AT&T contemplating charging for FaceTime over Cellular data?

[Bateluer]

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

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.

How many people use video calls in general? Not entirely unexpected though, and without a major customer backlash, I'd expect Verizon to do the same.

 

[pm]

Our family does video calls rarely - for occassions where we aren't all together like Thanksgiving, or for times when my wife or myself are travelling and we call the children. But it's rare - once or twice a year at most - and when we do we always use Skype because it's cross-device compatible. I don't think that I've ever used Facetime for a real call. If they add it as a bolt-on, then I have no interest and it really doesn't affect me. I'll continue to rarely use Skype instead.

But this question of bolt-on services counting towards data allocation is something that I'm interested in. The whole "personal hotspot"/"tethering" charge in an age of tiered data block pricing seems greedy - I paid for 2GB of data, so why is there a charge for me using it to drive my tablet instead of my phone? I'm using the data that I paid for to drive a computing device - it shouldn't matter if that device is my smartphone, my laptop or my tablet. If they do some charge for Facetime but still count it against the data allocation, that might bring more publicity to double-charging data practices by the carriers.

 

[Red Storm]

I've used it to test if it works...

I can definitely see good uses for it though. Out of town on a trip, get to see your kids/family rather than just hear their voice. Show a friend something without having to snap a photo or MMS.

I think it's laughable that AT&T is gonna charge for it over cellular.

 

[Oyeve]

Out of all my smartphone friends, many on iphones, not a one uses video calling. I tried tango afew times but never got why i would want to video call. But it would suck to be forced to have a seperate plan for it.

 

[poofyhairguy]

This is the next big reason to jailbreak your iPhone.

 

[QueBert]

I've used it to test if it works...

I can definitely see good uses for it though. Out of town on a trip, get to see your kids/family rather than just hear their voice. Show a friend something without having to snap a photo or MMS.

I think it's laughable that AT&T is gonna charge for it over cellular.

AT&T charges for everything, I mean you'd think me getting an expensive data plan on my AT&T phone should give me texting too. Yet I still have to pay for it, and not even $5-10, it's $20 freaking dollars. I'm frankly shocked they give us VVM for free. I know plenty of people who use Facetime, and I'm guessing at least half of them would pay for it. Maybe not willingly, but they love to see their grandkids who are in other states so they'll pony up.

Crummy business practice on AT&T's part, but a smart business move.

 

[QuantumPion]

How the heck do they think they can differentiate between regular data and tango/skype/whatever data? Or are they just going to strong-arm apple into removing those apps from the app store and retroactively delete them from everyone's phones?

 

[TuxDave]

How many people use video calls in general? Not entirely unexpected though, and without a major customer backlash, I'd expect Verizon to do the same.

I use it daily. I never thought much of it before I upgrade my phone but after I got it, I don't know how I could live without video conferencing.

 

[Ns1]

My favorite use for Facetime...

We only have a TV in the living room. So I setup my phone rear facing camera pointed to the TV. Then I setup the iPad in the kitchen and Facetime the phone, in order to watch TV in the kitchen.


Ghetto TV anywhere. You can use the same setup to create a ghetto baby monitor.

 

[soccerballtux]

Steve Jobs would not have allowed this.

 

[soccerballtux]

My favorite use for Facetime...

We only have a TV in the living room. So I setup my phone rear facing camera pointed to the TV. Then I setup the iPad in the kitchen and Facetime the phone, in order to watch TV in the kitchen.


Ghetto TV anywhere. You can use the same setup to create a ghetto baby monitor.

lmao.

 

[Sheep]

Anyone still thinking AT&T buying T-Mobile would have been good for the consumer? Anyone?

 

[ponyo]

My family use FaceTime everyday. My wife uses her iPad to FaceTime with her sister and brother in Korea. My daughter uses iPod Touch to FaceTime with her cousins. FaceTime is great; FaceTime and AirPlay are two features I wish Android had. Both works flawlessly and are best features of iOS imo.

 

[basslover1]

My family use FaceTime everyday. My wife uses her iPad to FaceTime with her sister and brother in Korea. My daughter uses iPod Touch to FaceTime with her cousins. FaceTime is great; FaceTime and AirPlay are two features I wish Android had. Both works flawlessly and are best features of iOS imo.

Android has Google Talk for video chat, any 2.3.4 device or higher can use it.

 

[QueBert]

Android has Google Talk for video chat, any 2.3.4 device or higher can use it.

He brought up Facetime and said how he wished Android had it. So you tell him to use Google Talk. That's not Facetime, that's Google Talk.

 

[basslover1]

He brought up Facetime and said how he wished Android had it. So you tell him to use Google Talk. That's not Facetime, that's Google Talk.

How are they so vastly different?

 

[bearxor]

My favorite use for Facetime...

We only have a TV in the living room. So I setup my phone rear facing camera pointed to the TV. Then I setup the iPad in the kitchen and Facetime the phone, in order to watch TV in the kitchen.


Ghetto TV anywhere. You can use the same setup to create a ghetto baby monitor.

Dude, slingplayer... Seriously.

 

[ponyo]

Android has Google Talk for video chat, any 2.3.4 device or higher can use it.

Couple times I tried video Google Talk, the performance and the overall experience was terrible. I used GNex and my brother-in-law used SGS3. Video was blotchy mess and sound kept cutting in and out. I can't recommend video Google Talk. FaceTime is 100x better. Skype works fine on both iOS and Android and is good alternative to FaceTime.

 

[cliftonite]

So we have to pay for data plan, then facetime plan? At this rate they can offer unlimited data with facetime plan, netflix plan, youtube plan, etc

 

[basslover1]

Couple times I tried video Google Talk, the performance and the overall experience was terrible. I used GNex and my brother-in-law used SGS3. Video was blotchy mess and sound kept cutting in and out. I can't recommend video Google Talk. FaceTime is 100x better. Skype works fine on both iOS and Android and is good alternative to FaceTime.

Haven't had those issues you speak of. But you're right, Skype is probably a better alternative to both, since both mobile platforms can use it as well as PC/Mac users.

 

[soccerballtux]

Couple times I tried video Google Talk, the performance and the overall experience was terrible. I used GNex and my brother-in-law used SGS3. Video was blotchy mess and sound kept cutting in and out. I can't recommend video Google Talk. FaceTime is 100x better. Skype works fine on both iOS and Android and is good alternative to FaceTime.

Google's products are always "me too" and fail at the last 15%. Sure, they work, but they're not really worth it.

 

[shabby]

So we have to pay for data plan, then facetime plan? At this rate they can offer unlimited data with facetime plan, netflix plan, youtube plan, etc

Throw in a porn plan and im sold!

Edit: nevermind, no porn on iphones as per steve.

 

[zerogear]

How are they so vastly different?

They aren't. You're offering an alternative, where as QueBert is just being argumentative.

 

[lothar]

Throw in a porn plan and im sold!

Edit: nevermind, no porn on iphones as per steve.

"If you want porn on your phone, go buy an Android phone"
-Steve Jobs

"We do believe we have a moral responsibility to keep porn off the iPhone."
-Steve Jobs

 

[lothar]

Steve Jobs would not have allowed this.

Shens.
Steve Jobs won't sacrifice his profits at Apple to spite AT&T
Steve Jobs, a moron he is not.