AT&T Won't Charge for FaceTime Over Cellular, Will Require New Mobile Share Plan

[MacRumors]

AT&T will not charge customers for using the FaceTime over Cellular feature in iOS 6, but will require users to be on one of its new Mobile Share data plans. Last month, AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson declined to talk about how the company would handle the new FaceTime feature, saying "it's too early to talk about pricing."

AT&T's new Mobile Share data plans will launch August 23rd, allowing users to share their monthly data allotment across multiple devices. The plans are structured with two basic components: a monthly cost for a data allotment and a per-device charge that varies from $10 to $45 depending on the type of device and the data plan selected. All of the plans include unlimited talk and text.

Here's the statement from AT&T:

AT&T will offer FaceTime over Cellular as an added benefit of our new Mobile Share data plans, which were created to meet customers' growing data needs at a great value. With Mobile Share, the more data you use, the more you save. FaceTime will continue to be available over Wi-Fi for all our customers.

While AT&T is clearly encouraging customers to switch to the new Mobile Share plans, users can keep their existing tiered single-phone or grandfathered unlimited data plans -- though without the FaceTime over Cellular feature.

In the U.S., Sprint has said it will not charge for FaceTime over Cellular. Verizon hasn't specified what it will require of customers to use the feature.

Article Link: AT&T Won't Charge for FaceTime Over Cellular, Will Require New Mobile Share Plan

[ckelley]

Thanks AT&T for making my move to Sprint even easier.

[BrokenDinosaur]

I hope I won't be making a mistake switching from AT&T to Sprint with the advent of the next iPhone.

[larrylaffer]

"The more you use, the more you save".

Oh, my sides!

[kniemann]

Steve Jobs would not have allowed Apple to be bullied by the carriers.

[zman2100]

Such bullcrap. I'll just keep jailbreaking to use FaceTime over 3G anyways, but it shouldn't come to that.

[PharmDoc]

There's always a catch...LOL.

[Virtualball]

Originally Posted by kniemann

Steve Jobs would not have allowed Apple to be bullied by the carriers.

If you remember anything about iOS' history, you would know that you're undeniably wrong. iOS removed PdaNet from the App Store at the request of telecoms. iOS imposes download limits for apps due to telecoms. Steve Jobs has nothing to do with this and you sound like an idiot for bringing him up. Your logic is bad and you should feel bad.

[newyorksole]

Soooo if you don't have a new data plan you can't do FaceTime over cellular? AT&T is ridiculous.

[noah82]

I hate you so much ATT. What about business plans that cannot use those plans? Are we out of luck then?

[CrAkD]

and just when I thought I wouldn't need to jailbreak anymore....

[burnside]

Thanks, but I'll keep my grandfathered plan. And AT&T, I'm not going to charge you for this FacePalm.

[east85]

ATT dominates the market, they have no incentive to provide good deals until they begin to waver. If you want a consumer friendly plan, switch to Sprint or Verizon. They are both playing catch up (Sprint more-so). If you're willing to ditch the iPhone or Jailbreak and throw out a few features T-mobile has even more impressive rates than even Sprint these days.

[bondjw07]

This is completely ridiculous.

[outphase]

Originally Posted by CrAkD

and just when I thought I wouldn't need to jailbreak anymore....

I concur with this assessment. iOS6 would've been fine stock for my needs, but AT&T has to ruin the fun.

[solarguy17]

I figured they charge for it separate. So while this is slightly better there still trying to find ways to screw customers.

Those new plants are a total joke I don't know why Anyone switch To them.

I wonder how this will affect people Using jailbreak
options.

[jfreak623]

if ATT is not going to let me do my yearly upgrade anymore even though i spend $250+ a month then i'm definitely going to look at all my options when my contract opens back up.Sprint looking more and more tempting

[chrmjenkins]

Wonder why they are pushing shared plans so hard. The costs are about the same. Maybe market research suggests people are more likely to overpay for shared plans thinking they are more protected than before.

[Small White Car]

Originally Posted by AT&T in Article

our new Mobile Share data plans, which were created to meet customers’ growing data needs at a great value.

Wait wait wait.

That's what you were going for?

[ladysman]

made my decision for me. Bye Bye ATT.

[KPOM]

"We won't charge, as long as you sign up for one of our overpriced 'share' plans." What if I don't have a second device to "share" data with? It's bad enough they charge for tethering. They should offer this with their regular plans, at least as an add-on.

[jwhite878]

If it's my data, I can use it however I want. It shouldn't matter if I'm getting emails, streaming music, using Facetime, tethering, or watching a 2 hour porno. If I go over my limit, you charge me anyway. It shouldn't be restricted to new plans, and is a shameless attempt at getting everyone to give up their unlimited data.

[redchannel]

I can keep my UNLIMITED DATA but if I want to use Facetime™ over 3G I must switch plans. ****ing Goddamn ******** AT&T !!!!!

[musicpenguy]

My tweet reacting to this:

tchaten: @ATT I don't want your idiotic share everything plans where you charge me $45 JUST TO BE ON THE PLAN (data not included) Why do you HATE US!

We pay for data even if we aren't on share everything plans - and AT&T throttles when we use too much data - there is zero reason for this now.

[jmann]

FaceTime may work well over 4G, but those new shared data plans are a total ripoff.