T-Mobile Video Calling to Other Networks!?

[arunma]

Apologies if this has been discussed already. So as you probably know, T-Mobile has had its own native video calling feature for Samsung and other phones for awhile now. I guess it sort of fell into disuse when Samsung started letting people make Duo calls from the dialer, but believe it or not you can still use the T-Mobile video dialer by going into the "Make video calls using..." option in the dialer menu. As per T-Mobile's most recent docs, you can only call people with a compatible phone, and a domestic T-Mobile number:

https://www.t-mobile.com/support/plans-features/t-mobile-video-calling

So imagine my surprise yesterday when I selected my friend (who is not on T-Mo) in my contacts the other day to call him, and noticed that the video call icon was lit up. I tried it out and it launched the T-Mobile video calling app, not Duo. And before you think that maybe this is due to the Sprint merger, my friend is on AT&T. I've tried sifting through my contacts to see who else I can call, but so far it's just this guy.

Curious if anyone else has had this experience? Are you able to video call people outside the T-Mo network?

 

[X1tymez]

Apologies if this has been discussed already. So as you probably know, T-Mobile has had its own native video calling feature for Samsung and other phones for awhile now. I guess it sort of fell into disuse when Samsung started letting people make Duo calls from the dialer, but believe it or not you can still use the T-Mobile video dialer by going into the "Make video calls using..." option in the dialer menu. As per T-Mobile's most recent docs, you can only call people with a compatible phone, and a domestic T-Mobile number:

https://www.t-mobile.com/support/plans-features/t-mobile-video-calling

So imagine my surprise yesterday when I selected my friend (who is not on T-Mo) in my contacts the other day to call him, and noticed that the video call icon was lit up. I tried it out and it launched the T-Mobile video calling app, not Duo. And before you think that maybe this is due to the Sprint merger, my friend is on AT&T. I've tried sifting through my contacts to see who else I can call, but so far it's just this guy.

Curious if anyone else has had this experience? Are you able to video call people outside the T-Mo network?

This feature always like this. T-mobile video call only worked within their networks. You can't cross video call with other carriers.

 

[arunma]

This feature always like this. T-mobile video call only worked within their networks. You can't cross video call with other carriers.

Right, that's what I always assumed. But I'm able to call someone from another network (in this case, AT&T). So I'm trying to figure out if they've started working with other carriers.

 

[mustang7757]

When I use to be on Tmobile firmware I was able to video call with my sister that had a lg phone at the time with Tmobile not sure if it worked for different carrier , I was under the impression it was for Tmobile only .

 

[mustang7757]

Yeah its Tmobile to Tmobile

https://www.t-mobile.com/support/plans-features/t-mobile-video-calling

 

[arunma]

Yeah its Tmobile to Tmobile

https://www.t-mobile.com/support/plans-features/t-mobile-video-calling

Yeah I remember seeing those docs a couple years ago and I don't think they've been updated in awhile. I wonder if T-Mo is upgrading the service to work with other carriers and they just didn't bother to mention it.

 

[bhatech]

Just curious why one would tie to using some carrier specific video calling. Carriers suck to begin with and their software is horrible and with compatibly issues etc I don't see advantage of using TMobile, Verizon or AT&T video calling etc. Even if it worked with other carriers, better to use cross platform global video services like Duo etc. Anyway Duo is now built in to most phone dialers on phones. Just my 2 cents or may be it's only me who hates anything from carrier. Or use WhatsApp, Messenger and many other options instead of carrier specific stuff.

 

[mustang7757]

Yeah I remember seeing those docs a couple years ago and I don't think they've been updated in awhile. I wonder if T-Mo is upgrading the service to work with other carriers and they just didn't bother to mention it.

Anything possible , but can't confirm as I'm on unlocked firmware.

 

[mustang7757]

Just curious why one would tie to using some carrier specific video calling. Carriers suck to begin with and their software is horrible and with compatibly issues etc I don't see advantage of using TMobile, Verizon or AT&T video calling etc. Even if it worked with other carriers, better to use cross platform global video services like Duo etc. Anyway Duo is now built in to most phone dialers on phones. Just my 2 cents or may be it's only me who hates anything from carrier. Or use WhatsApp, Messenger and many other options instead of carrier specific stuff.

Back in the day before those options it was cool.but today there are better like you mentioned.

 

[arunma]

Just curious why one would tie to using some carrier specific video calling. Carriers suck to begin with and their software is horrible and with compatibly issues etc I don't see advantage of using TMobile, Verizon or AT&T video calling etc. Even if it worked with other carriers, better to use cross platform global video services like Duo etc. Anyway Duo is now built in to most phone dialers on phones. Just my 2 cents or may be it's only me who hates anything from carrier. Or use WhatsApp, Messenger and many other options instead of carrier specific stuff.

I see your point, but the native video calling has a few advantages. Ex. the audio goes through LTE/5G so if the video drops, it will default to a regular phone call (and you can restore video when the signal improves). Honestly I think it was a great feature and I wish T-Mobile would spend more time developing it.

 

[bhatech]

I see your point, but the native video calling has a few advantages. Ex. the audio goes through LTE/5G so if the video drops, it will default to a regular phone call (and you can restore video when the signal improves). Honestly I think it was a great feature and I wish T-Mobile would spend more time developing it.

That’s the point T-Mobile is a carrier company and they aren’t going to spend huge amounts of money or engineering on developing stuff like this. Sure they want to showcase it for marketing and all but they have absolutely zero incentive to have it working all carriers or making it better even if it’s already working. That’s not their main business interest developing software/apps/firmware/services. They just want to add some unique features and customization to make it unique to T-Mobile for marketing and selling but have zero interest in making it better experience for customers. Just look at RCS, and all the other things US carriers screw up. Again I’m very biased against anything carriers develop but it’s just my opinion