As most observers are aware, Apple’s FaceTime application is currently enabled on AT&T’s popular Mobile Share plan as well as on Wi-Fi, though not at this time on our other billing plans. This approach has raised questions and some concerns. We decided to take this cautious approach for important reasons. AT&T has by far more iPhones on our network than any other carrier. We’re proud of this fact and the confidence our customers have in us. But it also means that when Apple rolls out new services or changes, as it did in iOS 6, it can have a much greater, and more immediate, impact on AT&T’s network than is the case with carriers who have far fewer iPhone users.
In this instance, with the FaceTime app already preloaded on tens of millions of AT&T customers’ iPhones, there was no way for our engineers to effectively model usage, and thus to assess network impact. It is for this reason that we took a more cautious approach toward the app. To do otherwise might have risked an adverse impact on the services our customers expect – voice quality in particular – if usage of FaceTime exceeded expectations. And this is important for all our customers regardless of which smartphone they may use.
In the meantime, we are announcing today that we will support FaceTime, not only on our Mobile Share plans, but also on all of our tiered data plans with an LTE device. We expect to roll out this functionality over the next 8-10 weeks. In addition, we are informing our deaf and hard of hearing customers that, as of October 26, we began rolling out several new billing plans designed to allow them to make use of FaceTime. This is part of our ongoing commitment to our customers with disabilities, and it’s a commitment which is very important to us.
We will continue to gather and assess the network data on this issue over the next few months and anticipate that we will be able to expand the availability of FaceTime to our customers on other billing plans in the near future.
So you’re still screwing over customers with unlimited data plans? Nice.
I’m sorry, but network management concerns are poppycock.
If you sign someone up for a contract that offers, say, 2GB of data per month, you should prepare your network for them using all 2GB of that. And you should not give a damn what that data that is.
Data is data is data. If I am going to use 2GB of it, it doesn’t really matter to you whether I am looking at a web page on a tethered PC, a FaceTime call to my friend, playing Farmville or doing any one of the other millions of other activities that rely on Internet access.
Some activities will use my allowance faster, but it is still my allowance.
This is why I left AT&T, and why I will never come back to you.
I have an iPhone 5 with unlimited data and I would like to use FaceTime over LTE. I do not and will not give up my unlimited data plan. Please all those of us that have long term loyal customers to do this. I pay for the data, let me use it as I see fit!
Still screwing over your most loyal customers, I see. You’re backtracking on telling the more recent tiered data customers that they can’t use their 2 or 3GB of data how they want (still no tethering though), but leaving the people who have been around for years with Unlimited plans out in the cold.
This is nothing but a grab for cash. Your shared plans are a rip-off, the people have noticed, and now you’re just making a second attempt to get legacy customers to switch to a metered plan for the same price as their old unlimited one by dangling a carrot that they shouldn’t have to ask for in the first place.
So as a 4S user on an unlimited plan, I’m still screwed both ways? No LTE device, no limited plan, no facetime for me. Thanks a whole heap, guys.
So, is my iPhone 4S considered LTE? You seemed to be happy to call it 4G… and LTE == 4G right?
I do believe you’ve shot yourself in the foot with your own marketing AT&T. The FCC is going to have fun sorting this mess out.
Why are you still not allowing customers with unlimited data plans to do the same?
This is nonsense and a kick in the pants to loyal customers of AT&T.
I 100% agre with all the above!!!! I also have a iPhone 5 and have been a loyal customer of AT&T for yrs Internet, home phone and Cell!!! I have been with you guys since I bought my 3GS !!! I have unlimited but being ripped off, manipulated and controlled by you guys telling me how I can use my cell phone features
and with what data u choose which is so unfair we are all asking for you to release the block on the unlimited customers!!! AND STOP LYING TO US!!! When I bought my iPhone 5 I was told that there was NO WAY POSSIBLE FaceTime could be used on ANY other plan BUT MOBILE SHARE!!! Which now aparantly isn’t true because its now being offered for other plan!!!! Come AT&T be fair with your customers ! As the previous person said special to those who have been loyal!!!!
So does this mean that those of us on Family Talk (which allows us to sign up for how much data / month) will be able to use FaceTime?
Yet another unlimited data plan customer here….If you wouldn’t oversubscribe your network, you wouldn’t have to worry so much about usage. Instead of being solely focused on profits, how about focusing on the customers? Especially loyal customers who have been able to grandfather a data plan because they have been customers for so long.
I’m grandfathered in to the unlimited plan since I’ve been a loyal AT&T iPhone customer for many years. I am very prepared to sign on to any complaint or suit against AT&T for limiting our use of Facetime while other users have access, simply because we have a different plan. Data is data. Do what is right before a court needs to force you to.
I as well have unlimited data for the last 5 years and use 1/2 of what I should most times with the occasional 5gb month. I don’t want to give up the plan as other have said but when is unlimited really unlimited? If anyone should have gotten it first it should have been us. As I see it I have paid thousands into the hopper in unused data and am being left high and dry!
You guys are shameful. Please add capacity to your network. I can’t even browse the web over 4G at my workplace during business hours. I can’t remember how many tickets I have sent with the “Mark my Spot” iPhone app. Maitland Center area near Orlando needs more capacity. Then you can add FaceTime over cellular.
Loyal customer since 07 with 2 lines on Unlimited Data. Dale P has a point I’m paying 60$ for data let me use it as I please.
Wouldn’t allowing customers to use FaceTime/Tethering as they please make them use more data thus have to buy more data? Throttling I’m not happy with either but at least give my my Unlimited 5GB and let me do whatever the hell I want with them…..
Not A Happy Camper.
I have filed a complaint with FCC already for not allowing facetime for my grandfathered unlimited plan
Please, somebody, start the class action lawsuit. This “unlimited” product sounds incredibly limited, now.
Guys, there’s no point in leaving a comment here or filing an FCC complaint. Nobody listens to the customers, as they only listen to cash.
I too have been a loyal AT&T customer for many years and have personally found cell reception and customer service to be fantastic.
However, the recent limits on grandfathered unlimited data plans have been very disappointing. Unlimited data is already throttled after 3GB (5 on LTE)—why the need to punish loyal customers further?
These moves will not encourage people to adopt tiered plans, but rather result in many of your customers choosing to switch networks instead.
Do the right thing, AT&T. You can phase the roll-out of FaceTime to test/prep your network but as everyone is stating: data is data.
And that applies especially to grandfathered unlimited data plan customers – who have been loyal and paying you since the iPhone’s beginning!
This latest stunt is why I left you for another carrier. Newsflash: You DO NOT own the spectrum that you use for you business. You license it. Therefore, you will either follow the rules governing that license or the FCC will fine you into oblivion, not to mention all the lawsuits you’ll have to contend with.
ATT removes comments from this page, thats how much they care about their customers needs 😛 Shame on ATT… We need to Stop supporting ATT as we stopped supporting Netflix for beeing so Greedy!
And this is why I filed an FCC complaint and reached out to a Los Angeles attorney about getting a class action lawsuit going. See you in court soon AT&T!
Funny thing is…
I travel all the time in my line of work. About 20 weeks out of the year. FaceTime should be the optimal feature for me but I don’t use it much. I’ll venture to say MOST users don’t use video calling very much. BUT… To not let your loyal long time unlimited data plan user users, such as myself use it, just makes us feel like second class customers. So you are absorbing bad press for NOTHING. Bad marketing.
It’s a dumb strategy and as we are seeing you are expanding the service to others because you are finally realizing that most people either don’t use or use it occasionally. There is always the exception to the rule. But you folks at ATT know this.
You guys are horrible, always looking to screw your loyal customers. Do me a favor and just eliminate us grandfathered unlimited data customers so I can finally just get Verizon.
This crap about the “network” not being able to handle FaceTime is BS. With the tiered plans lets say you pay for 2GB. So they can use ALL 2GB with FaceTime, but what happens when they go over that? You charge them an extra $10 for another GB. If your network was that severely bogged and at capacity you wouldn’t allow people to go over their tiered plan even though you charge them to. This is plain and simple a way to get peoples money buy forcing them into “capped” plans and then providing them a service that uses a lot of data. The percentages are that they will go over and ATT will rake in their $!0 fee. I was even thinking about getting a normal plan since i have the unlimited and get throttled every month. I pay $30 for all the data i want but get throttled at 5GB. Your 5GB plan is either $45 or $50 THEN i get charged $10 for every gig i go over after that. So why on earth would i change.
I have had ATT for 8+ years. I consider myself a loyal customer. I have a grandfathered unlimited plan. I have yet to be able to use facetime over cellular or tether. Data is data, you cap my speeds regardless when I hit a certain gb. Why can’t I use MY DATA THAT I PAY FOR freely? I really would like a response.
The law is clear. AT&T cannot block FaceTime based on claims of potential congestion. There’s nothing even remotely reasonable about that approach. AT&T simply can’t justify blocking an app that competes with its voice and texting services unless customers purchase a more expensive monthly plan that includes an unlimited amount of those very same services. AT&T’s course correction is a move in the right direction, but until the company makes FaceTime available to all of its customers it is still in violation of the FCC’s rules and the broader principles of Net Neutrality .
Why would you still screw over your most loyal customers who pay the most and have unlimited data? It makes no sense. The FCC will come knocking very soon AT&T.
Still screwing your unlimited customers, though, huh? Oh, wait, that should be “unlimited*” shouldn’t it.
*Unlimited data limited to data AT&T likes. Unlimited data limited if you use too much.
HOW IS IT A UNLIMITED DATA PLAN IF AT&T IS LIMITING IT!?!?!?
Your policy of choosing what people can and cannot do with data they’ve purchased is absolutely ridiculous. Invest some of the exorbitant fees we pay you into improving your network rather than horde it and try to limit the customer. Being consumer oriented would make you much stronger as a company, but instead you choose to go the anti-consumer monopolistic route. Outrageous.
So, how exactly is it not discriminatory to prevent customers with an LTE phone on an unlimited data plan from using FaceTime. The fact that our data plan is “unlimited” should not allow you to place artificial limits on what we do with that data. The fact that you put in place such a limit is in and of itself discriminatory.
The fact that we are still on unlimited data plans basically proves that we lived with AT&T’s sub-acceptable 3G service in NJ, NY, DC, etc for the past 5 years. I still can’t use my phone at any major airport because the network can’t handle it.
I might be mistaken, but can’t we download 3rd party software which will do the same thing as FaceTime? If so, what have you gained AT&T, except to deny to your customers an application that is integrated and tested with the phone and is less likely to cause problems with your network? We just picked up an IPhone5 today for AT&T network and were not aware of this stupid policy. We have FaceTime on two new laptops and were looking forward to seeing it work. It is not something we would use often but it is kind of nice. Our contract with AT&T is up for three phones. Time to jump ship. We also won’t be able to recommend AT&T to others like we always have. AT&T has had YEARS to upgrade their networks to handle the volume. Stupid policies and pathetic excuses do not endear a company to their most loyal customers. Free FaceTime!
I’m sure it wont matter because the FCC and other government agencies like it really work for big business and not the consumers they were founded to protect but I still filed my complaint. I have never needed to use Facetime over cellular and probably never will but I’m tired of being told how to use what I pay for. I would switch to Verizon but they are no better, hopefully Sprint will get their network in order someday so I can switch to them.
for the love of god, you don’t even give unlimited users like myself unlimited data…what is the worst thing that’s going to happen by not letting us use facetime over cellular? you know you’re not going to let us go over 5gb anyway, and most of us use under 2. you’re only doing this to sell a plan none of us are going to switch to at the cost of pissing us off further for no good reason. everyone loses. oh, and you’re the ONLY carrier left restricting facetime. congrats on being unique.
You better get this going on the grandfathered unlimited plans otherwise I’ll go to a competitor when I’m up for renewal.
I say this as someone who’s dad & granddad retired from at&t.
Agreed! We feel punished for being a long-time loyal customer of AT&T! Then we bought into the ‘Unlimited’ (aka False Advertising) Data Plan. FaceTime is an application/feature, it has NO ties to the type of Data Plan we have except AT&T punishing good customers! Data is data, FaceTime, FaceBook, Twitter or whatever. What is AT&T going to censor next? Then to put salt into an open wound, they constantly try to strong-arm us into changing our Data Plan! Where is our Lawyer community to help us fix this?
I really am starting to agree with all these previous comments. I have been a loyal customer since the very first iPhone and I want to stay with you, but this is not fair to us.
If Verizon can have Facetime over cellular then so can ATT.
I think if AT&T does not help us loyal customers on the grandfather unlimited data plan actually use our data plan as we want they should get sued for binding contracts with out customer authorization … And plan to get sued.. And if sued the out come for me hopefully would be a contract buy out at their expense, a refund for the years paid for a “unlimited” plan that’s never true, unlocked our phone or phones and that’s it… After that its up to each individual person to figure out what to do next… Go back to AT&T for a NEW contract or chose a new cell phone company..
Here’s the approach you should’ve taken, and that we demand you to take immediately:
1. Enable FaceTime cellular usage across your network, for all data customers.
2. Throttle cellular usage of FaceTime, only as needed to maintain network reliability.
Be transparent about network capacity issues with FaceTime, and I, a model 10+ year customer of multiple AT&T services, will empathize.
If AT&T doesn’t follow the above approach within November, you’ve finally lost my loyalty, and I will reluctantly spend the time needed to convert all of my AT&T services over to your competitors. I will actively persuade friends, extended family, and colleagues to do the same. I forgive many service faults; however, I do not forgive egregious mistakes & absurd limitations.
You can attribute the following line for motivating me to take action:
“… there was no way for our engineers to effectively model usage, and thus to assess network impact.”
You are doing it wrong.
I been with att for more then 13 years. I already filed an fcc complain. regarding FT over my unlimited data. and also tether. Hope some one on att read the comments here.
there are a lot of good points. one thing i agree is that you have to be able to do on unlimited data plan ,wherever you want. of course on fair use, and i see sense on not allowing FT over Unlimited data plans, ones you reach your limite (5) or (3) gs . throttle the speed . you wont be able to use FT, on the edge speed. you cant even browse on edge much les FT or Tether. they make no sense
I’ve been using cellphones with AT&T since the mid 1990s– probably longer than Mr. Cicconi or most of AT&T’s executives have worked at that company.
I have been thankfully “grand-fathered” into an unlimited data plan however AT&T continually uses this as blackmail in the face of progress. Data is like water in today’s world. It’s ubiquitous and absolutely necessary.
By continuing to restrict its access to customers,especially extremely loyal customers, you show that you really don’t care about anything but profits.
If infrastructure control were truly the reason for the restrictions, say so. Advertise that “Unlimited data and Facetime coming soon..to all customers!”
But we know the truth..there are juicy profits in herding the masses into pens rather than letting them roam.
One of the days you’ll understand this..and that will probably be the day another communications company decides to acquire AT&T.
Ridiculous policies like this in addition to your mediocre service and prices are why I’ve left AT&T. You now have one less iPhone loading down your network. You’re welcome.
As an iPhone 4S user with an unlimited data plan I want you to know this plan is total BS and I going to file a formal complaint with the FCC. Nickel and dining your customers with 17 different plan options and levels when selling the plan as unlimited is bait and switch. You should be better than this AT&T.
Filed at: http://www.fcc.gov/complaints
Complaint Type: Open Internet (Net Neutrality)
Category: Blocking of Internet content, applications, or services
Details of the activity or conduct that form the basis for your complaint:
AT&T is my carrier for iPad cellular data. I have maintained a grandfathered “unlimited” plan for convenience and to guard against overages (though I’ve barely used 2 GB in the past year). Despite its “unlimited” designation, AT&T has changed its policies to limit this plan by throttling to low speeds above 3 GB per month. Nevertheless, AT&T continues to block Internet content, applications, and services by preventing FaceTime conferencing and Personal Hotspot from working on my “unlimited” plan using cellular data. This is a violation of Net Neutrality and open Internet by selectively blocking specific services from specific venders. I have paid for my monthly data but AT&T selectively restricts how I can use it, further limiting my “unlimited” plan. AT&T cannot have it both ways, throttling data plans so they are effectively limited, while selectively withholding services that are available on AT&T’s limited plans or through competitors who have made Net Neutrality promises.
LOL and I bet half you people barely use a fraction of your two or three gig allowances. I bet whenever you are offered other mobile internet solutions from ATT you object “oh but there’s free wifi everywhere.” Hey guys, turn your wifi on on your phone, connect to wifi which you say is everywhere and free, and be quiet.
Boy do I empathize with all those well written comments by others like me who have been a loyal ATT customer for years and years. I will stick to skype before I pay you more to use FaceTime. You sucker your customers too much. I agree: data is data and you don’t do anything to go out of your way to keep loyal customers. I am sssooooo sorry I signed up with you for another two years by getting a new iPhone last week.
What you are doing is a violation of net neutrality laws. It is also a big slap in the face to some of your most loyal customers. If you didn’t want people to have unlimited data, you shouldn’t have offered it in the first place.
Trying to bully your own customers out of their unlimited plans is now right. This situation really shows AT&T’s true colors. First they throttle data, now this. I can deal with throttling if i’m past a certain amount of data usage, but not with FaceTime being blocked. What’s next, blocking email?
AT&T, make this right, stop violating net neutrality, stop abusing loyal customers, enable FaceTime for all data plans.
I cant wait to end my contract with At&T.
Besides screwing customers on unlimited data plans with inflated rates they still have the audacity to block the service unless you switch. I will be taking my business elsewhere come next May…
Folks, AT&T is ripping customers off again. In Europe and the UK, an unlimited data plan with hundreds of minutes and thousands of texts (free to receive) costs about $15/$30 month…with no contract. FaceTime for all!
I will NEVER give up my unlimited plan. Bring it ATT the more you pull this crap the more data I will use. I would be cool and just use it normally but the more you pull this stuff the more I stream video and download stuff over my 4g instead of wifi. I bought UNLIMITED I want unlimited.
Are you kidding me, how much more money do you need to make, I have unlimited data, I pay for it and have been for years, I have 5 phones on my plan of which only 2 are unlimited data, now I cant use Facetime because I am being singled out due to an Unlimited plan. I smell ILLEGAL here, wonder what an attorney would say to a class action suit!! I sure hope you change your mind on this ridiculous decision as I assure you this will not be the last of the complaints, I am sure the Media would also have a heyday with this, so why punish your long term customers?
Love how you refer to the mobile share plans as “popular…” Popular, according to who?
I have unlimited data, I have for years, and this is really about getting me to give that up. I’d have more respect for you for you sould just admit that.
Also, you claim that Portland, OR has LTE. I live in downtown Portland, and the LTE signal dies a block away. So, AT&T, do you ever tell the truth?
1) Your Mobile Share plans are not “popular”. Most of your customers despise them.
2) Not all iPhones on your network can utilize FaceTime over the cellular network. Only iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 can. It is disingenuous to say, “Oh! We have too many iPhones that can do FaceTime! Boo hoo!” when only a fraction of your customers’ iPhones even support it.
3) You already have a mechanism for dealing with overuse of data: throttling. You’ve been using this network management tool for years and there is no reason why it won’t continue to work even with customers using FaceTime.
4) There are other apps that can use *far* more data than FaceTime. Spotify, Pandora, Sirius XM. Those are just a few examples among *many* others. Few customers are going to be using FaceTime for hours each day. But we can easily run Pandora 24/7 sucking up far more data than we ever would with FaceTime. Yet these other apps are not blocked. Why? I’ll tell you why. It’s because, unlike FaceTime, they don’t compete with AT&T’s voice services.
5) Explain how switching to a Mobile Share plan magically makes the AT&T network suddenly able to handle FaceTime better.
6) I’ll grant you one argument you make that just might be valid: it’s possible that the AT&T network might not be up to the task of handling a large volume of FaceTime calls.
I’ve paid for “unlimited” data. At this point I’m seeking damages for fraudulent sales practices and failure to deliver services purchased. *See you in court AT&T. Folks, fight this corporate thuggery… These guys already have it easy, they sell bandwidth that doesn’t really exist at high rates. Don’t stand by why they gauge ONLY iPhone customers simply because our demographic is more capable of paying!
-File a State Corporation Commission Complaint
-File an informal FCC complaint
-File a complaint to your state attorney general’s office
-File a complaint with Better Business
-There are 3 pending class actions that you can attach to as well.
Fight for your rights as a consumer and get informed!
3 words = CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT
It’s been over 8 weeks, where’s the FaceTime?
Hopefully in the next 2 weeks!!
Ten weeks from this announcement would be Jan.17th 2013. Hope I have Face Time!!!
Today, 1/17/13 at&t has said that it will enable face time to those on tiered data plans “within the next few months”
On 11/7/12 at&t said that face time would be rolled out to those on tired data plans within 8 to 10 weeks, with those on other/unlimited data plans to come in the near future!!.
Basically, at&t didn’t roll out anything from 11/8/12 to 1/17/13 as they stated. They basically made the same announcement again but this time, they didn’t mention anything about other/unlimited users outside of the fact that facetime would not be enabled.
Why are you being so abrasive to your best customers? Why use a stick to browbeat “unlimited” data customers? You already throttle “unlimited” data users at a ridiculously low threshold. Your rentseeking and anticompetitive actions are not even hidden, they just reveal more and more the power of the duopoly you have engaged in with verizon.