Since FaceTime was introduced at WWDC a couple of weeks ago, the question begging to be answered was, how will a FaceTime video call be initiated? Will it originate from a Bonjour style connection over your Wi-Fi network? Will it originate as a voice call and then switch to Wi-Fi? If it originated as a voice call, would it charge your minutes?
Ed Sutherland of Cult of Mac explains how the process will work:
““The voice call ends as soon as the FaceTime call connects,” an Apple representative told Silicon Alley Insider Sunday. Because FaceTime uses Wi-Fi, no carrier minutes will be used.”
It’s great to hear that the FaceTime video call will switch off the voice call and only use the Wi-Fi connection. It’s also good to know that it won’t use your data plan either , and since new iPhone customers will have limited data, it is good news for them as well.
Apple did say that they are working with the carriers to have FaceTime on the carrier’s network, so that you will not need to use your Wi-Fi network. I can only speak as an AT&T customer when I say, I don’t see that happening in the immediate future. It took AT&T a year to get tethering when the rest of the world had tethering for the iPhone 3GS. So I think it will be a while before we see this transition.
On a positive note, I am excited about FaceTime. Apple brought us the future with the iPad and it’s touch interface, and they have done it again with FaceTime. This will change how we communicate.
Photo Credit: phone-facetime
Article Via Cult of Mac
