Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Confirms FaceTime Video Calling Will Not Use Cellular Minutes

SkippyThorson said:
I would count that as a plus, but all those iPhone 4 using friends of mine will be on AT&T, which doesn't use my minutes anyway. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

This is exactly why it won't use minutes. Don't believe for a second that AT&T is trying to do something good for their customers.

Anyhow, I wonder why someone hasn't voted negative yet. Must be broken.
 
Louis24x7 said:
Since this isn't using cellular minutes, users will realize that there will be a How-To article that you will need in order to get this working with your router. Kind of like the article for "Back to my Mac", which doesn't work very well.
Click to expand...

Not if it works over a standard port.
 
Enuratique said:
I'm willing to bet FaceTime is the next in a long line of disappointments from AT&T. First MMS, then tethering. What's the over/under on what year AT&T actually allows FaceTime over the cellular network?
Click to expand...

Even bader though - Apple won't realease the feature for the rest of the world, altough we're all ready ;)
 
What scares me is that if I have to initiate an international call in order to FaceTime someone internationally....I am sure AT&T got you this way
 
kas23 said:
This is exactly why it won't use minutes. Don't believe for a second that AT&T is trying to do something good for their customers.

Anyhow, I wonder why someone hasn't voted negative yet. Must be broken.
Click to expand...

The cell call ends, so does ATTs part in the call. There is no reason for ATT to change you.
 
tooz said:
psssst. apple: those of us international have networks that this wouldn't cripple! How about some 3G lovin for us Aussies?
Click to expand...

Apple would have to worry about both data use and latency for 3G video calling, and I doubt the stuff in Europe in the early 2000s was actually VGA quality, but probably something like 176x132.

You also have to worry about the quality on the other person's connection and negotiating a handshake. It's no good if only one user has the bandwidth for VGA video uploading/downloading at the same time.

Sounds like a feature best suited for a 4G network anyway: low latency, high bandwidth, penetrates buildings easier, lower range for towers, and hopefully better handoffs.
 
I couldn't care less if it eats up cellular minutes. I have free video calling free mms free sms free calls and free msn. Bring it on Apple!!!

Finally i can use all of my full Vodafone tariff :D :D

iPhone4:apple:
 
Question?

Ok correct me if I'm wrong. But facetime only works iPhone to iPhone right?
So iPhone to iPhone means AT&T to AT&T right?
Why that would waste minutes hen AT&T to AT&T is free minutes. Mobile to mobile?
Why would that matters? Just checking
 
spazzcat said:
The cell call ends, so does ATTs part in the call. There is no reason for ATT to change you.
Click to expand...

Sure there is. Same reason they charge you for data when use the microcell you bought, which uses your broadband connection.

They're vicious scumbags.
 
I'm curious as to why any "observers" thought that something that is wifi-only would use cell minutes.
 
Call that doesn't use cellular network doesn't take cellular minutes shock.

Incidentally in these non-Apple parts of the world where we've had video calls over 3g for 6 years now they tend to charge them separately, my last plan had video minutes and voice minutes.
 
As mentioned earlier, ATT has unlimited mobile to mobile. so the possibility of using mins is not there anyway. unless of course you're calling someone outside the US. which in that case, if you were able to afford International calls on your iPhone in the first place, i seriously doubt you'd be worrying about min usage?!:confused:
 
What about international calls? Do I need to pay 2.30 a minute to call another country for one minute and then go to Facetime? Shouldn't there be a way to go direct to Facetime without having to call in the first place?
 
Hoping that this is the same internationally, it would be brilliant if it is.
 
zombitronic said:
Good point. Minutes wouldn't matter.

I'm curious to know the average amount of data used on a typical FaceTime call. Assuming AT&T will count this as data when it's available, would the 2GB data plan be enough to use this feature frequently without worrying about going over your cap?
Click to expand...

I sure wish they hadn't changed anything, and kept unlimited. I also wish I had upgraded to a 3G unlimited plan so at least I had an option to keep mine. Hey, how would an iPhone 4 be with an unlimited Edge data contract? :p

tooz said:
psssst. apple: those of us international have networks that this wouldn't cripple! How about some 3G lovin for us Aussies?
Click to expand...

Heyyy... If Steve Jobs doesn't get it at his house, you won't see it any sooner than him!
 
Is it just me. . .?

I'm looking at the headline on this story, Apple Confirms FaceTime Video Calling Will Not Use Cellular Minutes, and going "DUH!!"

Apple already said that FaceTime works via Wi-Fi only for now--hence no cellular minutes would be used. Is there anyone else wondering why this is even a story? Must be a slow Monday morning--the calm before the storm.
 
I don't quite get the implementation of Facetime. The fact that you have to make a call over the cell network and then engage the video over wifi internet. Of course this will only work in the event that the recipient of the call happens to be in wifi range which you won't know until you call.

I don't know why they didn't just go down the ichat AV route whereby you have your buddy list and can see as and when they are online and text chat them before engaging video. With multitaking and notifications iChat could be running in the background all the time and depending whether you were in wifi range or not a video icon would light up. You could of course then also vid chat with people on their computers.

I guess that this will come with time and maybe Skype or another will whip up an app to do that shortly or maybe I'm just missing something and the apple implementation will make better sense when i try it.

What I am sure of is that the 3G network is unlikely to be a satisfactory transport for this kind of feature. It is too unreliable and never worked with any of the video phones I had before the iPhone even with very small low res video.
 
macintologist said:
What about international calls? Do I need to pay 2.30 a minute to call another country for one minute and then go to Facetime? Shouldn't there be a way to go direct to Facetime without having to call in the first place?
Click to expand...

its available direct from the contacts.app
 
FaceTime billing

Video calling has existed in Europe and elsewhere for a long time now. Networks usually charge separately for it by the minute (i.e. it’s billed like a call, but at a higher rate due to the additional bandwidth required). This would also make sense for AT&T given that they’ll want to keep video traffic to a reasonable level to avoid crippling their 3G network, and voice calling would quickly burn through your monthly data allowance.

I’d imagine that carriers will bundle a certain number of FaceTime minutes with each package, and then you’d have to pay for extra minutes on top. This isn’t such a bad option given that you’ll also be able to place Wi-Fi video calls for free.

With a bit of lack, Apple might even add some extra bells and whistles like video mail, greeting message and iChat/AIM support at the same time. :)
 
given in the US you must have iphone 4 to use face time, and iphone (non jailbroken) requires ATT. Does it matter if it does use minutes? Would be free anyway.
 
I don't get all the hype around facetime and why it's talked about as a groundbreaking new thing. I've had video calling on the phones I've had for about four years, and it's been available for almost twice as long. What's this about a "completely new category of consumption"? Don't you have video calls in the US? Maybe I've missed something about facetime?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back