Sprint won’t charge for FaceTime use

Written by

Jordan Golson, MacRumors:

While AT&T hasn’t yet decided whether or not it will charge users for using Apple’s FaceTime video-chat service over its cellular network, Sprint says it’s customers can use the service free of charge.

I wonder if that will put any pressure on AT&T. Telcos are famous for flip-flopping on these types of things though, so I’m not convinced this will last.



  • http://twitter.com/zakmahshie Zak

    No. AT&T only responds to Verizon. Sprint is an also-ran.

  • http://twitter.com/mynameisseb Sebastian Atwater

    Sprint’s data network is so crappy, you’ll have a hard enough time using FaceTime on it anyway.

  • D Pauw

    Verizon and AT&T always put out essentially the exact same convoluted plans but with staggered pricing schemes to make them hard to compare and understand to keep the status quo in place.

  • http://www.thediceguys.com Dean Lewis

    I hear bad things about Sprint, such as coverage or data network problems, and yet they consistently appear to be giving their customers the better deals. (Not counting MVNOs.) And then there are those little things like airdropping cells into disaster areas, such as after Hurricane Katrina, so emergency responders have coverage — something they did faster and better than any other carrier. And they cut bills for people in disaster areas, too. All of that is something I want to support.

  • http://twitter.com/darianr Darian Rawson

    Yeah, well, good luck trying to get it to work over Sprint’s unlimited 3G bandwidth of .02mbps.

  • Steve

    I’ve been using Skype’s video functions over Sprint’s network for months now, so I’m pretty sure they’re serious about allowing the Facetime usage to continue barring a massive policy shift.

  • http://geekfun.com/ Erik S.

    I wonder if AT&T’s FaceTime blocking is only going to be directed at people still on grandfathered “unlimited” plans. Otherwise, I have a hard time understanding why either AT&T or Verizon would block FaceTime, given their current pricing schemes, unless, of course, their networks aren’t up to the task.

    I think this all gets interesting when/if T-Mobile gets to offer the next iPhone in the US. My assumption is that Apple will extract some extra concession from them that Apple can use as a lever against Sprint, and then against AT&T and Verizon.

    My guess as to what that might look like: An Apple branded mobile service that uses both Sprint and T-Mobile’s networks with a reasonable price and generous data allowances.