The Internet exploded (in a bad way) once word regarding AT&T’s FaceTime over cellular plans were less than stellar. While Sprint and Verizon immediately let all of their iPhone users FaceTime over cellular, AT&T initially offered it to those who moved up to the, more often, expensive shared data plans. They eventually expanded FaceTime over cellular to those with an iPhone 5 in areas where LTE is available. Today, AT&T has expanded the feature, one that’s already pre-loaded onto our devices (yet we can’t use it freely), to work on all data plans (minus the unlimited plan, which is a huge surprise), assuming you have an iPhone 4S or above (as the iPhone 4, out-of-the-box, doesn’t support FaceTime over 3G). As per typical AT&T fashion, access to FaceTime over cellular will begin rolling out in a few weeks, with a completed roll-out expected within a few months. For more information, you’ll find AT&T’s blog posting down below.
The Stuff
When FaceTime over Cellular launched in September 2012, we explained that we wanted to roll it out gradually to ensure the service had minimal impact on the mobile experience for all of our customers.
As a result of ongoing testing, we’re announcing AT&T will enable FaceTime over Cellular at no extra charge for customers with any tiered data plan using a compatible iOS device.
This means iPhone 4S customers with tiered plans will be able to make FaceTime calls over the AT&T cellular network. AT&T previously made FaceTime over Cellular available to customers with a Mobile Share plan and those with an LTE device on tiered plans.
Of course, FaceTime over Wi-Fi remains available for all customers who have a compatible iPhone or iPad.
We have already begun updating our systems and processes and expect to start rolling the update out to customers on an ongoing basis beginning in the next couple of weeks. Customers do not need to do anything—the update will be applied automatically over the next few months.
Only AT&T offers benefits like the ability to talk and surf at the same time, the fastest download speeds using AT&T 4G LTE, and a variety of flexible plan options to meet customers’ needs.
Also as expected, AT&T continues to treat their customers like pure idiots by making it sound as though FaceTime over Wi-Fi is some sort of benefit that’s linked to being an AT&T customer when, in reality, it’s available to anyone on any carrier, and even to those without one. Nice one, AT&T. Keep up the “good” work!
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Source: AT&T