Help going to Europe, can I use MT4G?

[willoh]

and if so, what is the most economical way and what pitfalls should I watch for (i.e. turning off stuff??)
thanks for your advice

 

[tukatz]

and if so, what is the most economical way and what pitfalls should I watch for (i.e. turning off stuff??)
thanks for your advice

Your 4G will work in Europe, as they are also on GSM. However, if it has not been unlocked you would find it very costly to use something like T-Mobile roaming. Your best be is to get it unlocked (call support of your provider and provide the IMEI number). Your provider should provide you an unlock code. You power off the phone and put in a SIM card from another provider. This card may be from AT&T if you are on T-Mobile, or vice versa. It may also be an international SIM card. When you power the phone back on it may prompt for the PIN if there is one associated with the card. Once past that, it will prompt for the SIM unlock code. Mine were eight digit codes. Do get it right or you may lock up your phone.
I have purchased an international SIM card from Telestial and found that it works well. I just went through the process of unlocking our 4Gs using that Telestial card.

 

[Basscasey]

We just turned off all synching and only used it on wi-fi (calling included...free.free.free!

 

[tukatz]

We just turned off all synching and only used it on wi-fi (calling included...free.free.free!

Interesting approach. I'm new to the 4G and had not thought about wi-fi calling. What would you have done if you had an emergency and had to call where there was no wi-fi coverage?

 

[Basscasey]

What would you have done if you had an emergency and had to call where there was no wi-fi coverage?

Good question, if the emergency was bad enough...I'd make the call and eat the cost no problem!

 

[tukatz]

We just turned off all synching and only used it on wi-fi (calling included...free.free.free!

So I have a question. I have added the service to my T-Mobile account that allows me to call over Wi-Fi without using plan minutes. However, T-Mobile can't seem to give me a straight answer on international calling.

If I call from Washington State to Canada using the regular cell network, there is a per minute charge for the call. If I make that same call over Wi-Fi is there a per minute charge or is it FREE?

 

[Basscasey]

So I have a question. I have added the service to my T-Mobile account that allows me to call over Wi-Fi without using plan minutes. However, T-Mobile can't seem to give me a straight answer on international calling.

If I call from Washington State to Canada using the regular cell network, there is a per minute charge for the call. If I make that same call over Wi-Fi is there a per minute charge or is it FREE?

I guess free was the wrong word to use...I meant no long distance charges/roaming charges, my plan minutes were still used (I'm unlimited anyway though), not to mention I'm paying for the plan obviously. My situation was the reverse of yours though...not really apples to apples. I was out of the country, calling in. You're in the country, calling out.

With that said, I can only assume that it would work the same for your plan. Except you wouldn't be eating up minutes. wi-fi is wi-fi...it's all VoIP anyway.

 

[tukatz]

If you had no long distance or roaming charges, I can only assume that calling over Wi-Fi would work the same for me. Looks like a test is in order.

 

[tukatz]

I made a test call to Canada. My usage shows the two minute call and there is a note of additional charges of .78. The bottom line is that calling from the U.S. to another country DOES incur international long distance charges. It still may be that calling from outside the U.S. does not incur such charges. That test will have to wait until late August.

 

[Basscasey]

I made a test call to Canada. My usage shows the two minute call and there is a note of additional charges of .78. The bottom line is that calling from the U.S. to another country DOES incur international long distance charges. It still may be that calling from outside the U.S. does not incur such charges. That test will have to wait until late August.

Even on wi-fi huh?

 

[tukatz]

Even on wi-fi huh?

Yep. And I set the Wi-Fi calling preference to Wi-Fi Only.

 

[jrizal]

Wi-fi calling works this way folks. If you are in a dead spot (whether in the US or elsewhere), by activationg wi-fi calling will enable you to call any phone in the US using your plan allocation. If you call outside the US (say Canada) you will be charge for long distance calls. The upside of this is that standard rates apply and not the expensive data roaming charges. Still the best option is to have your phone unlocked by calling T-Mobile and get an international SIM card.

 

[tukatz]

Wi-fi calling works this way folks. If you are in a dead spot (whether in the US or elsewhere), by activationg wi-fi calling will enable you to call any phone in the US using your plan allocation. If you call outside the US (say Canada) you will be charge for long distance calls. The upside of this is that standard rates apply and not the expensive data roaming charges. Still the best option is to have your phone unlocked by calling T-Mobile and get an international SIM card.

If I understand you correctly, if the 'destination phone' is one outside the U.S., you pay long distance charges. If the 'destination phone' is in the U.S., no matter where you are, it's free.

We had an old family plan that would not support the upgrade to have Wi-Fi calls NOT count against plan minutes. So T-Mobile changed our plan to a newer family plan (with many more minutes) and applied the Wi-Fi calling upgrade so those calls DO NOT count against plan minutes.

 

[jrizal]

Yup. And if you have a T-Mobile UMA enabled phone and are outside the US or in a dead spot you can receive calls also. T-Mob to T-Mob via UMA/Wi-Fi calling is presumably free and doesn't consume plan minutes.