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Verizon Says Discussion of Charging for FaceTime is “Premature”

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Verizon Wireless is not ready to commit to free FaceTime calls on 3G and 4G LTE for iPhone users when iOS 6 turns on the new feature this fall.

Carriers remain skeptical of allowing FaceTime video calling on cell phone networks, especially in light of new shared data plans.

Joining AT&T’s wait and see approach to the new FaceTime feature which will allow iPhone users to make video calls on cellular connection instead of tying users to WiFi. Verizon issued the following statement to GottaBeMobile.

Verizon Wireless said:

“The timing of any pricing conversations related to future versions of iOS is premature.”

Facetime over 3G on Verizon Could Cost

Facetime over 3G on Verizon could cost.

This statement is very similar to AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson’s comment that, “it’s too early to talk about pricing.”

While the iOS 6 is several months away from the official releases we can confirm that FaceTime over 3G works on a Verizon iPhone 4S, and it is one of my favorite iOS 6 features.

Carriers continue to struggle with what to charge for in the new smartphone-centric world. Despite putting data into buckets with the Verizon Share Everything and AT&T Mobile Share plans, carriers aren’t ready to commit to the fact that data is data no matter how customers use it.

What’s even more troubling is that carriers do not charge for Google Hangouts, Google Talk and Skype video chatting over 3G and 4G LTE connections. If carriers like AT&T and Verizon charge for video chatting on the iPhone it will be a point of contention for shoppers, though the carriers know it is probably not a breaking point for most users.

We’ve reached out to Sprint for comment on using FaceTime on the Sprint Unlimited plans.

3 Comments

3 Comments

  1. Fashion Trends

    07/19/2012 at 8:30 am

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  2. motoxer913

    08/31/2012 at 1:22 pm

    Any carrier that segregates Facetime data (or any other app) from other data is discriminating! On Android I can do this with Google Hangout, Skype, etc without having to answer to the carrier and be charged extra for it. If a carrier treats Facetime any different this is blatant discrimination against iPhone users and it’s WRONG! I won’t support a carrier with policies that discriminate.
    I will be buying two new iPhone5’s when they launch and after being an AT&T customer for 15 years I am willing to jump to another carrier if AT&T does not change their policy. Whichever carrier doesn’t discriminate will get my business…the carrier should not dictate how I use the data that I pay for.

    • Bob

      09/18/2012 at 7:47 am

      Exactly. If I pay for data I should be able to use it how I see fit. Besides why should they care anyway as it has already been paid for.

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