AT&T may charge for FaceTime calls over 3G

[still1]

Apple's FaceTime video chat service may have been Wi-Fi-only since its inception, but that means it's also been free all along. This could change come the launch of iOS 6, however ? the introduction of FaceTime calling over 3G could well be accompanied by charges for the first time. 9to5Mac has acquired screenshots from the recently-released iOS 6 beta 3 that seem to show FaceTime over cellular networks requiring activation (read: a contract bolt-on) in a similar way to the Personal Hotspot feature. Attempting to use 3G calling on an iPhone reportedly brings up an error message imploring the user to contact AT&T to have the feature enabled, though 9to5Mac's iPad worked without running into the issue.

If true, this would raise all sorts of questions as to how AT&T plans to handle its customers' data allowances. A flat rate for unlimited FaceTime calling could undoubtedly result in some hefty packet consumption, and the real question then would be if FaceTime data counts towards users' bandwidth caps. If so, people might find themselves needing a higher data plan on top of the extra FaceTime charges, but if not it'd raise the issue of AT&T's adherence to net neutrality principles ? Comcast has come under fire recently for letting its customers use the Xfinity video service without it counting towards their download limits. Were AT&T to implement a similar policy, it could have far-reaching implications for Skype and other services with customers that currently have to deal with managing their data.

http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/17/3164208/at-t-may-charge-for-facetime-calls-over-3g

[Xilo]

And yet you can already do this for free by just jailbreaking.

[shockz]

And yet you can already do this for free by just jailbreaking.

You can do a lot over jailbreaking... tethering for example. That doesn't stop AT&T from detecting this and sending you nasty letters and/or eventually charging you and disabling your data.

[ILikeTobacco]

If this means it doesn't get charged against your data usage, I would be all for it. Wouldn't want to use Facetime over 3G if it counted against my data rate because I only use 200 mb currently anyway and don't want to have to up that also just to use this.

[Hell-In-A-Handbasket]

And yet you can already do this for free by just jailbreaking.

could also bypass Tethering through jailbreaking, AT&T will also detect it and block/charge you. they do the same thing to rooted Androids that have the enabling apps to bypass.

If this means it doesn't get charged against your data usage, I would be all for it. Wouldn't want to use Facetime over 3G if it counted against my data rate because I only use 200 mb currently anyway and don't want to have to up that also just to use this.

how is Full Stream video NOT going to go against your data usage.

[-T- Member]

Why is there a 4G symbol & the iPad orientation lock, notifier in the taskbar?

[McKay]

Because AT&T class their service as 4G and got Apple to change the logo for AT&T iPhones.

[neufuse Veteran]

You can do a lot over jailbreaking... tethering for example. That doesn't stop AT&T from detecting this and sending you nasty letters and/or eventually charging you and disabling your data.

which they have done to people in the past!

[.Neo]

I'm glad they passed a law in the Netherlands saying carriers can't themselves charge money for software services otherwise offered for free.

[thealexweb]

Why is there a 4G symbol & the iPad orientation lock, notifier in the taskbar?

Because for marketing reasons AT&T bullied Apple to change it 4G, they should meet in the middle and market HSPA+ as 3G and LTE and WiMax as 3.5G, LTE-Evolution can then be called 4G.

[ILikeTobacco]

how is Full Stream video NOT going to go against your data usage.

If you are paying seperately for it as a service, thats how. Thats what this post is about after all.

[still1]

Its like paying ATT extra when your app use 3g data..

You paid for the data and you have the right to use it any way you want..

whats next??? charge extra for 3g data used in each app? ATT is really greedy.

[Hell-In-A-Handbasket]

If you are paying seperately for it as a service, thats how. Thats what this post is about after all.

paying for the ability to use it is diffrent from paying for how much you can use it. the charge is more then likely to " unlock " the facetime over 3G ability.

but like Still said above, its still greedy of AT&T. pay already for a data plan, regardless if what devices uses the data, its still data, 1 and 0's.

had an argument with Sprint when i had a Winmobile 6.5 device, the email ability kept using the data plan ( that i didnt have ) instead of Wifi ( that i am always around ). suffice to say they refunded the charges, the phone, and within days changed the product page of the Intrepid and removed the Wifi listing.

Cell phone companies wil nickel and dime for anything.

[ILikeTobacco]

Its like paying ATT extra when your app use 3g data..

You paid for the data and you have the right to use it any way you want..

whats next??? charge extra for 3g data used in each app? ATT is really greedy.

If they charge it against your minutes used instead, it would be the exact opposite of greedy and be the only carrier to have a real option for video chat. The limits we have on data across all the carriers makes it none practical and expensive. That is why I said, if at least it's not being charged against your data plan, this would be well worth it.

[ILikeTobacco]

paying for the ability to use it is diffrent from paying for how much you can use it. the charge is more then likely to " unlock " the facetime over 3G ability.

You are completely ignoring the context of my post and the real world situation. ATT has data limits that are way to low to make facetime usable on a daily basis over 3G. Hence my comment about seperating the two things. If I can pay for Facetime and it not count against my data plan, its a good idea that no other carrier has matched yet.

[Hell-In-A-Handbasket]

You are completely ignoring the context of my post and the real world situation. ATT has data limits that are way to low to make facetime usable on a daily basis over 3G. Hence my comment about seperating the two things. If I can pay for Facetime and it not count against my data plan, its a good idea that no other carrier has matched yet.

how am i ignoring the context, their not going to raise the limits. they have flat out said when they did unlimited they regretted it. it will be separate charge. but that separate charge will jsut be to unlock it form the phone more then likely. they are not going to do a flat fee for unlimited full motion video and audio. especially since it requires more bandwidth then a webpage and that itself is limited. it will not be a charge against your (voice) minutes, thats just stupid. 1 minute of Facetime requires more bandwidth then watching a movie ( sync'd voice and video from both devices traveling both ways, compared to a movie which is 1 way(ish) ) and a Crap ton more then just talking voice over the phone

AT&T is a company to make money, not a charity non-profit

[Nightwind Hawk]

how am i ignoring the context, their not going to raise the limits. they have flat out said when they did unlimited they regretted it. it will be separate charge. but that separate charge will jsut be to unlock it form the phone more then likely. they are not going to do a flat fee for unlimited full motion video and audio. especially since it requires more bandwidth then a webpage and that itself is limited. it will not be a charge against your (voice) minutes, thats just stupid. 1 minute of Facetime requires more bandwidth then watching a movie ( sync'd voice and video from both devices traveling both ways, compared to a movie which is 1 way(ish) ) and a Crap ton more then just talking voice over the phone

AT&T is a company to make money, not a charity non-profit

The quality of video-to-video chatting is so much lower than a video, I would be very surprised if it used more bandwidth than streaming a HQ video/movie.

But if you have a certain amount of data, you should be able to do what you want with it. Why would ATT want to charge more for facetime if it's just a part of your allotted data?? There has to be a marketing advantage here - such as it does NOT count towards your data, or you get extra for this. Then again, ATT and Verizon continue to both surprise me with their greed.

[Hell-In-A-Handbasket]

The quality of video-to-video chatting is so much lower than a video, I would be very surprised if it used more bandwidth than streaming a HQ video/movie.

But if you have a certain amount of data, you should be able to do what you want with it.

i agree

Why would ATT want to charge more for facetime if it's just a part of your allotted data??

because its a " Feature ", and because they can charge for it. just like they can charge for tethering. like i said data is data, but that doesnt mean anything, its a feature, or additional option.

There has to be a marketing advantage here - such as it does NOT count towards your data, or you get extra for this. Then again, ATT and Verizon continue to both surprise me with their greed.

marketing advantage is that it will be available, i doubt the other Cell Telecoms are going to give it away fro free due to the increase bandwith compared to regular voice required. and in comparison to other Data that is shuttled through their network.

Heck AT&T and even Sprint charge for the base stations that connect to home broadband, they charge for minutes over alotted, and for the use of it,, and it uses your own seperate broadband, not their network. but they still charge, and people are still wondering if they are goign to charge for facetime. get real people,

my parents are charged per minute used for using their Comcast connection to use their cell phone through sprint using a thing called an Airave ( http://now.sprint.co...ve/?id16=airave ) they are charged if they go over their included minutes, and they still dont get a Data Plan included, even though this thing hooks up to the Comcast Cable Internet

AT&T is a guarantee to charge for the use of Facetime, and will undoubtedly put a surcharge on top of Data plans.

[Growled Member]

AT&T would charge their customers for calls they made 10 years ago if they could get away with it.

[Scorbing]

AT&T is so greedy.

[Nightwind Hawk]

i agree

because its a " Feature ", and because they can charge for it. just like they can charge for tethering. like i said data is data, but that doesnt mean anything, its a feature, or additional option.

marketing advantage is that it will be available, i doubt the other Cell Telecoms are going to give it away fro free due to the increase bandwith compared to regular voice required. and in comparison to other Data that is shuttled through their network.

Heck AT&T and even Sprint charge for the base stations that connect to home broadband, they charge for minutes over alotted, and for the use of it,, and it uses your own seperate broadband, not their network. but they still charge, and people are still wondering if they are goign to charge for facetime. get real people,

my parents are charged per minute used for using their Comcast connection to use their cell phone through sprint using a thing called an Airave ( http://now.sprint.co...ve/?id16=airave ) they are charged if they go over their included minutes, and they still dont get a Data Plan included, even though this thing hooks up to the Comcast Cable Internet

AT&T is a guarantee to charge for the use of Facetime, and will undoubtedly put a surcharge on top of Data plans.

Yeah...

But with Verizon's new move (you can basically do whatever you want with your data, even tether) maybe this will hurt ATT....

Meh, the general public won't even question it.

[allknow]

from my point of view, data is data, why pay for it twice?

[Hell-In-A-Handbasket]

from my point of view, data is data, why pay for it twice?

i and just about everybody that doesnt have a $$ interest sees it that way also, unfortunately those that do have $$ interest in it want to make money

they dont see it as the same data/thing, they see it as a feature. they see it as an option, and features and options are billable, and our point of view does not make them money, and their sole purpose in this world is to make money, not make you happy

[Hell-In-A-Handbasket]

Meh, the general public won't even question it.

they haven't so far, tethering plans are still selling

[Hell-In-A-Handbasket]

Sprint announced earlier that it will NOT charge for facetime due to their dedication to Unlimited Data regardless of Use

?We are committed to our unlimited data and that means not charging for data consumption based on the application,? a Sprint spokesperson told theWall Street Journal.

A dialog suggesting users will need to pay to use FaceTime over 3G connections in the beta version of iOS 6 has led to speculation that AT&T plans to charge customers extra to video chat when not on Wi-Fi networks.

AT&T isn?t commenting on the report, but did say it is working closely with Apple on the development of iOS 6 and ?will share information with our customers as it becomes available.?

Verizon isn?t commenting on whether or not it plans to charge customers for FaceTime chats, either.