Google has acquired Gizmo5, a Voice over the Internet Protocol network and software provider. The acquisition is designed to enhance Google Voice, but it’s a game changer.
Google has been answering to the FCC lately about concerns over potential regulatory violations surrounding it’s Voice service. AT&T publicly complained that Google had been restricting high-priced calls that telecommunications were forced by regulation. Google defended Voice by saying it’s a call management system and not a true telecommunications provider.
In response to claims by ATT that Google Voice were blocking calls, unlike other regulated services that must allow the calls that local carriers chrage high prices for, Google “engineers have developed a tailored solution for restricting calls to specific numbers engaged in what some have called high-cost “traffic pumping” schemes, like adult chat and “free” conference call lines,” their Public Policy blog stated.
Bi-partisans from both the Republican and Democratic parties have also called for a probe into the restricted calls.
Google has provided additional information to the FCC’s regarding Google Voice. You might remember that Google already responded to FCC’s questions about Google Voice and why a mobile app for it was rejected for the iPhone.
This time, Google Voice is responding to concerns raised by AT&T about restricting calls to select area codes, something telecommunications carriers are prohibited by law from doing.
This morning, the Federal Communications Commission voted to consider Chariman Julius Genachowski’s proposed net neutrality rules. This means the two rules will be opened for public comment before finalized through an FCC vote.
Genachowski publicly announced his new rules at a speech last month at the Brookings Institution. They are:
- Preventing Internet access providers from discriminating against particular Internet content or applications, while allowing for reasonable network management.
- Ensuring that Internet access providers are transparent about the network management practices they implement.
Google has long been a proponent of Net Neutrality. Reacting on the Official Google Public Policy blog, Google’s Washington Telecom and Media Counsel, Richard Whitt, wrote:
This morning, the Federal Communications Commission voted to consider Chariman Julius Genachowski’s proposed net neutrality rules. This means the two rules will be opened for public comment before finalized through an FCC vote.
Genachowski publicly announced his new rules at a speech last month at the Brookings Institution. They are:
- Preventing Internet access providers from discriminating against particular Internet content or applications, while allowing for reasonable network management.
- Ensuring that Internet access providers are transparent about the network management practices they implement.
Google has long been a proponent of Net Neutrality. Reacting on the Official Google Public Policy blog, Google’s Washington Telecom and Media Counsel, Richard Whitt, wrote:
This morning, the Federal Communications Commission voted to consider Chariman Julius Genachowski’s proposed net neutrality rules. This means the two rules will be opened for public comment before finalized through an FCC vote.
Genachowski publicly announced his new rules at a speech last month at the Brookings Institution. They are:
- Preventing Internet access providers from discriminating against particular Internet content or applications, while allowing for reasonable network management.
- Ensuring that Internet access providers are transparent about the network management practices they implement.
Google has long been a proponent of Net Neutrality. Reacting on the Official Google Public Policy blog, Google’s Washington Telecom and Media Counsel, Richard Whitt, wrote:
This morning, the Federal Communications Commission voted to consider Chariman Julius Genachowski’s proposed net neutrality rules. This means the two rules will be opened for public comment before finalized through an FCC vote.
Genachowski publicly announced his new rules at a speech last month at the Brookings Institution. They are:
- Preventing Internet access providers from discriminating against particular Internet content or applications, while allowing for reasonable network management.
- Ensuring that Internet access providers are transparent about the network management practices they implement.
Google has long been a proponent of Net Neutrality. Reacting on the Official Google Public Policy blog, Google’s Washington Telecom and Media Counsel, Richard Whitt, wrote:
Recently, AT&T openly criticized Google for blocking calls on its Voice product. Long-distance carriers such as AT&T are prohibited by law from restricting calls to higher-cost areas. Google responded by saying that Voice is an internet-based application and therefore exempt from the law.
Now, a group of Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives are asking FCC to investigate Google Voice’s call restrictions. The FCC is already probing the rejection of a Google Voice application for Apple’s iPhone, which is only available through AT&T. Thus far, Apple has informed the FCC that it has not officially rejected the Google Voice app, while Google has said that the app was indeed rejected by the powers that be in Cupertino. AT&T was not cited at fault by either party.
AT&T has written a letter to the FCC saying that Google Voice restricts high-priced calls, such as those to rural areas. In such areas, local carriers charge high fees to long distance carriers in order to place calls. The law requires long distance carriers to pay the fees, though the carriers originally wanted to simply block access to high-priced areas.
Enter Google Voice. They are restricting access to high-priced calls, and AT&T doesn’t like it. Thus, the aforementioned letter to the FCC. AT&T wants Google to be forced to connect the high-priced calls just like they are. AT&T also threw a jab, saying for as much as Google is lobbying for net neutrality, forcing carriers to provide access to the entire internet, they sure aren’t practicing that same philosophy when it comes to Google Voice.
The FCC will meet on Thursday, October 22, 2009 regarding the addition of two new net neutrality principles outlined by Chairman Julius Genachowski this past Monday.
Experts expect the measure to pass 3-2 with Genachowski’s vote joined by the two other Democrats on the Commission. The vote would issue the rules for public comment.
The new rules involve preventing internet providers from restricting access to sites. This is something carriers have considered in order to manage traffic on their networks.
