Lawmakers Call on FCC to Investigate Google Voice Call Block

A coalition of Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives are petitioning Federal Communications Commission to review Google Voices ability to block calls to rural telephone exchanges, according to a report from Reuters. This is the same policy that AT&T asked the FCC to investigate in September, on the suspicion that Google is blocking the calls in order to avoid paying fees linked to the rural exchanges. Until recently, AT&T has been the exclusive carrier for Apples iPhone in the U.S. To complicate matters, AT&T and Apple are involved in a dispute over the lack of availability of Google Voice on the iPhone.

Apple asserts it has rejected the allowing Voice application on grounds it would interfere with core iPhone call functioning. AT&T has remained silent on the issue, letting Apple take responsibility for denying the Voice app, but one has to wonder if they are not behind the lawmakers letter. "We are formally requesting an investigation by the FCC into the nature and function of Google Inc's voice service," the Feds letter to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski reads. The FCC, which has already asked for information from Google, Apple and AT&T, declined comment on the letter.

The FCC in 2007 informed carriers they are were allowed restricting calls to avoid fees associated with free conference calls or adult chat lines charged by companies routing calls through rural carriers in order to generate fees. Google is taking the position that Google Voice isnt a phone service but rather a Web software tool and should not therefore be regulated like telephone companies. However, the letter from lawmakers to the FCC expressed their concern that the market for universal service could be compromised if Google is allowed to operate its telephone services outside of rules that govern carriers.