AT&T will begin charging iPhone users to make FaceTime calls over its cellular network when iOS 6 drops, according to a finding by 9 to 5 Mac.
In iOS 5, users can only make FaceTime calls when connected to a Wi-Fi network. However, the next version of Apple's mobile operating system will allow users connected to their cellular data network to video conference.
When the 9 to 5 Mac team tried to make a FaceTime call over AT&T's cellular network using the iOS 6 beta 3, it received the following message (image 2): "To enable FaceTimeover cellular on this account, contact AT&T at 611 or visit http://www.att.com/mywireless." When the team to replicate the result using a Verizon iPad, nothing happened. The FaceTime call went down on Big Red without a hitch.
AT&T currently requires users purchase a separate data plan to use the Personal Hotspot feature that was implemented in iOS 5. It now seems as though it will do the same for FaceTime calls made over its cellular network. AT&T has yet to confirm or deny its FaceTime plans for iOS 6.
Just what we needed: another reason to hate AT&T.
[via 9 to 5 Mac]
