Anyone used Facetime Audio or Sprint/T-Mobile WiFi Calling with the NEW Internet?

[cp2k]

The topic says it all.. has anyone used Facetime Audio or Sprint/T-Mobile's new "WiFi Calling" features that send your cell phone calls over WiFi with the newer Carnival Internet packages? I'm curious in particular how well these features would work on it. My wife's mother has had some health problems lately (she's doing fine now thankfully), but my wife doesn't want to be gone without "checking in". After the $400 phone bill we got from our first cruise I want to avoid the global packages and phone in the cabin if possible. I realize from previous threads FaceTime and Skype VIDEO can be problematic, but I was hoping the bandwidth would be sufficient to do the audio only calls

Edited April 15, 2015 by cp2k

[mykeb14]

Following. I am interested in this as well.

[ladybug3176]

Following

[mz-s]

The latency is the issue. If you've ever watched CNN with a foreign correspondent, you'll notice that there is a few seconds of silence before the correspondent responds to the host's question. That's because the signal has to bounce off the satellite to the correspondent before they hear it.

 

The same issue with ships. The internet is provided by satellites, so when you type in google.com to your browser on a ship it has to go to a satellite and down to Earth somewhere to be processed. This will cause breaking up of phone conversations most likely, even with the newer internet packages. Latency is still there, although the connection is faster. Skype is difficult to use on terrestrial satellite internet, as people in rural areas of the Americas will attest.

 

A better solution would be a walkie-talkie app, like say TiKL (this app may not be around anymore; I haven't used it for years). Since only one person can talk at a time (half duplex), latency isn't as much of an issue.

[cessnabmw]

I used the new package in Dec on Freedom.

 

I used skype and Google Voice from my laptop with no issues at all.

Edited April 15, 2015 by cessnabmw

[BullDawg91]

I am also interested. I used FaceTime audio and video with no delay at all on a DCL ship a year ago and we're about cruise on the Breeze.

[cp2k]

I am also interested. I used FaceTime audio and video with no delay at all on a DCL ship a year ago and we're about cruise on the Breeze.

 

Will you report back your findings after your Breeze cruise? I'm curious to know how it works out.

[BullDawg91]

I will do that. We sail on May 23rd so it will be a while before you hear back!

[BullDawg91]

I'm back from the Breeze. We only purchased the Value package which was $5 per day or $25 for the length of cruise. There are two other packages with the most being $99 for length of cruise. I didn't think I need that much access or we'd all be on our phones and iPads too much.

 

The Value package allows you to use Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Snapchat, Whatsapp, and some other social media sites. It does not let you use Facetime or Facebook Messenger voice or video calling. You also cannot access sites via Facebook to read stories on your news feed.

 

What I was very pleasantly surprised at was that we could text via iMessage to folks at home because all of our family uses iPhones. I had prepped my mother to look out for FB Messenger messages from me, but instead I just texted her each evening.

 

I'm sure you can buy separate packages using a different folio number, but my daughter and just shared the plan. Only one person can be logged in at a time but you could log in on any device with the Carnival FunHub app.

 

This is totally separate from the FunHub chat function. That is $5 per device/folio and you can sign up a child now. It recognized that my daughter was 12 and required me to put in my folio and accept a terms and conditions page that it didn't show when I set myself up. You have to share the chat ID so there is little danger of a stranger texting your child unless she gives out her ID. It worked perfectly for texting between passengers.

[drdewlittle]

The phone in the room is only $1.99/minute. Affordable for short conversations and expensive enough to keep them short. :)

[Froufie]

I have used Facetime successfully on my ipad from my cabin on previous cruises - but of course logging on took several minutes - and sometimes the connection was quite bad so get dropping the signal - lots of wasted time and $$

 

Hoping the new IT system is better able to handle this? Guess I will be paying the $99 and will see how it works!

[KSmith76]

Did you every try the $99 plan? Did facetime work? Im Going on a cruise next week and would like to be able to face time the kids.

Edited April 4, 2016 by KSmith76

[65stang]

Following

[Vonchillis]

We used the Social Media Package to IM and video call thru Facebook messenger on the Breeze last November. Was kind of choppy but the kids at home thought it was cool.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[AndyT3]

I'm also very interested in this.

 

It would be nice to at least be able to send iMessages, or post on FaceBook to stay in touch.

 

Still deciding if I'm going to totally disconnect, and just leave the phone in Airplane Mode, and only use it to take photos.

[Savlamara]

Following. I am interested in this as well.

 

Same here.