Good news to all T-Mobile USA subscribers! The carrier now offers free Wi-Fi calls to mobile phones that support UMA. The news broke out last week, reported by TMONews.com, and it was confirmed by UMA-based system company Kineto Wireless in an email newsletter this week. Wi-Fi calls used to be credited to minute plans till this strategy was brought to life. T-Mobile did not release an official press release yet, but one of its representatives aforementioned the following:

“T-Mobile is excited to expand our Wi-Fi Calling feature, a unique and valuable service T-Mobile has been offering customers for over three years. Starting today, T-Mobile customers can add Free Wi-Fi Calling to their rate plan – at no additional charge – to place calls over Wi-Fi without deducting from their allotment of minutes. This new feature is available at T-Mobile retail stores to all customers on Even More and Even More Plus Postpaid rate plans who have Wi-Fi Calling capable handsets.”

The complimentary Wi-Fi call is only possible on pre-configured T-Mobile Android Phones with pre-installed Smart Wi-Fi application. This is a good strategy to hold customers from transferring to other networks.

Times really change. Last year, we heard T-Mobile scratching the idea of UMA on Android, but then the carrier eventually changed its mind and took it in, and now we’re seeing it finally offering Wi-Fi calling for free. I will have to say though, that they should have done this strategy sooner.

Taking on T-Mobile’s competitors, Sprint and Google Voice teamed up to deliver a free Wi-Fi calling service as well. Microsoft’s also eventually going to have this kind of service with the acquisition of Skype, and its probably going to have more carriers to partner with in the future. The OS giant’s is lagging badly when it comes to services online, and Skype could be its redeemer.