Well, it was just a matter of time that the good ole’ FCC got into the fray. Not sure if this is a good thing or not in this case. Might even be an FTC case instead. This is not really an issue of access (from a Telcom/network) perspective. It boils down to the process of approving the applications. That’s software.

When an innovative company creates a really cool application (think Vonage, Packet 8, Skype) that runs over the net, and reduces costs for consumers, it’s a great thing, right? Depends on your perspective I guess. Google is far more than just an innovative company. They are the 800 pound gorilla in the room. But Google Voice is just software at its core, right? The fact that it can also perform some of the functions that a cell phone can is just a part of the functionality, right? This boils down to AT&T wanting to protect the brand ( and the “dumb pipe” analogy applies here too, dropped calls are a whole other discussion). It just scares them to death to think that people will refer to Google Voice as their “cell phone company”.  Apple’s issue I believe is just absolute control of the process. That really hasn’t changed from day 1 from them. This controversy may blow that wide open for them though.

Apple and AT&T really blew it here. The number of people that will adopt Google Voice will be fairly small in the grand scheme of things. The average “soccer mom”, “hockey dad”, or “pit bull with lipstick” (sorry about that) will not want to add a layer of complexity to calling Johnny or Suzie 20 times a day. And the younger generation is primarily texting and Tweeting anyway, so Visual Voice mail with transcribing would actually slow them down!

I think where Apple is going to regret this decision is when the time comes that they have to open up about the approval process for apps. It’s been seemingly arbitrary, secret and confusing, and some say unfair (approved 1 minute, rejected the next and similar apps approved, etc.) Think smoky back rooms with guys playing poker and drinking 18 year old scotch making the decisions. I think the days of “ignore that man behind the curtain” will be coming to an end, and Apple and AT&T are going to scrambling to “normalize” the approval process.

More here…

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