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WI-FI 16
Introducing Your T-Mobile Wi-Fi Capable Phone
Here's How it Works
Rather than using GSM radio as your phone normally would to connect your phone to
cellular towers, your T-Mobile Wi-Fi compatible phone uses UMA (Unlicensed Mobile
Access) technology that lets you use a wireless broadband Internet connection for
your mobile phone services. This includes voice calls, mobile browsing, e-mail,
Picture Messaging, Text Messaging, and basically any mobile service for which your
phone uses a network connection.
UMA technology offers fast, reliable, and affordable connectivity for your life using
your mobile phone for virtually all of your communications. UMA connects your
mobile phone to your GSM/GPRS services through WLAN (802.11) and allows you to
handle calls, send and receive messages, and check your e-mail. This technology
allows you to use your mobile phone in all of the ways you normally do. The only
difference with using UMA technology is that you are connecting through a wireless
broadband Internet connection (Wi-Fi).
What is Wi-Fi?
Wi-Fi, or Wireless Fidelity, is a term that is used generically to refer to any product or
service using any type of 802.11 technology. Wi-Fi networks operate in the
unlicensed 2.4 and 5 GHz radio bands, with an 11 Mbps (802.11b) or 54 Mbps
(802.11a) data rate.
Wi-Fi enabled devices (laptops and PDAs as well as UMA phones) can send and
receive data wirelessly from any location equipped with Wi-Fi access. This is
accomplished using wireless routers, installed within a Wi-Fi location. A wireless
router transmits an RF signal to Wi-Fi enabled devices that are within range of the
router. Depending on the particular router, its range is usually about 300 feet. The
speed of the transmission is governed by the speed of the pipeline fed into the
wireless router.
What This Means to You
When you are not in range of a Wi-Fi connection, your normal cellular network takes
over and keeps you connected. Your phone switches automatically from Wi-Fi to
cellular whenever it's necessary to maintain your connection, whether your phone is
in Idle mode or in the middle of an active call. The switching process is virtually
unnoticeable.