Samsung Nexus S - Tmobile: Tried using phone on trip abroad and failed.

**maxim_311** · 11-10-2011, 02:06 AM

I recently went on a trip to Hong Kong/Nepal/Thailand. In each of these places my phone was able to see networks, and presumably auto-connect to some. But I was never able to send a text and only ever got a 'emergency calls only' for making calls on my phone.

Again I have a Nexus S on Tmobile with all the latest Android updates. Was there something I did or didn't do to explain why my phone wasn't working? I'm looking to travel again soon and would at least like to be able to send texts.

Thanks for any help.

**danska** · 11-10-2011, 02:24 AM

Did you call up t-mobile (Or go on my.t-mobile.com) and add international roaming ability? If not, your phone won't work. You must add it before you leave. I have it shown at my.t-mobile.com under services.

**maxim_311** · 11-10-2011, 02:33 AM

Freaking customer service. I called them and said I'd be traveling and if there was anything I needed to do and the lady never mentioned this.

Its my fault, should have spent 5 seconds searching and I would have seen this. I just assumed that the roaming was automatic.

**danska** · 11-10-2011, 02:44 AM

If you don't call up and activate international roaming, the only way you can use your t-mobile sim and phone overseas is to use wifi calling. That will work and it will NOT cost you anything extra to call back to the states. (Only while using wifi calling, calls to local international numbers do cost extra). I don't know if your nexus s has that or not.

**dobiegillis** · 11-11-2011, 01:35 AM

Originally Posted by danska

If you don't call up and activate international roaming, the only way you can use your t-mobile sim and phone overseas is to use wifi calling. That will work and it will NOT cost you anything extra to call back to the states. (Only while using wifi calling, calls to local international numbers do cost extra). I don't know if your nexus s has that or not.

Since when does Nexus S have wifi calling?

Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk

**maxim_311** · 11-11-2011, 04:26 AM

It doesn't. Not unless you use google voice or some other 3rd party app.

The T-mobile official wi-fi calling is only for the phones officially sold by T-mobile...which the nexus s isnt

**Kies** · 11-11-2011, 06:33 AM

I'm fairly certain that some custom roms have WiFi calling capabilities.

**danska** · 11-11-2011, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by Kies

I'm fairly certain that some custom roms have WiFi calling capabilities.

Correct. Just cause the phone isn't sold by t-mobile, doesn't mean it doesn't have the capability for wifi calling. I added wifi calling to my hd2 and nexus one easily. Not that hard.

**fabricatedhero** · 12-26-2011, 04:44 AM

If your aim was to just call back to to the u.s. You could of used voip or sip apps like fringe using wifi connection.

Catch is the person your trying to reach needs to have the app too. So the Phone call can be free.

Remember this is voip which uses data connection so performance varies

Sent from my LG-P999 using HowardForums