FaceTime Video Calls Still Limited to Wi-Fi as LTE iPad Rolls Out - MacRumors
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FaceTime Video Calls Still Limited to Wi-Fi as LTE iPad Rolls Out

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The Verge confirms in its testing with a review unit of the new iPad with 4G LTE that FaceTime video calling remains limited to Wi-Fi networks despite the fact that LTE offers greater bandwidth than many Wi-Fi networks.

We've just confirmed that although the new iPad has incredibly fast download and upload speeds over LTE, FaceTime video chat still won't work directly on the 4G network. As you can see in the positively vexing screenshot above, attempting to initiate a FaceTime call over LTE fails out with a message exhorting you to connect to a Wi-Fi network.

ipad facetime lte failed
As the report notes, Steve Jobs claimed during FaceTime's introduction at the iPhone 4 media event in June 2010 that Apple still needed to work with carriers to support FaceTime over cellular data networks and that the feature would consequently remain Wi-Fi-only at least through 2010. Well into 2012 and with 3G now giving way to LTE on the new iPad, it seems that carriers are still unwilling to allow FaceTime calls to be transmitted natively over their networks, presumably due to concerns about increased data usage and strained network capacity.

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Top Rated Comments

nsayer Avatar
nsayer
184 months ago
That's just silly.

When the data was unlimited, then it made at lest some logical sense to impose this limit. But if the carriers are going to charge for usage, wouldn't it make sense for them to want us to use a lot?
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
S.B.G Avatar
S.B.G
184 months ago
Somehow, I am not surprised. Cellular carriers :rolleyes:.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Cynicalone Avatar
Cynicalone
184 months ago
The carriers will continue to be the problem going forward.

With the iPad on LTE we now have a device that may have near cable internet speed on the go. And it is still handicapped by the pos carriers.

Using my iPhone to tether to my iPad for the MLB app last year I was able to only watch 3 full games per month before I hit the 4GB cap. LTE will make streaming easier and faster but it doesn't matter until we solve the carrier problem.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Vol7ron Avatar
Vol7ron
184 months ago
Is anyone really surprised? I bet that the carriers are looking for ways to incorporate this into an additional fee. In addition to voice, text/mms, data, you would now have video calling and be possibly charged for minutes. But who knows, I could be wrong, but I see the Carriers doing that in a heart beat...
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
T
troop231
184 months ago
If Skype works well enough over 3G than what's the issue with enabling FaceTime over 3G and now LTE? :confused:
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
B
Beaumon
184 months ago
Can you connect it to its own WiFi network and then use it? lol
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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