UMA cheap set up for overseas travel
 

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.

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

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.

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.

Plus, SMS works over UMA too.

Yep I forgot to mention this one too.

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.

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.

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