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UMA workarounds for G1

Aloha All!

Just got the G1. sim card came from previous BB Curve. We have 5 lines all with BB curves, with wi-fi access to t-mobile router. Big heavy user of UMA keeping our peak time minutes to 700 mins/per month for all 5 lines.

since G1 is not UMA, is there a work around to have the G1 UMA accessible, or
do I just keep swapping the sim card back to the BB curve when I want UMA.

I don't really want to keep swapping, but I gotta pinch the $$'s whenever possible.

advise appreciated

Genuwin2000
 
The skype application for Android "iSkoot" which is also available on the curve (as i just switched from a curve and got the G1) is buggy, uses your regular phone to make calls so there is no point in using this as an alternate route for the UMA.

I am very happy with the G1 except the UMA. Which is like a major, major feature on the curve which made it possible to get cell coverage at my house.

If anyone has any links they can send with information to a UMA app, or anything being developed let me know. Regardless what TMO tells you, it definitly is possible to make an alternate app that may not support exactly UMA but is similar and supports Voip calls in and out.
 
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The "its not enabled in the hardware" comment shows a lack of understanding of how UMA works, that seems to be prevalent among T-Mob CSR's. Yes, UMA is not enabled, but it is because the necessary software is not there. The only hardware that you need for UMA is an activated SIM card, and a Wi-Fi card. There is no such thing as UMA hardware -- maybe a separate processor dedicated to interpreting data, but no special "connector" -- and this disability is workaroundable with software. There is no reason why the software couldn't be developed for the G1 to enable UMA, it is just that the carriers don't want to embrace teh technology so they don't include it.

The reason why they don't want to enable it is since your Wi-Fi connection acts like a cellphone tower, they have no way to justify charging people "minutes" on their cell towers. T-Mobile has tried the tech with their Hotspots thing -- charging a small monthly fee to get on their LAN's at airports and such -- but it seems like they are all now just banking on peoples acceptance of inferior 3G data speeds, and hoping that we forget about UMA.

Every time I talk to a T-Mobile CSR I am amazed at how self assured they are in their ignorance of this technology. I have gotten so may different responses on this issue it is unbelievable: yes, no, maybe, hold on sir, etc. When I explained to one CSR that I know the G1 has Wi-Fi, but that UMA or, "making calls over Wi-Fi," is a different ability and asked if the G1 was capable, he nearly got belligerent -- thinking that I was talking down to him or something when I was explaining things he clearly knew nothing about -- and repeatedly told me, "yes, it has Wi-Fi calling," (WTF is Wi-Fi calling?), and even went for another opinion to confirm this ridiculous answer, which was probably just a matter of putting me on hold.

CSR's: don't just blindly accept what your boss tells you about technology. They may be motivated to give you a skewed version of the truth.
 
Upvote 0
The "its not enabled in the hardware" comment shows a lack of understanding of how UMA works, that seems to be prevalent among T-Mob CSR's. Yes, UMA is not enabled, but it is because the necessary software is not there. The only hardware that you need for UMA is an activated SIM card, and a Wi-Fi card. There is no such thing as UMA hardware -- maybe a separate processor dedicated to interpreting data, but no special "connector" -- and this disability is workaroundable with software. There is no reason why the software couldn't be developed for the G1 to enable UMA, it is just that the carriers don't want to embrace teh technology so they don't include it.

The reason why they don't want to enable it is since your Wi-Fi connection acts like a cellphone tower, they have no way to justify charging people "minutes" on their cell towers. T-Mobile has tried the tech with their Hotspots thing -- charging a small monthly fee to get on their LAN's at airports and such -- but it seems like they are all now just banking on peoples acceptance of inferior 3G data speeds, and hoping that we forget about UMA.

Every time I talk to a T-Mobile CSR I am amazed at how self assured they are in their ignorance of this technology. I have gotten so may different responses on this issue it is unbelievable: yes, no, maybe, hold on sir, etc. When I explained to one CSR that I know the G1 has Wi-Fi, but that UMA or, "making calls over Wi-Fi," is a different ability and asked if the G1 was capable, he nearly got belligerent -- thinking that I was talking down to him or something when I was explaining things he clearly knew nothing about -- and repeatedly told me, "yes, it has Wi-Fi calling," (WTF is Wi-Fi calling?), and even went for another opinion to confirm this ridiculous answer, which was probably just a matter of putting me on hold.

CSR's: don't just blindly accept what your boss tells you about technology. They may be motivated to give you a skewed version of the truth.

first post and you already burned someone down. welcome to the forum.. I salute you!
 
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I had a rep tell me they were looking into bringing UMA to the G1. He sounded like one of these nerdy guys (like myself) who would be the type to poke his nose around trying to gather info, so I'm optimistic. I just don't think Google knew what they were getting themselves into with the Mobile phone industry. Users are very particular and demanding, and we should be. We pay damn good money for these products.
 
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o yes they did. google did an epic amount of research. problem is, if they want to incorporate everything that was ever made in the world into android, it would never see the light of day. so, yes, we did pay damn good money for these products, but they are also making damn good progress for us to enjoy these products. cant wait for a google supermarket to open.

if google sent me an email today and said to give them every personal information i have because they are taking me to a better world, I'll start packing my things.

I say screw tmobile all together, google needs to start making cellphone towers. when someone ask me whats my phone provider, I want to be able to tell them I use Google. Dare I say.. free cellphone service? :D
 
Upvote 0
The "its not enabled in the hardware" comment shows a lack of understanding of how UMA works, that seems to be prevalent among T-Mob CSR's. Yes, UMA is not enabled, but it is because the necessary software is not there. The only hardware that you need for UMA is an activated SIM card, and a Wi-Fi card. There is no such thing as UMA hardware -- maybe a separate processor dedicated to interpreting data, but no special "connector" -- and this disability is workaroundable with software. There is no reason why the software couldn't be developed for the G1 to enable UMA, it is just that the carriers don't want to embrace teh technology so they don't include it.

The reason why they don't want to enable it is since your Wi-Fi connection acts like a cellphone tower, they have no way to justify charging people "minutes" on their cell towers. T-Mobile has tried the tech with their Hotspots thing -- charging a small monthly fee to get on their LAN's at airports and such -- but it seems like they are all now just banking on peoples acceptance of inferior 3G data speeds, and hoping that we forget about UMA.

Every time I talk to a T-Mobile CSR I am amazed at how self assured they are in their ignorance of this technology. I have gotten so may different responses on this issue it is unbelievable: yes, no, maybe, hold on sir, etc. When I explained to one CSR that I know the G1 has Wi-Fi, but that UMA or, "making calls over Wi-Fi," is a different ability and asked if the G1 was capable, he nearly got belligerent -- thinking that I was talking down to him or something when I was explaining things he clearly knew nothing about -- and repeatedly told me, "yes, it has Wi-Fi calling," (WTF is Wi-Fi calling?), and even went for another opinion to confirm this ridiculous answer, which was probably just a matter of putting me on hold.

CSR's: don't just blindly accept what your boss tells you about technology. They may be motivated to give you a skewed version of the truth.

I had (still have actually) that Nokia UMA enabled T-Mobile phone. IT was buggy and annoying and unreliable. UMA has promise in the eyes of a sonsumer, but not in the eyes of a corporation because they have no way/no justification for charging for minutes if you can make calls over wifi. It's all about the money.

Also, just to be clear, there is a hardware requirement (at least to make it work seamlessly). There are special "hand over" chips that are in UMA devices that allow a call to continue while handing over from wifi to cell phone service (think: walking out the front door and getting in the car and driving to work while on the phone). As to whether this hardware is in the G1, I have no idea.

To me it seems like UMA is just a pipe dream that will never be utilized to its fullest because it's perceived that there is no money behind it (in reality a mass movement to UMA phones would relieve a lot of stress on a carrier's network). That's just my 2 cents.

More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generic_Access_Network
 
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Can't do it, sorry. It's not enabled in the hardware of the device. No workarounds.
In response to there not being a work around you are incorrect sir. UMA is not a hardware based ability it is in essence dependant on the S/W installed on the device. Having contacted the mfr I was advised it is a possibility it just hasn't been developed as of yet. But the writing is on the wall so to speak. So keep your fingers crossed :)
 
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crater,

Do you have to pay for UMA and their special router,
I believe there is a small fee per month per account (I have 5 phones to the account). The router was free with the rebate

D or if i take my SIM out of my G1 and put it in a UMA capable t-mobile phone will it work?
Yes, as long as their is WiFi or any available wireless router to tap into.
I carry the G1 and my BB curve (wi-fi) with me all the time.
 
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All UMA does is encapsulate GSM packets inside TCP/IP packets over WiFi. It doesn't require any "special" hardware to work. It doesn't require a "special" router to work. For the T-Mobile implementation of UMA, you need a TMO account, a phone with UMA software on it, a WiFi router and an internet connection. A router with a few tweaks on it will help the phone battery life, but isn't required.

UMA (on phones that support UMA) does not require the $10/mo feature. All the $10/mo feature does is give you unlimited minutes over UMA. On the BB Curve 8320, you can use UMA to get a network connection and make calls, using your normal minutes, without paying the $10/mo.

edited to add: There is nothing physical that prevents the G1 from having UMA installed on it. HTC would have to write the software for it, and TMO would have to approve it. So far, NO TMO 3G phone has UMA. I don't know why.
 
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So I stopped and talked to the cell phone sales reps at Costco yesterday and asked about UMA on the G1 and the guy said that it was out and just needed to download. I got home and called my T-mobile business sales rep and she contacted her tech person who said no it is not and that he did not know if and when it would be.
So who is right?
Also, is it really a software and not hardware issue. If it is software I will not wait to replace my BBCurve and just switch out the sim card when I am at home so it connects to the UMA.
If it is a hardware issue I will not buy the G1 and I will have to wait....

Duckman748
 
Upvote 0
So I stopped and talked to the cell phone sales reps at Costco yesterday and asked about UMA on the G1 and the guy said that it was out and just needed to download. I got home and called my T-mobile business sales rep and she contacted her tech person who said no it is not and that he did not know if and when it would be.
So who is right?
Also, is it really a software and not hardware issue. If it is software I will not wait to replace my BBCurve and just switch out the sim card when I am at home so it connects to the UMA.
If it is a hardware issue I will not buy the G1 and I will have to wait....

Duckman748

UMA for G1 is not available.

UMA requires some fairly deep hooks into the OS of the phone. You will never see UMA as an app in the Market. If UMA ever becomes available on the G1, it will be thru a firmware update.

The G1 already has all the hardware required to function with UMA, the software for it just isn't available, and may not have even been written yet.

I currently use my G1 when I'm in a 3G market, but when I'm off in areas with poor coverage, but with WiFi, I move my SIM over to my BB Curve 8320 for GSM/EDGE and UMA access.
 
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so i think ive learned more about networks in the last 5 mins reading your posts than my while life! haha
so here my question im deploying to japan and i want to maybe possible use my phone out there but on a wi fi network would be sweet... apparently thats not possible yet.. so whats this google voice app? and how sweet would that be if u could use google talk, as a calling app.. ne whos just dreaming...
 
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