On this holiday, a friend called me from a distance and made the little joke Ā«Too bad you donāt have an iPhone, right? If you did, we could talk for FaceTime Ā«.
Without going too far into the merit that Android users know at least three options for video calls better than FaceTime, I almost accidentally realized that the Galaxy S5 had the option on the device dialer.
Then, I noticed that the entire Galaxy S line also had the feature.
However, to my frustration, the function does not work properly.
Apparently, one of the main responsible for this may be your mobile operator.
Video calling is available on the Galaxy S dialer, but it doesnāt work! / Ā© AndroidPIT
Of course, there are different options for making video calls using an Android device, including Hangouts, Skype, Viber, Line or Facebook Messenger (in combination with Skype).
The question here is why does a native Samsung service not work between devices on the same line as the manufacturer, such as the Galaxy S, even when connected to the internet?
Apparently, the problem is linked to the userās data plan, as the operator may or may not offer coverage for video calls.
In the vast majority of cases, only voice is covered for calls from the device dialer, however, a feature such as Appleās can use the userās wi-fi connection to complete the video call, already on the Galaxy S2, Galaxy S3 , Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S5 this did not work, even with wireless connection.
The option for video calls directly from the dialer is also present on the Galaxy S3 (left) and Galaxy S2 (right)! / Ā© AndroidPIT
So, the only conclusion I can reach is that Samsung offers a service that does not work properly and, at the same time, users have a limitation coming from the mobile phone operators themselves, and as you can see in the image below, this it does not occur only with Brazilian operators, since in Germany it was also not possible to complete this type of connection.
Video calls on the Galaxy S5 (left); video calls on the Galaxy S4 (right)! / Ā© AndroidPIT
The device tries to make the call and seconds later the user receives a problem message on the connection! / Ā© AndroidPIT
According to Teleco, in 2009, for a user to be able to make a video call, it is necessary that the cell phones are compatible with 3G technology and have the necessary specifications for the service.
In the case of the Galaxy S line, both devices have a 3G antenna and are compatible with the video link function.
So, the conclusion that I can have is that either the service appears as available and, unfortunately, it is not or the operators limit this function, as it is possible to follow in the Brasil Droid forum.
I contacted the main operators in the country and I am still waiting for a statement about the coverage of video call services in Brazil.
In this way, this article will still be updated.
Updated at 4:12 pm (BrasĆlia time) ā In a declaration to TIM says:
TIM clarifies that there is no restriction on the video calling service for customers using Galaxy S devices.
The user must be in a coverage area with 3G or 4G technologies, in addition to having contracted a data package or being connected to Wi-Fi network to use the service.
Updated on April 30, 2014, at 10:10 am (BrasĆlia time) ā In a statement, Oi states that:
Oiās network offers full support for video calls made by mobile terminals using specific applications for this purpose (such as Skype, Viber and Facetime) on the 3G, 4G mobile data network as well as on WiFi.
Video-call connections using the network switched mobile are not supported.
So, have you had success using the video call option of a Galaxy S phone? What were the settings on your device and your mobile operator?
