[Infowarrior] - FCC Looking Into Apple's Rejection of Google Voice App

[Richard Forno]

FCC Now Looking Into Apple's Rejection of Google Voice App
Posted by: Arik Hesseldahl on July 31

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/ByteOfTheApple/blog/archives/2009/07/fcc_now_looking.html

The Federal Communications Commission has sent letters to Apple and to  
AT&T and Google seeking information about the rejection of the Google  
Voice Application from the iTunes store, according to a story in The  
Wall Street Journal.

The letters ask why the application was rejected, and whether or not  
Apple removed other applications like it. I just downloaded copies of  
the letters from the FCC’s Web site, and will include links to them  
below.

In the letter to Apple’s Catherine A. Novelli, Vice President for  
Worldwide Government Affairs, the commission asks: “Why did Apple  
reject the Google Voice application for iPhone and remove related  
third-party applications from its App Store?… Did Apple act alone, or  
in consultation with AT&T, in deciding to reject the Google Voice  
application and related applications? If the latter, please describe  
the communications between Apple and AT&T in connection with the  
decision to reject Google Voice. Are there any contractual conditions  
or non-contractual understandings with AT&T that affected Apple’s  
decision in this matter?…Does AT&T have any role in the approval of  
iPhone applications generally (or in certain cases)? If so, under what  
circumstances, and what role does it play? What roles are specified in  
the contractual provisions between Apple and AT&T (or any non- 
contractual understandings) regarding the consideration of particular  
iPhone applications?”

But the inquiry goes further that just the Google Voice matter. The  
commission asks about other VOIP applications that have been approved  
for the iPhone and about what other applications have been rejected  
generally. It then goes on to ask what the standards are for approving  
or rejecting applications and about the approval process. Apple has  
been directed to answer by Aug. 21. Apple declined to comment citing a  
policy for not commenting regulatory matters.

The Commission’s letter to AT&T asks about what role if any AT&T  
played in considering the Google Voice app, and what role it plays if  
any in applications generally, and if any such roles are spelled out  
in the contractual relationship between Apple and AT&T. It also seeks  
copies of any communications between them on the subject as well as  
copies of communications between Apple, AT&T and Google, including  
summaries of meetings or contacts on the matter.

The commission also asks what I think is a key question: “Please  
explain whether, on AT&T’s network, consumers’ access to and
usage of Google Voice is disabled on the iPhone but permitted on other
handsets, including Research in Motion’s BlackBerry devices.” I have  
Google Voice on my Blackberry, which I concede runs not on AT&T but on  
Verizon. But if AT&T — theoretically speaking — can insist that Apple  
disable a Google Voice app on the iPhone, but can’t insist that  
Research In Motion, or another handset vendor do the same then I have  
a problem agreeing with the conclusion that this decision was taken at  
AT&T’s behest. What’s good enough for the Blackberry is good enough  
for the iPhone.

An AT&T spokesman repeated his company’s position that all decisions  
relating to applications for the iPhone are Apple’s and Apple’s alone.  
“AT&T does not manage or approve applications for the app store,” a  
spokesman just told me minutes ago, and he otherwise referred me to  
Apple, who as you know has so far declined to comment.

The Commission’s letter to Google, asks for what explanation if any  
was given to Google for the rejection of the application. It further  
asks what other Google applications are available and if there are any  
others pending. It also asks what the standards are for considering  
applications for the Android platform.

One other interesting point that appears in all three letters:  
“Blanket” requests for confidentiality in this matter, are deemed  
unacceptable, which means that we will get to see at least some of the  
answers from all three companies as a matter of public record.

FCC’s letter to Apple.

FCC’s letter to AT&T.

FCC’s letter to Google.