AT&T’s FaceTime Blocking Hurts the Deaf

Chevy57

Chevy57

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AT&T will block mobile FaceTime unless customers sign up for an expensive unlimited voice plan?

AT&T's FaceTime Blocking Hurts the Deaf | Threat Level | Wired.com

If AT&T ultimately decides not to block FaceTime for deaf users on its TAP plan, the company’s plans will still hurt deaf and hard-of-hearing customers. Why? Because the company will still block mobile FaceTime for the people we talk to — our friends and family members who are iPhone users and know ASL, but who are not deaf themselves and thus do not qualify for the TAP plan. The point of having a mobile phone is the ability to be in touch anytime, anywhere — not to have to plan ahead and hope Wi-Fi is available wherever we land.
 
I'm going switch to Verizon so at&t can kiss my butt. :lol:
 
Well...speaking of AT&T.....I've got nothing good to say about that company!...And my reason(s) are too lengthly to say here.
 
1min of 640x480 video is around ~3mb average. In 2011 AT&T said they had 17.5 million activated iPhones: AT&T CMO: This Is How We Sold Millions More iPhones Than Verizon In 2011 - Forbes
In Q4 they sold 7.6 million iPhone 4S. So let's say they have ~6 million iPhone 4 users. Total 13.6 million

If we assume AT&T activate 3G facetime, maybe 50% of 13.6 million people use Facetime over 3G for 20 minutes each day (data rate = 60MB per person) = ~408+ GB used over network daily.
10 million people using facetime = ~600+ GB uploaded daily!!
It would slow down the rest of us on the network if everyone could do it. It's a dangerous move. Would you enjoy if your 3G internet speed is slow? Not only that, your FaceTime speed may slow down if congested and laggy video can't read the signs.

I say AT&T need to find a way to limit people from using too much facetime before allow it. It can reach 1 terabyte of 3G/LTE data each day easy if people don't watch their time.
I do use GTalk video over 3G but not every day.


Evo Dragon said:
We'll see about Sprint iPhone 5...
Click to expand...
I will be honest with you.. the CDMA and WiMAX speed will suck. Too slow until they get new technology.
 
naisho said:
1min of 640x480 video is around ~3mb average. In 2011 AT&T said they had 17.5 million activated iPhones: AT&T CMO: This Is How We Sold Millions More iPhones Than Verizon In 2011 - Forbes
In Q4 they sold 7.6 million iPhone 4S. So let's say they have ~6 million iPhone 4 users. Total 13.6 million

If we assume AT&T activate 3G facetime, maybe 50% of 13.6 million people use Facetime over 3G for 20 minutes each day (data rate = 60MB per person) = ~408+ GB used over network daily.
10 million people using facetime = ~600+ GB uploaded daily!!
It would slow down the rest of us on the network if everyone could do it. It's a dangerous move. Would you enjoy if your 3G internet speed is slow? Not only that, your FaceTime speed may slow down if congested and laggy video can't read the signs.

I say AT&T need to find a way to limit people from using too much facetime before allow it. It can reach 1 terabyte of 3G/LTE data each day easy if people don't watch their time.
I do use GTalk video over 3G but not every day.



I will be honest with you.. the CDMA and WiMAX speed will suck. Too slow until they get new technology.
Click to expand...

Sprint is currently upgrading to LTE now.
 
I don't worry about AT&T policy. I have jailbroken iPhone to can be used FaceTime video over 3G (cellular)in few times. No restriction to use Skype, ooVoo, Tango and some VRS mobile like nTouch, P3, Convo and Z4. I will wait to listen about new iPhone 5 (LTE) on Sept 12. I hope AT&T may not block FaceTime on new iPhone 5 and iPhone 4 for deaf users under TAP plan.
 
naisho said:
1min of 640x480 video is around ~3mb average. In 2011 AT&T said they had 17.5 million activated iPhones: AT&T CMO: This Is How We Sold Millions More iPhones Than Verizon In 2011 - Forbes
In Q4 they sold 7.6 million iPhone 4S. So let's say they have ~6 million iPhone 4 users. Total 13.6 million

If we assume AT&T activate 3G facetime, maybe 50% of 13.6 million people use Facetime over 3G for 20 minutes each day (data rate = 60MB per person) = ~408+ GB used over network daily.
10 million people using facetime = ~600+ GB uploaded daily!!
It would slow down the rest of us on the network if everyone could do it. It's a dangerous move. Would you enjoy if your 3G internet speed is slow? Not only that, your FaceTime speed may slow down if congested and laggy video can't read the signs.

I say AT&T need to find a way to limit people from using too much facetime before allow it. It can reach 1 terabyte of 3G/LTE data each day easy if people don't watch their time.
I do use GTalk video over 3G but not every day.



I will be honest with you.. the CDMA and WiMAX speed will suck. Too slow until they get new technology.
Click to expand...

Yeah. I think FaceTime video over LTE (4G) is better than 3G but battery drains quickly? But New iPhone 5 battery is larger and little longer life than current iPhone.
 
naisho said:
I will be honest with you.. the CDMA and WiMAX speed will suck. Too slow until they get new technology.
Click to expand...

My current HTC EVO 4G is not good speed without LTE but, new HTC EVO 4G LTE is improve speed with 4G LTE now. I'll decide to switch Sprint iPhone 5 with LTE due to my 2 yrs contract has been expired.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae6CTYjlJN8]Sprint Galaxy Nexus LTE VS EVO 4G LTE Speed Test! 38.5MB DOWN!! [LIVE] - YouTube[/ame]
 
Please study what mean TAP (Text Accessibility Plan), is Facetime a text?

Text and Video is whole different protocol and is NOT interchangeable so complaining about AT&T blocking Facetime on TAP is moot. It actually makes you look real idiot when you complain to AT&T over this (Yes, I am embarrassed that Deaf community actually complained over this). AT&T made right decision. The only way to make the change is scrap TAP, and create new plan which AT&T is very unlikely to offer because, here is the truth. Video is on the top of bandwidth hog. Video transmission actually taxing the system so severe over text.

It is like your trying to pay less for full blast of water coming out from fire hydrant (That is equivalent to video) than garden hose (Which is equivalent to text only). Get the drift? Accept and move on.

Verizon made smart move, that is why I said even though Verizon is expensive but I get more bang out of buck.
 
diehardbiker said:
Please study what mean TAP (Text Accessibility Plan), is Facetime a text?

Text and Video is whole different protocol and is NOT interchangeable so complaining about AT&T blocking Facetime on TAP is moot. It actually makes you look real idiot when you complain to AT&T over this (Yes, I am embarrassed that Deaf community actually complained over this). AT&T made right decision. The only way to make the change is scrap TAP, and create new plan which AT&T is very unlikely to offer because, here is the truth. Video is on the top of bandwidth hog. Video transmission actually taxing the system so severe over text.

It is like your trying to pay less for full blast of water coming out from fire hydrant (That is equivalent to video) than garden hose (Which is equivalent to text only). Get the drift? Accept and move on.

Verizon made smart move, that is why I said even though Verizon is expensive but I get more bang out of buck.
Click to expand...

Yup, at&t will be VERY congested if they allow to use Facetime over 3G/4G and it is very unlikely for at&t to expand the bandwidth, but Verizon is actively expand more bandwidth when their LTE become very congested, and they are no longer to expand the 3G anymore, just 4G only now.
 
Wow....I hope AT&T will abandon its plan because more and more angry customers including Deaf/HH customers need to talk with other people via facetime.

I wonder...does it apply to ipads, too? With AT&T, of course.
 
Foxrac said:
Sprint is currently upgrading to LTE now.
Click to expand...

I hope so. If AT&T still refuses to remove block on facetime, I consider switching to Verizon or Sprint. Or I will use jailbroken system. I have not download jailbroken system yet.
 
If my wife is on the road with me and someone (with iPhone) wants to communicate with her via FaceTime, she uses my phone's wifi.

If my wife wants to communicate with someone else, she uses Tango. :)
 
It will be some time until Sprint iPhone LTE. I think so due to Foxconn manufacturer will need to change the radio board to different model for Sprint.

I'm sure they will release iPhone 5 opening with AT&T (LTE band 4, 17) and Verizon (LTE band 13).
Sprint's LTE band 2 is new and few months old. I think iPhone LTE will not be on Sprint market until end of 2012 or early 2013 is my guess.

Also will have to watch coverage improve by Sprint, they need to add more LTE signal or FaceTime can be unuseable if you have weak Sprint (CDMA 2G/3G) signal.
 
naisho said:
It will be some time until Sprint iPhone LTE. I think so due to Foxconn manufacturer will need to change the radio board to different model for Sprint.

I'm sure they will release iPhone 5 opening with AT&T (LTE band 4, 17) and Verizon (LTE band 13).
Sprint's LTE band 2 is new and few months old. I think iPhone LTE will not be on Sprint market until end of 2012 or early 2013 is my guess.

Also will have to watch coverage improve by Sprint, they need to add more LTE signal or FaceTime can be unuseable if you have weak Sprint (CDMA 2G/3G) signal.
Click to expand...

AT&T GSM wireless is the most used mobile data in the world. Sprint and Verizon CDMA is not used in Europe and some Asia.
 
Chevy57 said:
AT&T GSM wireless is the most used mobile data in the world. Sprint and Verizon CDMA is not used in Europe and some Asia.
Click to expand...

LTE isn't part of CDMA, it is part of GSM.

Of course, Verizon and Sprint are switching and deploying LTE so they could abandon CDMA within decade after deployment of LTE completed.
 
Wirelessly posted

I need wifi to use FaceTime, it sad they block it for those who can use it. AT&T is the WORSE service . I didn't know what I got myself into, I love my iPhone but ugh paying the price to have it with AT&T .
 
Rio said:
Wirelessly posted

I need wifi to use FaceTime, it sad they block it for those who can use it. AT&T is the WORSE service . I didn't know what I got myself into, I love my iPhone but ugh paying the price to have it with AT&T .
Click to expand...

You can use facetime over WIFI.
 
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