Categorized | Announcements & News

Tags : Apple, AT&T

AT&T To FCC- “Not Us…

Posted on 02 August 2009 by


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AT&T was quick to respond to the FCC inquiry into Apple pulling apps that work with Google Voice and rejecting Google’s own version of the app. They said

“AT&T does not manage or approve applications for the App Store. We have received the letter and will, of course, respond to it.”

Case closed? Right? Not by a long shot. In fact, AT&T’s response is nothing short of a bold-faced lie. Lie? you ask? That’s a pretty strong accusation isn’t it?

Yes, it is. But their own words prove it.

Think back just a short time ago. Apple neutered the SlingBox app and made it WiFi Only. At first there was speculation that AT&T was behind the move. Shortly thereafter AT&T came clean and issued a statement that

“Slingbox, which would use large amounts of wireless network capacity, could create congestion and potentially prevent other customers from using the network. The application does not run on our 3G wireless network. Applications like this, which redirect a TV signal to a personal computer, are specifically prohibited under our terms of service. We consider smartphones like the iPhone to be personal computers in that they have the same hardware and software attributes as PCs.

That said, we don’t restrict users from going to a Web site that lets them view videos. But what our terms and conditions prohibit is the transferring, or slinging, of a TV signal to their personal computer or smartphone.

I don’t know but that sure sounds like AT&T “managed” that particular app and caused it to be only partially useful.
Hey Mr FCC… can you hear me now?

This post was written by:

- who has written 2794 posts on Gear Diary.

Having a father who was heavily involved in early laser and fiber-optical research, Dan grew up surrounded by technology and gadgets. Dan’s father brought home one of the very first video games when he was young and Dan remembers seeing a “pre-release” touchtone phone. (When he asked his father what the “#” and “*” buttons were his dad said, “Some day, far in the future, we’ll have some use for them.”) Technology seemed to be in Dan’s blood but at some point he took a different path and ended up in the clergy. His passion for technology and gadgets never left him. +Dan Cohen

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  • Joel McLaughlin

    Listened to Leo and Amber on Net @ Nite and they said that Google Voice could be used to circumvent AT&T’s SMS message costs and send SMS messages for free. You can also route long distance calls through Google Voice on the app. This is definitely AT&T causing most of it. However, I would not hold Apple as a guilt free party on this. In reality, ALL of the carriers in the US want to restrict bandwidth and make money any other way except selling what they are SUPPOSED to sell….a service.

  • jkj1962

    At the risk of getting flamed, I don’t have a problem with AT&T wanting to protect their revenue stream. Providing services costs money, so they have to make money to continue to provide them. Customers using apps that circumvent having to pay for those services are taking bandwidth from the paying customers. When the quality of the services decline, customers leave.

    I fear though that things are only going to get worse.

  • Dan Cohen

    Jkj1962- no flaming… Not by a long shot. :)
    but… A few thoughts.
    I have said, and still believe, for the most part, Apple can and should what apps make it on the device. That noted, however, the application of such standards needs to be clear, open and consistent. It isn’t.
    AT&T does have the right to protect revenue streams. But it needs to be upfront, open and consistent. They aren’t. Blackberry can have slingplayer on 3G but iPhone can’t. Blackberry has google’s voice app but iPhone does not.
    If they are clear and upfront customers can choose to buy a product or not. That isn’t what has been going on.
    Also I’m not sure I understand your reference to impacting bandwidth and am not sure it is accurate.
    Finally, AT&T didn’t subsidize my iPhone and has no hooks into my touch. Why, then should they have any impact on what I do with them.

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