FaceTime does not work over 4G on the new iPad

posted by Nick T. / Mar 15, 2012, 3:57 AM

FaceTime does not work over 4G on the new iPad

The Wi-Fi + 4G variant of the new iPad has support for HSPA+ at 21Mbps, DC-HSDPA at 42Mbps, and LTE peaking at 73Mbps. Sadly, none of these awesome-sounding figures and abbreviations matter if you are a FaceTime user. That is because FaceTime does not work over 4G on the new iPad, as the guys at The Verge have discovered.

Actually, that shouldn't come as much of a surprise as FaceTime did not work over 3G either. And even though Steve Jobs once said that Apple will try to work things out with the wireless carriers, it seems like the feature will remain Wi-Fi-only in the short term. Ironically, the Wi-Fi + 4G iPad on Verizon will get Wi-Fi hotspot functionality at no extra cost. That said, several iOS devices can hook up to the tablet's 4G connection and use FaceTime anyway, although the feature will still eat up about 3 megabytes per minute off the iPad's data plan.

So yeah, all of you people lining up for the new iPad may not be happy to hear that, but FaceTime is still a Wi-Fi-only feature. If you are now looking for a way to extinguish your frustration, feel free to drop us a comment below.

source: The Verge

FaceTime does not work over 4G on the new iPad

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25 Comments

1. frydaexiii

Posts: 1476; Member since: Dec 01, 2011

And why am I not surprised? What's the point of 4G then?

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 4:12 AM 4

15. c.hack

Posts: 614; Member since: Dec 09, 2009

You shouldn't be susprised because Facetime has always been solely a wifi service. It was never advertised to work over cellular data. Skype works great for that. Facetime works great with wifi iPods and iPads though. Its higher quality and has less drops than skype. Its great to have all the choices on the #1 tablet, and still get OS updates on the day they come out.

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 10:41 AM 1

19. frydaexiii

Posts: 1476; Member since: Dec 01, 2011

iPad is not a tablet, it's a giant iPod. Tablets can actually do more than play dumb games and watch videos which the iPad only seem to be able to do.

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 12:21 PM 2

22. simplyj

Posts: 406; Member since: Dec 23, 2009

You could say the same thing about Android as well. You're an idiot. You can do the same thing on iOS and Android.

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 2:04 PM 3

23. atheisticemetic

Posts: 377; Member since: Dec 18, 2011

no you cant...otherwise people wouldnt argue that Android is better than IOS or visa versa... you sir are the idiot Android has operating specific functions and apps that IOS or Winphone cannot do

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 3:01 PM 3

25. Lucas777

Posts: 2137; Member since: Jan 06, 2011

i wouldnt worry about it… i would say there will be a jailbreak app quite soon for anyone that has a problem with it… but i have never video chatted with my phone and i doubt too many people do on a regular basis… i think apple still couldve left the option though

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 7:14 PM 0

2. B3BLW29

Posts: 238; Member since: Mar 02, 2012

Ohh all the Baristas are gona be might pissed now...

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 4:14 AM 6

3. sorcio46

Posts: 435; Member since: Jul 27, 2011

limits for limited products by Apple

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 4:33 AM 3

16. c.hack

Posts: 614; Member since: Dec 09, 2009

But fodder for the brainless droidlets

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 10:42 AM 1

4. paulyyd

Posts: 340; Member since: Jan 08, 2011

Lol this restriction is imposed by the carrier not apple, let's not be retards about this

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 5:17 AM 4

6. frydaexiii

Posts: 1476; Member since: Dec 01, 2011

I think you're the only retard here, even we fandroids know this was imposed by Apple so iFans don't exceed their monthly data limit and put the blame on them later...

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 5:52 AM 5

7. rf1975

Posts: 264; Member since: Aug 01, 2011

Hey guys just use TANGO. It is better than face time & will work with 3G.

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 6:03 AM 5

8. remixfa

Posts: 14605; Member since: Dec 19, 2008

thats not true in the least. every other mobile OS that has video chat can do it over 3g and 4g. ONLY apple forces you to use wifi. so.. lets see.... oh yea, thats an apple restriction.

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 6:54 AM 9

21. shimmyx20

Posts: 280; Member since: Mar 03, 2009

You can still use any of the other video chat services like Skype through 3G or 4G on the Apple products.

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 1:28 PM 0

13. DanMarino13

Posts: 63; Member since: Feb 22, 2012

this post is stupid X2, first off, you are dead wrong. second off, you said "let's not be retards about this" and your posting name is paulyyd, who is not only on jersey shore, but is the most retarded one on there.

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 8:31 AM 3

14. kcombs

Posts: 275; Member since: Dec 15, 2010

at&t and Verizon does not have access to the software on the device, so this is Apple's doing. My LTE galaxy note lets me use video chat over LTE not Wi-Fi only. (stock video chat too)

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 9:21 AM 2

5. thelegend6657 unregistered

WTF ? Although I am an apple fanboy I disagree with this move ! Guess I will have to jailbreak

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 5:46 AM 4

9. artman5x5

Posts: 10; Member since: Feb 23, 2012

Mine works... Oh yeah I am on Android...Ha Ha Ha!!!!

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 7:06 AM 9

17. c.hack

Posts: 614; Member since: Dec 09, 2009

Glad to hear you got facetime working on your droid. Still running froyo?

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 10:43 AM 1

18. frydaexiii

Posts: 1476; Member since: Dec 01, 2011

Awesome thing eh? Even froyo/Android 2.2 allows you to video call with 3G while iOS 5.1, the latest doesn't...

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 12:00 PM 3

10. rwolf1984

Posts: 536; Member since: Jun 06, 2009

4G unrestricter...Coming soon to a Cydia Store near You.

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 7:34 AM 0

20. downphoenix

Posts: 3165; Member since: Jun 19, 2010

its a restriction imposed by Apple, but given the restrictive data caps of carriers, I can understand why they did it at least. No point it having LTE if you can burn your data cap off in less than a day.

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 12:36 PM 0

26. roscuthiii

Posts: 2383; Member since: Jul 18, 2010

Not everyone has data limits. Some of us are lucky enough to be grandfathered into unlimited data. Others have the disposable income to pay for the overages, although in this economy that is probably a low, low number, and this is the important one here, there are those of us responsible responsible enough to conduct ourselves without needing our hands held. Just more Apple and their, "You're holding it wrong," mentality.

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 10:07 PM 0

24. atheisticemetic

Posts: 377; Member since: Dec 18, 2011

what?! my apple religion forces me to use WIFI?! how dare the almighty Apple force such things

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 3:05 PM 0

27. frommy728

Posts: 2; Member since: Mar 17, 2012

To settle an argument here... As a Verizon employee who sells android and apple, both have their benefits..... unfortunately, for the majority of us out there that arent tech savvy and/or have been apple followers since ipods and the first iphone operating system arrived, android is much easier with its plug and play features and basic functionality! Apple has their way of being meticulous, having a certain way of doing everything considered a "feature" in their phone, versus android which allows more customizing and open learning. But this Apple move of still wifi only on LTE is ridiculous... thats the purpose of LTE, to half rid wifi and provide speeds faster than most wifi networks, yet they still hold people back! Bad market move on thier part, get with the program.... thats why theres a 3:1 ratio of android to iphones out there!