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I looked around some hands on videos of the Sensation and looked closely at the App Drawer... and did not see a Wifi Calling app.... maybe im wrong...
Anyone know if this device includes Wifi Calling?
i would guess that it will have it. In Barcelona earlier this year T-Mo stated it's commitment to wi-fi calling and that it planned on having it on all future smartphone devices.
yeah i would be pretty upset if it didn't have it since all the recent smartphones they've put out have this. I just got the feature added to my plan and im always in wifi areas, well i make alot of calls from home and with this i would rarely ever use my minutes.
Android 2.3 has integrated SIP call function in dailer. Otherwise, you can use free SIP software from market. You also can use GTalk for internet call.
Use Fring to make calls (video and voice). support conference call.
Yes the Sensation does in fact have WiFi Calling. I use it every day.
I was wondering if any of you can tell me if the wifi calling takes away from your plan minutes? I am hearing no from third parties and I am hearing yes directly from tmobile. Really thinking about switching to tmobile due to sprints horrible service where I recently moved to. It just might make sense to do it with this option.
Yes, With WiFi calling you use up your plans minutes.
thats dumb lol, using plan minutes when using wifi calling..wtf is the point!
thanks for the reply. That is pretty stupid. This would be a great option for those who don't have to best coverage and the extra option of not using minutes would make it over the top. Oh well, maybe I will get a airave from sprint and stay where I'm at.
I've heard that if you have a newer plan (not a grandfathered plan) with T-Mobile, they can add on free WiFi Calling which does not take away minutes from your plan.
Originally, and by default, it used to be that wifi calling deducted minutes from your regular plan... im not sure if the newer plans come with the wifi calling free plan.... but for me, since I already had a grandfathered plan, I just had to call Tmobile up, and request Free Wifi Calling, and then they enabled it, for free.
If you talk to tmobile customer support online or over the phone you can have a service added to your plan so that WiFi calling does not use your minutes. It will say "uses plan minutes" on your phone still but it actually will not.
EDIT: Haha caliber177 beat me to it!
SOB double post... whoops...
Here is what the wirefly website says. I know they are not tmobile but I'm just saying.
"WiFi Calling will allow you to make calls over a Wi-Fi network without deducting from your plan minutes. Android handsets will continue to display a message that indicates that calls will be deducted from plan minutes. However, if this feature is active, calls will be free and unlimited over Wi-Fi."
Capable device and Wi-Fi connection required. Wi-Fi calling decrements plan minutes. Except for UMA devices, device will not transition between Wi-Fi and the wireless network.
Thats what it says when you go to the wifi calling page on the t-mobile site! If you go to this link here http://smart-wi-fi.com/mobileHandsetsHTCSensation.php Its a UMA device.
I'm stoked to finally have cell service at my house. I doesn't bug me one bit having to use my minutes and Wifi calling is a great feature most carriers don't use.
I feel like people are picking this device apart under a microscope just to find things to complain about. Yes we all know s-off will be the day it really comes out to shine but in the mean time just enjoy the phone.
Hi everyone, I'm pretty new to posting, had a G2 before but mostly read the forums.
So I've got a G2x that works pretty well so far, no major issues, just some screen bleed in one corner. The only complaint I have is the reception on the phone. It seems that it drops several bars whenever I hold my phone, and in my house, it drops to zero bars where my G2 would hold 1-2 bars.
So I'm starting to use wifi calling so that I can disable the radio through the hidden menu to save some battery power when I'm at home. The problem is, wifi calling only works for a few minutes before it realizes that I'm not on the T-mo network. Basically, I think it needs the cell radio to remain on for wifi calling to work.
I went on T-mo's chat support to enable the free unlimited wifi calling feature on my phone, which, according to the support, will enable me to keep the cell radio off and make calls with the app, just like the UMA wifi calling feature that blackberry phones have. The rep told me to wait a few hours before trying the free wifi calling, which I did, but it still works the same as it did before I got free wifi calling added.
Has anyone else activated the free wifi calling feature? Does it work like the UMA wifi calling feature that blackberry phones have? It's possible it will take longer for the feature to kick in, so I'll keep checking.
It is not UMA. If you are in the middle of a wifi call and you move out of wifi range, the call will drop. That said, you do not need cell tower access, that beats the entire purpose of wifi calling. I use it when I work in the server room at my office. The room is in the center of the building surrounded by concrete so nobody gets any signal in there and I turn wifi calling on all the time.
You'll need a certain amount of bandwidth though. I have at home comcast cable with 22mbps and if I'm streaming Netflix in HD, the wifi calling call quality goes to ****. I haven't captured packets yet but I'm sure it's just that the router can't cope with all those QoS packets. So try not to stream anything while you use wifi calling and you'll be fine.
So do you keep your cell radio on in that deadzone? Wouldn't that drain the battery quickly since it is constantly looking for a signal?
When you turn on wifi calling it turns off cell tower polling automatically. You'll see that your cellphone reception goes from whatever many bars you had, to zero bars because it turns off the cell radio automatically. So once you see the wifi calling icon in the notification bar, you're set. You stop polling celltowers and you save battery
The wifi calling apps automatically turns the radio off after it connects to the network and switches it to GSM only. You'll notice that the bars will go to none once it is connected. You're actually interferring with thd app by trying to do things yourself.
And yes, I use the app whenever I am at home since I get poor signal. Get great battery life just letting it do what it does.
Edit: above poster basically said everything I said while I was typing lol.
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App
I use the WIFI calling feature when I'm at work since I don't get a cell signal in the building. I never changed my account to activate the WIFI calling feature because I already have unlimited minutes on my account, so it doesn't make a difference that WIFI calling uses my plan minutes. Plus, when I tried to do it online, the online system wanted to change my account to one of the plans with a 2GB cap (I'm on the original EM+ family plan, with the 5GB cap). Didn't think it was that important.
Once I get to work, I connect to WIFI, then turn on WIFI calling. I never disable my cell radio. I also set my WIFI calling to connect through WIFI only, not WIFI preferred. At times, my calls are pretty clear. But, there are times when my calls are so choppy that I have to have the person hang up, so that I can call them back from an office line (or go outside and use the T-Mobile tower on my cell).
Oh wow that makes sense, thanks for the responses, I didn't think that it would stop searching for a signal when wifi calling is enabled. I'm curious though, do you guys put connection preferences to "Wifi only?" Seems that if you do wifi or cell preferred it would need a connection to a cell tower so that it could switch to GSM if it provides better call quality.
I haven't tested this in a while but I think if you do wifi only, once you move out of wifi range you have to remember to disable wifi calling or you get no calls.
@Memnoch30 and kangxi
Did you both activate the unlimited free wifi calling feature introduced in May?
Also I just noticed that there is a setting in the app. Under advanced settings, there's an option with the description "UMA network controller address." Perhaps UMA can be enabled somehow?
No I didn't. I have unlimited minutes so I don't really worry about any of that.
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App
I did activate it since I don't have unlimited minutes. I don't know about enabling UMA though.
See, this is something I don't get. Using a cell phone with spotty reception. That is one issue I can say I've never had before this phone. One that is choronically losng it's cell connection.This is ultimately the ONLY reason I have one. Period. If the phone reception is not rock 100% freaking solid, why do I have the damn thing? I do not want a phone that doesn't put my call through every single time. Why should I stand for anything less?
ickster said:
See, this is something I don't get. Using a cell phone with spotty reception. That is one issue I can say I've never had before this phone. One that is choronically losng it's cell connection.This is ultimately the ONLY reason I have one. Period. If the phone reception is not rock 100% freaking solid, why do I have the damn thing? I do not want a phone that doesn't put my call through every single time. Why should I stand for anything less?
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I agree, I think the android phone market is so packed that manufacturers have to put in a lot of time to bump up tech specs for their phone to stand out. They really should be at least implementing a cell radio and battery good enough for real world use though
Wifi calling is amazing. I use it at work. It also saves huge amounts of battery cause wifi < cellular.
LG G2x CM7 2.3.4
how do you get it enables unlimited?? i dont see anything on the tmobile site about it being free unlimited wifi calling just that it will use your plan minutes
Xargon321 said:
how do you get it enables unlimited?? i dont see anything on the tmobile site about it being free unlimited wifi calling just that it will use your plan minutes
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You have to call customer service or do it through their online chat support service to have it enabled. I'm not sure why they make you do this, but you can't enable it yourself through the My T-mobile website.
have to say anything special? or just tell them to enable unlimited wifi calling? might have to do this later then.
Well, you have to be the primary account holder, but you don't really say anything special, just ask to add "free unlimited wifi calling" to your phone line.
Funny thing happened to me I called tonight and, after doing some other changes, asked about the unlimited wifi calling. The agent said oh I see u have a g2x. I said yea? Then after a hold. He said as long as ur using the wifi calling App it doesn't use plan minute.. I said oh really plz note that on my account so when it uses my minutes I can get credit. He said sure no problem I noted it and tagged the support document I read it from on your account. This was the third time I tried adding it. So I have no idea what is going on..
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA Premium App
That's strange... maybe try adding it through the online chat support, that's how I got it added. They take a while to respond but they seemed to have added it to my account, can't say for sure though.
By service, I don't mean signal, I mean actual phone service.
For example, you don't pay your bill for a month and t-mo suspends your service, can you still use Wifi-Calling even though the service isn't on?
Just curious.
durps said:
By service, I don't mean signal, I mean actual phone service.
For example, you don't pay your bill for a month and t-mo suspends your service, can you still use Wifi-Calling even though the service isn't on?
Just curious.
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Click to collapse
You can use something like grooveip. It's a voip that uses GV to connect the calls. I heard it works well, I dont use it. I use csipsimple which is more complex to set up that's why I recommended groove. I am able to make/place calls over wifi. the sim in the phone is deactivated. I actually use my g2x as my house phone. it operates purely on wifi calling. But if you're asking if you can use the built in app that you use with TMO now? No, you cant
graffixnyc said:
You can use something like grooveip. It's a voip that uses GV to connect the calls. I heard it works well, I dont use it. I use csipsimple which is more complex to set up that's why I recommended groove. I am able to make/place calls over wifi. the sim in the phone is deactivated. I actually use my g2x as my house phone. it operates purely on wifi calling. But if you're asking if you can use the built in app that you use with TMO now? No, you cant
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+1 on everything said above. WiFi calling checks your sim card to make sure you can access it since it uses your minutes.
swellthekitty said:
+1 on everything said above. WiFi calling checks your sim card to make sure you can access it since it uses your minutes.
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actually it doesnt use your minutes anymore
piimp said:
actually it doesnt use your minutes anymore
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Click to collapse
Please don't give out any false info.. It does use your minutes unless you are on the even more plus plan, which then you already have unlimited minutes so it doesn't matter. If you are on a minute plan still it WILL indeed use your minutes.
GrooveIP is actually pretty good and does its job. Tried it out and while it did give a bit of echo for the other party and a bit of delay, it is indeed free.
piimp said:
actually it doesnt use your minutes anymore
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Really? The app lies to us when it says it uses plan mins? lol....
MarlinFF said:
Please don't give out any false info.. It does use your minutes unless you are on the even more plus plan, which then you already have unlimited minutes so it doesn't matter. If you are on a minute plan still it WILL indeed use your minutes.
GrooveIP is actually pretty good and does its job. Tried it out and while it did give a bit of echo for the other party and a bit of delay, it is indeed free.
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Click to collapse
You should also stop giving out false info. You don't have to be on an unlimited plan, you just need the free wifi calling service added to your line by either calling to chatting with a T-Mobile rep. I have it on both my lines on my family account and it doesn't charge me for my wifi calls. It's great because we only have 750 minutes to use between us.
wpbcubsfan said:
You should also stop giving out false info. You don't have to be on an unlimited plan, you just need the free wifi calling service added to your line by either calling to chatting with a T-Mobile rep. I have it on both my lines on my family account and it doesn't charge me for my wifi calls. It's great because we only have 750 minutes to use between us.
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+1 just call TMobile and they will add it to your account. I have four lines and they all have the free wifi calling service
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App
I can confirm the above two posters info. I have an Even More family plan and I have free WiFi calling.
Just added the free Wi-Fi calling to my account. Never knew about this until I saw this thread, thanks!
MarlinFF said:
Please don't give out any false info.. It does use your minutes unless you are on the even more plus plan, which then you already have unlimited minutes so it doesn't matter. If you are on a minute plan still it WILL indeed use your minutes.
GrooveIP is actually pretty good and does its job. Tried it out and while it did give a bit of echo for the other party and a bit of delay, it is indeed free.
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Lol, learn ur facts before u post. U have to call tmob to get it added to ur account, (doesnt matter what ur plan is) its free. I know when u turn it on it says it uses ur plan minutes bt if u have it added it doesnt.
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using XDA Premium App
wpbcubsfan said:
You should also stop giving out false info. You don't have to be on an unlimited plan, you just need the free wifi calling service added to your line by either calling to chatting with a T-Mobile rep. I have it on both my lines on my family account and it doesn't charge me for my wifi calls. It's great because we only have 750 minutes to use between us.
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that is because you are calling t-mobile to t-mobile, so it don't use any min from your 750 plan. Try to call other carriers!
piimp said:
Lol, learn ur facts before u post. U have to call tmob to get it added to ur account, (doesnt matter what ur plan is) its free. I know when u turn it on it says it uses ur plan minutes bt if u have it added it doesnt.
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It does matter what plan you have. I've called and chatted several times and they said I had to upgrade to one of the newer plans to get the feature. I'm on FamilyTime 700 with free myFaves.
Was in France, used T-mobile WiFi calling feature and got billed just like I haven't used it at all..... THIS IS NUTS....Is T-Mobile trying to rip me off or did WiFi calling not work on CM ROM. I obviously know how to use it and even showed my friend who by the way did NOT get charged.
So yes, WiFi calling icon showed its active and connected while I made the calls....
kolyan said:
Was in France, used T-mobile WiFi calling feature and got billed just like I haven't used it at all..... THIS IS NUTS....Is T-Mobile trying to rip me off or did WiFi calling not work on CM ROM. I obviously know how to use it and even showed my friend who by the way did NOT get charged.
So yes, WiFi calling icon showed its active and connected while I made the calls....
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Click to collapse
Was your phone in Airplane Mode?
I don't think WiFi calling works in air plane mode
If you turn your phone in airplane mode, then turn on WiFi, it should work.
Just call up t mobile. They usually sort those things out for you.
Sent from my Handheld Portal Device
zoppp said:
Just call up t mobile. They usually sort those things out for you.
Sent from my Handheld Portal Device
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Click to collapse
I did. They say they cannot guaranty free Wifi-calling roaming....and the only thing they can offer is $80 credit with 2-year contract extension.\
I am just too tired to argue.....it says on Tmobile website NO ROAMING CHARGES, I asked to see Terms and Condition for Wifi-calling where they dont guaranty it and rep says they dont have it.....
I have no proof that I used Wifi calling and all they see are my calls without any Wifi-calling.....
The Wi-Fi calling does not work in airplane mode... Skype, text plus work strictly in Wi-Fi with ap mode on. Wi-Fi calling requires a cell connection to register. I just finished a deployment in the middleast and used the Wi-Fi calling feature, no extra charges. I'm rooted using weapon gingerbread.
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA
seangprice said:
The Wi-Fi calling does not work in airplane mode... Skype, text plus work strictly in Wi-Fi with ap mode on. Wi-Fi calling requires a cell connection to register. I just finished a deployment in the middleast and used the Wi-Fi calling feature, no extra charges. I'm rooted using weapon gingerbread.
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA
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Click to collapse
I know 110% that I was on active Wifi-Calling. Does this feature need some sort of activation besides the already included Wifi-Calling app ?
Lol you should say that it's a software issue that t mobile ignored and you expected the phone to function without extra charges.
Sent from my Handheld Portal Device
And I though they never know. LOL
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda premium
Well, at least we all will know in case of travel abroad: either bring a US VPN account or do without.
oh well, i extended my contract and got my $80 back. i figured i am probably gonna get One S anyway, so now I dont have a choice and will be buying One S when it comes out since i am already under contract.
I don't have WiFi calling because I am not with T-Mobile. Instead, I use airplane mode with WiFi turned on and use Skype which gaurantees that there's no roaming charges. That will work for any phone which has WiFi and Skype anywhere in the world.
WiFi calling uses your plan's minutes, unless you strictly went WiFi with the Groove IP+Google Voice route. I'm not surprised they whooped you with an extravagant phone bill from you "roaming" internationally.
I've used WiFi calling in Australia, Brazil, Canada, and the Philippines. I've never got a single charge from T-Mobile.
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA
phatpaw said:
I've used WiFi calling in Australia, Brazil, Canada, and the Philippines. I've never got a single charge from T-Mobile.
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thats how its supposed to be. i have NO idea what happened to me. i only see 2 reasons: 1. problem with custom ROM or 2. T-mobile has to actually enable Wifi-calling on their side in order to avoid roaming charges.
of course maybe its just a glitch in the system. after all how many people use this to avoid roaming fees....very few, so i really have ZERO proof.
kolyan said:
thats how its supposed to be. i have NO idea what happened to me. i only see 2 reasons: 1. problem with custom ROM or 2. T-mobile has to actually enable Wifi-calling on their side in order to avoid roaming charges.
of course maybe its just a glitch in the system. after all how many people use this to avoid roaming fees....very few, so i really have ZERO proof.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One way to figure it out without costing you $$$ is to take your phone to T-Mobile and use one of their store's SIM cards to try out the setup you used for WiFi Calling. If you discover the cause for being charged while using WiFi Calling, post it here.
That's why I'm always careful to not enable any roaming with data, hits you hard. :/
kolyan said:
Was in France, used T-mobile WiFi calling feature and got billed just like I haven't used it at all..... THIS IS NUTS....Is T-Mobile trying to rip me off or did WiFi calling not work on CM ROM. I obviously know how to use it and even showed my friend who by the way did NOT get charged.
So yes, WiFi calling icon showed its active and connected while I made the calls....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
just a few days ago my wife's g2x wifi was on, and showed connected, but it wasn't. I had to reboot the phone for it to be truly connected to my wifi. She was using carrier data and didn't even know it!
I'm just sayin!
princeasi said:
just a few days ago my wife's g2x wifi was on, and showed connected, but it wasn't. I had to reboot the phone for it to be truly connected to my wifi. She was using carrier data and didn't even know it!
I'm just sayin!
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Click to collapse
my data and data roaming was disabled. < thats another lol story how i decided to do some web browsing in Switzerland and got billed about $70 bucks. i had no idea that 1MB of data could cost $15 bucks, while calls are very reasonably priced.
another word of advice while abroad, NEVER use pay phones in airport or hotels ! Use you Tmobile phone instead. Many if not most of those are scam businesses not controlled by any FCC
Hi,
I see that in the dev section, whenever there is an EU-based ROM thread, some US members ask for the wifi calling feature to be added.
But what is it?
I got a One S with the stock EU ROM (no carrier ROM) and there is also an "internet calling" option in the call settings. There, I can give the settings of a SIP account.
Is this the same thing, or do US ROMs have another additional feature?
i think its the same thing, but as far as i know its only tmobile US that supports it. it allows you to make calls via wifi in low signal areas
azzledazzle said:
i think its the same thing, but as far as i know its only tmobile US that supports it. it allows you to make calls via wifi in low signal areas
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Click to collapse
You are correct, if I'm at home I do not have TMO coverage so I link to my WiFi and I can make calls w/o any issues. One really nice feature the TMO has!
Sent from my HTC VLE_U using XDA
So why do people ask for it to be ADDED to EU ROMs? In my EU 1.78, the feature is also here. Same when I was with 1.53
Bricolo_fr said:
So why do people ask for it to be ADDED to EU ROMs? In my EU 1.78, the feature is also here. Same when I was with 1.53
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably so us Americans can try EU ROMs over here!!
Bricolo_fr said:
So why do people ask for it to be ADDED to EU ROMs? In my EU 1.78, the feature is also here. Same when I was with 1.53
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably because people do not realize wifi calling is potentially the same thing as your internet calling. Change scares people....
I don't think that it is exactly the same thing (even if it may accomplish the same thing). For TMO US folks you don't need to enter any sip info. You just enable it and choose wifi preferred, wifi only, or cellular preferred.
Yep. In fact it completely turns off your gsm radio and all calls and smses come through the WiFi. You are dialing out using your tmo number and everything. But instead using GSM towers you are using your WiFi.
Sent from my HTC VLE_U using XDA
ok then this is obviously not the same as the sip one since it does not shut down the GSM radio and cannot send texts
Wifi calling on TMobile US has a couple additional benefits. First, you can add a free feature that makes it so the minutes used via Wifi calling do NOT count against your purchased minutes. Second, you can use Wifi calling when travelling outside of the US to call and text back to the US, or people in the US can call and text you. And if you have the free feature added, none of those minutes will count against your total purchased minutes either. I have used both of these benefits extensively and they are wonderful.
tylersnielsen said:
Wifi calling on TMobile US has a couple additional benefits. First, you can add a free feature that makes it so the minutes used via Wifi calling do NOT count against your purchased minutes. Second, you can use Wifi calling when travelling outside of the US to call and text back to the US, or people in the US can call and text you. And if you have the free feature added, none of those minutes will count against your total purchased minutes either. I have used both of these benefits extensively and they are wonderful.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you get this free feature? I've always thought it was ludicrous that wifi calling counted against my minutes, but since I used so rarely back then I really didn't care, but recently at work I get no signal and have been using the wifi calling a lot more.
Sent from my HTC One S using XDA Premium
Interesting to read about this feature.
Is it basically possible to connect to any wifi net ( usually there is a password protection) or do you basically need your providers ones?
If the WiFi is password protected, you need the credentials to establish a WiFi connection before using this feature.
*It is not restricted to provider-only networks. You can use any WiFi network you have access to, and that you phone can connect to.
Droidificator said:
How do you get this free feature? I've always thought it was ludicrous that wifi calling counted against my minutes, but since I used so rarely back then I really didn't care, but recently at work I get no signal and have been using the wifi calling a lot more.
Sent from my HTC One S using XDA Premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In your t-mobile account, you should have Wifi-calling as one of the free features. If it isn't there, add it manually or call them and add it. The minutes over wifi are still logged and counted, but don't count towards you package (so you can see how much you use wifi calling, but not pay for it).
WCCobra said:
If the WiFi is password protected, you need the credentials to establish a WiFi connection before using this feature.
*It is not restricted to provider-only networks. You can use any WiFi network you have access to, and that you phone can connect to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It seems to be comparable to the TMO "Hot-Spots" here in Germany in which you can log in for free by signing certain contracts or paying additional fee.
The other thing is connecting to WiFi resulting in a VOIP connection.
Ok, got that now. I didn't know that this feature is that popular in the States. As e.g. Germany geographically isn't a 'big' country we have a very good coverage with our big providers.
@home: I'll have to check my Fritz!Box. AVM offers an app for WiFi calling for mobiles. Interesting stuff.
Well, thanks so far for your answers and your time.