“AT&T has done itself no favors with its fudged response to rumors of an extra fee in order to use FaceTime over 3G connections on devices running iOS 6,” Chris Davies writes for SlashGear. “Talk that the carrier would levy extra data charges if users wanted to take advantage of Apple’s increased FaceTime flexibility – so far limited to WiFi connections – prompted an uproar of pre-emptive complaints that AT&T might put a financial block in the way of iPhone and iPad functionality. But are we really on the precipice of a groundswell of video calling, or are we simply taking this opportunity to be angry at a carrier for daring to charge us money?”
“Going by the error messages popping up on devices already running the iOS 6 beta, it’s looking very likely that AT&T will be demanding another tithe for those wanting to use the data they’ve already paid for to make FaceTime 3G calls – on top of mandatory data package fees and, if required, tethering add-ons,” Davies writes. “Exactly how much that will cost – if, indeed, it happens at all – remains to be seen. AT&T could go for a pay-per-use fee, either on a per-call basis (say, $0.50 per FaceTime 3G call you make, regardless of length) or based on data consumption. Or, it could opt for a set fee each month for blanket FaceTime 3G calling; say, $10 more on top of your existing data package. Is $10 too much to ask for the convenience of not using, say, Skype and instead relying on Apple’s streamlined alternative? Would $5 be acceptable?”
Much more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: “Demanding another tithe for those wanting to use the data they’ve already paid.” That is the problem. Data is data. Place a monetary figure on each bit we try to pump through your generally ill-placed and sparsely-located cell towers, AT&T, and we’ll weigh it against your competitions’ prices and make our decision.
These predatory extra fees are one a the main reasons we chose to go with Verizon for our iPad 4G units: Verizon charges no extra feee for tethering, which makes sense since we already pay for the data.
We don’t resent paying for things, we resent paying for things for which we’ve already paid. AT&T needs to get a clue. Stop double charging people, you bloodsucking leeches!
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Edward Weber” for the heads up.]
Related articles:
AT&T Mobility unveils new shared data plans; ‘Mobile Share’ coming in August– July 18, 2012
Verizon Wireless kills voice minutes, makes data shareable among devices – June 12, 2012