RSSAT&T: Google is an evil empire that must be stopped
By Tim Conneally | Published October 15, 2009, 2:50 PM
Following up on the Federal Communications Commission's continuing investigation into the legality and regulatory positioning of Google Voice, telecommunications giant AT&T addressed the FCC with a document entitled, "The Truth About Google Voice and the Open Internet Principles." (PDF available here, hosted by the Washington Post.) It reads quite like any other publication with a title like "The Truth About..." complete with all the shock and vitriol of a propaganda pamphlet.
AT&T claims that Google needs to stop blocking certain outbound Google Voice calls. Google claims that it blocks certain connections which are too expensive for a free service to connect to; and furthermore, as an Internet-based service, the issue is out of the FCC's jurisdiction anyway.
AT&T's problem with Google Voice is that it, as well as the other national telephone companies, cannot block these access numbers, and have to pay the high fees that Google Voice has been sidestepping.
This most recent letter to the FCC, penned by AT&T Senior Vice President Robert W. Quinn, Jr., contains some of the company's harshest criticism of Google to date. In it he, alleges that Google uses its market dominance to unfairly squash competitors and silence political opponents.
Specifically, AT&T alleges that Google "unilaterally moved its favored political messages to the head of the [Google search] queue, apparently at no cost to itself." that Google blocked Inner City Press from Google News for criticizing the United Nations Development Programme with which Google had partnered, and that Google "acted in its economic self-interest to block what it considered a free-riding competitor," referring to Infinite SMS from Inner Fence, which Google blocked for being a costly exploitation of its experimental SMS chat lab.
Quinn's thirteen page letter does more than call Google's practices into question, it simply blasts the company at every turn.
Highlights include:
"Google's double-standard for 'openness' -- where Google does what it wants, while others are subject to Commission regulations -- is plainly inconsistent with the goal of preserving a 'free and open' Internet ecosystem."
"If Google convinces the Commission that it operates completely outside both Titles I and II, the Commission would not only be unable to require Google to protect confidential information about its customers' calling records, e-mails, Web searches, and other online activities, but also powerless to prevent Google from using that confidential data for whatever purposes it chooses or selling that information to whomever it pleases."
"In preparing a complaint to challenge the Google/Yahoo arrangement, the Department [of Justice] reportedly concluded that Google had a 'monopoly' in [Internet search advertising and Internet search syndication] and the proposed arrangement 'would have furthered [Google's] monopoly."
I don't Google is evil. I think they will respect the privacy of Internet users. And moreover, if Google sell the users' contact information, they are just destroying their image. Sure they wouldn't do that.
Score: -1
|Most people aren't aware that last year when the FCC auctioned off the 700MHz spectrum that anaolg TV previously used, Google particpated in the auction and bid on the FCC licenses. ATT and Verizon were determined to not allow Google to win and the result was that the bidding went up and resulted in the FCC earning record amounts of money in the FCC auction, $15B if I recall accurately. As a result ATT won access to 95% of the largest markets in the US. ATT, Quest, Verizon and other telcos opperate most of the networks that Internet runs on in the US. It takes massive amounts of money, energy and people to maintain those networks.
You have to give Google credit for bidding on the FCC 700MHz analog spectrum last year, not winning any of it and helping the FCC earn record profits. At the same time ATT and others are facing lost revenue from advertizing, for example yellowpage ads and loss of revenue in long distance charges and mobiel phone customers to voice over IP providers. I'm a fan of Google but you have to be realistic and understand that ATT and other national telcos manage and maintain the physical networks that provide the pipes everyone uses on the Internet in the US and they pay salaries to thousands of US citizens and provide jobs for thousands of Engineers and Computer Scientists throughout the globe. That is a significant investment and burden and ATT should not be ridiculed for trying to protect it's revenue and interests.
Score: 0
|AT&T > yahoo < bing < Microsoft
seems to me that the fcc should worry about yahoo because it is now caught in between 2 empires.
Score: 0
|AT&T's arguments are extremely lame that it's pointless to even get into them. Like c'mon, Google is gonna sell confidential customer info? They'll go bankrupt within a month! There's something called "reasonable expectations" of privacy...over the phone..with your doctor..with any business you deal with... Laws completely outside of FCC take care or WILL take care of that.
The only thing valid AT&T is saying is that VoIP companies (not only Google) need to start supporting the MULTIPLE infrastructures (phone lines AND cable lines AND any other new cost-effective tech to transfer DATA to customers) and that includes to rural areas. FCC's job is to ensure competition in the various infrastructures and the basic existence of more than one infrastructure (each with its unique advantages over the other).
Bottom line: if you charge AT&T 10c to complete a call to some numbers (rural), you must charge VoIP companies as well, or else you're not gonna see those 10c from AT&T (nobody would use them) and then where's your money to subsidize rural areas? If people start to scream, you trick the stupid masses by not charging 10c a min but converting it to a new item on their CELL PHONE BILL since everyone and their dog has a cell phone and is already paying 20% taxes on it. Make it 20.5% and be done with it... And don't tell me you're taking from one party (cell) money to sponsor its competitor (telco)... Cuz the govn't takes my income taxes and converts them into free public school that brings up competitors to my business too. They're both retarded arguments. You tax the relevant parties -- those that use cell phones also use data also use the internet infrastructure...
Score: -2
|Pssssst! Hey AT&T!
Symantec has been banging your wife.
Score: -2
|"AT&T: Google is an evil empire that must be stopped"
Wow... talk about the pot calling the kettle black.
Score: 3
|AT&T is upset because GV helps people skip long distance charges. AT&T thinks it should be allowed to gouge forever. Wake up call...
Score: 2
|Farcical. This is a clear case of the pot calling the kettle black, as my Granny used to say.
AT & T were portrayed, not so long ago, as the octopus who swallowed the world.
Score: 1
|eric s***
edit: lol Looey is right about the eric s*** name change thing, how bizarre, on a tech news site.
Score: -1
|This is beyond sad. Does Google own a wireless or terrestrial communications network? Does AT&T make an OS for mobile devices? Do their businesses directly compete for dollars in any way? No. AT&T is mad about somebody giving away what they charge an exorbitant amount of money for, and doing so with less limitations than any cell carrier. But lets pretend that Google *was* directly fighting for customers with AT&T. If we're gonna start talking about anti-competitive practices, AT&T better be really, really careful. They've been caught trying to freeze competition out of captive markets on several occasions (they've done a pretty good job where I live). Using their position as the largest US carrier to force hardware manufacturers into exclusive deals could certainly be viewed as harming competition. I have a friend who can't afford his iPhone's expensive plan any more but he's locked in for another year. How exactly does that open up the marketplace? AT&T's whining is as disingenuous as the banks that are asking for another bailout, despite record profits last quarter. If I was a billionaire and decided to give everyone a free Ford, would Chevy be crying foul to the government? Come to think of it, Chevy IS the government so maybe I need a better analogy..
Score: 0
|AT&T did make an OS and we are still living in it's shadow even after 40 years. You can't blame them for not making a mobile OS during a time when there were no mobile computers. Android even builds on the works of AT&T, for it's a Linux distro. Unix is eternal.
As a Monopoly that was split up in the 1980's AT&T should be experts on recognizing anti-competitive behavior.
Ok, I'm done playing the devil's advocate.
AT&T is just sour over having it's profit models shattered.
Score: 0
|Lock 'em in the playground. Whoever makes it out wins.
Score: -2
|Althought Google is rather evil, AT&T is pure evil.
Score: -5
|AT&T calling Google an evil empire....That's HILARIOUS! Hypocrisy at it's finest.
Score: 0
|LOL AT&T has no room to talk about being evil, I think many could tell you some things about them that are not all peaches and cream as they like people to believe. In fact as far as I am concerned we could well do without them, there are better that are not as @#$%^&*(.
Score: -1
|AT&T where would you like the mirror installed? Its time you looked at yourself and not Google. Actually, I see here that your not eligible for an on-site service call. How about if I transfer you to India to walk you through it?
No Wait! You can get DSL to download a mirror. I have an appointment open 2 months from now but please consent to alot of our BS charges and the crappiest customer service in history.
No Better Yet! How about I send you an Iphone App that has mirror function but I'll have to tack fees up the yingyang for data service. Can you hear me now? Probably not, the service sucks too.
Score: -1
|Clearly I must of missed something.
One Google Voice is a free service
and
Two Google Voice is in beta testing and not available to the mainstream public.
If Google Voice was for public consumption and it was a complete phone replacement and cost money than ATT has an argument but seeing that it is neither I think ATT should just keep it's mouth shut and focus and making its products and services better.
Score: 1
|Simple and dead-on. Nice.
Score: -1
|It's called dumping. Just because something is free doesn't mean it will always be free.
Score: -1
|I got my invitation to Google voice yesterday... I love it!! I canceled my txt msg plan on my att iphone! Now I can send/recieve txt for free!
Google Voice is amazing! thanks!
Score: -1
|Google CEO Eric S chmidt was standing next to Obama at his first post election press conference. It's no secret that S chmidt and Obama admire each other. Google will be investigated after Obama is shown the door. There is a large amount of voter remorse today. Until then, AT&T or any other telecommunications company has no chance against Google due to the Obama administration's protection.
I would like to know why this site changes Google CEO's name to "Eric s***" when you post a comment. What the heck is that. Kind of funny really. What a rhyme.
Score: -4
|"There is a large amount of voter remorse today"
no there isn't
Score: -4
|For all of those who have to pay for the free-loaders - Yes there is!!!
Score: 0
|Actually, according to a recent national poll, there is. Interestingly there was about an equal amount for both McCain and Obama voters.
Score: -1
|Try writing a review of a program on the FileForum and mention s***+Click -> s***+Click
Score: -1
|Can't even do S underscore hift apparently, s*** + Click
Score: -1
|"In preparing a complaint to challenge the Google/Yahoo arrangement, the Department [of Justice] reportedly concluded that Google had a 'monopoly' in [Internet search advertising and Internet search syndication] and the proposed arrangement 'would have furthered [Google's] monopoly."
-Sounds fine to me. I don't mind monopolies that provide their primary product for free.
-Sorry AT&T, you charge way to much for a product that has virtually no overhead.
Score: 0
|Don't know what people see in Google Voice anyways, I rather have Grasshopper.com than Gvoice...
Score: -1
|Should we trust either company? No.
AT&T constantly tries to go the 1950s' route of protecting itself. Although SBC/BellSouth/The New AT&T is only a part of the old organization, they don't seem to have learned anything new. They want to gouge their customers. Verizon is a bit more even-handed for a former regional (actually two) Bell. It's not a bad example of how things can work for both the consumer and the company.
Google, being an entrepreneurial enterprise, wants everything. In a lot of ways, it acts like a benign dictator, moving on to more conquests after the coup has been successful. You can't give anyone too much power.
Score: 1
|Actually "mud" can be dry:)
Score: -2
|No, then it would be dirt.
Score: -2
|No, it would be dry mud. Ever seen a old lake bed, or a dry river? Now how clever do you feel, Mr. "I must sound smarter than everyone"?
Score: -2
|"Now how clever do you feel, Mr. "I must sound smarter than everyone"?"
More amused than clever, really. Thanks for asking.
Score: -1
|Don't make me put you two in the corner :/
Score: 0
|Mud can't be dry, actually...lol. It's a noun. Wet dirt/earth = mud. Dry it's simply earth or dirt. Like, erm...ice, which is frozen water, it becomes the noun ice. If it melts it's not unfrozen water or melted ice, it's water. Dry mud is a term given to the patterns of dirt and earth that are formed when the water is dried out of the earth, but to seriously use it in a dictionary sense would be like saying, Lake Michigan sure has lots of unfrozen ice during the summer. You just...don't...say that.
Sorry, idle hands!
Score: 0
|AT&T is clearly trying to deflect attention away from the most immediate issue: network neutrality...especially as it pertains to their wireless network.
Whether any of AT&T's allegations are true or not, they should be addressed in conjunction with the planned FCC probe of Google Voice.
Score: -1
|AT&T calling Google an evil empire?....lol....like water calling mud wet.
I don't doubt the reality of their claims but if Tmo, Verizon and Sprint aren't complaining...I have to say it's more than a little suspect that Google Voice is as terrible an issue and unfair as they make it sound.
Score: 1
|