Skip to main content

AT&T to Expand Internet Calling Services on iPhone

at-tAT&T Inc. said late Tuesday that it will begin allowing iPhone owners to use Internet calling services on its wireless network.

The phone giant, the exclusive wireless provider for Apple Inc.’s iPhone, has until now allowed Internet calling services to work on the popular device only over Wi-Fi connections. Those connections generally have limited mobility and therefore present less of a competitive threat to AT&T’s core wireless calling business.

Recommended Videos

The move comes amid a Federal Communications Commission inquiry into competition in the wireless industry. Among other things, that inquiry will examine handset exclusivity deals, such as AT&T’s agreement with Apple giving AT&T exclusive access to the iPhone.

It also comes ahead of an FCC vote scheduled for later this month on “network neutrality” rules, which would prohibit broadband providers from favoring or discriminating against certain types of Internet traffic flowing over their lines.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, one of three Democrats on the commission, wants to impose net neutrality rules to ensure that broadband providers don’t abuse their power over Internet access to favor their own services or harm competitors.

His plan faces stiff opposition from the phone and cable companies that provide most broadband connections in the U.S. and has particularly alarmed wireless carriers because it would also apply these rules to wireless networks.

AT&T said late Tuesday that it has informed Apple and the FCC that “it has taken the steps necessary” to enable Voice over Internet Protocol — or VoIP — services on the iPhone over its 3G wireless network. AT&T said it made the decision “after evaluating our customers’ expectations and use of the device compared to dozens of others we offer.”

The company already allows subscribers to make Internet calls over its 3G network using other wireless devices.

Apple welcomed the announcement. “We are very happy that AT&T is now supporting VoIP applications,” said Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris. “We will be amending our developer agreements to get VoIP apps on the App Store and in customers’ hands as soon as possible.”

Josh Silverman, president of Skype, a leading provider of Internet calling services, also praised AT&T’s move.

“Our customers are extremely interested in taking Skype conversations with them on the go on the iPhone,” Silverman said in a statement. “We applaud today’s announcement by AT&T to open up its 3G network to Internet calling applications such as Skype. It is the right step for AT&T, Apple, millions of mobile Skypers and the Internet itself.”

Referring to the upcoming net neutrality vote, however, he added that “the positive actions of one company are no substitute for a government policy that protects openness and benefits consumers.”

The FCC has already signaled that it is playing particularly close attention to the iPhone. In late July, the agency sent letters to Apple, AT&T and Apple asking why Google Inc.’s Google Voice program has not been approved for use on the device.

Google Voice lets people sign up for a new phone number, then route incoming calls out to cell, office or home phones. It also lets users place calls, including international calls at low rates, from within the application. Although iPhone owners can still use a Web browser version of Google Voice, its features are limited.

In its response to the FCC, AT&T said the decision was made entirely by Apple. Apple said it has thus far blocked the Google Voice program from running on the iPhone because it duplicates some of the iPhone’s built-in features, but added that it is still studying the application.

Meanwhile, with more federal regulations looming, AT&T has gone on the offensive.

Last month, the company sent a letter to the FCC complaining that Google Voice has an unfair advantage since it blocks calls to rural communities where local carriers charge high connection fees even as regulations prevent AT&T from blocking such calls.

And Art Brodsky, a spokesman for the public interest group Public Knowledge, suggested that AT&T’s latest actions are an attempt to head off net neutrality obligations.

“It’s too convenient that AT&T announced it had changed its mind just 16 days before the FCC is due to vote on proposing wireless rules preventing discrimination,” he said.

Dena Cassella
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Haole built. O'ahu grown
The iPhone 17 will reportedly get a new type of Wi-Fi chip
A person using the Apple iPhone 16 Plus.

By this time next year, Apple may have installed its own in-house Wi-Fi chips in all of its phones, or at least one of them.

According to Ming-Chi Kuo, a well-known analyst with a trusted record, Apple is working on its own Wi-Fi chips to replace the current ones from Broadcom, but there's not a firm timeline on when they'll arrive (via MacRumors). He says the iPhone 17 Pro might come equipped with this new chip, but other sources suggest it won't get widespread adoption until the iPhone 18.

Read more
How to fast charge your iPhone
iPhone 12 Mini with charger

While they may not be some of the longest-lasting smartphones on the market, modern iPhones boast more than respectable battery life that should be able to get you through an entire day's use without breaking too much of a sweat. Of course, that assumes a lot of things — including a battery that's still relatively new and in good health, plus a usage pattern that doesn't include all-day streaming or gaming.

But for some people, overnight charging isn't going to cut it, and you'll want to get your battery topped up again as quickly as you can so you can get back in action. Thankfully, every iPhone released in the past six years supports much faster charging, but the downside is that with very few exceptions, Apple has never supplied you with the right adapter to get the best possible charging speeds from your iPhone.

Read more
5 phones you should buy instead of the iPhone 16
Someone holding the iPhone 16.

Apple’s iPhone 16 has arrived, and it’s quite an impressive offering this year. Not only does it come in some of the best colors we’ve seen in a while, but it closes the gap between the base and Pro models even more.

That's all to say the iPhone 16 is a fantastic phone, but if you’re thinking about buying it as your next smartphone purchase, you should also consider some of these alternatives.
iPhone 16 Plus

Read more