FCC Wants to Know Why Google Voice Doesn't Serve Rural

By Editor Wireless and Mobile News on October 12, 2009 11:57 AM

Google Voice doesn't call everybody in the country and the FCC wants to know why. On Friday, they sent a letter to Google's attorneys. They want know the wherefore of why Google Voice is blocking calls to rural areas, how they do it and how they inform users of the restrictions.

AT&T is not happy with Google Voice and Apple blocked the app from iPhones. AT&T contends that Google Voice is in violation of both federal call-blocking regulations and net neutrality principles.

Here's the text of the letter:

Dear Mr. Whitt:
Recent reports indicate that Google's Google Voice service restricts calling from consumers to certain rural communities. In light of pending Commission proceedings regarding concerns about so called "access stimulation," the Commission's prohibition on call blocking by carriers, as well as the Commission's interest in ensuring that"broadband networks are widely deployed, open, affordable, and accessible to allconsumers,"we are interested in gathering facts that can provide a more complete understanding of this situation.

To that end, please provide answers to the following questions by close of
business on Wednesday, October 28, 2009.
1. We understand that Google Voice offers a number of differentfunctionalities, including:
(a) the ability to have calls to a Google Voice telephone number forwarded to designated telephone numbers;
(b) the ability to place outgoing calls from the Google Voice website;
(c) the ability to place outgoing calls from the Google Voice mobile site; and
(d)the ability to place outgoing calls by calling your own Google number and
signing into the Google voicemail system.

For each of these functionalities, and any other functionalities that allow Google Voice users to place calls, please describe how the Google Voice call is routed and whether calls to particular telephone numbers are restricted. For each functionality for which calls to particular telephone numbers are restricted, please describe the technological means by which those restrictions are implemented.

How does Google inform Google Voice users about any restrictions in the numbers to which calls can be placed usingGoogle Voice?

(iii) To what extent are each of these Google Voice functionalitiesoffered for free? To what extent, if any, does Google charge for any of these services? Does Google intend to charge at some pointfor the service? How does Google currently pay for the service?

2. Please explain specifically what is meant by "invitation-only.
"How many users of Google Voice are there at this time? Are there any plans to
offer Google Voice on other than an invitation-only basis?

3 How does Google believe its various Google Voice services fit within thestatutory classifications in the Communications Act of 1934, as amended(the Act) and the Commission's regulatory classifications (e.g.,interconnected VoIP)?

6 Do you believe its "invitation-only" subscribership affects the classification of Google Voice in any way? Ifso, please explain. Does the Google Voice service compete with any
services classified as "telecommunications services" under the Act? Is Google Voice a reseller of "telecommunications services?" Please explain your answers.
4 How does Google identify the telephone numbers to which it restrictscalls? Does it restrict calls to individual telephone numbers, or to particular exchanges or NPA-NXXs? Why does Google Voice restrictcalls to these numbers?
5 Does Google contract with third parties to obtain inputs for its Google Voice service, such as access to telephone numbers, transmission of telephone calls, and interconnection with local telephone networks?Please provide the names of such third parties.