PrePaidGSM.net Forum (Archived) - Help with trip to Mexico (Cancun)

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- - Help with trip to Mexico (Cancun) (https://prepaid.mondo3.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2167)

Quote:

Originally Posted by snidely (Post 15948)

My additional 2 cents:
2. T-M just came out with UMA (wi-fi) ability w. a couple of GSM/wi-fi phones. It has not been verified, but supposedly you can use the phone over wi-fi anywhere in the world and be billed as though you are in the U.S
I have used it quite a bit here in the U.S., even before it was officially released. Works like a charm.
I have NOT verified, tho, that billing overseas works as stated. I'll try it in Costa Rica in a couple weeks.

I find the interest in this T-Mobile WiFi phone to be curious at best. You are using someone else's free bandwidth and getting charged "air time" by T-Mobile. For T-Mobile it seems to be the best of both worlds. I suppose the best thing is that it works but I think I'd want to find a system that allowed me to use something like VoiceStick when I'm on a WiFi hotspot and GSM when I'm not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by snidely (Post 15948)

My additional 2 cents:
1. Cingular (ATT) charges half of T-M for voice in Mexico.
2. T-M just came out with UMA (wi-fi) ability w. a couple of GSM/wi-fi phones. It has not been verified, but supposedly you can use the phone over wi-fi anywhere in the world and be billed as though you are in the U.S
I have used it quite a bit here in the U.S., even before it was officially released. Works like a charm.
I have NOT verified, tho, that billing overseas works as stated. I'll try it in Costa Rica in a couple weeks.

...mike

I guess, Mike - but for Cancun (or Mexico in general), so what?

I don't mean to be mean, but why would I want to buy an expensive phone and have to look for WiFi when I want to call someone when I can use my VOIP from the beach with some cheapie Nokia. [Maybe more important - why would I want to take a chance exposing MY phone to sand and sun when I can expose theirs.]

Last - and maybe most important - depending on WiFi still means that I don't get any calls (unless they're willing to pay big bucks to make the call and I'm willing to pay the same to accept it) when I'm not at a hot spot whereas with VOIP in the phone you get calls as cheaply as you make them - from anywhere. I think for places like Cancun where Mexitel is available, WiFi has (at least for voice) simply been outdistanced.