AT&T to Expand FaceTime Over Cellular to All Customers by Year End

[Amazing Iceman]

I can confirm this, as about two Thursdays ago, I noticed that FaceTime over Cellular turned ON by itself and I was able to test it successfully on my iPad 3 with the Unlimited Plan.

It was a pleasant, unexpected surprise. I just with they also enable Tethering, not that I use it a lot, but for those few times when I could really use it.

 

[Ted13]

Isn't that, um, a basic phone call? Honestly, I'm not meaning to be sarcastic, what is the difference? Or do you mean over WiFi and not AT&T's network?

Sure it is, and over 3/4G, not just WiFi. Why? International calling. That is the primary purpose for Skype -- avoiding outrageous per minute International call rates or outrageous per minute roaming charges on even local calls when traveling. It is just that Video FaceTime works way better and more reliably than Skype. A voice only FT would be a godsend.

I understand that many people don't travel or have friends and family outside their country and for them this is meaningless, but for the rest of us it would be huge.

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Call me crazy but I think this "option" was enabled in 2007 when the first iPhone allowed one to dial a number, wait for an answer and talk - no camera needed.

See my post above - international calls and travel calling roaming charges for those not wanting to pay $2 per minute.

 

[RevTEG]

I'm still grandfathered in on their unlimited data plan. Doesn't look like this will change anything for me. Although I'm not surprised.

I'm grandfathered unlimited on both iphone and ipad. I just noticed my FaceTime over cellular is now on here in San Jose, Ca. I just confirmed it with my wife. Hers is now on also and she's grandfathered unlimited also. Very cool.

 

[quietstormSD]

well think calling your kids when you have been on the road for two weeks. Thats really where facetime shines.

Daily calls are not really its forte

Ahhhhhh I see. I don't have kids so I didn't think of a use like that

 

[LlamaLarry]

I have an unlimited plan with AT&T and i just checked and mine is already switched on. Looks like some areas will get it ahead of others. Now just allow tethering and i will be happy.

All of my grandfathered (4) devices also have it on already. I actually noticed it yesterday when I was fighting with sucky LTE coverage and noticed the FaceTime over cellular toggle was on.

 

[3282868]

Sure it is, and over 3/4G, not just WiFi. Why? International calling. That is the primary purpose for Skype -- avoiding outrageous per minute International call rates or outrageous per minute roaming charges on even local calls when traveling. It is just that Video FaceTime works way better and more reliably than Skype. A voice only FT would be a godsend.

ah, got ya. That makes sense. So similar to VoIP in some regard.

 

[Dan55304]

Too little, too late

I'm a grandfathered unlimited and use little of my plan but haven't wanted to give it up. My reward all this time has been less functionality. I've been planning my ATT escape for a year. One more phone to go and bye-bye ATT.

 

[Steve J0bs]

Quite happy with Verizon over here

 

[hexonxonx]

what? with their 500MB and 2GB plans? try to facetime over EDGE

Not everyone gets edge. My speeds constantly test out at 4-8Mbps. I cancelled my AT&T account to move to T-Mobile once I saw how great the speeds are.

Here is what I got with AT&T:

 

[brdeveloper]

I thought only in Brazil we had to deal with very low bandwidth issues, but looks like in US the people face the same problem. In a downtown area, I can reach something like 1.5/2Mbps with my carrier but once I'm around the neighborhood, I get only EDGE speeds or very unstable HSDPA (maybe the phones should have better algorithms).

My conclusion is that Wi-Fi hotspots are doing more to the mobile computing than the carriers. If we only had to rely on their networks we would be most time offline.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

I wouldn't mind having limited tethering on my Unlimited Plan. let's say 2 or 3 GB tethering limit per month. That should make everybody happy, don't you think? Now, the question is whether there's a way for AT&T to control this or not to understand the possibility of this ever happening.

 

[MrXiro]

BFD... I'm leaving At&t by the end of the year and getting a family plan on T-Mobile for about 100 bucks less a month.

 

[sk2sep2304]

now i wont have to jailbreak...now the waiting game.

 

[CyBeRino]

So,,,they're going to allow my device to work as it's designed and capable of.

Thanks.

I'm grandfathered Unlimited...on an iPhone4.....so, by the end of the year I'll finally be able to FT over cell...not just wireless. About damn time.

Nice try, but no.

iPhone 4 does not do FaceTime over cellular networks. Presumably one could work around that with a jailbreak, but on stock iOS that's a no-go.

 

[maestrokev]

Most carriers have realized video conferencing is not going to usurp traditional voice cell calls. Most people don't want to be seen. Facetime over speakerphone is also too quiet to use in public so you're limited to private quiet areas.

 

[FelixDerKater]

It's still a novelty for most. For those who wanted it before, there have been other options like Skype.

 

[dorance]

FaceTime over cellular data is now here

I am able to use FaceTime for the FIRST time over cellular data on AT&T network with my unlimited data plan. I have iPhone 5 with LTE.

What a nice surprise to get it early in May.

 

[LimeiBook86]

I'm grandfathered unlimited on both iphone and ipad. I just noticed my FaceTime over cellular is now on here in San Jose, Ca. I just confirmed it with my wife. Hers is now on also and she's grandfathered unlimited also. Very cool.

Very cool, thanks for letting me know. I looked in my settings as well and it's also turned on. Too bad the LTE coverage is bad in my area... but nice!

 

[RevTEG]

Very cool, thanks for letting me know. I looked in my settings as well and it's also turned on. Too bad the LTE coverage is bad in my area... but nice!

I have great LTE coverage here in San Jose, Ca. But my FaceTime calls still look a little blurry. Not bad, just not HD. It's almost like AT&T my be theoddling the connection speed like they do (or did) with YouTube over cellular.

 

[T-R-S]

Quite happy with Verizon over here

I love to switch to Verizon EXCEPT my new iPhone does NOT work with Verizon.
Now back on topic it's Jan 2014 (almost Feb) and my ATT phone still NOT have FaceTime over cellular.

Maybe I'll get Verizon iPhone 6 I sure wish you could switch carriers with the same phone.