Is Facetime free since its Mobile to Mobile?

A

amitdoc2b

macrumors 6502a
If I am across the country from my family, will Facetime be free since we are on two different AT&T iPhone Plans but we both have unlimited Mobile to Mobile? Thanks.
 
It only works on WiFi so it doesn't go through AT&T's 3G network. It goes over the regular internets.
 
Even if it was not over Wi-Fi, it would then be mobile to mobile (unless you use T-Mobile or talk to someone in another country).

I think that what people may have to worry about when it comes to the networks, is if that will be added as an extra minutes category and be capped as well?
 
I agree, I don't know what to think here......

you have to make a phone call in order to make a FaceTime call....which may burn a few seconds of your minutes, if your in another country, that may add up..

If AT&T manages to figure out a way to make us pay for using FaceTime because it goes through the "phone.app" I will, I will, burn their building down...after I get my stapler
 
palmerc2 said:
I agree, I don't know what to think here......

you have to make a phone call in order to make a FaceTime call....which may burn a few seconds of your minutes, if your in another country, that may add up..

If AT&T manages to figure out a way to make us pay for using FaceTime because it goes through the "phone.app" I will, I will, burn their building down...after I get my stapler
Click to expand...

You don't have to make a phone call. All you do is open the phone app and if you are using WiFi it shows the FaceTime video chat. No phone call is necessary.It's just built into the phone app.
 
Peace said:
You don't have to make a phone call. All you do is open the phone app and if you are using WiFi it shows the FaceTime video chat. No phone call is necessary.It's just built into the phone app.
Click to expand...

From the demo, I thought the Facetime video icon was only displayed (along with the mute/speakerphone buttons) after you placed a voice call to someone?

Is there another location where you can initiate a video call *before* placing a voice call?
 
colinmack said:
From the demo, I thought the Facetime video icon was only displayed (along with the mute/speakerphone buttons) after you placed a voice call to someone?

Is there another location where you can initiate a video call *before* placing a voice call?
Click to expand...

I guess we will all find out in about a month when our bill is $500+!!! :D

(This is meant to be a joke by the way.)
 
One-tap simple.

FaceTime works right out of the box — no need to set up a special account or screen name. And using FaceTime is as easy as it gets. 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. Either way, an invitation pops up on her iPhone 4 screen asking if she wants to join you. When she accepts, the video call begins. It’s all perfectly seamless. And it works in both portrait and landscape modes.
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Source : http://www.apple.com/iphone/features/facetime.html
 
colinmack said:
From the demo, I thought the Facetime video icon was only displayed (along with the mute/speakerphone buttons) after you placed a voice call to someone?

Is there another location where you can initiate a video call *before* placing a voice call?
Click to expand...

Jobs switched to WiFi on his phone before making the call. I'm guessing the call went out over WiFi instead of 3G.
 

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Peace said:
You don't have to make a phone call. All you do is open the phone app and if you are using WiFi it shows the FaceTime video chat. No phone call is necessary.It's just built into the phone app.
Click to expand...

The way I understood it is you have to make a regular voice call to use facetime. I don't think there is any separate app that will be able to call someone on facetime, it all goes through the phone app, and you must be on a regular voice call for it to work. The way I see it is the same as if you call someone and then switch to speaker phone, you could also call them and then switch to facetime and the video would pop up.

Therefore, it will use your voice minutes, and potentially might not be free. However, I think every ATT voice plan includes free calls between ATT customers, and since you can only use facetime with other ATT customers at the moment, the call will be free.
 
Another good question to ask if it AT&T will charge you on the down low even though you are on Wi-Fi. Since you are able to access it from a regular call, who is to say that AT&T will really stop the minutes from rolling? Granted, mobile to mobile is free, but that is not really the point.
 
Bodhi395 said:
Therefore, it will use your voice minutes, and potentially might not be free. However, I think every ATT voice plan includes free calls between ATT customers, and since you can only use facetime with other ATT customers at the moment, the call will be free.
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Why not??? The 'Facetime' data is going over the WiFi network.
 
stridemat said:
Why not??? The 'Facetime' data is going over the WiFi network.
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The only reason it wouldn't be free is it could use up your voice minutes, apart from using the wifi network. I think it goes over both the voice cell network and wifi, but I could be wrong.
 
Bodhi395 said:
The way I understood it is you have to make a regular voice call to use facetime. I don't think there is any separate app that will be able to call someone on facetime, it all goes through the phone app, and you must be on a regular voice call for it to work. The way I see it is the same as if you call someone and then switch to speaker phone, you could also call them and then switch to facetime and the video would pop up.

Therefore, it will use your voice minutes, and potentially might not be free. However, I think every ATT voice plan includes free calls between ATT customers, and since you can only use facetime with other ATT customers at the moment, the call will be free.
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As the other poster linked :

"Just find her entry in your Contacts and tap the FaceTime button."

You can do that before making a voice call.
 
I'm not sure if everything goes through Wifi on FaceTime, or if it's only the video. Does anybody have any evidence showing that it disconnects the voice call and switches the entire call to wifi?
 
If the 2 companies don't want to rip you off your money, and it really works how Wi-Fi should work, then it should be free even international.

Just like PC Skype to PC Skype. But if they want to bleed you then....yeah...tough luck :eek:
 
This has been discussed ad nauseum in three other threads...


FaceTime DOES NOT REQUIRE a cellular connection. Everything will be done over WiFi.
 
In the keynote Jobs says " FaceTime is WiFi only in 2010. We need to work with the cellular carries a little bit to get ready for the future."

This tells me there is no cellular involved. And you do not need to dial a phone number. Just tap on a contact that has an iPhone 4.
 
Peace said:
In the keynote Jobs says " FaceTime is WiFi only in 2010. We need to work with the cellular carries a little bit to get ready for the future."

This tells me there is no cellular involved. And you do not need to dial a phone number. Just tap on a contact that has an iPhone 4.
Click to expand...

You are correct, but on the Apple website, it also states that you can use it while you are on a call. That is what brings up my question on if AT&T is going to try to sneak around and continue to charge in these circumstances.
 
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