iPhone FaceTime: AT&T Lifts Restrictions for iPhone 4S Customers without LTE; Did the FCC Intervene?

Positive news for iPhone users who want to use FaceTime while having AT&T as their carrier.

AT&T has announced that FaceTime access will be allowed for iPhone 4S users who have been using the unlimited data plans option.

Originally, access to FaceTime was severely limited based on a tier plan and Wi-Fi access. Earlier this month, the carrier began to loosen its control and offering FaceTime to LTE-equipped devices and the Mobile Share data plan. The plan worked well for those with the iPhone 5.

iPhone 4S owners were left out as the device isn't compatible with AT&T's LTE networks or part of the Mobile Share plan.

AT&T executive Jim Cicconi commented on the AT&T and FaceTime relationship in a post on AT&T's Public Policy.

Cicconi stated the initial restrictions were done for "important reasons."

"AT&T has by far more iPhones on our network than any other carrier," Cicconi added. "We're proud of this fact and the confidence our customers have in us. But it also means that when Apple rolls out new services or changes, as it did in iOS 6, it can have a much greater, and more immediate, impact on AT&T's network than is the case with carriers who have far fewer iPhone users."

Cinnoni noted that FaceTime availability will expand in the next few months.

The news comes as a few organizations filed complaints to the FCC stating AT&T violated the Open Internet rules and Net Neutrality. AT&T's Senior Vice President-Federal Regulatory and Chief Privacy Officer Bob Quinn issued a statement at the time stating the company's decision has not violated any rule and are in compliance with the FCC's requirements.

Back in September, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski spoke to The Verge and stated the agency will look into the complaints but didn't directly give a verdict on what AT&T should be doing. No word if AT&T's latest decision stemmed from FCC intervention or a decision made by the carrier itself.