Wi-Fi calling is a pretty awesome feature. Who doesn’t want to save on expensive cell phone minutes by using their Wi-Fi connection? Well T-Mobile originally reported that the new Nexus 4 would not support Wi-Fi calling on its network, and after earlier today we reported it would be allowed, T-Mobile’s confirmed this will not be available. Sadness.
T-Mobile support outlined all the data features of the device on its network, and Wi-Fi calling is included in the list. T-Mobile customers simply need to get a specialized GBA SIM card, set up a 911 address, and connect to a Wi-Fi network to use the feature.
Update: T-Mobile has since updated the information, and as you can see above the Nexus 4 will not support WiFi calling. This is an awesome feature, and sadly they won’t be supporting it.
Besides Wi-Fi calling, the Nexus 4 has some pretty awesome features. It comes with Android 4.2 installed and a beastly quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro 1.5Ghz processor. It also comes with a 4.7-inch IPS+ LCD display at 1280 x 768 resolution. Overall, Chris Burns, who reviewed the phone for us, was pretty impressed with what it brought to the table.
T-Mobile is selling the device for $200 with a 2-year agreement, which seems rather high when you can grab an unlocked device through Google Play for $300 and $349 for the 8GB and 16GB model, respectively. Still, at least T-Mobile customers can take advantage of one of the devices coolest features, which is certainly a plus, especially when it initially looked as if that feature was going to be missing for T-Mobile users.
[via TalkAndroid]
Great news but can anyone explain what is and how to get a “specialized GBA SIM card?”
Just go into T-Mobile and ask. Should be free, if not a nominal fee. Usually $10 USD.
Any way to do this on other phones, like Galaxy Nexus? I use GrooveIP right now to get calls through Wifi at work, but Wifi calling is so much cleaner.
You do not save on cell phone minutes with WiFi calling. I have the T-Mobile Monthly To Go 4G plan and when I have WiFi calling enabled on my SGSII, it still deducts from my allocated minutes.
I must not agree. It deducts your minutes, because you are using prepaid plan. For those on contract calls made on wi-fi network are free.
You could not be more wrong
And how you can prove it? It is a FREE add-on for postpaid customers. It lets you making free calls over wi-fi connection. For some people is the only way to get a signal at home.
If you have any doubts regarding prepaid plan:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?s=7fa37819475881312a6aeb6c80e76809&t=1828127
WiFi calling still uses minutes, no matter what type of plan you are on. It only really matters to people who are not on Unlimited talk plans though. The primary purpose is to offer a way to use your phone on T-Mo, even when you don’t have a cell signal.
Wi-fi calling uses minutes on prepaid plans. Wi-fi calling DOES NOT use your minutes on postpaid plan if you enable this feature. It is a free add-on.
Yup. WiFi calling just provides a different connection method.
Wait a minute, are we talking about subsidized phones or UNLOCKED phones brought in?
I have a Galaxy Nexus and it’s UNLOCKED. Bought it from Google. I will be getting a $30 plan (web, text and 100 call minutes) and plan on using “GrooveIP” to make calls over my data. How is T-Mobile to know how I use my phone to make calls? I assume they can only eat your talk minutes when making internet calls if your phone is bought subsidized through them. Because using my unlocked phone it would only show as “data” usage, right?
He’s talking about T-Mobile’s proprietary wifi calling app and software. It has nothing to do with groove IP or GV, which you can use on your Gnex through the data plan with no issues whatsoever.
Great! Thank you for the speedy reply.
You’re welcome!
Correct me if I am wrong. I can buy Nexus from Play Store and still take advantage of wi-fi calling or this applies only to phones bought from T-Mobile?
I believe this only applies to “on Contract” phones.
Can we verify this? I will be buying an unlocked phone from Google and NOT a contract phone from T-Mo. I also want to use my Galaxy Nexus on T-Mobile and it would be great to get the $30 unlimited web,text + 100 minutes a month plan.
Looks like the post has been updated.
T-mobile changed the wording on their site to show that they won’t be supporting it at all regardless of contract. : /
If I plan to use the $30 dollar pre pay plan, will I be able to use skype and not get charged minutes?
Skype uses your data connection.
Yes, I use this a lot with the $30 plan
I use it all the time and this is a fantastic feature that makes T-Mobile stand out in my opinion and they should advertise it MUCH more than they do. I use it because the cell coverage in my house is spotty, but WiFi calling works well, not great, but good. No, your minutes are NOT used when calling over WiFi. I would know since I do use this feature all the time.
I think there are google chat -aware clients apps that can accept a voice call from a google voice call back initiated from an app or the web site without eating your plan minutes. But well, you get better call quality with TMobile’s own wifi calling app, less overhead.
sorry guys. this was incorrect. It will NOT support WiFi calling. Sadness. I know!
“Though support documents posted this morning suggested the Nexus 4 could
support Wi-Fi calling, T-Mobile has confirmed that the Android phone
will not have the feature.”
Read more: http://www.cnet.com/8301-17918_1-57548437-85/t-mobile-corrects-reports-on-wi-fi-calling-for-nexus-4/#ixzz2C2gWhtwX
THIS COULD/(SHOULD, if confirmed) BE BIG NEWS. According to the spec sheet I am reading here [http://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-5032], the Nexus 4 includes ***Carrier IQ***! Watch out, this is known spyware and is bad news.
The weird thing is that google has steered clear of this in the past, just google search “carrier IQ android”.
What I am wondering is if the phone from the google play store is coming with this preinstalled and with the WiFi calling disabled…
Between the Carrier IQ and the lack of WiFi calling, google should be embarrassed about this regressive step from the beautiful OS that it has built.
:/
This is not a surprise. T-Mobile’s WiFi calling requires proprietary software on the phone. Since this is a Google designed phone it doesn’t include T-mobile specific software. This a feature T-Mobile would need to add to the phone not something already included that they are disabling.