Google has responded to the FCC’s inquiry regarding Google Voice (see document embedded below). There’s been and intense back-and-forth between AT&T, Google, and the FCC over Google Voice’s blocking of some rural telephone numbers. AT&T recently sent a letter to the FCC to undermine Google’s recent argument that it’s blocking exorbitantly expensive calls to some numbers in part because they are associated with sex lines. AT&T’s also thinks that the FCC should consider regulating the search giant on the web as well.
Google response says that its engineers have developed a “tailored solution” for restricting calls to specific numbers engaged in what some have called high-cost “traffic pumping” schemes, like adult chat and “free” conference call lines. Google didn’t want these schemes to exploit the “free nature” of Google voice and over the past few weeks have been trying to locate the source of the problem. Google now says that Google Voice now restricts calls to fewer than 100 specific phone numbers, which Google thinks are part of a traffic pumping scheme.
For those that haven’t been following the story so far: Google’s decision to block certain numbers stems from the way some rural local carriers have been exploiting current FCC rules. Some local carriers charge very high prices for AT&T, Google Voice, and other services to connect their calls. Few people would normally call these rural numbers, so these local carriers team up with conference calling centers and sex lines to further drive traffic. AT&T has previously tried to block these numbers but was barred from doing so, and is upset that Google Voice is getting away with it. AT&T has framed this as part of the Net Neutrality debate, though given their past stance on the issue it’s hard not to take their arguments with a grain of salt. AT&T complained pretty loudly, even enlisting member of congress to sniff around the issue, and called upon the FCC to take a hard look at Google Voice.
FCC responded to AT&T’s complaint by asking Google for more information about Google Voice, which Google claims is a free web-based free application designed to “supplement and enhance existing phone lines, not replace them.” Google wrote in an earlier response that AT&T is in a completely different situation, in part because the carrier charges users for their services and receives hundreds of millions of dollars in universal service subsidies. Google says that web applications like Google Voice and Skype shouldn’t be treated like traditional phone services and calls attention to AT&T’s hypocrisy in the whole matter.
Here’s the passage in the response where Google answers the questions of how and why Google Voice restricts calls to certain numbers:
In June 2009, Google Voice began noticing extremely high cost calls to a concentrated number of destinations. Our internal investigation revealed that the top 10 prefixes to U.S. destinations (NPA-NXX) accounted for 1.1 percent of our monthly U.S. traffic by volume – an unusually large number, and some 161 times the expected amount by prefix. In turn, this traffic accounted for 26.2 percent of our monthly U.S. cost – again, an unexpectedly large number. In addition to these grossly anomalous call patterns (which include the frequency and duration of calls to rural areas), we also were aware through various industry sources of certain in-bound traffic stimulation practices, and the identities and locations of some of the
carriers in question. Many of these businesses are located in rural areas with local carriers that charge unusually high rates for terminating traffic. Our own underlying carriers would assess Google Voice up to 39 cents per minute for some of this interstate traffic. As a result, based on an application of these data filters to the total universe of our outbound traffic, in August 2009 Google Voice began the practice of restricting calls to certain high-cost destinations. Currently, fewer than 100 U.S. telephone numbers are restricted based on an application of these filters.
There’s a simple solution to this.
Google just charges users to call those particular numbers. Much like carriers charge extra for long distance calls.
This won’t affect most users and AT&T will have lost their complaint.
There’s a simple solution to this.
Google charges users to call these 100 numbers. Much like traditional carriers charge for calling certain numbers.
This wouldn’t affect most voice users and AT&T would lost their complaint.
I can’t wait until we get free google phones with free voice and data plans so we don’t have to deal with AT&Ts slow 3g data service!
Ben, maybe YOU start working for free to? Maybe tomorrow?
Down with this communist idiocy!
Google makes money by providing advertising/search services. Even if Google devices/services are free, users pay by generating ad revenue for Google. The idea of freely available data access allowing the free-flow of information is hardly communist.
AT&T should stop playing games with google. let people use at&t for their phone sex calls and rural calls and let the rest of us use google to make free calls! Their network is so slow that google voice calls would be dropped anyways…
I understand that AT&T doesn’t want to canabalize themselves and they will keep coming up with excuses not to allow google voice on their network.
The reason Google is blocking the calls is because a high percentage of their users use the numbers Google is complaining about. If no one wanted to call these destination Google wouldn’t have a complaint but they do so maybe Google should just connect the customer or not offer the service in a way that the consumer thinks they can make those calls
Even companies that pay USF fees block numbers. If you buy a phone card try accessing these numbers. They are blocked. I used to work at a medium sized telco, and I run a small wholesale telecom company (www.directelco.com) – and we block certain numbers as well. We are allowed to because we do not provide what’s known as 1+ service. Google does not provide 1+ service either – therefore the FCC is stupid for even asking Google for more information. If you are a 1+ provider there are a ton of regulations. You can’t use Google Voice without another carrier therefore this shouldn’t even be an issue!
Call me silly but what do they mean by rural? To me that stirs up thoughts of places like Manito, Illinois that up to a few years ago still had address like Rural Route #2 instead of streets.
Do they mean international calls?
No, by rural they mean rural. http://en.wikip...wiki/Rural_area
SATSQ.
Google is blocking numbers in the 218 and 712 area code. 218 is in Minn and 712 is in Iowa.
The real problem is that Google pays vendors way too much. Vendors that are charging them 10 and 20 times the going rate. Google says they pay 39 cents.
ATT has a wholesale rate posted today of .0206 just above 2 cents to the 218.
That means Google is paying 20 times what ATT would charge them wholesale to get to the 218
That means when Google said 1.1% of the traffic cost 26.2% of the costs, that if they gave the traffic to ATT to transport they would pay 20 times less and 1.1% of the traffic would cost 1.3% of the costs
“Google says that web applications like Google Voice and Skype shouldn’t be treated like traditional phone services ”
google should stfu
Sweet! Whatever Google has done I just noticed it has opened up my freeconference.com business line. I completely understand the need to block certain numbers and the one I use for business stopped working a month or two ago, but it’s working again now.
That’s just the problem they are blocking some companies and not others… Good for you but next time Google unilaterally discriminates against FCC policy it might be a service you use
Well, If I’m the owner of AT&T, i’ll be alarmed as well. It’s MONEY we’re talking about, afterall.
especially when they’re using AT&T’s network to undermine AT&T… with the approval of the government!!!
I’d like to welcome Google to the year 2007.
That’s funny
Looks like the “confidential” text wasn’t very confidential — just white.
First chunk: “Currently, Google Voice has approximately 1.419 million users, with approximately 570,000 seven-day active users.”
Second chunk: “Level3 Communications, Inc., for U.S. telephone numbers, inbound termination to those numbers, and outbound termination; GlobalCrossing LTD, for U.S. telephone numbers, inbound termination to those numbers, and outbound termination; Broadvox Communications, Inc., forU. S. telephone numbers, inbound termination to those numbers, and outbound termination; Bandwidth.com CLEC, Inc., for U.S. telephone numbers, inbound termination to those numbers, and outbound termination; PacWestTelecom, Inc., forU. S. telephone numbers, inbound termination to those numbers, and outbound termination; iBasis, Inc., for outbound termination; Neustar, Inc., for porting services and carrier look-up services; and Syniverse Technologies, Inc., for SMS related services. We also contract with a number of international service providers for inputs for GoogleVoice; however none of the contracted services have yet to be launched and as such the services to be provided by these international partners have yet to be implemented.”
this google voice on iphone thing is never going to happen
Who are these jerks running fake businesses to milk AT&T and others for $.39/min. That’s douchy, go create some real value you parasites.
Most of the time they are the de-facto local telco that charge an arm and a leg to anyone that wants to terminate in their territory. .39c is nothing – sometimes they charge up to $5.00 a minute.
you should stop talking out of the side of you neck and do some research.
Google is talking about block calls to 712 and 218 you can call a company like Wide Voice and get rates to those areas for between 2 and 3 cents.
5.00???? you are just creating confusion with your guess work.
Google could buy those rates for 1/10 the price and make the consumer happy but they are not.
Why… because Google offeres free conferencing too. This is an unfair competition play. See http://www.goog...oice/about.html
you will see in the second box with features… conference calling (for free).
Google is making a big deal because their vendors are charging too much… 39 cents who would pay that when they don’t need too.
you can buy long distance rates to those areas for 2.5 cents all day long.
Google is paying 10 the national average.
Gee, maybe that’s the problem they are getting charged too much.
What a stupid mistake on Googles part… Right!
39 cents is a joke in 2009 – I don’t think it cost 39 cents to get anywhere, it sure does not cost that to get to 712 and 218.
Google needs to get some new rate decks and solve this problem on their own.
Incorrect/misleading title:
“Google Now Restricts Calls to Less Than 100 Numbers” is decidedly different than “Fewer than 100 numbers are restricted by Google”
How? Because TechCrunch fixed the grammar?
How about because we don’t know how many numbers they were blocking before.
Google now blocks calls to less than 100 numbers what if they were only blocking to 50 before… does that mean the problem got better???
Spin Spin Spin
Just from the first two paragraphs…
‘There’s been and intense…’
‘AT&T’s also thinks…’
‘Google response says…’
‘…Google voice and over the past…’
Did Derek Zoolander write this article?
Did Derek Zoolander give you your name?
If AT&T is allowed to block 100 websites that _it_ thinks are costly, then they would be pretty happy!
I suppose they would block Google and start their own search engine.
Google is blocking FreeConferenceCall.com service but Google offers free conferencing as part of Google Voice
I think ATT is missing one point. Google Voice is a darn free service. Once again Google Voice is a FREEEEEEEEEE Service. Why can’t you understand ATT? They are not charging their customers to use Google Voice service. ATT has not right to complain in this regard. So stop complaining ATT and I had to drop your service with in a month because of crappy results I got. Grow up ATT and accept the competition. And what is the big deal about Iphones. I am telling you Android has better results and faster web search compared to Iphones. We should stop buying Iphones and teach ATT a lesson.
Google Voice is a “Free Service” that pays for every connection you make to the Public Switched Telephone Network.
Let me say that a different way… Google is paying for all of their customers connectivity.
How long will that last?
I guess it will last until they crush the competition and then they will charge whatever they want?
Google is breaking the 4th principle of the FCC’s Internet policy statement requiring fair competition.
It’s not fair to buy customer by paying for their connectivity for the sole purpose of competing and beating the competion.
It is an Anti-Turst Violation to sell a service at a price lower than your cost for an extended period of time.
How do you get a phone number from rural service providers?
Thank you for answering my question I am looking forward to reading Real Men have Fangs. I use to think Bill was the best choice for Sookie,but then i realized that even with his Mr. Bad Butt put-on That Eric is just a lonely soul wanting to be loved. And i think what we seen in Eric when he lost his memory in Dead To The World was who he truly hides on the inside. Sookie should open her eyes before its too late!