Skype works on AT&T's 3G on iPhone 3.0

Cleve Nettles
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March 30, 2009
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We just found something very interesting.  When you install Skype on a 3.0 developer preview iPhone, you can use AT&T's connection to make and receive calls.  It even works pretty well over EDGE.  Skype treats AT&T's WWAN like a Wifi connection.  I did a quick video and posted it below:

Update:we just made a Skype call over 3G to another 3.0 iPhone using 3G.  The sound quality was as good, if not  better than normal AT&T.  (Thanks  Josh!!)

BTW, if you are commenting that it doesn't work for you and you don't have the 3.0 developer preview, you are missing the whole point of this post.

Comments (37)

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 30, 2009 - 9:55pm

haha so your number is 917-530-8701, anyways nice video

admin | March 30, 2009 - 10:02pm

Um, no, that is my friend's phone

macewan (not verified) | April 02, 2009 - 4:11am

I'm calling his friend this morning.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 30, 2009 - 10:15pm

the 3G signal could immediately turn into the wifi signal after opening skype. and ur video doesnt' show the signal whiel skype is loaded.

admin | March 30, 2009 - 10:25pm

it works and will be proven around the net in the next few hours/days

psiko (not verified) | March 30, 2009 - 10:31pm

this has been tested on my 3.0 OS and it works without a problem.

Saurabh Sahni (not verified) | April 05, 2009 - 11:08am

Skype on iPhone 2.2 works over 3G with VPN without any jailbreaks

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 30, 2009 - 10:35pm

also works on mine, whoops

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 30, 2009 - 10:39pm

I get a message that says "call over 3G networks are not supported."

admin | March 30, 2009 - 10:47pm

because you are on 2.x.  

you fail reading comprehension  ;)

kewlfocus (not verified) | March 30, 2009 - 10:52pm

You totally had to be the first one out with that short video, that really showed nothing. Except that you could make a call, how bout some audio quality tests.. just an extra 30 seconds of video wouldn't hurt.

Flunky Carter (not verified) | March 30, 2009 - 10:56pm

iphone 3.0... i'm on EDGE and Skype call to cell phone went through!

admin | March 30, 2009 - 11:03pm

nice!  this is big news

faquick (not verified) | March 31, 2009 - 1:33am

it's not big news... it will probably be corrected by Apple before 3.0 goes final

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 31, 2009 - 2:07am

so people are gonna go looking for the 3.0 beta when 3.0 final is released but options are disabled there... that's really gonna be funny!

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 31, 2009 - 2:50am

End of voice carriers? Well sure, but then they just turn into data carriers. So what?

Josh Hawn (not verified) | March 31, 2009 - 7:47am

Precisely! But how much are you willing to pay per month for unlimited data?

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 31, 2009 - 3:08am

So that's at least one tiny little baby step forwards.

someoneindk (not verified) | March 31, 2009 - 3:57am

Skype works over EDGE/3G on FW 2.x.

Install VoiPover3G (Cydia)

SSH iPhone “/Library/MobileSubstrate/DynamicLibraries/VoIPover3G.plist"

edit *plist and add "com.skype.skype",

magix (not verified) | March 31, 2009 - 2:42pm

How did you fix that? I get the same error message : skype call over 3g network are currently not supported....

magix (not verified) | March 31, 2009 - 2:48pm

PUT THE SKYPE CODE FIRST.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 31, 2009 - 4:40am

When it works in the released version of 3.0, then it will be something to celebrate. Apple will plug this hole before 3.0 ships because AT&T is against this practice.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 31, 2009 - 5:51am

:) Don't update!

Josh Hawn (not verified) | March 31, 2009 - 7:48am

i don't think it's worth it. the Beta as it stands right now is extremely buggy.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 31, 2009 - 5:50am

It works great on my OS 3.0 Iphone!

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 31, 2009 - 6:00am

Not trying to be totally silly here but I don't see the point. My iphone has trouble keeping phone reception let alone maintaining internet. Why is this so important?

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 31, 2009 - 8:02am

That's odd... I never have issues with mobile telephone reception. I almost always have 4 or 5 bars on 3G.

Are you near any cell phone towers? That's likely the issue. If not, your device might be bad, or there may be local tower trouble, which you should report frequently to AT&T, using the principle of "the squeaky wheel".

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 31, 2009 - 6:08am

What is the name of the app in the App Store?

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 31, 2009 - 6:19am

downloaded the free Skype app and it is not working for me....I'm on a 3G iPhone and on wifi

New Yorker (not verified) | March 31, 2009 - 6:57am

Doesn't work for me over 3G, but does work over WiFi. My plan is PayGo with grandfathered unlimited MediaNet, though... maybe that's the problem