ubuntu-phone team mailing list archive

[Greg W <mttbrnsmls@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I intended that Cellular vs WiFi antennas would be switched on/off manually. For example, in iOS 7 there is the new Control Panel. It would be a simple manner to swipe up and then tap whatever antenna/s to enable/disable at will. User's choice whether to use Cell/WiFi.

I don't use Skype because its security is compromised. [Other communications can be made secure with Red Phone, Silent Circle etc). Although being able to use the same phone number for both Cellular and WiFi would seem important, Apple allows iGadget users to do Facetime-Audio and iMessage solely over WiFi using an email address. I would have already run out and bought an iPhone if Facetime-Audio and iMessage would work across all devices and not just iDevices. Seems like the industry could figure out a way to have the same cellular number work over Cell & WiFi. Then WiFi could be used to call VOIP phones etc.

It seems like if the industry got behind this (or Ubuntu Edge is successful & pushes this feature--the industry would have to respond because other phones that don't offer this service would be at a disadvantage). If I look at T-Mobile, none of its WiFi calling phones are unlocked. Couldn't open-source offer a carrier-specific package to download that could add this capability to the phone depending on which carrier it's for?


From: coder543@xxxxxxxxx
Date: Tue, 30 Jul 2013 08:13:03 -0500
Subject: Re: [Ubuntu-phone] WiFi Calling - most wanted mobile-phone feature
To: mttbrnsmls@xxxxxxxxxxx
CC: ubuntu-phone@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

WiFi calling can already be done on all existing smartphones (Ubuntu phone not yet included) by 3rd party applications. What you suggest cannot be integrated with your carrier unless they choose to build that functionality into the phone as an app. Look into Line2, Skype, Viber, and similar applications. You would have to have a phone number separate from your carrier, and use that as your primary phone number at all times. Republic Wireless offers WiFi calling. T-mobile does as well. It depends on the phone having special software to allow it to happen... software that Canonical can't build into Ubuntu phone for all carriers, it has to be done by them.


Automation of enabling and disabling the cellular antenna could probably be done with a little scripting, but that's of little use to the average person, which is why it isn't available. On Android, this would be remarkably easy to do.


Ubuntu Edge isn't even funded yet. Nothing has prevented it from doing anything yet.

On Tue, Jul 30, 2013 at 8:06 AM, Greg W <mttbrnsmls@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:





My most desired mobile-phone feature is being able to make and receive calls over a WPA2 secured WiFi network. This is a feature I wish the Ubuntu Edge offered. I'd take WiFi Calling over any other mobile-phone feature/technology.



My hope is that one day soon mobile-phone tech can provide Voice over WiFi. I'd like to be able to do the following:
-disable the Cellular Antenna when at home/work but have the WiFi antenna enabled.
-enable the Cellular Antenna when away from home/work & have WiFi antenna disabled



This would remove congestion from cellular networks and also eliminate poor coverage problems within buildings and rural home areas. This is the feature/tech I want more than any other in the mobile-phone market.



Are companies working towards providing this feature? Why isn't more being done to bring this capabilitiy to mobile phones? What prevented Ubuntu Edge from offering this feature?
 		 	   		  

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-- 
Sincerely,
    Josh