AT&T’s FaceTime Blocking Hurts the Deaf

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If you think AT&T discriminates against deaf people, you'd be wrong. Why? Because AT&T doesn't give a crap about anyone so, you see, the deaf are actually being treated equally in this case. :rolleyes:

It’s disappointing that AT&T is standing in the way of innovation that addresses the needs of its deaf and hard-of-hearing customers. Sometimes it takes a while (and some prodding) for technology and technology companies to catch up to and embrace accessibility. In this case the technology is there, but it’s AT&T that’s throwing up the barrier.
 
Not to sound insensitive here... but you can text too if your carrier puts these restrictions on what you can do over their network.
 
Why does the entirety of society have to adapt to a small minority with disabilities? Sorry to sound harsh but its YOUR disability, not ours, and as such YOUR responsibility to workaround whatever shortcomings you have.

Its bad enough there are far too many handicapped parking spaces and every sign has to have the expense of brail put on it, even my cubicle that has to date NEVER been visited even once by a blind person, to crosswalks and even old historic buildings modified to include ramps and wheelchair restrooms and you name it.

You're deaf and want a phone? LERN 2 TEXT.
 
What part of their network cant handle it do people not understand?

Yes, they should have been building it up more. But still, it is their choice and they are offering a service. This is not some government hand out, it is a business that is making decisions on what to do with their product. I love how it is just "expected".
 
Sure, it's a great resource (FaceTime) for deaf people and whatnot. But, it shouldn't be a "Must-Have" tool for deaf people that is required. If their network can't handle it, fine: go to Sprint! There you go. Solved.
 
Why does the entirety of society have to adapt to a small minority with disabilities? Sorry to sound harsh but its YOUR disability, not ours, and as such YOUR responsibility to workaround whatever shortcomings you have.

Its bad enough there are far too many handicapped parking spaces and every sign has to have the expense of brail put on it, even my cubicle that has to date NEVER been visited even once by a blind person, to crosswalks and even old historic buildings modified to include ramps and wheelchair restrooms and you name it.

You're deaf and want a phone? LERN 2 TEXT.

If you were in their shoes you would be singing a different tune. Facetime was not made for the deaf, they only used it to their advantage. So in a way they were using a service not meant for their specific needs. Your argument is invalid.

The deaf don't think anything is owed to them. They do not expect a translator or interpreter or a service to be provided if they decide to buy a cell phone. In their eyes they are equal to hearing people. They don't think of themselves as handicapped and do not expect anyone to adapt for them.
 
=p The guy in the article doesn't get the realities of it, it would still cost just about the same to use it, they want to sign unlimited voice because face time is a bandwidth heavy program. If anything it would be more discriminatory if he had for death people only =p, data is not data at&t has people who probably track how much the avg person uses their network and have profit models to reflect that, in particular to face time it's intensive enough that they don't want alot of people using it at once Shh separate but equal.
 
I'm starting to get a bit disgusted with AT&T...but for a whole lot of different reasons.
I recently received my home phone /Internet bill and discovered that the internet section (which I had reduced on switching jobs) was now back to the highest price level. The speed as tested by (speedtest) was not.
Did you guys know that despite advertising three tiers of internet speed plans, they automatically move you to the highest priced plan after one year? They say the lowest tier is just promotional. Swear to God.
On asking why I was not contacted before they switched it, I was told "We don't have to contact you".
On asking to have it back where it was, I was told it cannot be at that rate for two consecutive years. I then said please move it to the mid-tier and I'd like a credit for the unauthorized additional charge. The agent said we will not credit it and furthermore it will take two billing cycles to switch.
 
I'm starting to get a bit disgusted with AT&T...but for a whole lot of different reasons.
I recently received my home phone /Internet bill and discovered that the internet section (which I had reduced on switching jobs) was now back to the highest price level. The speed as tested by (speedtest) was not.
Did you guys know that despite advertising three tiers of internet speed plans, they automatically move you to the highest priced plan after one year? They say the lowest tier is just promotional. Swear to God.
On asking why I was not contacted before they switched it, I was told "We don't have to contact you".
On asking to have it back where it was, I was told it cannot be at that rate for two consecutive years. I then said please move it to the mid-tier and I'd like a credit for the unauthorized additional charge. The agent said we will not credit it and furthermore it will take two billing cycles to switch.

Sounds an awful lot like Comcast!

I also check my Verizon bill every month (switched to them about 1.5 years ago from AT&T) to see if they pull anything like that, so far so good.
 
The deaf don't think anything is owed to them. They do not expect a translator or interpreter or a service to be provided if they decide to buy a cell phone. In their eyes they are equal to hearing people. They don't think of themselves as handicapped and do not expect anyone to adapt for them.

Well that would carry more weight if the entire article wasn't a complaint that basically says that AT&T owes it to deaf people not to block facetime.
 
If you were in their shoes you would be singing a different tune.
You know me well enough from an online post to know that I'm a selfish jerk that expects the world to cater to me? Whats my first name?
 
I can just imagine AT&T execs sitting around plotting ways to put up barriers for the disabled.

:rolleyes:
 
deaf people want something for free, what else is new :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
Thing is, everyone wants something for free, myself included. And if I were used to always getting everything, then sure it is natural to start to feel entitled to special treatment.

So I don't really blame the handicapped for riding the gravy train, I blame the bleeding-hearts that threw common sense out the window and made all these laws where 100% of things must be designed for the lowest common denominator 1%.

Just today for example, really pay attention to how much brail is out there. Then think about the last time that you actually met a blind person. Now factor in that according to the National Federation of the Blind less than 10% of legally blind individuals, already such a tiny fraction of the populace, are even ABLE to read brail. So all of that time and money spent for virtually no return. Its just insane, but the liberals will parade some random person of the 300 million in this country and say "it matters to HER" and call any politician a heartless bastard that doesn't sign off on this crap.
 
Why does the entirety of society have to adapt to a small minority with disabilities? Sorry to sound harsh but its YOUR disability, not ours, and as such YOUR responsibility to workaround whatever shortcomings you have.

Its bad enough there are far too many handicapped parking spaces and every sign has to have the expense of brail put on it, even my cubicle that has to date NEVER been visited even once by a blind person, to crosswalks and even old historic buildings modified to include ramps and wheelchair restrooms and you name it.

You're deaf and want a phone? LERN 2 TEXT.

Yeah because the entire world has to adapt to your ability to hear. OMG LRN2TXT.

Fucking insensitive little... never mind you're not worth my being banned.
 
FaceTime makes it very easy for deaf and non deaf people to communicate using ASL, AT&T is blocking it for standard data plans, nobody is asking for free shit.
 
FaceTime makes it very easy for deaf and non deaf people to communicate using ASL, AT&T is blocking it for standard data plans, nobody is asking for free shit.

Exactly, they block it for everybody but the deaf seem to think its blocked just for them and not others.
 
Yeah because the entire world has to adapt to your ability to hear. OMG LRN2TXT.

Fucking insensitive little... never mind you're not worth my being banned.

Why not? Seriously, why shouldn't the entire reading and writing able population have to adapt to read "OMG LMAO, Did U no dat rents R G 2 Mall?!". :) (That was sarcasm, BTW).

Facetime is a great service that those that can't hear - it works amazingly well. It is just that it isn't ready for the AT&T network yet.
 
Fucking insensitive little... never mind you're not worth my being banned.
The world does not have to adapt to what is the norm, this is common sense. You are confusing practicality with sensitivity.

You can feel sorry for Helen Keller, but that doesn't mean that it makes sense to create laws to mandate Keller-proofing our automobiles because she has a right to drive just like everyone else.
 
The world does not have to adapt to what is the norm, this is common sense. You are confusing practicality with sensitivity.

You can feel sorry for Helen Keller, but that doesn't mean that it makes sense to create laws to mandate Keller-proofing our automobiles because she has a right to drive just like everyone else.

'snot what the article is about. I think you may have just taken the opportunity to rant about the ADA instead.
 
'snot what the article is about. I think you may have just taken the opportunity to rant about the ADA instead.
Not specifically, but it is about the same thing it has always been, "accessibility as a right". Here they are basically saying that AT&T needs to provide them the accessibility that FaceTime provides the deaf as a right.

Otherwise its even more nonsensical to bring it up, as FaceTime blocking is something that affects all customers and isn't discriminatory in any way.
 
Why does the entirety of society have to adapt to a small minority with disabilities? Sorry to sound harsh but its YOUR disability, not ours, and as such YOUR responsibility to workaround whatever shortcomings you have.

Its bad enough there are far too many handicapped parking spaces and every sign has to have the expense of brail put on it, even my cubicle that has to date NEVER been visited even once by a blind person, to crosswalks and even old historic buildings modified to include ramps and wheelchair restrooms and you name it.

You're deaf and want a phone? LERN 2 TEXT.

From us disabled (my disability, legally blind) citizens out here I say:

Fuck you asshole. :rolleyes:

I agree with the other poster, if you were disabled you would be singing a different tune, but then that is the problem with cock smokers like you. You don't give a shit about anyone else but yourself and are small minded enough to feel threatened because your precious "perfect person" world is being over taken by us "cripples".

Again, GO FUCK YOURSELF.
 
I read it as, "it stinks they have FaceTime blocked, because ASL is my native language. I hope they fix this soon". No rights to it were claimed.
 
From us disabled (my disability, legally blind) citizens out here I say:

Fuck you asshole. :rolleyes:

I agree with the other poster, if you were disabled you would be singing a different tune, but then that is the problem with cock smokers like you. You don't give a shit about anyone else but yourself and are small minded enough to feel threatened because your precious "perfect person" world is being over taken by us "cripples".

Again, GO FUCK YOURSELF.

So the deaf should get special privledges for using Facetime at no extra cost that others would have to pay extra for? That is what I get from the gist of the article, that the deaf have the right to use Factime without the extra charge. I don't agree with that. Facetime isn't necessary to the survival of anyone that is deaf, it is merely a tool that can make life easier but isn't needed.

Theres a whole lot of shit out there that can make my life easier but I can't afford it so I survive without it.
 
You don't give a shit about anyone else but yourself and are small minded enough to feel threatened because your precious "perfect person" world is being over taken by us "cripples".
Hardly, but there are limits to how deep I'm willing to dig into my pockets to pay for special services when they aren't practical and have very little return on investment, and am annoyed by the culture of entitlement. Can't do XYZ? Not your problem, its their problem, and they have to fix it damn the expense because, its the least they can do.

They are a private business, and if you really want facetime you can have it... pay for it yourself by switching plans. Turning this into an entitlement or discrimination thing is just a way to milk sympathy to get a handout IMO.
 
So the deaf should get special privledges for using Facetime at no extra cost that others would have to pay extra for? That is what I get from the gist of the article, that the deaf have the right to use Factime without the extra charge. I don't agree with that. Facetime isn't necessary to the survival of anyone that is deaf, it is merely a tool that can make life easier but isn't needed.

Theres a whole lot of shit out there that can make my life easier but I can't afford it so I survive without it.

I think it's more that they take offense to being forced to pay for an unlimited voice plan (specifically, the Mobile Share plan) in order to get it, rather than that they want it for free. The argument is not that AT&T's network can or cannot take it, or that deaf users should be given stuff for free. It is that data is data - they're already paying AT&T $10 per gigabyte, all they want is to be able to use those gigabytes however they want. For what it's worth, I am not deaf, and I share the same feelings as in this article.

It's not as if AT&T took something away that they previously had, just that their business decision to only allow it on the Mobile Share plan really ticks off people who don't want to use or pay for voice service. I am one of those people. I do not want to pay even more than I already have to for AT&T's crappy voice network, in order to be able to use their slightly less crappy data in this one additional way.

So, they allow deaf people the option to not pay for AT&T's voice service, but because they're not paying for voice, "no FaceTime for you". That's a load of bullshit, and it's basically a slap in the face.
 
I think it's more that they take offense to being forced to pay for an unlimited voice plan (specifically, the Mobile Share plan) in order to get it, rather than that they want it for free. The argument is not that AT&T's network can or cannot take it, or that deaf users should be given stuff for free. It is that data is data - they're already paying AT&T $10 per gigabyte, all they want is to be able to use those gigabytes however they want. For what it's worth, I am not deaf, and I share the same feelings as in this article.

It's not as if AT&T took something away that they previously had, just that their business decision to only allow it on the Mobile Share plan really ticks off people who don't want to use or pay for voice service. I am one of those people. I do not want to pay even more than I already have to for AT&T's crappy voice network, in order to be able to use their slightly less crappy data in this one additional way.

So, they allow deaf people the option to not pay for AT&T's voice service, but because they're not paying for voice, "no FaceTime for you". That's a load of bullshit, and it's basically a slap in the face.

This pretty much sums it up nicely. The greater problem as u stated is that we are paying for the Gigs but we can't decide how to use them. Don't worry Ducman will start bitching when he's trying to game and he gets blocked because his ISP decided that it's a different tier he'll have to pay for and too bad he wants to watch Hulu or Youtube or Netflix, that bandwidth isn't covered by what he's paying for and there needs to be a "surcharge" for those sites to be accessed.
 
While we are at it, self entitled kids are leaches and shouldn't get food unless they scraped it from the earth with their own bare hands.


/sarc
 
Also, this is capitalism. AT&T is in the business of inconveniencing your wallet as much as humanly possible. The other side of capitalism is that the consumer can raise up issues and return the favor to AT&T, by putting AT&T in a negative light until AT&T gives up and has to cut into their profits to make this happen.

AT&T doesn't have to implement FaceTime for standard users, and people don't have to defend AT&T either. Let them be the bad guy. They have enough money to make themselves look good again in the public eye.
 
Jesus, just use Skype and stfu. AT&T isn't limiting your ability to skype over 3G/4G...and it's free for device-to-device video chats. And you can use it on more than iOS devices, so deaf people won't be "discriminated against" further by being limited to video-chatting with only their iphone/ipad buddies. So use that and stop complaining. Or use a wifi access point. Or as a last resort just jailbreak your device if it REALLY is that big of a deal (as opposed to some issue that's being unnecessarily picked apart).

How would a deaf person communicate over facetime efficiently? Lip-reading? Certainly not sign-language if you have to hold your phone at the same time.

Quasi-related, Lifehacker had an interesting snippit on this new rule with AT&T and facetime--usually in the past, Apple has fought tooth and nail with AT&T to preserve the user experience and make it as unobtrusive and non-disruptive as possible. Wonder if something has changed in the Apple/AT&T dynamic recently to allow for this new rule that clearly disrupts what Apple wants to preserve...?
 
Jesus, just use Skype and stfu. AT&T isn't limiting your ability to skype over 3G/4G...and it's free for device-to-device video chats. And you can use it on more than iOS devices, so deaf people won't be "discriminated against" further by being limited to video-chatting with only their iphone/ipad buddies.

LMAO, I believe you made my point for me. ;) I pay for bandwidth, but ATT gets to decide how I use the bandwidth I paid for. If I can use Skype (which as you pointed out I am allowed to) why not FT? I don't have an iPhone and I do use Skype but the fact that I pay for my bandwidth and ATT gets to decide what I am allowed or am not allowed to do with it doesn't bother you?
 
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