FaceTime works - but I don't quite understand it - a few questions!

Doug Lerner2 wrote:
I tried FaceTime tonight for the first time with a friend who got an iPhone 4 today. It worked fine, but there are a few things I don't understand:

(1) To contact him, I touched FaceTime in his contact entry. When I did that a dialog popped up saying "Choose an option for FaceTime." I chose his cell phone number, he accepted and connected. But What do selecting the other options (his landline phone and email address) mean?

Unless he has somehow associated them with FaceTime, selecting the other options mean nothing. As explained here, it is normal to FaceTime to an iPhone4 using its iPhone number:

  http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4319

If he has not somehow associated his landline phone and email address with FaceTime, nobody can use them to connect to his FaceTime. If FaceTime works with them in that case, you must still be using his iPhone's number to identify him as your intended contact and initiate the FaceTime connection.

Does he get notified some other way to answer the FaceTime request?

No.

(2) By choosing his iPhone number does that mean we actually are using cell phone minutes and also talking with each other?

No.

FaceTime ONLY connects via Wi-Fi. No minutes are used for FaceTime.

Or is it just using that number as an address for the phone for FaceTime, in the sense an SMS does?

I don't know about SMS, but, for FaceTime, you are correct that it is
"just using that number as an address for the phone for FaceTime".

(3) What's the best way of doing a FaceTime with somebody overseas?

Location makes no difference. Make the call the same way as you would to another wi-fi location down the road.

That would be on a different carrier, etc., and you don't want to make international phone calls.

As explained above, when you touch the button, you are connecting to the internet via wi-fi. No cellular carriers are involved.

I read through the iPhone 4 user's guide, but none of this is mentioned.

Did you read this entire 34MB downloadable Guide?

  http://manuals.info.apple.com/enUS/iPhone_iOS4_UserGuide.pdf

Specifically:

  • FaceTime section starts on page 65

      - and -

  • Favorites section on page 70 & 71

Thanks, doug

You're welcome,
Jim





Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz Mac OS X (10.6.4); MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.4)
LED Cinema Display; G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11); iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9); External iSight; iPod touch 4.1

Doug Lerner2 wrote:
Jim,

... There are no potential conflicts in phone numbers? ...

No. iPhone numbers are unique.

I'd like to try with somebody in the U.S. if I can find a friend who has an iPhone 4.

I hope one of your friends has iPhone4 so you can try with somebody in the U.S.

If you want to test FaceTime to the U.S. while you are looking for a friend with an iPhone4, I am available for FaceTime test calls. However, I cannot test iPhone4 with you because I use iPod touch.

As explained in

  http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4319

if your iPhone is updated to iOS4.1, your can FaceTime from your iPhone4 to an iPod touch by using the iPod's FaceTime email address.

If you use iOS4.1 and want to test with me, click my name at left to find my contact info. I only use the email address for FaceTime, so there is no need to send email. Simply get my FaceTime contact info and call when you want to test FaceTime. Best time to test with me is 14:00 GMT - 03:00 GMT. I answer test calls whenever I am available, so try later if I miss you.

Thanks, doug

You're welcome, and thanks for the helpful star!
Jim


Message was edited by: EZ Jim


Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz Mac OS X (10.6.4); MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.4)
LED Cinema Display; G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11); iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9); External iSight; iPod touch 4.1

Doug Lerner2 wrote:
I'm curious about the way the phone numbers are used as an identifier to reach somebody in FaceTime across different countries. There are no potential conflicts in phone numbers?

I know there aren't between, say, Japan and the U.S. because all cell phone numbers here in Japan begin with 080 or 090. But for a U.S. styled 10-digit phone number, there are no 10-digit phone numbers which are the same in other countries? I know it would be a coincidence, but still...

If you were going to call someone in the USA from Japan you are not going to just dial the 10 digit number. It would not work. The same would be for FaceTime. I would think your best bet for connecting to someone internationally with FaceTime would be to store the phone number in international format. For a number in the USA you should prefix the 10 digits with +1. For Japan you should replace the leading 0 with +81.

Doug Lerner2 wrote:
Then you could use the same "addressing" no matter where you are.

I don't really understand what you mean by this? I can go to virtually any country, turn on my phone and call anyone in my address book by touching their associated phone book, or send a text message. I would expect FaceTime to work similarly.

With a GSM-based phone, like the iPhone, you should be able to store all phone numbers with the + prefix and be able dial them from anywhere. My experience with AT&T 4 years ago when I was in Hawaii was that I could dial numbers stored with the +1 prefix. I can do this in Australia with +61 prefix.

You should be able to do this with the Japanese prefix +81, although I remember when the iPhone 3G was first released in Japan there was a problem with the local network. It may have been resolved now.

Doug Lerner2 wrote:
Well, adding the international dialing prefix would certainly eliminate any possibility of duplicate phone numbers!

Well, simply make the FaceTime call.  You need not add anything. Your entire number, including the international prefix part, is used automatically. The international dialing prefix is part of the unique iPhone number.

I wish they would just let people create a screen name, like with all the other IM services, including iChat.

Then you could use the same "addressing" no matter where you are.

If you want to send suggestions for improvement directly to Apple, use:

  http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html

You will not get a response, but you can be certain that the responsible
Apple people will see your input for consideration in future products.

I'm going to have to test this!

Thanks!

doug

If you need more people to test with, I am available to test with my iPod.

As explained in http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4319   if your iPhone is updated to iOS4.1, your can FaceTime from your iPhone4 to an iPod touch by using the iPod's FaceTime email address.

If you use iOS4.1 and want to test with me, click my name at left to find my FaceTime contact info. I only use the email address there for FaceTime, so there is no need to send email. Simply get my FaceTime contact info and call when you want to test FaceTime. Best time to test with me is 14:00 GMT - 03:00 GMT. I answer test calls whenever I am available, so try later if I miss you.

If you want to test with still another iPod touch, click -> James A. Weston<- to get FaceTime contact info for another user willing to test. Mr. Weston will also answer test calls whenever he is available.

Jim

<span class="otherinfo">Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz Mac OS X (10.6.4)
MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.4)
LED Cinema Display; G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11)
iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9); External iSight; iPod touch 4.1

The international prefix can be used for local calling too.

You won't be charged as an international call as it still a local call,
just with the full prefix.

So you could just save the effort and have the one number; the one with the international prefix.

Kudos, Doug!

Thanks for letting us know your topic is Answered.

Doug Lerner2 wrote:
Well, ... So one simple solution is to add a custom "facetime" label for each contact you want to do FaceTime with and ...

For possible benefit of other users, an alternative is to create a new "Group" for FaceTime contacts in your Mac's Address Book. Those who have not ever used Address Book Groups can find help here:

  http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2486

When you synch, the new group will be added to your phone and you can add and edit FaceTime contacts from either your iPhone's Contacts or your Mac's Address Book app.

The facetalk entry can be used no matter where you are and the regular mobile one can be used when actually making a domestic phone call.

With Kiwiphone4's help, I see that you now understand how to make every iPhone number unique without use of multiple contacts.

Cheers,
Jim





Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz Mac OS X (10.6.4); MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.4)
LED Cinema Display; G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11); iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9); External iSight; iPod touch 4.1

For international calls you go to your SETTINGS and PHONeE ...turn on international assist button and you don't have to deal with any of these prefixes for Face Time or phone calls. It does it for you...at leat it does form Mexico and Canada. I would think Japan too...since it is a big Apple market.

Kudos for the help, Desert Boynsea!

Cheers,
Jim




Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz Mac OS X (10.6.4)
MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.4)
LED Cinema Display; G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11)
iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9); External iSight; iPod touch 4.1