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Remember back in the day when you were in elementary school and you told on someone? The next day you ended up facing his or her best friend and that�s the same childish mentality that is driving the latest move by AT&T to retaliate for the media black eye that Google recently dealt out to Apple.
In a not so surprising move, AT&T tried to throw Google under the school bus by sending a letter to the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) alleging that the Google Voice app violates the federal call-blocking regulations and net neutrality principles and urged the FCC to investigate the matter.
Why isn�t this a huge surprise? Because AT&T is ticked off that Google released proof that Apple did in fact reject the Google Voice app as they had previously denied in a formal response to a FCC inquiry. [Apple Lied about Rejecting Google Voice] Also Apple and AT&T were both required to submit responses, because the FCC wanted to know if AT&T had asked Apple to reject Google Voice. A claim AT&T vehemently denies.
The problem is that the argument that Google Voice violates either of these is a ludicrous.
Google�s Washington telecom and media counsel,Richard Whitt, argued that the Google Voice service should not be regulated. �Google Voice�s goal is to provide consumers with free or low-cost access to as many advanced communications features as possible. In order to do this, Google Voice does restrict certain outbound calls from our Web platform to these high-priced destinations. But despite AT&T�s efforts to blur the distinctions between Google Voice and traditional phone service, there are many significant differences,� Whitt wrote, noting that Google Voice is a free software service and not intended to replace traditional phone service.
�AT&T is trying to make this about Google�s support for an open Internet, but the comparison just doesn�t fly,� Whitt wrote. �The FCC�s open Internet principles apply only to broadband carriers�not Web-based software applications. Even though the FCC does not have jurisdiction over software applications, AT&T apparently wants to use the regulatory process to undermine Web-based competition and innovation.�
[source: Wall Street Journal]
MobiMadness Article: AT&T tries School Yard Tactics on Google | MobiMadness09-25-09 07:49 PM
