NEWS: FCC questions Google Voice's expensive call blocker

The US Federal Communications Commission wants Google to explain how its
voice service application blocks costly calls to rural areas.

The commission sent a letter to the Mountain View company on Friday,
asking for details by October 28 on its much-discussed Google Voice web
application. The query comes two weeks after telecom giant AT&T accused
Google of violating FCC open-internet policies with Google Voice.

At issue are FCC rules that let the country's rural phone companies
charge long-distance providers exorbitant fees to access their local
landlines. The law was originally designed to help local phone firms
survive despite low call volumes.

While long-distance outfits like AT&T are required to connect to these
local markets, Google Voice blocks the calls and avoids the extra
expenses. Google argues the FCC rules apply only to broadband carriers
and not the creators of web-based software applications.

MORE: <http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/10/10/fcc_letter_google_voice/>

In <ubi2d5prdsopsehf8pfotrujsim565or2c@4ax.com> John Navas <spamfilter1@navasgroup.com> writes:
[ snippage]

>While long-distance outfits like AT&T are required to connect to these
>local markets, Google Voice blocks the calls and avoids the extra
>expenses. Google argues the FCC rules apply only to broadband carriers
>and not the creators of web-based software applications.

Except that AT&T is also playing such games, even after getting
slapped by the FCC a couple of years ago.

>MORE: <http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/10/10/fcc_letter_google_voice/>
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