign up for the Jump program can also
immediately
upgrade to a Wi-Fi calling-capable phone.
The catch is a customer has to sign up for the Jump program, which
charges
an additional $10 fee a month for the privilege of upgrading early.
T-Mobile is offering a "Personal CellSpot," which is a special
Asus-built
Wi-Fi router, for customers for free, although they have to pass a
credit
check and put down a $25 refundable deposit. They also need a
compatible
smartphone. The router runs on the latest 802.11 AC Wi-Fi standard,
offering
up higher speeds.
The router is designed to recognize and prioritize T-Mobile calls,
ensuring
that a relative's "Warcraft" session isn't clogging up the bandwidth.
The
router can work alongside an existing Wi-Fi router in the home too.
T-Mobile had looked at femtocell technology, which acts like a mini
cell-tower powered by your home Internet connection, but felt that
using
Wi-Fi would be simpler.
The GoGo partnership allows for limited use with text messages and
visual
voicemail -- a customer just needs to go online and sign in. T-Mobile
customers looking to do more will still need to pay for inflight Wi-Fi
service.
Overseas, T-Mobile customers will also be able to make calls back home
over
Wi-Fi for free.
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