UMA cheap set up for overseas travel

meir · **UMA cheap set up for overseas travel -** 06-12-2010, 21:04

I am looking for any idea of UMA set up with low monthly fixed fees and low termination cost. Would like to use this set up outside of the country, where is network operator home market. Doing about 2000 minutes of outgoing calls. Traveling mainly in SE Asia, Europe and Southern Africa. Currently on have some set ups working like fring, naked voip with pbx plus mobile skype.

Stu · 06-12-2010, 22:28

The companies that offer UMA that I know of are TMobile (USA), Cincinnati Bell (USA), Rogers (Canada), and Orange (UK). TMobile USA has an unlimited plan over wifi and have just rolled out an unlimited talk plan to many countries:

T-Mobile to introduce 'International Talk & Text' plan - Phone Arena

meir · 07-12-2010, 10:49

Thanks Stu. I guess there is a few more companies, which do offer UMA. Orange France, Orange Spain, Orange Poland and China Unicom.

I know US T-Mobile UMA works well overseas, but the 10c/minute or higher monthly fee ( USD 30 for 1500 minutes or USD 50 for unlimited) is quite high.

PhotoJim · 07-12-2010, 17:37

You could always get a phone that can take a VoIP client, and use that over 3G or WiFi at your destination.

meir · 07-12-2010, 18:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhotoJim

You could always get a phone that can take a VoIP client, and use that over 3G or WiFi at your destination.

Well Jim as I wrote in my opening message I do use VOIP on my phone. I see UMA in advantage in sending data over VPN, if I am wrong. So voice quality far better over regular VOIP. Of course I can set up data connection first, than VP and VOIP as last one, but this is not handy for regular user.

adam917 · 08-12-2010, 00:19

Plus, SMS works over UMA too.

meir · 08-12-2010, 07:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by adam917

Plus, SMS works over UMA too.

Yep I forgot to mention this one too.

Stu · 08-12-2010, 13:42

I kind of knew about Orange FR. The others are new to me. China Unicom would probably be a problem because it is a pain to set up international calling on Chinese phones.

TMobile has a new international calling plan, but the buy in for their unlimited international calling is something like $55 a month. It includes text messages as well, but excludes calls to mobiles and the higher priced countries. It is not, however, limited to the el cheapo calls. India is included, all of Mexico, etc. It is targeted at first generation Americans with strong ties to another country.

What about an IAX based softphone? IAX goes through firewalls better and runs into less blocking issues.

meir · 08-12-2010, 22:12

Well I will ask my friend in Shanghai, if he can find anything about Unicom UMA. But in China there are restrictions on everything. So I doubt. Just wish something like UMA is in HK. But here it doesnt have any justification, coz signal is everywhere. Even in MTR once the move.

Will check IAX.

snidely · 16-12-2010, 04:54

I am on TM USA. Live in the U.S. so have the unlimited Voice plan which for contract users comes out to something under $45/mo. Have made use of UMA in many countries over the past couple years. Voice quality is as good as regular cellular most of the time. You can call any U.S. number "for free". And of course, receive calls. The few times, I need to call a non-U.S. number (like a number in a country I am visiting at the moment) I use Google Voice, which works seamlessly on most smartphones with a GV app. GV charges 2 cents/min. to most countries landlines.
With many countries now having open wifi spots sprouting up all over (like McDonalds) you can often find places to connect outside your hotel.
Because of UMA I have found I no longer need an intl SIM.

...mike

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	(#1)
meir (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 269 Join Date: 21 Feb 2006 Location: It's long story Country:	UMA cheap set up for overseas travel - 06-12-2010, 21:04 I am looking for any idea of UMA set up with low monthly fixed fees and low termination cost. Would like to use this set up outside of the country, where is network operator home market. Doing about 2000 minutes of outgoing calls. Traveling mainly in SE Asia, Europe and Southern Africa. Currently on have some set ups working like fring, naked voip with pbx plus mobile skype.

	(#2)
Stu (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Guru Posts: 1,091 Join Date: 11 Feb 2004 Location: Detroit (formerly Dubai) Country:	06-12-2010, 22:28 The companies that offer UMA that I know of are TMobile (USA), Cincinnati Bell (USA), Rogers (Canada), and Orange (UK). TMobile USA has an unlimited plan over wifi and have just rolled out an unlimited talk plan to many countries: T-Mobile to introduce 'International Talk & Text' plan - Phone Arena

	(#3)
meir (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 269 Join Date: 21 Feb 2006 Location: It's long story Country:	07-12-2010, 10:49 Thanks Stu. I guess there is a few more companies, which do offer UMA. Orange France, Orange Spain, Orange Poland and China Unicom. I know US T-Mobile UMA works well overseas, but the 10c/minute or higher monthly fee ( USD 30 for 1500 minutes or USD 50 for unlimited) is quite high.

	(#4)
PhotoJim (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 389 Join Date: 10 Dec 2006 Location: Regina, SK, CA Country:	07-12-2010, 17:37 You could always get a phone that can take a VoIP client, and use that over 3G or WiFi at your destination. CA: SaskTel, Wind postpaid; Rogers, Bell postpaid iPad flex plans; US: T-Mobile postpaid data, prepaid voice; PureTalk (AT&T MVNO) prepaid voice/data; AT&T prepaid iPad plan Hardware: Too much but notably iPhone 5, iPad Mini Retina LTE, Moto G LTE (N.A. version), iPhone 4. All unlocked.

	(#6)
adam917 (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Fan Posts: 187 Join Date: 14 Sep 2008 Location: North America Country:	08-12-2010, 00:19 Plus, SMS works over UMA too.

	(#8)
Stu (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Guru Posts: 1,091 Join Date: 11 Feb 2004 Location: Detroit (formerly Dubai) Country:	08-12-2010, 13:42 I kind of knew about Orange FR. The others are new to me. China Unicom would probably be a problem because it is a pain to set up international calling on Chinese phones. TMobile has a new international calling plan, but the buy in for their unlimited international calling is something like $55 a month. It includes text messages as well, but excludes calls to mobiles and the higher priced countries. It is not, however, limited to the el cheapo calls. India is included, all of Mexico, etc. It is targeted at first generation Americans with strong ties to another country. What about an IAX based softphone? IAX goes through firewalls better and runs into less blocking issues.

	(#9)
meir (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 269 Join Date: 21 Feb 2006 Location: It's long story Country:	08-12-2010, 22:12 Well I will ask my friend in Shanghai, if he can find anything about Unicom UMA. But in China there are restrictions on everything. So I doubt. Just wish something like UMA is in HK. But here it doesnt have any justification, coz signal is everywhere. Even in MTR once the move. Will check IAX. Last edited by meir; 08-12-2010 at 22:23..

	(#10)
snidely (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 451 Join Date: 09 May 2005 Location: Berkeley, California and Miami Country:	16-12-2010, 04:54 I am on TM USA. Live in the U.S. so have the unlimited Voice plan which for contract users comes out to something under $45/mo. Have made use of UMA in many countries over the past couple years. Voice quality is as good as regular cellular most of the time. You can call any U.S. number "for free". And of course, receive calls. The few times, I need to call a non-U.S. number (like a number in a country I am visiting at the moment) I use Google Voice, which works seamlessly on most smartphones with a GV app. GV charges 2 cents/min. to most countries landlines. With many countries now having open wifi spots sprouting up all over (like McDonalds) you can often find places to connect outside your hotel. Because of UMA I have found I no longer need an intl SIM. ...mike Make use of T-M's UMA/wifi free calling from any place in the world with access to wifi. I use an LG G6, wife an S7) A/o Oct 20, 2013 no need for intl prepaid as T-Mobile U.S. includes voice roaming at 20¢/min (in and out)., unlimited text (in and out), and unlimited data in 140+ countries. My Plan -[6 lines] U.S. T-Mobile unlimited minutes (incoming and outgoing), unlimited text, fast data on each line. that $145/mo. total! . (In U.S. no surcharge for calling a cell.) If a line exceeds 2G of data in a month, pay $10 more for that line. [That only happens a couple times/year.