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AT&T has been making headlines today for all the wrong reasons. Apparently, the #2 largest carrier in the US could soon begin charging iPhone users extra to video chat via Apple’s official FaceTime application while on a 3G/4G connection. News spread quick after 9to5Mac was tipped with the above screenshot showing a prompt one iPhone user received after attempting to FaceTime over AT&T’s data connection. AT&T actually spoke out on the discovery saying little more than they will provide more information once it becomes available.
The only reason I bring this up on, you know, an Android blog, is because of the old saying, “What’s good for the gander is good for gaggle,” or something like that. AT&T’s network is dominate by Android users who currently have (and have had) the ability to video chat using the Google Talk app since back on Android 2.3. If AT&T begins treating video calls the same was as a mobile hotspot feature, expect a separate “video chat add-on” in the near future. Data could soon find itself even more restricted on AT&T.
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Wtf! Lame!
Please no…. Not on Verizon. I already pay 15% of my salary for access.
I sure hope you’re not serious because if you are you should look into getting a new job.
LOL Hey, in this economy, i take whatever work i can get……I’m glad i still have a job, unlike so many Americans without.
That`s why I have two line, one with Sprint and the other with AT&T.
Let me do the math
Cellular mins…….=$$
Land line mins…..=$$
data…………………=$$
over limit data usage….=$$
hot spot add-on…………=$$
cell insurance……………=$$
video chat add on………=$$
over limit mins use……..=$$
——————————————
Holy F%$& = $$$$$$$$$$$$$
It would have been one less option for customers to go to when they left ATT over crap like this. http://AlluringWay.blogspot.com
Next: Voicemail access fee.
It’s “what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.”
Oh, right. Keep in mind, I was only born in the 80’s… O.o
I was dying laughing because you were so far off. I think I’ll use your version now.
Edit: I had a Vietnamese teacher who combined sayings. It was awesome.
“A bird in the bush is worth two stones”
It was acceptable in the 80’s.
“good for the goose, good for the gander” or in your context….GEESE….just saying
What’s good for the gaggle is good for the goodle. Whatever. Lol
Good good my evil plan worked >:)
Charge for tiered data and this! ?
Once again, this is yet another reason why the TMO and ATT merger would have been horrible for everyone. It would have been one less option for customers to go to when they left ATT over crap like this.
http://i.imgur.com/7ChNh.jpg
Oo
O.O
At&fee
Just one more reason for me to take the plunge on an MVNO when I pick up the successor to the GNex. I refuse to give any more money to these clowns.
Absolutely agree. Once my contract is up with AT&T, I’m headed to a prepaid plan with TMO.
Just an FYI, most MVNO’s consider unlimited data as only web browsing and email. YouTube, streaming video, streaming music, etc is restricted.
Do a bit more research before you pick the MVNO you want to go with, to make sure unlimited data means unlimited data.
BTW, MetroPCS is the same way, their unlimited data is just web pages, and email. They have a seperate data plan for streaming music, youtube, videos, etc.
I Can’t Picture Them Charging Android Users, There Are Too Many Apps That Do Video Calling, With iPhone It’s Different Cause Its Built Right Into The System, Android Would Use A 3rd Party App.
Good point!
it is trivial for them to identify VOIP traffic, regardless of which app you use — especially on wireless/broadband where deep-packet-inspection is allowed by current regulations.
Which is true, but there is no telling what It is being used on, all they will see is a little bit more data being used, so they wouldn’t be sure if its video calling pandora or possibly a new type of app that consumes more data
Well played, Verizon.
Soooo Many Notifications *Shudders*
Whoops. :P
why don’t you download the phandroid app ? lol
I use Pulse for my feed.
Pulse is nice but I find Taptu to be a bit better.
this actually makes sense. up to now facetime has been wifi only. now that they are allowing it overair they charge.. one more reason iphone sucks.
It really doesn’t make sense at all. They already charge for data, why should they be allowed to charge you yet again for how you use the data?
perhaps i should rephrase that for those who operate on common sense, it makes perfect iphone/att sense, in other words they see another way to bleed the customers and they are taking it. they are using the same (albeit a twisted version of it) logic Sprint Used when they initiated the 4G charge. goes something like this “you used to use this on Wifi now the data is coming on our lines so we are going to charge you for it.” I don’t see this happening to Andy as our face chats have always been over data and so Android customers would call BS.
Huh, that makes no sense at all. Other 3rd party video apps works over 3G just like Android. FaceTime being the exception
which is exactly why it makes sense. perhaps you, like many others are confusing “this is right” with “this makes sense”. see my reply above to aiden9. new feature, new level of data usage, new charges. it makes sense in the same way that putting a serial killer in a room with a variety of knives and other weapons with a bunch of co-eds results in a room full of dead co-eds. the twisted mind of the killer may not make sense to the rest of us, but anyone who knows what they are and sees the situation can easily predict the outcome. well, in this case ATT is the serial killer, service charges are the knives and your wallet is a buxom innocent little co-ed.
you had me at “dead co-eds”
…….I think from now on, no contracts going forward! I will be voting with my dollar and where the nexus devices land and maybe not even then. This really needs to stop…..or at least slow down a bit. Between two contracts, there have been radical changes to the way I am getting charged. I am just stubborn enough too! I still have yet to resubscribe to Netflix!!!! and sadly I have plenty of money, it is about the principal!
Straight talk dude. I just trial ran my friend’s straight talk SIM In place of my ATT SIM and it works exactly the but less money for much more.
Speaking of this topic, does anyone know of an app that can spoof other apps into thinking the phone is on WiFi when it’s using 3G? I don’t like restrictions.
That’s a great point. If you pay for data how can they turn around and charge you again for data on top of charging for data. Lol
Would this be a net neutrality violation?
They’ve been doing this already with tethering/hotspot plans though. I never understood why it matters what device is using your data, you’re still paying for the same data regardless of whether the phone or a PC is using it.
the FCC specifically made wireless/broadband exempt from current net neutrality regulations. :(
That is lame
Yes but I think they get away with it because tethering is using another device. I think this would be a serious net neutrality violation because they would be charging you data twice for use on the SAME device.
They should be fined for even trying to pull this BS,
Think again. The FCC specifically made wireless/broadband exempt from current net neutrality regulations. :(
ATT customers just quit them and see them respect you more. See what happened to Netflix……..they will never be the same forever……forever.
Corporate greed , now they tell you guys what to do with your bytes that you paid for. It just sucks……it’s all about milking you all dry to the bones.
For those iPhone users who are jailbroke, all you have to do is download “3G Unrestrictor” from cydia and viola ! Works like a charm
I like AT&T, but this is why I switched from Verizon — gratuitous charges. What rationale could they possibly have for charging for video when they already charge for data?
Since when does the iPhone have a 4G radio? top left I call BS
actually it’s HSPA+. AT&T talked Apple into making it show that when an iPhone was connected to their faster 3G network. It came in an iOS update.
But it says 4G, false advertizing…….
old news. Apple got hit hard by Australia, major fine for their deception.
They want to classify HSPA+ as 4G LOL Fail
Why is this article on here anyways? Isn’t this an android forum??
AT&T is getting close to killing the goose that laid their golden egg. If I have to pay more than I am now, I’ll have to very carefully consider going back to a Feature Phone and using WiFi for Internet Access.
So what. Were android. We’ll root and find a way around it lol.
if they’re not currently charging a premium for FaceTime sign up for it. If they subsequently start to charge a premium for it your contract pricing has been changed and you can leave with no penalty.