AT&T recently launched a new unlimited data GoPhone plan, but some folks that decided to switch to the new plan are having issues with FaceTime on their iPhones.
Several GoPhone users on the new unlimited data plan say that they’re now unable to conduct FaceTime video calls over a cellular connection. When they try, they’re shown a pop-up that says “FaceTime requires an active Wi-Fi connection or an eligible cellular data plan.”
Today an AT&T representative said that the carrier is working to get FaceTime back up and running for these GoPhone customers. “We are currently working to restore FaceTime functionality for the limited number of AT&T GoPhone customers who are experiencing issues,” the person said to FierceWireless. However, no explanation about what’s causing the problem was given.
This isn’t the first time that AT&T customers have had FaceTime issues. Way back in 2012, AT&T said that it would only enable FaceTime over cellular calls for customers on its newest Mobile Share plans. Some groups said that they planned to file an FCC complaint against AT&T, and while AT&T asserted that its decision didn’t violate net neutrality, it eventually relented and made FaceTime over cellular available to all its tiered data plan customers.
It’s unclear whether what’s happening with AT&T GoPhone customers is a genuine bug or if AT&T is blocking FaceTime over cellular calls on its unlimited plan, which has limits like 3Mbps max speeds and 480p video streaming. AT&T does say that it plans to get FaceTime working for those customers that are unable to make video calls over cellular, though, so here’s to hoping that whatever the cause is, FaceTime over cellular gets working for these GoPhone customers soon.
