Facetime Call Costs

gears

Myself and a couple of mates have the iphone 4 and I'm just wondering what costs are involved in using Facetime. I imagine it connects to wifi when you make a call or does it, I'm just a bit worried about getting some massive bill because if it. So does any one know?

drunkmonkey

It's free over wifi, you only get charged once when you first activate facetime, think it's around 30cent once off.

nava

drunkmonkey wrote: »

It's free over wifi, you only get charged once when you first activate facetime, think it's around 30cent once off.

I activated Facetime last week on O2 network and didn't get charge anything, reading the O2 forum looks like they are refunding all Facetime charges, charge didn't show up on the bill at all.

Facetime does not work on 3g but if are Jailbreak use 3G Unrestricted and will work ok.

kraggy

Can someone please clarify?

Can you use Facetime on 3g? I have unlimited internet so wouldn't it be free if you can use Facetime on 3g?

Also, isn't the app 99c or something? So it's not free initially..

If you can't use Facetime on 3G, can you do video calling over 3G with skype?

muff03

FaceTime is free, I've been using it for the last year to call Canada and America and have never been charged.

As said above, unless you jailbreak your iPhone 4 you can only use FaceTime on wifi, and it comes as part of the software, it's on your iPhone 4 from day one. Just chose the FaceTime option in the person you are calling's contact options.

And skype video calling works over 3G, but you will pay fir it!

Mellor

kraggy wrote: »

Can you use Facetime on 3g?

No as standard.
You can if you jailbreak. There is also a chance that you will be able to use it over 3G in the near future

I have unlimited internet so wouldn't it be free if you can use Facetime on 3g?

If you could, then yes it would.

Also, isn't the app 99c or something? So it's not free initially..

It comes as part of the OS for any iDevice

[
If you can't use Facetime on 3G, can you do video calling over 3G with skype?

Yes.

muff03 wrote: »

FaceTime is free, I've been using it for the last year to call Canada and America and have never been charged.

It's not set up to be "free"
It's over wifi, its going through your wireless network, that's why you aren't being charged. If you use it over 3G (via jailbreak) you will get charged if you exceed your allowance

kraggy

Thanks Mellor.

Muff03, how will you pay for skype over 3G?

If I have unlimited internet on my phone, and I'm ringing someone else who either:

a. is on their iphone in a wireless area

b. on their computer

c. is on their phone but they too have unlimited internet allowance

...then why will it cost money to video call them on skype?

Skype over the internet is free, is it not?



2 more questions:

1. How does the quality of skype over 3g compare with over wirelss?

2. How does the quality of Facetime compare with skype?

Mellor

kraggy wrote: »

Muff03, how will you pay for skype over 3G?

If I have unlimited internet on my phone, and I'm ringing someone else who either:

a. is on their iphone in a wireless area

b. on their computer

c. is on their phone but they too have unlimited internet allowance

...then why will it cost money to video call them on skype?

Skype over the internet is free, is it not?

Most mobile packages are capped. 2gig, 3gig, 6gig etc.
Skype or facetime (over 3G via JB) uses counts towards this data and if you go over the limit you will get charged.

Unlimited data is quite rare and normally only comes on the most expensive plan. If you have it then viseo calls aren't an extra charge for you, but if the person is on difference plan, then they might get charged, even if you ring them (as there is no caller/reciever on data calls)

kraggy

Ah that makes sense. I have unlimited data here so it won't affect me. Still a pain that I'm limited to skype without jailbreaking though.

Tell me this, are there any apps that count your minutes that you use? Or would that app have to come from the service provider?

Jwacqui

kraggy wrote: »

Ah that makes sense. I have unlimited data here so it won't affect me. Still a pain that I'm limited to skype without jailbreaking though.

Tell me this, are there any apps that count your minutes that you use? Or would that app have to come from the service provider?

Consume tells you what you've used from minutes, texts and data. And it's free! Great app!