Facetime = WiFi + 3G?

[appleguy123]

From the other thread:

Yes we do. You can initiate FaceTime during a call, or independent of a call through your contacts list.
http://www.apple.com/iphone/features/facetime.html

Let’s say you want to start a video call with your best friend. Just find her entry in your Contacts and tap the FaceTime button. Or maybe you’re already on a voice call with her and you want to switch to video. Just tap the FaceTime button on the Phone screen.​

JR, thank you for your service.
Signs are pointing to being able to start a FaceTime chat through wifi only, independent of cellular service, but we can't be 100% sure until the phone comes out.

 

[b166er]

What I'm wondering is if it uses any minutes.

ATT to ATT is free, and for a while you won't be able to use it to call other phones or computers. Overseas is another thing though if that's what you wanna do.

If it's totally over wifi I don't see how it could ever use our minutes.

 

[donbenjy]

That is not true. If both of your numbers are iPhone 4 numbers you can initiate a FaceTime call during a voice call or do it straight through your contacts. No set-up required.

yeah, infact, there are no usernames or accounts - its all based upon the fact that you have an iphone connected to WIFI!

Which makes me kinda wonder HOW this is done...I guess that when you connect to wifi normally, there is some kinda handshake with the Apple push servers at least, in order to allow incoming data to arrive via wifi, not 3G, so this should hopefully set the standard for how your phone can know if the other person uses an iphone, and is available.

When you think about it, it's quite clever how we can switch so easily between 3G internet and WIFI

 

[Fraaaa]

I think that FaceTime enstablish the connection over the carriers network and that is why you dont need a set up, and video and voice are send over the internet.

 

[vizkiz]

One way to find out: Turn airplane mode (or take your SIM card out) and try to start a Facetime session.

 

[Julien]

One way to find out: Turn airplane mode (or take your SIM card out) and try to start a Facetime session.

Just tried that and couldn't get FaceTime to work.

 

[vizkiz]

Just tried that and couldn't get FaceTime to work.

The phone needs Facetime for it to work

 

[Wallace]

You can be pretty sure that something like a Skype/iChat type app will come out which will support a videochat (which will work with just wifi).