Android wifi calling?

[daryld]

This is probably a stupid question, but is there an Android phone which has the capability of using wifi calling without using a provider?
Is there any phone available at all which will do this?

 

[rui-no-onna]

Any Android smartphone when used with a SIP account (Gingerbread seems to have native support for this, otherwise, there are plenty of apps that will give this functionality) or Google Voice (with GrooVe IP or similar app). You don't even need to get a smartphone. Android-based players (e.g. Samsung Galaxy Player) will work, too.

 

[Sideman]

http://androidforums.com/members/rui-no-onna.htmlrui-no-onna speaks the truth. The SGP series does WiFi phone calls very well...as could any WiFi capable phone. With GrooveIP (dialer app) you just need to sign up for a Google Voice account where you will get a free phone number with which to make the calls.

 

[daryld]

If I have an unlocked Samsung Galaxy S 4G and no plan with Tmobile anymore I can still use the phone with a SIP provider like Skype, Vonage, (maybe even Google voice?) etc.?

 

[rui-no-onna]

If I have an unlocked Samsung Galaxy S 4G and no plan with Tmobile anymore I can still use the phone with a SIP provider like Skype, Vonage, (maybe even Google voice?) etc.?

As long as you have wi-fi, yes. Before you cancel service, you might want to port your number to Google Voice so you don't have to change numbers.

 

[Sanzenbacher]

What if you bought a phone, never intending to get a provider? Could you root it and what not, to get calling, wifi, tethering, etc.?

Also what about texting?

Is this a good app:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gogii.textplus&hl=en

Or is there a better one?

 

[zuben el genub]

The SGS 4G has native wifi, but it goes through TMO. It works, but not quite what you want. You would have to make sure there was no SIM in the phone.

I switched to a Nexus S which doesn't have the TMO wifi and would like some kind of substitute. I've got a Google number, have both voice and talk on this phone, and am totally confused as to how to set it up. I just want voice/text where there is wifi and no carrier service when we travel. I still have the SGS4G and suppose I could swap phones.

 

[rui-no-onna]

The SGS 4G has native wifi, but it goes through TMO. It works, but not quite what you want. You would have to make sure there was no SIM in the phone.

I've got an SGS 4G and I'm using it just fine with Google Voice (GrooVe IP for calls, official Google Voice app for texting). No issues whatsoever. Have a SIM on there (which I only used for 1 month to test for coverage) but it's been deactivated since December.

I think you might have tried to set-up T-Mobile's wi-fi calling feature which acts as fallback to regular T-Mo service in case you don't have coverage but have access to wi-fi.

What if you bought a phone, never intending to get a provider? Could you root it and what not, to get calling, wifi, tethering, etc.?

You don't need to root at all. You just need to download some apps from Google Play. As for tethering, you can create a wireless hotspot (as a sort of instant WLAN) but with no cell service, what exactly are you going to tether it to?

No idea about that app. As I mentioned earlier, I use Google Voice (unfortunately, limited to US only for now).

 

[zuben el genub]

I have a TMO account as we have no landline. So if the phone supports UMA or wifi calling, you don't have to activate anything. Just enable wifi.

The Nexus S doesn't seem to have wifi calling.

 

[Sideman]

Any mobile device, like the ones being discussed in this thread, that has WiFi capability, can do VOIP calls and texting. 2G/3G/4G service is not needed for this, at all. A smartphone with no 2G/3G/4G service is not capable of making cell calls, but it can still be set up to make WiFi phone calls. It just needs the right apps installed to make it happen.

The GrooveIP app is the dialer app (if needed), Google Voice sets up the WiFi connection through a phone number. Google Talk can then be used as the texting app. All for free. As long as you have a WiFi connection, you're golden. And there's no "activation" involved with any carrier...you're using a WiFi internet connection...whether it's yours, or a public one.

P.S. There are other apps available to do these things. But I'm only familiar with the ones mentioned above.

 

[zuben el genub]

I read up on GrooveIP. Says you have to go through chat. How does that work?
Do you actually do a voice to voice conversation?

I tried Voice when I had a Nokia (symbian) with all kinds of wifi settings. Couldn't get it to work.

 

[rui-no-onna]

I read up on GrooveIP. Says you have to go through chat. How does that work?
Do you actually do a voice to voice conversation?

The protocol used by GrooVeIP is the protocol for Google Talk (works with voice, too). Basically, you just have to check the box next to Google Talk/Chat on your Google Voice account settings page in order to be able to make/receive calls on GrooVeIP. That's it. On Android, you can have GrooVeIP take over the native dialer so any call you make will go through GrooVeIP/Google Voice.

 

[zuben el genub]

Is it a live call or a callback type call? Will it automatically use a GV number? I looked at the GV settings on the phone, but primary # was still TMO even though the GV # was listed farther down on the page on the phone.

Does it do texts like the carrier line does?

I only want to keep in touch with my pet sitter while away, and where we like to go isn't TMO territory - one to no bars/roaming.

 

[rui-no-onna]

Is it a live call or a callback type call? Will it automatically use a GV number? I looked at the GV settings on the phone, but primary # was still TMO even though the GV # was listed farther down on the page on the phone.

Assuming you're using GrooVe IP, it's live calls using the GV number. That's the reason you need to enable Google Talk in the GV settings. No idea how the T-Mo wi-fi calling works as I've never used it.

Does it do texts like the carrier line does?

GrooVe IP doesn't do texts but the official Google Voice app does. That's what I use. GrooVe IP for wi-fi calling and official GV app for texting.