It’s kind of ironic that the FCC is sending a letter to one of the biggest proponents of openness on the Internet and net neutrality, asking them how and why they are restricting certain functions of their Internet application. The proponent is Google and the application in question is Google Voice.
The FCC wireline competition bureau has a series of questions for Google regarding Google Voice, prompted in part by AT&T urging them to do so. The letter specifically references the FCC’s prohibition on “call blocking and their interest in ensuring that broadband networks are widely deployed, open, affordable, and accessible to all consumers. Take that Google!
Jokes aside, watching this inquiry and the posturing and responses from all parties associated with it ‘will be worth the price of admission.’ Google has already publicly stated that they believe Google Voice is not a telecom service and therefore not subject to the FCC’s call blocking prohibition. AT&T and others think differently. It will be up to the FCC to referee this difference of opinion. Stay tuned.
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