Price Drop

[cane prevost1]

Just noticed that Expansys has the 1096 version for under 200 dollars right now. Best price I've seen yet for the international model with all the LTE bands for US.

 

[sullitf]

Very tempting! I'm switching from AT&T to T-Mobile this weekend and was planning on getting the 640. I've been using an XL for work for the past few weeks though and have gotten used to the bigger screen...

Anyone know if T-Mobile's wifi calling would work on the RM-1096?

 

[cane prevost1]

I don't think it will. Most reports say that it has to be bought at T Mobile store to work.

 

[sullitf]

Oh well, a man can hope. Wifi calling is one of the selling features for me on TMobile so I'd rather have the smaller screen than give that up

For what its worth, I think the wifi calling will also work on the TMobile pre-paid 640s sold at Walmart. They aren't directly from TMobile, but because it's branded for them it still has the TMobile OS build on it including the wifi calling support

 

[libra89]

Oh well, a man can hope. Wifi calling is one of the selling features for me on TMobile so I'd rather have the smaller screen than give that up

For what its worth, I think the wifi calling will also work on the TMobile pre-paid 640s sold at Walmart. They aren't directly from TMobile, but because it's branded for them it still has the TMobile OS build on it including the wifi calling support

It does work on the 640s, it's actually part of the phone system now and no longer an app.

 

[tedj101]

I have the RM 1096 on T-Mobile and I can't get wifi calling. It seems to be shipped only with T-Mobile branded phones and is not offered as an app (at least at this time). This isn't a problem for me since many apps will provide the same service.

<TED>

 

[libra89]

I have the RM 1096 on T-Mobile and I can't get wifi calling. It seems to be shipped only with T-Mobile branded phones and is not offered as an app (at least at this time). This isn't a problem for me since many apps will provide the same service.

<TED>

Yes, it's only available on their actual phones.

 

[TechFreak1]

$200 dollars, damn...

• LTE FDD network: Band 1 (2100 MHz), band 17 (700MHz), Band 2 (1900 MHz), band 20 (800MHz), band 3 (1800 MHz), band 4 (1700/2100 MHz), band 5 (850MHz ), Band 7 (2600 MHz), band 8 (900MHz), band 28 (700 MHz), band 12 (700 MHz)
• TD-LTE Network: Band 38 (2570-2620 MHz), band 40 (2300-2400 MHz), band 41 (2555-2575 MHz)

http://www.expansys-usa.com/microsoft-lumia-640-xl-smartphone-white-276670/

Now they better release a flagship with all those bands!

Oh well, a man can hope. Wifi calling is one of the selling features for me on TMobile so I'd rather have the smaller screen than give that up

For what its worth, I think the wifi calling will also work on the TMobile pre-paid 640s sold at Walmart. They aren't directly from TMobile, but because it's branded for them it still has the TMobile OS build on it including the wifi calling support

Out of curiosity, does that use up your minutes?

Here in the UK even if you use text or call via Wi Fi it is deducted from your allowance, which frankly does not make sense to me at all as your paying twice to use your own Wi Fi.

I'm aware From a carrier's stand point, another opportunity to make a few bucks.

 

[QuentinJ]

Out of curiosity, does that use up your minutes?

Here in the UK even if you use text or call via Wi Fi it is deducted from your allowance, which frankly does not make sense to me at all as your paying twice to use your own Wi Fi.

I'm aware From a carrier's stand point, another opportunity to make a few bucks.

I live in the UK as well, but from what I understand, since they have a much larger area to cover, signal is not always good in some areas depending on carrier.
Using WiFi calling does use up your allowance but it allows you to have better quality calls in areas with low reception

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Anyone know if T-Mobile's wifi calling would work on the RM-1096?

It doesn't work on any other phone T-Mobile doesn't sell that I've seen discussed in the forums. I know it doesn't on my 1520.3.

I'm pretty sure its a combination of (1) We can sell more phones if we keep this off BYOD (2) even if it should work on any phone or at least any Windows Phone, why upset a few customers if it doesn't and waste our support people time hearing about it.

In the perfect Un-carrier world, they would let all customers get it with a warning it has only been tested on phones T-Mobile sells and there is no assistance if it doesn't work on others.

 

[TechFreak1]

I live in the UK as well, but from what I understand, since they have a much larger area to cover, signal is not always good in some areas depending on carrier.
Using WiFi calling does use up your allowance but it allows you to have better quality calls in areas with low reception

Oh okay, yes there are areas where they give out femto cells.

Personally I haven't found it any better than calling as normal, basically no difference + sometimes worse (even on fibre broadband) and I've tried EE, O2 & Three.

 

[DumDee2]

The only real benefit to me of t-mobile wifi calling is when traveling internationally and being able to call back to the states using up your regular or unlimited minutes vs having to pay roaming fees. Why would u need it in the states unless live/work in a concrete buildings where cell reception cant get through?

 

[sullitf]

Well my appreciation for a good deal won out. Just ordered my wife a T-Mobile, but decided I wouldn't miss the wifi calling and went for the rm-1096. I can always use Skype in a pinch, glad to have the bigger screen of the XL.

Honestly the only feature I would go for in the upcoming flagship is a Surface-esque pen. Continuum is great, but I wouldn't use it enough to warrant the price. None of the rumors have mentioned a surface phone either, so short of that I'll be sticking with the 640 XL for a while!

 

[Nogitsune Micah]

If only I had gotten the 1096 a couple of weeks later Haha. Still this is a great phone to have. Hope it means good sales

 

[rhapdog]

To enable Wi-Fi calling on AT&T, you have to change your APN. On phones that are Wi-Fi calling enabled that you purchase from AT&T, the APN has already been set. There are people who say you have to buy it from AT&T to get it to work, but that's not true.

This is probably true for T-Mobile as well. They cannot legally block you from using Wi-Fi calling, and you need to get the appropriate settings for APN and etc. in order to enable it. I don't know what all the settings need to be, but someone who has a Wi-Fi calling enabled phone needs to compare all the call settings with someone who doesn't, and see what the differences are. I'll bet that's it.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

To enable Wi-Fi calling on AT&T, you have to change your APN. On phones that are Wi-Fi calling enabled that you purchase from AT&T, the APN has already been set. There are people who say you have to buy it from AT&T to get it to work, but that's not true.

This is probably true for T-Mobile as well. They cannot legally block you from using Wi-Fi calling, and you need to get the appropriate settings for APN and etc. in order to enable it. I don't know what all the settings need to be, but someone who has a Wi-Fi calling enabled phone needs to compare all the call settings with someone who doesn't, and see what the differences are. I'll bet that's it.

With T-mobile there is an app that has settings for when WiFi calling is used. ex: WiFi only, WiFi never, WiFi only when OTA not available, OTA only when WiFi not available. How do you set those with AT&T? And if you can't, which of those modes is used? You can't get the app unless its a T-Mobile phone so even if you could change the APN, you still might not have WiFi calling and would have no way to change the mode.

 

[rhapdog]

With T-mobile there is an app that has settings for when WiFi calling is used. ex: WiFi only, WiFi never, WiFi only when OTA not available, OTA only when WiFi not available. How do you set those with AT&T? And if you can't, which of those modes is used? You can't get the app unless its a T-Mobile phone so even if you could change the APN, you still might not have WiFi calling and would have no way to change the mode.

Someone else would have to answer that one. I have NO idea. I've never used Wi-Fi calling, and don't see the need since no one I call regularly has access to it. AT&T calls it HD Voice, and it's only available in certain cities right now. Even though we have LTE, for some reason HD Voice isn't available for me, so I can't really speak to that.

 

[DumDee2]

wifi calling is different than hd voice. t-mobile has hd voice too and wifi calling. HD using ur mobile data to enchance ur call while wifi uses the access point your connected to.

 

[Nogitsune Micah]

Someone else would have to answer that one. I have NO idea. I've never used Wi-Fi calling, and don't see the need since no one I call regularly has access to it. AT&T calls it HD Voice, and it's only available in certain cities right now. Even though we have LTE, for some reason HD Voice isn't available for me, so I can't really speak to that.

I don't think Wifi calling and HD voice are the same thing.

I have t-mobile on the iPhone 6 and I have zero coverage in my house(zero) however as long as I am near wifi, with wifi calling I will always have coverage(thankfully) but if the wifi were to disconnect, i'd be screwed.

HD voice I don't think is that.....

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I have t-mobile on the iPhone 6 and I have zero coverage in my house(zero) however as long as I am near wifi, with wifi calling I will always have coverage(thankfully) but if the wifi were to disconnect, i'd be screwed.

I don't understand how WiFi calling is a practical substitute for voice coverage. I am a T-Mobile customer and prefer it over any other carrier but I don't have coverage issues. I'm just speculating but I can't see how WiFi calling would effectively compensate for lack of coverage except in rare cases. So do you have bars everywhere but in your house? And if not, is there WiFi that you have access to everywhere you have no bars? It just seems like for most people who can't get coverage in their home they would still be off the air lots of other places.