Carrier AT&T Wifi Calling: Activation imminent?

[the1payday]

I already know how this **** is going to go once they officially roll it out:

Just like Personal Hotspot, or FaceTime over LTE, they are going to require anyone who is on ANY kind of a plan that is not the "Next" program, to switch to the Next program, if you want this feature.

 

[Klaatu63]

The AT&T Support folks (#611) confirmed that the initial rollout of WIFI Calling is in the Illinois area. Another update, the Apple Support guy indicated that the initial implementation of WIFI calling will not support the iPhone 5s, with the intent to support it later?

 

[theshoehorn]

Wisconsin here... Successfully activated it shortly ago!

 

[iKnowDJZ]

I was just able to activate this on 2 phones minutes ago.

Are you doing this in Chicago? I'm in the city and its not working for me. Still getting the "Wifi Calling isnt available in your area, but check back soon.

 

[Daremo]

Are you doing this in Chicago? I'm in the city and its not working for me. Still getting the "Wifi Calling isnt available in your area, but check back soon.

Not the city, I'm in the burbs. Hinsdale.

 

[stulaw11]

Yeah I didn't read all that honestly. I just saw the thread figured I'd give it a try and BOOM lol

 

[vtgeek]

Anyone successfully called att and had them add the capability to their account per the error message?

 

[rstark18]

Quick question. Will it use WiFi calling ONLY when cell strength is weak or will it always use WiFi if connected to a WiFi network to make the calls?

 

[Cergman]

Sounds like its Texas only for now per the terms page.

I already know how this **** is going to go once they officially roll it out:

Just like Personal Hotspot, or FaceTime over LTE, they are going to require anyone who is on ANY kind of a plan that is not the "Next" program, to switch to the Next program, if you want this feature.

Check the screenshot. All it says you need is unlimited minutes and messages. At least for the test period anyway.

 

[theshoehorn]

Sounds like its Texas only for now per the terms page

I'm in Wisconsin and successfully activated...

 

[zemaker]

Looks like Grandfathered Unlimited accounts are a no go for Wi-Fi calling.

 

[CedricEarl]

Well I'm on a call. And idk how you tell wifi calling but I see no difference. Lol

 

[stulaw11]

Sounds like its Texas only for now per the terms page.


Check the screenshot. All it says you need is unlimited minutes and messages. At least for the test period anyway.

That's because they're headquarted in TX so TX lawyers drafted the clauses and they chose TX law. If you sue under these terms you sue in TX so they don't have to defend a case say in Alaska; all lawsuits stay in TX where they are.

Nothing to do with where the service is available.

 

[Cergman]

That's because they're headquarted in TX so TX lawyers drafted the clauses and they chose TX law. If you sue under these terms you sue in TX so they don't have to defend a case say in Alaska; all lawsuits stay in TX where they are.

Nothing to do with where the service is available.

Makes sense. It's a no go here in California.

 

[dhlizard]

I already know how this **** is going to go once they officially roll it out:

Just like Personal Hotspot, or FaceTime over LTE, they are going to require anyone who is on ANY kind of a plan that is not the "Next" program, to switch to the Next program, if you want this feature.

Or you can just buy your phone outright. All carriers are getting rid of phone subsidies.

Update: WiFi calling now working in Columbus, OH

 

[the1payday]

Or you can just buy your phone outright. All carriers are getting rid of phone subsidies.

How would I buy "the phone outright" that I already bought? Referring to the iPhone 6 I already own.

 

[dhlizard]

How would I buy "the phone outright" that I already bought? Referring to the iPhone 6 I already own.

If you bought your phone outright, you will not be forced to Next plan. That is for users to pay for their phone over 12 - 18 - 24 months

 

[swordfish5736]

Well I'm on a call. And idk how you tell wifi calling but I see no difference. Lol

That's how it looks on T-Mobile. I'd guess it'll do the same for ATT once it's fully functional

 

[2298754]

I already know how this **** is going to go once they officially roll it out:

Just like Personal Hotspot, or FaceTime over LTE, they are going to require anyone who is on ANY kind of a plan that is not the "Next" program, to switch to the Next program, if you want this feature.

FaceTime over 4G/LTE has been available on my grandfathered plan for a long time now...

 

[Lobwedgephil]

No love for me in Texas.

 

[the1payday]

If you bought your phone outright, you will not be forced to Next plan. That is for users to pay for their phone over 12 - 18 - 24 months

Lol. I know how it works, I was trying to make a point. I shouldn't have to change anything about my plan to get a feature my phone fully supports. It would be like having to buy a separate gallon of milk, from the one you just bought last week, because the company didn't intend for you to use the first gallon you bought to make chocolate milk with.

 

[the1payday]

FaceTime over 4G/LTE has been available on my grandfathered plan for a long time now...

Good to know they changed it at some point then. I specifically remember two scenarios where they blocked things that the iPhone's fully supported as a ploy to get people to move to their much less enticing plans. When tethering came out, they made people move to a tiered data plan (from unlimited) if they wanted to use it. When FaceTime over cellular launched with iOS 6, they then made people (half of them being the same ones that had to change plans for the previously mentioned reason) move from a single data plan to the Mobile Share data plans.

 

[gsmornot]

Lol. I know how it works, I was trying to make a point. I shouldn't have to change anything about my plan to get a feature my phone fully supports. It would be like having to buy a separate gallon of milk, from the one you just bought last week, because the company didn't intend for you to use the first gallon you bought to make chocolate milk with.

What they were saying is Next has nothing to do with your calling plan. Its simply a device purchase, interest free, installment payment option. If you're forced to change anything on your plan Next will not be involved.

I can't see anything being required to make this work other than WiFi. Personal Hotspot and Facetime over mobile data is one thing, the features are asking for bandwidth from the mobile network. In this case, they are allowing you to make calls over your WiFi network in the event your mobile signal is weak or non-existent like in a thick walled or metal clad building where the physics of radio waves are effected. I guess they could say if you have an unlimited plan we are going to keep this from you but I don't think they will in this case. It would gain nothing. Most plans have many more minutes included than people use anymore. I have no limit and probably use about 100 a month. Everything is data.

With that said, I get your point.

 

[the1payday]

What they were saying is Next has nothing to do with your calling plan. Its simply a device purchase, interest free, installment payment option. If you're forced to change anything on your plan Next will not be involved.

I can't see anything being required to make this work other than WiFi. Personal Hotspot and Facetime over mobile data is one thing, the features are asking for bandwidth from the mobile network. In this case, they are allowing you to make calls over your WiFi network in the event your mobile signal is weak or non-existent like in a thick walled or metal clad building where the physics of radio waves are effected. I guess they could say if you have an unlimited plan we are going to keep this from you but I don't think they will in this case. It would gain nothing. Most plans have many more minutes included than people use anymore. I have no limit and probably use about 100 a month. Everything is data.

With that said, I get your point.

Focusing on the bolded portion. The problem with this is that you are already paying for the data and it shouldn't be any of their goddamn business what you use it for, since you are paying for it. I do understand your point though on the rest of it. I can get them blocking unlimited user's from certain things. The problem is, they did it again with the whole Single (limited) data plan and forcing those users to move to a shared (limited) data plan. And I could easily see them doing it again by forcing people who use the old 2-year upgrade subsidy model, and saying "oh, if you want THIS feature, you have to move to the Next plans, or just buy the phone outright." Either which of those permanently removes you from the option to ever use a 2-year upgrade again.

I'm not arguing that 2-year subsidy plans are going away. My problem is that they keep blocking certain features every couple of years from working, unless you upgrade to whatever new plans they are doing, even though the two should have nothing to do with each other.

 

[doerrmann]

I already know how this **** is going to go once they officially roll it out:

Just like Personal Hotspot, or FaceTime over LTE, they are going to require anyone who is on ANY kind of a plan that is not the "Next" program, to switch to the Next program, if you want this feature.

My problem is that they keep blocking certain features every couple of years from working, unless you upgrade to whatever new plans they are doing, even though the two should have nothing to do with each other.

Maybe I'm missing something, but how do we know that AT&T Wifi Calling will be restricted to certain plans? I haven't seen anything official from either AT&T or Apple. While I'm not going to argue with you that AT&T is forcing people into their NEXT plans, I think that any idea that NEXT will be required for Wifi Calling is, at least at this point, conjecture.