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FCC Probing Apple, AT&T Rejection of Google Voice

Posted by Soulskill on from the now-you've-done-it dept.

suraj.sun writes with an update to the news from a few days ago about Apple pulling Google Voice apps for the iPhone. Their actions have raised the interest of the FCC, which is now beginning an investigation into the matter. "In a letter sent to Apple, the FCC asked the company why it turned down Google Voice for the iPhone and pulled several other Google Voice-related programs from the iPhone's only sanctioned online mart. The FCC also sent similar letters to both AT&T — Apple's exclusive carrier partner in the US — and Google, asking both firms to provide more information on the issue. The FCC's letter asked Apple whether it rejected Google Voice and dumped other applications on its own, or 'in consultation with AT&T,' and if the latter, to describe the conversations the partners had. In other questions, the FCC asked Apple whether AT&T has any role in the approval of iPhone applications, wants the company to explain how Google Voice differs from any other VoIP software that has been approved, and requested a list of all applications that have been rejected and why."

9 of 204 comments (clear)

  1. Re:How is this even a fucking question? by mstra · · Score: 5, Informative

    Except...that Google Voice is NOT VOIP - if I use the Google Voice app on my BlackBerry to make an outgoing call...it still dials up via the radio to a "Google Voice Access Number". It's still going over the AT&T network. The way people are using GV for "free calls" is by putting their GV access number in their "five" or "circle" or whatever your carrier calls that list of numbers you can call for free. Also, they lose on international calls (since you call domestic to go outbound, but then it is international).

    --
    Photography, technology, and my dog Scout - http://mattstratton.com
  2. Re:How is this even a fucking question? by mstra · · Score: 4, Informative

    Actually, my statement was not 100% correct - GV does use VOIP...but on the back-end. The connection between the customer's handset and GV is over POTS or cellular radio, not IP or data. So while technically there is some VOIP going on, it's not the kind of VOIP that bypasses using AT&T customers' minutes, which is all AT&T cares about.

    --
    Photography, technology, and my dog Scout - http://mattstratton.com
  3. Re:How is this even a fucking question? by ubernostrum · · Score: 2, Informative

    So if AT&T is pissed at VOIP (wow, no Telecom has *evaaaaah* been pissed at VOIP), would they... could they.... just possibly..... dial up their *exclusive* partner and subtly indicate, "Hey... would you mind suppressing our competition?".

    You do know that there's an approved and free Skype application available, right?

    And if you'd take five minutes to actually read the article you'd see that the FCC is pretty clearly aware of that, and that several of their questions are implicitly but still quite clearly saying "we know you've already approved VoIP stuff, so we're wondering why those apps were OK and Google's app isn't".

  4. Re:How is this even a fucking question? by mrsteveman1 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Because the VoIP apps have been neutered to only work on WiFi

  5. Let me google that for you by linhares · · Score: 4, Informative

    Apparently not... here's a good read on that: http://www.capitolvalley.net/2008/02/drm-net-neutrality-and-apples.html

  6. Re:How is the FCC even involved? by erroneus · · Score: 5, Informative

    The problem is that the FCC is investigating how AT&T is using its influence over Apple to control how the airwaves that the FCC leases to AT&T are being used. This is not the FCC getting into Apple's business for the hell of it. This is the FCC getting into it with AT&T... again. Google Voice provides a means to circumvent a lot of needless charges from AT&T. AT&T seeks to block those circumventions by leveraging their relationship with Apple.

  7. Re:How is this even a fucking question? by imamac · · Score: 2, Informative

    Yes. Additionally, GV mobile was on it's way to allow push notifications of SMS messages. This would enable my wife and I to drop our $30/mo SMS package. AT&T would lose a lot of revenue from this.

  8. Re:We would like to thank our sponsors by davester666 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Well, the FCC also sent a letter to Google about what apps Google has rejected from it's Android store and why they were rejected.

    One of the most important things (IMHO) with these requests is that the FCC ordered that the replies NOT be covered by a blanket secrecy request...

    --
    Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
  9. Re:Regulations are stupid by spud.dups · · Score: 3, Informative

    You're error lies in the fact that the amendment voted against by the Republicans (no 'the right') was an amendment to completely abolish Medicare overnight. After having much of society live on Medicare for so long, then have it suddenly removed, would create a serious market problem. It was written in an extremest point of view, not allowing for a gradual decline but a sudden stop. I don't believe may people would agree with this procedure, and voting against it definitely does _not _ imply an 'embrace of Medicare' as you've stated.

    But regardless, what does this thread have to do with the topic?