FCC on AT&T's decision to charge users for FaceTime: "we will exercise our responsibilities and we will act"

posted by Victor H. / Sep 26, 2012, 7:54 AM

FCC on AT&T's decision to charge users for FaceTime:

The iPhone is the most prolific smartphone in the United States, and that’s one big reason why it’s disturbing to see AT&T decide to charge users for using its otherwise free video calling feature FaceTime.

Many users have complained, and rival carriers Verizon Wireless and Sprint have made the situation even more frustrating for AT&T as they confirmed they’ll be offering the service for free. Problem is AT&T is using a technicality, a literal way into reading a not-perfectly-written law. And now, the Federal Communications Committee confirmed that it would review complaints about AT&T’s controversial decision.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said that if AT&T doesn’t respond to the commissions attempts to resolve the problem and "doesn't lead to a resolution and a complaint is filed, we will exercise our responsibilities and we will act."

Net neutrality folks and users in general should be quick to address the FCC with a formal complaint. They have all stressed that FCC's Open Internet rules ban randomly limiting services like FaceTime over particular networks.

source: TheVerge

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16 Comments

1. Droid_X_Doug

Posts: 5993; Member since: Dec 22, 2010

This Is what happens when you become a pig. Imagine how much worse it would have been if AT&T had been successful in acquiring T-Mo....

posted on Sep 26, 2012, 7:59 AM 6

2. baldilocks

Posts: 1494; Member since: Dec 14, 2008

...and now AT&T will use that as justification to raise data prices. Then Verizon will follow suit and then Sprint and T-Mobile. Then the same people will complain that prices are going up. Use something else for video calling instead of Facetime. Problem solved.

posted on Sep 26, 2012, 8:02 AM 2

8. Aeires unregistered

T-Mobile just started an unlimited data plan, I don't see them screwing customers to keep up with the Jones'.

posted on Sep 26, 2012, 8:46 AM 2

13. Dr.Phil

Posts: 2340; Member since: Feb 14, 2011

Doesn't T-Mobile still throttle data after 2GB of data usage? If so, then while you may think they aren't screwing over their customers, they really kind of are.

posted on Sep 26, 2012, 10:31 AM 0

14. downphoenix

Posts: 3165; Member since: Jun 19, 2010

well the new plans advertise that they dont throttle. Im sure someone that remains on the previous plans will be throttled. The new plans seem to cost more than the previous plans, so maybe they are gonna stop the throttling and are betting that allowing more data will give them a boost in revenue over their current setup.

posted on Sep 26, 2012, 12:02 PM 0

17. crankyd00d

Posts: 191; Member since: Oct 17, 2011

If you read like a sufficiently smart person would do when buying something you would know where and when you will be throttled, it's right there in the description for every single option. Anyway, no throttling with the new unlimited data option

posted on Sep 27, 2012, 2:50 AM 0

16. NexusKoolaid

Posts: 493; Member since: Oct 24, 2011

As if they ever needed justification to raise data prices.

posted on Sep 26, 2012, 12:47 PM 0

4. -box-

Posts: 3991; Member since: Jan 04, 2012

Facetime is one of the worst video chat apps out anyway. Low frame rates, high data consumption, server issues, not to mention apple-only restrictions and that apps like Skype, Fring, Tango, Qik, etc are superior to it in every way, as well as being [duh-duh-da!] cross-platform. The FCC should tell the whiners to do some research first and try the other programs out instead of using the proprietary one (which really reeks of violating net neutrality). As far as I've been hearing, AT&T's Mobile Share plans have been pretty satisfactory, since it allows higher data thresholds with unlimited minutes, which is beneficial because the minutes were the largest part of the customers' bills, plus with the option to switch back to a non-shared plan, they put themselves one step above verizon (as well as being cheaper)

posted on Sep 26, 2012, 8:13 AM 3

5. ebunny89

Posts: 10; Member since: Jun 07, 2012

Verizon is cheaper for lesser accounts. At&t only becomes cheaper when you have like 6 or more people on the account. Do your research.

posted on Sep 26, 2012, 8:16 AM 0

6. mozes316

Posts: 144; Member since: Sep 30, 2011

Verizon allows you to switch back to unshared plans as well...

posted on Sep 26, 2012, 8:24 AM 0

9. bigdawg23

Posts: 467; Member since: May 25, 2011

I will have to disagree. In my experience Android video chats blow. When I have used it on my SGS2, Vivid or G Note video is bad. When I move to Facetime on my iTouch its clear. Video playback on Android isn't that clear compared to Apple. Just look at Netflix, YouTube and Directv NFL Sunday Ticket app. Over wifi my Apple products blow Android away. When I had it iPhone those apps were fine over 3G.

posted on Sep 26, 2012, 9:09 AM 0

10. bucky

Posts: 3778; Member since: Sep 30, 2009

I have to disagree as well. I haven't seen any video chat apps even close to FaceTime.

posted on Sep 26, 2012, 9:18 AM 0

7. PhenomFaz

Posts: 1236; Member since: Sep 26, 2012

AT&T is just lickin' their chops cause the sheep lined up to buy the iphone 5. Well AT&T is just following Rotten Apple's example of being greedy! Bu the way just goes to show what problems one can encounter if he/she is a sheep and owns an iPhone (no matter which version)!

posted on Sep 26, 2012, 8:25 AM 0

11. bigstrudel

Posts: 594; Member since: Aug 20, 2012

Its really not the governments business to step in here. If you don't like AT&Ts policies; leave the carrier. If you're locked in on contract and don't want to shell out the quitting money; then you shouldn't have bought a subsidized phone. Perhaps a feature phone would be more appropriate for someone who can't pay up front for a premium device. Just a thought.

posted on Sep 26, 2012, 10:09 AM 1

12. MartyK

Posts: 1043; Member since: Apr 11, 2012

So you don't see how or why the government should protect 81 million customers from a big company?...So a companies should be allow to run a mock?...okay.

posted on Sep 26, 2012, 10:21 AM 0

15. downphoenix

You both are right. AT&T shouldn't be able to determine how users can use their phone, and at the same time, people shouldnt be allowed to get such an expensive device for so cheap and be locked into contract. Carriers should abandon the contract model, go full price on all handsets, and lower monthly bills.