Open Internet groups to file FCC complaint over AT&T's FaceTime blocking
A trio of digital rights advocacy groups have indicated to AT&T they will file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission over the carrier's decision to block FaceTime calls over cellular data networks for some customers.
AT&T sparked dissatisfaction when it announced in August that it will require subscribers to switch to its new Mobile Share data plans to allow FaceTime calls over cellular 3G and 4G LTE data connections. FaceTime over cellular will be available to iPhone 4S and new iPad owners with the launch of iOS 6 on Wednesday, as well as those who buy the iPhone 5 on Friday.
The carrier's decision to block FaceTime calls over cellular data networks has prompted Free Press, Public Knowledge, and the New America Foundation's Open Technology Institute to inform AT&T that they intend to file a complaint with the FCC, GigaOm reported on Tuesday.
"AT&T?s decision to block FaceTime unless a customer pays for voice and text minutes she doesn?t need is a clear violation of the FCC?s Open Internet rules," said Matt Wood, policy director with Free Press.
"It?s particularly outrageous that AT&T is requiring this for iPad users, given that this device isn?t even capable of making voice calls. AT&T?s actions are incredibly harmful to all of its customers, including the deaf, immigrant families and others with relatives overseas, who depend on mobile video apps to communicate with friends and family."
For its part, AT&T has said that its decision to block 3G FaceTime calls for non-Mobile Share customers is in compliance with the FCC's net neutrality rules because AT&T does not offer its own competing preloaded video chat application. The carrier said backlash to the decision was a "knee jerk reaction" in which some people "rushed to judgment."
"We are broadening our customers' ability to use the preloaded version of FaceTime but limiting it in this manner to our newly developed AT&T Mobile Share data plans out of an overriding concern for the impact this expansion may have on our network and the overall customer experience," AT&T representative Bob Quinn said last month.
AT&T's Mobile Share plans launched in August, and start at a monthly price of $45 per smartphone, plus $40 for 1 gigabyte of data. The more data a subscriber adds to their plan, the less the cost per gigabyte and the cost per additional smartphone. For example, a 4-gigabyte plan with unlimited talk and text has a base price of $70, plus $40 for each smartphone.
In contrast, AT&T's chief competitor, Verizon, has announced that it will allow FaceTime video calls over cellular across all iPhone 5, iPhone 4S and new iPad data plans, without requiring customers to upgrade to its new shared plans.
AT&T sparked dissatisfaction when it announced in August that it will require subscribers to switch to its new Mobile Share data plans to allow FaceTime calls over cellular 3G and 4G LTE data connections. FaceTime over cellular will be available to iPhone 4S and new iPad owners with the launch of iOS 6 on Wednesday, as well as those who buy the iPhone 5 on Friday.
The carrier's decision to block FaceTime calls over cellular data networks has prompted Free Press, Public Knowledge, and the New America Foundation's Open Technology Institute to inform AT&T that they intend to file a complaint with the FCC, GigaOm reported on Tuesday.
"AT&T?s decision to block FaceTime unless a customer pays for voice and text minutes she doesn?t need is a clear violation of the FCC?s Open Internet rules," said Matt Wood, policy director with Free Press.
"It?s particularly outrageous that AT&T is requiring this for iPad users, given that this device isn?t even capable of making voice calls. AT&T?s actions are incredibly harmful to all of its customers, including the deaf, immigrant families and others with relatives overseas, who depend on mobile video apps to communicate with friends and family."
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For its part, AT&T has said that its decision to block 3G FaceTime calls for non-Mobile Share customers is in compliance with the FCC's net neutrality rules because AT&T does not offer its own competing preloaded video chat application. The carrier said backlash to the decision was a "knee jerk reaction" in which some people "rushed to judgment."
"We are broadening our customers' ability to use the preloaded version of FaceTime but limiting it in this manner to our newly developed AT&T Mobile Share data plans out of an overriding concern for the impact this expansion may have on our network and the overall customer experience," AT&T representative Bob Quinn said last month.
AT&T's Mobile Share plans launched in August, and start at a monthly price of $45 per smartphone, plus $40 for 1 gigabyte of data. The more data a subscriber adds to their plan, the less the cost per gigabyte and the cost per additional smartphone. For example, a 4-gigabyte plan with unlimited talk and text has a base price of $70, plus $40 for each smartphone.
In contrast, AT&T's chief competitor, Verizon, has announced that it will allow FaceTime video calls over cellular across all iPhone 5, iPhone 4S and new iPad data plans, without requiring customers to upgrade to its new shared plans.
Comments
One again, Verizon > AT&T
Coupled with my grandfathered Unlimited plan, couldn't be happier.
Really $95 / month for the most basic package?
Did these same groups complain that Apple never released the specification of this so-called open protocol?
What is Apple waiting for? Why haven't they released the specification for this. It's been two years already. What are they waiting for?
Hmmmmm, I agree with their stance, not understanding how AT&T can justify categorizing the data I have already paid for. For the first time in years I am considering another carrier.
Quote:
Originally Posted by thataveragejoe
One again, Verizon > AT&T
Coupled with my grandfathered Unlimited plan, couldn't be happier.
Except that you cannot do internet (not even maps!) while making a voice call - so the whole ">" is nonsense.
Fact is the iPhone was supposed to be the whole internet - not just the ports that ATT like. This is only ATT lame attempt to take back those grandfathered unlimited plans.
The problem is seems with ATT contracts (and other carriers) is that they are NOT contracts - ATT can bend its obligations however it sees fit.
Quote:
"AT&T?s decision to block FaceTime unless a customer pays for voice and text minutes she doesn?t need is a clear violation of the FCC?s Open Internet rules,"
I am on the 550 minutes family plan (2 iPhones with 2GB of data each) and I have more than 4000 rollover minutes. I don't want unlimited voice and I don't use SMS. Why should I pay $40 more for the same 4GB of data I have right now and more minutes that I don't need just to get FaceTime?! AT&T logic is ridiculous.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Right_said_fred
Except that you cannot do internet (not even maps!) while making a voice call - so the whole ">" is nonsense.
That's an Apple problem or deliberate decision, not a Verizon network issue; that's been hashed out plenty. Everyone's different but considering I'm on a voice call less than 10% of the time i use my iPhone and 50% of that is within Wifi, I don't see it being an issue. So yes, with a larger network in general, way more LTE, and the grandfathered $30 unlimited internet plan with a 19% discount, for me it's > by a wide margin. YMMV
... edit. AI comment system doesn't seem to want to post the rest of what I said. Nice. Not typing it up again, sorry.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Right_said_fred
Except that you cannot do internet (not even maps!) while making a voice call - so the whole ">" is nonsense.
Fact is the iPhone was supposed to be the whole internet - not just the ports that ATT like. This is only ATT lame attempt to take back those grandfathered unlimited plans.
The problem is seems with ATT contracts (and other carriers) is that they are NOT contracts - ATT can bend its obligations however it sees fit.
On the other hand, I still haven't seen Apple update their iTunes to show a "rent for life" button. they only have a "buy" button, whereas the ToS clearly explain it's a rent for life. Big companies can actually force any condition they want on you, all you can do is refuse to buy. And you can't even really always do so, due to lack of competition, which is eliminated through liberalism.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChristophB
Is AT&T the only provider in the US that offers an iPhone that is capable of doing FaceTime over 3G/4G networks when iOS 6 goes live?
Sprint and Verizon are able to.
Originally Posted by bitzandbitez
HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO AI PLEASE FIX THIS CRAP MY POST ARE GETTING TRUNCATED WTF.??...
Originally Posted by enjourni
I don't know why AT
... edit. AI comment system doesn't seem to want to post the rest of what I said. Nice. Not typing it up again, sorry.
From where are you guys posting? Appleinsider.com or forums.appleinsider.com?
It's the ampersand you're typing that the site catches as an "intrusion".
Well hell! There's a solution without nagging the FCC. For a second there I thought we didn't have any competition in mobile space; that every provider had the exact same plans, prices, features, pluses and minuses.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
From where are you guys posting? Appleinsider.com or forums.appleinsider.com?
It's the ampersand you're typing that the site catches as an "intrusion".
Tallest... this is from the main page (with the new theme) aka appleinsider.com.
I guess the ampersand is thought to be injected code? The home page does not have a toolbar for adding rich text, why not just interpret everything as plain text?
Sure it would be nice to have FaceTime over the cellular, but let be honest ... really honest with ourselves and ask your self this question ... would you really use face time? Sure its pretty cool and all, but there is no way I would drop my AT&T unlimited plan and pay extra for a feature that I would only use once or twice every six months.
Lets face it, when your in public, do you really want to have a conversation over FaceTime for everybody to hear? No, so where is the one place you would feel comfortable making a FaceTime call ... at home, where most everybody has wi-fi.
If they go ahead and reverse their decision ... great, if not ... no really big loss. With that said, I do agree that while you are paying for DATA already, for AT&T to charge you just for the ability to use a feature that is already on your phone is not right. You paid for your bucket of DATA and should be able to use it how you see fit ... period.