Tech, music, and religious nerdery since 1978.
Sounds like a top to bottom clash of cultures and a divorce waiting to happen.
When an AT&T representative suggested to one of Jobs’ deputies that the Apple CEO wear a suit to meet with AT&T’s board of directors, he was told, “We’re Apple. We don’t wear suits. We don’t even own suits.”
Marco Arment on life with Verizon:
It’s easy to think that the grass is always greener away from AT&T, but keep in mind that these are cellular carriers: massive oligopolists that don’t give a s*** about us. Their phones are ARPU vending machines, first and foremost, not communication tools. Cellular carriers are only a small step above cable and phone companies in the contempt and disregard they show for their customers.
This sums up my thoughts on wireless phone companies. I don’t think I could have said it any better.
(h/t Daring Fireball)
For those who think AT&T had no blood on their hands regarding the Google Voice iPhone app, you might be right. That doesn’t mean they like the service though. Phonescoop is reporting that they have filed a complaint against Google for blocking certain numbers.
AT&T alleges that Google Voice blocks customers from calling certain numbers, thereby violating FCC regulations. AT&T likens the call-blocking to the call for net neutrality, and says that if phone companies need to all play by the same rules, then so do internet companies such as Google. Google Voice is a call-forwarding system that lets users give out one central phone number and have it ring other phone lines when called. It allows users to maintain some degree of privacy, as well as consolidate services. Google does block Voice customers from calling adult chat lines and some conference call systems due to the high fees levied by those services.
USA Today is reporting (via MacRumors) that comments are being filed with the FCC regarding Apple’s rejection of the Google Voice app in the iPhone App Store. Apparently, Apple is not the only company facing questions. Google may have some questions to answer on the related subject of the crippled version of Skype on their Android operating system.
Why: Consumers who use Android, the Google-developed operating system for wireless devices, can’t use Skype, a leading Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service. A pioneer in free Internet calling, Skype allows you to talk as long as you want without draining cellphone minutes.
Android users get Skype Lite, a watered-down version of the original that routes calls over traditional phone networks — not the Internet. As a result, long-distance calls are still cheap or free, but cellphone minutes are gobbled up every time a Skype Lite call is made…
…Google’s explanation would seem to suggest that T-Mobile requested the block on Skype, but the carrier says that’s not the case. “T-Mobile has not asked Google to block that service,” says spokesman Joe Farren, referring to original Skype [sic]. – USA Today
In both of these cases, it is clear that neither the carriers nor OS providers want to take the blame. Maybe the FCC can break this problem open and make progress, but as stated before, “consider me skeptical.”
UPDATE: Apple says it acted alone in rejecting the app. Something still smells fishy here, but if this is the case, bad Apple!
Via MacRumors:
In letters sent late Friday to the three companies, the FCC asked why Apple rejected the Google Voice application for the iPhone and removed related “third-party applications” from its store.
The letter also seeks information on how AT&T was consulted in the decision, if at all.
According to the article, this is part of a broader investigation of the telecom industry that is looking at AT&T and Verizon specifically for potential anti-competitive behavior.
Hopefully some real answers and positive change will come out of this, but consider me skeptical.
