Archive for the ‘Google Voice’ Category

You Can Start Bothering Your Friends for Google Voice Invites Now [Google Voice]

Just like Gmail’s early days, anyone looking for a Google Voice account can start bugging their friends for invites—starting today, current users will gradually start getting invites over the next few weeks to hand out to people. [Google]

Google Says They Gotta Block Some Numbers to Keep Google Voice Free [Google]

Here’s one way for Google to keep people on their side in their tussle with the FCC, egged on by AT&T: Say that the only way to keep Google Voice free is to block those pricey calls to certain numbers.

A brief recap: Google Voice doesn’t allow calls to some rural numbers, sexy talk lines or conference call services because the access and termination fees to them are pricey. AT&T has oh-so-kindly asked the FCC to investigate them for not following net neutrality rules (hilarious, since AT&T is quite pissy about the FCC’s serious desire to apply them to mobile broadband networks), largely because AT&T got smacked for doing the same thing back in 2007. The FCC these days, headed by Mr. Neutrality Julian Genaschowski, is all about investigating stuff, so they’re dutifully asking Google WTF is up with that.

Google says they’re not providing a phone service like AT&T, but a free software/web service that’s a supplement to your phone, emphasis on the free part:

Google Voice is a free application and we want to keep it that way for all our users — which we could not afford to do if we paid these ludicrously high charges.

Given that Google Voice isn’t even a VoIP service and runs on top of your actual phone service—not to mention, is invite-only—they sorta have a point. Plus, um, free is good. [Google Policy Blog via Ars]

Can Google Voice Really Block Calls to Some Numbers? The FCC Investimagates [Google Voice]

Remember AT&T’s hilariously ironic request for the FCC to investigate Google Voice for not following net neutrality rules? The FCC is all over it, and has sent a letter to Google asking why and how Google Voice blocks certain calls.

The FCC’s interested in part because some lawmakers jumped on its ass, but also because it’s very interested in making some new rules for telecoms. Currently, Google Voice blocks calls to some rural carriers, conference call services and naughty talk lines because they have pricey access fees.

You can read the full letter here (PeeDeeEff), but basically the FCC asks Google to describe how calls are routed with Google Voice, how it decides what numbers to block, what exactly Google means by saying the service is “invitation-only,” whether or not it plans to charge money for GV (!), and some other stuff.

Google insists Google Voice is software, not subject to common carrier laws. We’ll see, the new FCC is mighty feisty. [FCC (PDF via Bits]

Verizon plans to support Google Voice, will launch two ‘game-changing’ Android devices in coming weeks

We’re currently on a press call with Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam and Google CEO Eric Schmidt to discuss their new partnership, and while it’s mostly a love-fest between the two with no real announcements, there’s been some interesting tidbits. First off, Verizon will be launching two Android products in the coming weeks — we’d say at least one of them will be the Motorola Sholes, and while the other is still a mystery, Google says it’ll be “game-changing.” Very intriguing. Second, and perhaps much more interestingly, Verizon’s making a big push to be seen as the “open” carrier, and flatly stated that they’ll be supporting Google Voice on their network: “Either you have an open device or you don’t.” That’s a big change for Big Red — just remember that a year ago Google and Verizon were still at each other’s throats over 700MHz open-access rules. Now? Rainbows and kittens all around. Lastly, there will be a major app push coming from these two — Verizon’s obviously going to preload Android Market on its devices, and there should be some 10,000 apps available when all is said and done. Not a bad show of support by Verizon, we’d say — and there was a lot of talk about long-term roadmaps and a “family” of products, so we’d expect much more than just two phones and smiles over the next few months. Things are certainly getting interesting, no?

Filed under: Cellphones

Verizon plans to support Google Voice, will launch two ‘game-changing’ Android devices in coming weeks originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vonage VoIP Apps Arrive for iPhone/iPod Touch and BlackBerry [Vonage]

As expected, Apple and AT&T have barred Vonage’s international calling app from VoIP over 3G/EDGE. When you’re out of Wi-Fi range, it instead redirects your call to local access numbers, where you’re charged AT&T minutes as you access Vonage’s rates.

On the iPhone, Vonage calls can be made by dialing in the app, or from your imported address book—but you need to have the app open. The BlackBerry version only works over the voice network, and the iPod touch version is obviously limited to Wi-Fi.

Available now, the app is only pay-as-you-go for the moment. Support for Vonage World subscribers is expected by the end of the year. The limitations suck, but it’s better than the outright rejection that Google Voice received. [Vonage via New York Times]

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