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Beta 4 locks AT&T customers out of FaceTime over cellular!

*Calypso* said:
So you rather rely on your contacts to have an iPhone than to have installed a platform-independent third-party App?
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Absolutely. Honestly, I don't use video calling much to begin with - its always with close family/friends. I'm obviously not going to attempt a facetime call with someone when I know they don't have an iOS device.
 
profets said:
Absolutely. Honestly, I don't use video calling much to begin with - its always with close family/friends. I'm obviously not going to attempt a facetime call with someone when I know they don't have an iOS device.
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I am just surprised that you find it more convenient to be able to reach a small percentage of your contacts (unless you live in an highly apple-ized environment) "out of the box" than to install a third-party App and potentially reach all iOS, Android and Windows Phone users.

It's the same with iMessage, it's easy to use but I still end up using WhatsApp, because I am not just friends with iOS users.
 
*Calypso* said:
I am just surprised that you find it more convenient to be able to reach a small percentage of your contacts (unless you live in an highly apple-ized environment) "out of the box" than to install a third-party App and potentially reach all iOS, Android and Windows Phone users.

It's the same with iMessage, it's easy to use but I still end up using WhatsApp, because I am not just friends with iOS users.
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Ditto on the WhatsApp - that App has been fantastic for me any my friends/family.
 
*Calypso* said:
I am just surprised that you find it more convenient to be able to reach a small percentage of your contacts (unless you live in an highly apple-ized environment) "out of the box" than to install a third-party App and potentially reach all iOS, Android and Windows Phone users.

It's the same with iMessage, it's easy to use but I still end up using WhatsApp, because I am not just friends with iOS users.
Click to expand...

Well, the few people I facetime with have iPhones or iPads, so it is extremely convenient. If there was someone I need to video chat with that wasn't on an iPhone then I'd use something like skype for it.

iMessage is obviously easy as it's automatic, but I find sms/mms/email fine to use for communicating with anyone else.
 
Screw AT&T. If I hadn't recently jailbroken my iPhone I'd be more upset, but as it is, this is really just out and out price gouging. Frankly, I hope congress can get out of the carrier's pockets and actually make it illegal to double dip like this. You've already paid for a data allowance and first with tethering, now with this, they are charging you AGAIN to use that data how you want to.

Complete and utter crap. AT&T will never see a dime of my money for this service. I'll either use 3G unrestrictor on Cydia, or I'll eventually jump ship to another carrier.
 
Apple totally is to blame for backing down to the carriers. Same with tethering. Data is data, iOS is the only thing that can tell what data does what.
 
ITGuy said:
Don't forget that thanks to iMessage, AT&T has lost bucket loads of cash from their ripoff SMS text cash cow. AT&T wants to get some of that money back.

-ITG
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Is that really true now? Had their texting plans remained the way they were prior, I would say this is true. But they eliminated all SMS plans except unlimited. All or nothing. So unless you only ever want to text other iphone owners, you had to get unlimited sms for 20-some bucks....
 
ITGuy said:
iDevices utilize a Carrier Settings file (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1970?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US ) to configure specific carrier settings such as APNs (access point names) for Visual Voicemail, SMS, MMS, internet access, tethering, and presumably FaceTime over 3G.

I would imagine that network identification occurs when the iDevice connects/registers with the network. At that point the specific carrier file is used. If it isn't an official or supported iPhone carrier, the device uses a generic carrier file that allows you to access the Cellular Data Network settings so you can configure your own APNs.

I don't use StraightTalk so I'm not sure if there is a specific carrier file for them since they are an AT&T MVNO. My iPhone is on T-Mobile ($30 for 100 minutes talk/unlimited text/5 GB data) and it appears to be using a generic carrier file called Carrier 12.2. You can check yours under Settings>General>About>Carrier. My AT&T iPad with $30 unlimited data plan is using the AT&T 12.5.2 carrier file.

-ITG
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That's good info, thank you. It explains why I had to switch over to a tmobile sim to fix my mms settings, as well. Unfortunately my StraightTalk sim shows up as AT&T 12.0, so it looks like no Facetime for me.
 
iPhone 5 can't come fast enough. I can't wait to leave AT&T. Me and all 5 lines.
 
I have been waiting for the 4g iPhone to leave Att. Crap like this is why I want out.

Hello Verizon with my new iPhone 5. Can't wait.
 
Apple doesn't need AT&T anymore. There are plenty of carriers now. And with new ones coming. I say get rid of that option for AT&T and if they want to watch their proffits dip if they won't carry the new phone, then I say let them sink.
 
Ay_Zimmy said:
Maybe AT&T doesn't want apple using their cell data for their beta.. But in the end that's AT&T decision not Apple's. We'll see where that goes
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Exactly!!! That's why if they do deside to do this, I'll be leaving AT&T and not Apple.
 
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