How Carriers Stopped Worrying And Learned To Love VoIP

Phone Boy writes Why we care about UMA. UMA, or Unlicensed Mobile Access, has the feature that, with a dual-mode Wi-Fi/ cellular phone, conversations can be passed seamlessly from one network to the other. If a UMA mobile phone is designed properly, it always seeks for a Wi-Fi connection with higher priority. True UMA dual-mode phones are only just coming out, but when they become more widespread, they will likely cause an increase in Wi-Fi calling, and as a side effect more cellular minutes used.

As Phone Boy says, this will make mobile carriers - like T-Mobile - happy. It’ll also make users happy because of lower international roaming rates. I mean, if you are near one of the increasing number of municiapl Wi-Fi networks around the world, you’ll probably have access to a free/ inexpensive VoIP call. No ridiculous per minute rates. The only thing that has to be guaranteed is phones that automatically switch networks.