FCC listens to AT&T, will look into Google Voice

A few weeks ago, in response to proposed Net Neutrality rules, AT&T sent a letter to the FCC asking the commission to look into Google Voice. AT&T argued that Google Voice should be subject to the same telecom rules it follows if AT&T has to be subject to Net Neutrality. It still seems like a strange jump in logic on AT&T’s part, but that doesn’t mean the argument didn’t get the FCC’s attention.

The FCC has now said that it will be investigating Google’s policy on Google Voice. Specifically, the FCC is interested in how Google handles phone calls to rural areas, 900 numbers, or any number that is expensive to call. For telecoms there is a rule that says they must connect every phone call possible. Google Voice, however, does not seem to follow that rule, and that might end up being an issue. Google is arguing that since it is not fully a VoIP service, nor a true phone service, it should not have to follow those rules. The way the rules seem to work now, Google’s argument could be correct, or at least in a gray area.

What makes this, as well as other recent news, interesting is the amount of FCC involvement we are seeing recently. In the past few months we’ve seen the FCC look into Google Voice not making it into the App Store, Net Neutrality, and now Google Voice as a service. With net neutrality, it is obvious that the commission is on the side of consumers, and it will be interesting to see how this new issue unfolds (the first has far too much finger pointing for anyone to “win” that one, it seems). It’s hard to say if these actions are good or bad as a whole, but at the very least, it’s nice to know the FCC is trying to take on important, pertinent issues.

Read [Electronista]