Google Voice is coming onto the scene fast, and with it, a large amount of speculation and controversy. One of the largest issues at the moment is the company’s decision to block numbers from remote areas.
According to Gizmodo, “Google Voice blocks calls to some rural carriers, conference call services and naughty talk lines because they have pricey access fees.”
While this issue doesn’t affect the majority of the population, those in remote areas are not taking this decision lying down. Today it was reported on FierceVoIP that:
“Members of the House of Representatives have sent a letter to FCC Chairman Genachowski requesting a formal investigation into Google’s refusal to allow Google Voice to connect with phone numbers served by some rural phone companies. All the congress members involved hailed from rural districts where their constituents might fall victim to the call blocking.”
With members of the House of Representatives raising red flags at this practice by Google, one can only speculate that Google Voice will be experiencing further backlash.
AT&T has already spoken out against this move, their argument being that allowing Google to terminate calls in certain areas gives the company an unfair advantage, one the FCC does not allow any other telecom service provider the luxury of.
The FCC has consistently banned telecommunication companies from blocking numbers in rural areas, so why should Google Voice be any different? Thoughts?
It doesn’t apply because Google isn’t a carrier or in any way providing critical services via local lines. It’s a call forwarding and VoIP service. AT&T is required to carry calls to remote areas, but they also are able to get TAX MONEY for doing so! Google doesn’t get that. If we want to force Google to carry expensive calls, will they also be eligible for the rural subsidy money that pays for it?