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Help voice over wifi with hot spot option

J

jgorm

Newbie
Has anybody used the wifi hotspot option from t mobile on the G1? This is 100% necessary if i'm going to switch to t mobile so i'll need seamless, non-buggy, operation. (my house is a dead zone for most cell phone providers)
 
jgorm said:
Has anybody used the wifi hotspot option from t mobile on the G1? This is 100% necessary if i'm going to switch to t mobile so i'll need seamless, non-buggy, operation. (my house is a dead zone for most cell phone providers)
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that feature is not available yet on this phone
 
TMo isn't offering 3G UMA yet.. this was a feature I was using with my blackberry curve, but I am almost positive its coming down the road. Still an awesome phone
 
looks like skype is in the Android Market. If you don't know, Skype is free VOIP, so you could connect via wifi and make voice calls without using minutes. At least in theory you can. I didn't download the App.
 
This is what i'm talking about. http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/addons/services/information.aspx?tp=Svc_Tab_UnlimitedHotSpotCalling
Home is where the coverage is
Your T-Mobile wireless router
creates a personal network for your HotSpot-enabled phone,
for enhanced coverage at home.

Unlimited nationwide voice calls
Include the Unlimited HotSpot Calling service and you can make and receive
unlimited nationwide calls over Wi-Fi from home, or at any US T-Mobile
HotSpot location, anytime, day or night.*

A great phone away from home
Whenever you’re out and not using a Wi-Fi network, your HotSpot-enabled phone
works just like a regular mobile phone, using your Whenever Minutes
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I just found this info too. They say it works on any wifi.
http://www.smartphonetoday.com/articles/2008/8/2008-8-27-Review-T-Mobile.html

[SIZE=-1] To use Unlimited Hotspot Calling, you'll need a Hotspot-equipped phone and you'll need to sign up for the service, which costs $9.99 per month. You also need to sign up for basic monthly cellular service at $39.99 per month or higher. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1] What about the router, you ask? T-Mobile sells two optimized wireless routers, one from Linksys and one from D-Link. Both sell for $29.99 (less with two-year commitment) and make your VOIP calls smoother thanks to integrated data prioritizing instructions. WhatT-Mobile would prefer you not know, however, is that the Internet calling works over any connected wireless router.
[/SIZE][SIZE=-1] We actually did most of our testing over an existing 802.11g router and call quality was fine. Occasionally calls had that underwater sound, but it was brief and rare. Quality was a better and consistent with the T-Mobile router, though. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1] If you already have a router you're happy with, perhaps one with an extended range that covers a large home, don't worry—you don't need to replace your router with the T-Mobile offering. A T-Mobile router can be joined to your existing router; just run the included setup software. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1] We tested Unlimited Hotspot Calling with two equipped phones, the Nokia 6086 (a basic budget model) and the BlackBerry Pearl 8120. Since introducing the service, T-Mobile has rapidly increased the number of WiFi-enabled phones. The Web site now offers eight models, half of which are BlackBerries [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1] Not only will Hotspot phones shuttle calls over your home or work network, but they'll also instantly latch onto any free networks while you're out and about. Starbucks that offer T-Mobile Hotspots (which are, unfortunately, slowly being phased out in favor of AT&T service) offer Internet calling. Amazingly, the phones can juggle the hand-off from cellular service to Internet service without a hiccup.[/SIZE]
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The T-Mobile G1 is not a Unlimited Hotspot Calling compatible phone, currently from internal meetings it's due to the hardware not the Android software. Then again, they told us multi touch is a hardware problem but Google said themselves it's an IP issue licensing multi touch because of Apple. Who knows.
 
jgorm said:
This is what i'm talking about. http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/addons/services/information.aspx?tp=Svc_Tab_UnlimitedHotSpotCalling

the guy in the store said it would work over any wifi, but this info looks like it has to be a tmobile setup wifi.
Click to expand...

Using your same link, go to phones, and on the left side select either "T-Mobile @ Home" or "Unlimited Hotspot Calling" (not sure which one applies to your situation)and it will filter so that only the phones that are set up to use the service appear. The G1 is not in the list. However, if you just have it filter by "3G" the G1 DOES show up. Can this phone make VOIP calls? Probably, but it's not set up to use the specific service offered by T-Mobile.
 
I figured it wasn't listed because its not technically out yet. The G1 does not pop up on some of the other searches, and says coming soon if it does pop up. I'll keep my fingers crossed! If it won't work, i am not buying it.
 
jgorm said:
I figured it wasn't listed because its not technically out yet. The G1 does not pop up on some of the other searches, and says coming soon if it does pop up. I'll keep my fingers crossed! If it won't work, i am not buying it.
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I'm 99% certain it doesn't. Here's why:

All the phones listed that work with the Wifi service have:
-A HotSpot @ Home or HotSpot Enabled logo next to the picture.
-Some mention in their specs about "WiFi & Mobile Calling"

The G1, however, just has a MyFaves Logo, and doesn't mention anything about WiFi @ Mobile Calling, in fact the only smartphones that mention it are blackberrys.

Additionally, while they've talked about MyFaves, and even show a MyFaves Icon on the screen, we have been told zero about this phone being a HotSpot @ Home phone in any of the marketing materials. HotSpot @Home is a service they are still trying to get people to do, so if they released another phone that supported it, why wouldn't they advertise that?

I have the G1, and nothing in the box or on the box says anything about hotspot @ home. I've been playing with it all day, there's no HotSpot Anything on this phone. To work with that service, the phone would have to have programing on it, the G1 does not.

From what I've read on this forum, and others, the T-Mobile reps were woefully undereducated and underprepared for this phone. SO I think the one you talked to was mistaken.

Sorry dude, unless they've really missed an important and very marketable way of introducing this phone, it doesn't do what you want. Sounds like you'd be better off with a BB, or getting one of those $400 cell phone repeater/amplifyers for your home. Best of luck.
 
Why do you have to bum me out like that!! I'll give it a few weeks and see if anything turns up. Thanks for the info.
 
I just called them up and they say it will work and said the website is up to date. (but i am still unsure!) Maybe i'll head into a store and ask for a demo.
 
It will never work with wifi hotspot calling. Something about a hardware issue. No plans to add support either. Bummer. Looks like i'll have to wait for the touch pro or another android phone.
 
Until an app is designed for the G1 it is only capable or WIFI for browsing purposes. According to HTC the device is capable it just needs an OTA update or download once it is developed. To get the unlimited calls however one would need to add the unlimited hotspot calling to their line for 9.99/mo otherwise all you will get is enhanced coverage in your home with a range of 30 feet from the router.
 
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