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Aug 24, 2009 -- Behind the Google Voice, Apple and AT&T conflict

Google Voice is upsetting the business model of AT&T, Verizon and others by offering free everything!

This service is a real game-changer. Google Voice offers users a single number for their cell, home phone, office phone and more to ring on. Other features include free voicemail, call forwarding and conference calling.

It also offers free unlimited long distance calling in the continental United States and cheap calls overseas. This could be very beneficial for someone with a monopoly landline who has to pay for expensive long distance calls.

In addition, Google Voice has unlimited free text messaging. That means you don't need to pay for it from a cell phone provider. As you might imagine, texting is a massive profit center for the cell providers.

When it emerged that Google Voice was banned from the iPhone, Clark and many others immediately automatically blamed AT&T. Now a recently revealed filing from their contract with Apple proves that assumption correct.

While that's bad enough, what's really troubling is the net neutrality angle. What gives your cell phone carrier the right to be judge, jury and executioner and prevent you from accessing what you want online? And who says they'll stop at your cell phone? Imagine getting internet service through a monopoly company and being told you can't visit a website that they're blocking.

Unfortunately, Clark won't be able to answer any questions submitted via commenting. If you have a question, please try posting it to our message boards.

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What others are saying

  • Google Voice
    For years the cell phone company have been charging very high rates on cell phone plan. This threatens their pockets because they cant rape the consumer as they once did. When I last check this was still America right!!!
  • Google Voice
    Your can get Google Voice in 24 hours if you are miltary and use your .mil email to request the service. No waiting 6 months.
    I did it this week.
    Go to https://services.google.com/fb/forms/googlevoicemilitary/
  • Naked DSL
    By law AT&T must offer naked DSL though they have no interest in telling you that. This was a condition of the merger between Bell South and AT&T (formerly SBC). All you have to do is demand your naked DSL line and they must comply.
  • AT&T Customer No Service
    AT&T does not care about it customer & that can be seen via Consumer Reports. Furthermore, I just finished a year contract w/ AT&T & the firm was concerned about meeting #s & not w/ customers nor employees.
  • Not true
    To Heike...

    It is absolutely, positively NOT true that you need to keep a landland to have DSL service from at&t. Its call DSL Direct. You can get DSL from at&t without a phone line. I know because I have it at my home and have installed it at my mothers house and at my job.
  • AT&T DLS service and land line
    Where I live if you want to have reasonably priced DSL service, you need to keep your landline through AT&T. Hope soon someone while figure a way to do away with that nonsense because I don't use the landline at all. Only get calls from some place looking for donations or to answer survey questions. It's a racket.
  • AT&T sucks!
    It's bad enough that I have been paying more than I think I should be for talking to my wife who lives in South America. And what they are doing to the Iphone is so stupid. I used to like AT&T until now. More than 125 years later and they still act like a monster. But that's okay -- someone will find a way around this one!
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