The Federal Communications Commission has opened an investigation into the blocking of Google Voice from the iPhone App Store.
James D. Schlichting, acting chief of the FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, has asked for answers to several questions. The FCC wants to know what role AT&T played in the decision. Keep in mind that the FCC already is looking at wireless open access and handset exclusivity, both of which seem for those reasons to bear on the status of Google Voice on the iPhone.
The FCC further wants to know what role AT&T might play in restricting other iPhone apps. The agency also wants to know what roles Apple and AT&T can play, by contract, in the development of iPhone apps.
The FCC wants to know whether Apple consulted with AT&T in the process of deciding to reject the Google Voice application. Documents relating to any such discussions must be produced.
The FCC also wants an explanatiion of how Google Voice might differ from any other VoIP application that al4ready is authorized to be used either on the iPhone or on AT&T's network.
The agency wants detail on any conditions included in AT&T’s agreements or contracts with Apple for the iPhone related to the certification of applications or any particular application’s ability to use AT&T’s 3G network.
If there are terns of use limiting customer use of third party apps in general, the FCC wants to know what those limitations are.
The FCC wants to know about AT&T’s role in certifying applications on devices that run over AT&T’s 3G network.
If there are any differences in AT&T’s treatment of apps running on the iPhone and other devices used on its 3G network, the agency wants to know what those are.
Please list the services/applications that AT&T provides for the iPhone, and whether there any similar, competing iPhone applications offered by other providers in Apple’s App Store. The agency wants to know whether any other devices that operate on the AT&T network can use Google Voice.
The FCC also wants to know whether apps rejected for the iPhone are allowed to run on other devices on AT&T's network.
"Please explain whether, on AT&T’s network, consumers’ access to and usage of Google Voice is disabled on the iPhone but permitted on other handsets, including Research in Motion’s BlackBerry devices," Schlichting has asked.
People sometimes forget how powerfully regulatory and legal policies bear directly on the telecommunications business. This is just the latest example.
1 comment:
I think they will eventually allow Google on their handsets. No reason not to.
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