DSI

I have Verizon but end up buying their $30 monthly data pack all the time and then spending a few hundred $$ per week on phone calls when we travel. I am looking for a new option.

Can switch to T-mobile and as long as I'm connected to WIFI (from there, regardless of what country) I can call the US for free? And when I make a call over WIFI I don't have to enter country codes?

If so, how is the call quality if the connection is decent? I'll be in all sorts of random places this year where the Verizon data plans don't even cover.

I have an iPhone 6+ and I think I just need to change the SIM card for $15 and then tMobile will pick up the cancellation fees, right?

dtsm

WiFi calling as been one of TMO's best kept secrets since launched years back. Calls back stateside on wifi are FREE, call quality has never been a problem for me using Nokia candy bar, BB8820 and now Vz 5s but with TMO account.

You dial +1 (area code) xxx.xxxx

USAJerry

I love T-Mobile. I get unlimited web and text when I travel overseas.

A really cool thing is that as you land, you get a couple of texts from T-Mobile welcoming you to whichever country you are landing in. It's worked well in The Netherlands, Sweden, and Mexico for me since they have gone to this benefit.

WIRunner

Not every country qualifies for the free calls to the US. Their website identifies which countries qualify for it, the rest are considered roaming. If you're in a free country, you get EDGE data, and calls are generally 20 cents.

PredictablyRandom

I think you'll find that T-Mobile will only refund your ETF if you trade in for a new phone. You can get around this somewhat by bringing in a junk phone for a trade-in (or even ask the T-Mobile employee if they have any broken ones in the back) and purchasing their cheapest phone like a Samsung T199 for ~$30. Then, have them set up your iPhone instead.

dcman

WIFI calling is location independent. As long as you have wifi you can make and receive calls from the US for free.

Wifi call quality is just as good as any other SIP/VOIP calls. Based on your ping time there can be some delay.

Thats how it works in theory, but without looking at your phones model number you might run into issues with what bands it works on. Off the top of my head VZ and T-mo Iphones have a 90% over lap on supported 3G and LTE bands.

Before switching I would use T-mos free week trial... Aka TestDrive

T-Mobiles free international roaming works in 125 countries so as long as you don't wonder to far off the beaten path you should be covered. Calling local numbers in most of the 125 covered countries is $0.20 a min. After doing a month in Europe and South Africa I found it cheaper to make local calls with Google Hangouts(2cents a min in Europe and 7cents in SA). Hangouts Voice and Video calls both work over the free 2g data connection T-mo gives you. Video calls were not amazing over 2g but it was very useable.
T-mo international roaming

WIRunner

I believe that it needs to be working. Target and Walmart regularly have Boost, Virgin, and Tracfones on sale for $5-10. They'll take those without issue.

DSI

Thank you for the awesome tips. Buy a junky phone, trade it in first. I like that!

Still slightly on the fence after calculating that I wouldn't save too much on a monthly basis after factoring the monthly discount I get (college email address) and the subsidies.

I read that Verizon may be coming up with a similar program this year, anyone know?

Lastly, if I were to stick with Verizon is there WIFI workaround where I can use the same phone number?

dtsm

Don't hold your breath waiting for either the first or second to be launched by Vz. Not their business model, POV.

DSI

Had a free hour and just decided to do it this afternoon. Call quality is surprisingly good. Thanks for the tips everyone.

KRSW

To the OP:
It's been about 7 months now... how's T-Mobile treating you compared to Verizon?

Their international roaming + WiFi Calling + very nice rates have me tempted to drop a few of my SIP trunks or maybe even switch my office's cell phones over to T-mobile

B7EIGHT7

do what I did, whilst on travel in Jan of 2014 to Manila and Tokyo.

I have a SGN4 and on the TMO network, that I had unltd data. Download and install a program such as Zello where it's a PTT type of walkie talkie....you can create your own room PW protect the room so only people w/the PW can enter the room. Connect to any wifi and those w/the same application (on apple phone and androids) can chat w/o any overage fees....

milepig

I just discovered that T-Mobile has a setting under Profile/Blocking that lets you block charged international roaming. Useful for situations where you're bopping on and off a cruise ship which might have a very high cost system like Onwaves. The second you're close to shore and pick up a county-based service you'll get access to that.

CosmosHuman

I popped into my local TMO store, well I was in the area. The manager said calls made via WiFi aren't charged the .20 cents per minute fee and I just wanted to make sure. He said when you are on WiFi you aren't on the network and that the countries I wil be visiting have no roaming fees. When I land I will probably get a few text from networks I can latch onto. BTW I have a iPhone6.

pseudoswede

As long as you are connected to wifi, and WiFi Calling is enabled, phone calls back to the US (only) are free. If you are in, for example, France, and you want to call a French phone number, then you will be charged $0.20/min regardless if you are on wifi or not.