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

[azentropy]

It must be very hard for AT&T to keep coming up with new ways of ticking off and screwing over their customers.

 

[i-John]

Why did Apple even give AT&T the ability to block this feature?

What is AT&T going to do, stop carrying the iPhone in retaliation? Don't make me laugh!

Seriously Apple, you have the power. Stop restricting features based on carrier whims!

Apple can't. the data has to go over AT&T's network, Apple doesn't control the network. Apple don't have as much power as you think.

 

[Windlasher]

upgrade....

Be careful when you upgrade to SDP on the 23rd, and then try to upgrade to the new iphone 5/6 in a month or two. ATT will claim that you changed your plan and therefore are not eligible for an upgrade..... Ive seen em do it. Watch those ******s.

 

[ayala421]

Goodbye AT&T, Hello Verizon!

 

[wrpspead]

@i-John, speed is relative, and the Sprint network is on the upward track. But what they do not have a history of is the nickel and dime mentality of AT&T and Verizon. Slower speed, please. I grew up with dial up. I've been throttled by AT&T. No matter how slow Sprint may be, they are faster than both dial up and throttling.

 

[cerote]

Wow so they are going to make you go to a plan that costs you more for less data.

Sorry but I don't want shared data at those costs and data allowance.

Not going to charge you for it but we sort of will make you pay for it.

 

[Roc P.]

I am not sure if I understand this chart correctly or not :-/

I have one iPhone only. So if I wanted a reasonable plan if I switched to data share, it would be something like this?:

$70 - Mobile Share w/ unlimited talk and text 4GB
$40 - My iPhone
$10 - Shared data for a tablet or gaming device, which I don't have, I would just be choosing the cheapest option because I am FORCED to pick one.

Total: $120 (before taxes and fees)

Is that right??? I pay $96.98 (before taxes and fees) right now for voice, unlimited text, data and insurance. So my bill would go up about $23 (plus my 6.99 insurance) if I want to use FaceTime over cellular? Am I understanding correctly?

 

[Chrisispaper]

I wonder how many people are actually still on it and using more than 2/3GB. I bet the number is very small. This seems more a reaction to Verizon and perhaps some other strategy.

I thought we all used more than 2 at least.

 

[kralnor]

FaceTime is overrated guys

depends on the face

 

[apophis93]

Hello Sprint!

It's looking more and more I'm moving to Sprint when the new iPhone comes out. About the same price as AT&T but I get unlimited messaging compared to my 250 message limit and no data cap and Facetime over 4G.

I was on the fence but, this latest greed move (plus I don't have "multiple devices) by AT&T makes me not trust them to continually gouge me. I'm also looking forward to better coverage on BART.

 

[webbuzz]

I am not sure if I understand this chart correctly or not :-/

I have one iPhone only. So if I wanted a reasonable plan if I switched to data share, it would be something like this?:

$70 - Mobile Share w/ unlimited talk and text 4GB
$40 - My iPhone
$10 - Shared data for a tablet or gaming device, which I don't have, I would just be choosing the cheapest option because I am FORCED to pick one.

Total: $120 (before taxes and fees)

Is that right??? I pay $96.98 (before taxes and fees) right now for voice, unlimited text, data and insurance. So my bill would go up about $23 (plus my 6.99 insurance) if I want to use FaceTime over cellular? Am I understanding correctly?

You are not forced to add a tablet or gaming device for $10. If you don't have one, you don't choose that option.

 

[Greg McBride]

Shared Data will Save Me Money

I think I may be in the minority here, but I'm actually going to benefit from the shared data. I have four iPhones on a family plan and we'll end up saving about $15 per month by switching to a shared plan. So, this FaceTime news doesn't bother me. But, I can see how most people are pissed about it. If I weren't planning on switching to the shared plan, I'd be pissed also!

 

[akac]

This seals my switch to VZW. I've had my unlimited AT&T plan since the first iPhone, but I will not tolerate this kind of ********tery to get rid of the unlimited data plans.


Oh, u have unlimited limited-use data. I see now... F U AT&T

So you plan to switch to Verizon...which forces shared data plans as well. In fact AT&T will let you pick between non-shared data plans and shared data plans. Verizon has no such choice.

I'm moving to VZW for other reasons, and I love the shared data plan - but the arguments here are really funny.

 

[Roc P.]

You are not forced to add a tablet or gaming device for $10. If you don't have one, you don't choose that option.

This page says we have to follow 2 steps:

https://www.macrumors.com/2012/08/06/atts-mobile-share-service-plans-launching-august-23/

The 2nd step forces us to add a device. It doesn't give us a choice. Or is step 2 entirely optional? It's not very clear.

 

[Geckotek]

None of my friends or associates work for free. Nor do they work at a discount.

Apple makes a fat profit, well above industry average, on almost everything they sell. Yet the moment AT&T makes any move regarding pricing, people get all emotional.

If you cannot afford the price to operate your smartphone, it's time to learn how to budget.

Perhaps a pre paid feature phone is more your style

If Apple went from charging me a monthly fee of $25 to access my iPhone and told me I could use it anytime I liked, then one day decided they were going to charge me $50 a month to use my iPhone but I could only use it 30 minutes a day, I'd be a little more than pissed.

Compare apples to apples.

 

[darkslide29]

Fine.. I'll just use Skype since that works just fine.

 

[rman726]

I don't really use Facetime, so I don't really care. I would rather keep my Unlimited plan with 5GB cap of LTE when the next iPhone comes out than switch to another carrier and get crappy speed (Sprint) or 2GB cap (Verizon). So AT&T it is for me.

 

[WhoDaKat]

Don't be such a spoiled brat. They are nice enough that they let you grandfather the unlimited plan.

So...do you work for ATT or Verizon? Perhaps you hold some stock? You know what I hate? When individuals try to take a stance for a big corporation. I think its pathetic. WE should be on the same team! Against the man! Personally, I'm going to whine and complain until we the people get to pay reasonable amounts of money for reasonable services.

Has anyone heard anything about Sprint offering $400 to switch your family over? My problem is my wife and kid have different upgrade times than I (of course that is why they love family plans), so if we could get a couple of new 16 GB iPhones and perhaps a 4 for free (when the new iPhones come out), it might just be worth it to buy out my ATT contract.

 

[chumawumba]

rethink impossible

 

[Greg McBride]

It's Unlimited Talk and Text Also

Most of you probably already know this, but these shared plans are for more than just data. You also get unlimited talk and text. So, that's something to keep in mind while deciding if the switch makes sense for you. I was paying a fee for unlimited texting on our family plan. My the time I remove that charge, this shared plan saves me money…and I don't have to worry about how many minutes we talk. At least, that's my understanding of these new plans…

 

[Markiie]

I think I may be in the minority here, but I'm actually going to benefit from the shared data. I have four iPhones on a family plan and we'll end up saving about $15 per month by switching to a shared plan. So, this FaceTime news doesn't bother me. But, I can see how most people are pissed about it. If I weren't planning on switching to the shared plan, I'd be pissed also!

I'm saving a lot! I can't wait to set up my plan. I'm really amazed how many people aren't happy with these shared plans. I'm saving 60/80 dollars a month.

 

[kralnor]

Don't be such a spoiled brat. They are nice enough that they let you grandfather the unlimited plan.

If you really wish, they could just tell you the plan is no longer offered and you have to choose a new plan.

Instead they are going the nicer route of offering options you can get if you move from that plan.

But when they no longer offer that plan, do you really expect them to add on to that plan? Especially when you can't even say you pay for that particular data unlike the rest of the plans that are paying for a specific amount of data. You're paying for use of their network instead so they have every right to stipulate how you use it.

(Now I would support some one who has a limited plan being annoyed that they can't get facetime over it. I do think that is BS).

The entire rest of the developed world laughs at our terrible wireless plans in the US, and we are the spoiled brats for calling out the companies as our bills get more and more ridiculous in comparison.

"That particular data?" It's just data, like all the other data he uses. They section off a feature that many people are looking forward to in order to force them into a more expensive plan if they want to use it.

 

[DynaFXD]

I thought we all used more than 2 at least.

Not even close. I finally gave up our unlimited plans when I looked at our usage history and saw I was leaving money on the table just to have unlimited data. Even if we popped up over the limit now and again it was STILL cheaper to go with a different plan over a year's usage. Then again, we have wifi and other connection options. If all we had was cellular, then yeah, I think our usuage would look like yours.

 

[mac.cali]

I'm glad I left ATT early this year. ATT has too many restrictions with the unlimited data users. I'm glad I'm with Verizon. Yes I have to pay full retail for my iPhone, but at least everything is unlimited and NOT throttled. Since I'm in a strong LTE coverage area, it's even better as I'm getting speeds of 45 down and 10 up.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

They have to screw you somehow...