Facetime calls being charged for?!

[Dell fan]

I made a facetime call which i have seen i was charged for R1,75:wtf: it uses your wifi thats all so why does vodacom charge for facetime calls? i thought it was free..

 

[Ockie]

What on earth is Facetime?

Oh...I see...kinda like Skype for Apple? Are you sure you connected via Wi Fi and not 3G?

 

[morkhans]

The Video data probably travels over the same 3G stream as the audio, so I would imagine you would be charged for it yes.

 

[upup]

I think it must be free.

 

[ginggs]

I made a facetime call which i have seen i was charged for R1,75:wtf: it uses your wifi thats all so why does vodacom charge for facetime calls? i thought it was free..

It sounds to me like you are charged for an initial voice call, thereafter the video call happens over wifi:

http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-facetime-video-calls-wont-use-your-carrier-minutes-2010-6

"The voice call ends as soon as the FaceTime call connects," Apple tells us. "The FaceTime call is over Wi-Fi so does not use carrier minutes."

 

[jiteshraj]

Try making the FaceTime call in airplane mode.

 

[biometrics]

Try making the FaceTime call in airplane mode.

Isn't wifi also off in airplane mode?

 

[bwana]

You establish a FaceTime connection by dialling a telephone number, correct? So it stands to reason that you're going to get charged by the SP for that initial connection before it kicks over to wifi.

 

[The_Unbeliever]

There's always a catch...

 

[Soul Assassin]

I don't believe it because you can do Facetime with a iPod and a Wi-Fi only iPad, millions of people have iPhones and one lone South African discovered that Facetime gets charged with a initial gsm call, I think not.

 

[bwana]

I don't believe it because you can do Facetime with a iPod and a Wi-Fi only iPad, millions of people have iPhones and one lone South African discovered that Facetime gets charged with a initial gsm call, I think not.

On those other devices you're connecting via an email address rather than directly dialling the other persons cellphone?

 

[Soul Assassin]

I just Facetimed myself from a iPod Touch using just my number, no email info.

 

[Anony-mousse]

When you set up FaceTime it sends an authorization SMS. You will certainly not be charged for any FaceTime call, no matter if you call an email address or cell number. FT is always free.

 

[touch_stone]

Isn't wifi also off in airplane mode?

No, wifi still active

 

[Synaesthesia]

I'm sure airplane mode switches off wifi.

 

[bwana]

I'm sure airplane mode switches off wifi.

I'm with you on this.

 

[Anony-mousse]

Airplane mode turns off all wireless connections

 

[MongooseMan]

Airplane mode turns off all wireless connections

It does, but, you can then go and turn your wifi back on (try it, I just did). Phone remains in airplane mode (GSM off, etc) but wifi turns on.

 

[bboy]

Facetime can sometimes send a sms in the background which you may be charged with.

 

[rapidblue]

Facetime can sometimes send a sms in the background which you may be charged with.

Yip, Facetime sends an initial SMS upon registration to set it up - that's probably what it was (seeing it also cost R1.75 for the international SMS to Apple's servers)...