Please care to read more than one single page of AT&T's letter. They've put their acknowledgements rather in the rear part of the document.
And Apple was very, very blunt in their response. AT&T was not involved in denying/not approving the app. The contract between Apple and AT&T was not invoked to deny/not approve the app.
Apple and AT&T were very clear on this point. To wish otherwise is to simply believe Apple and AT&T were plainly lying to the FCC...not a good thing to do with the org entrusted to regulate your entire industry.
And Apple was very, very blunt in their response. AT&T was not involved in denying/not approving the app. The contract between Apple and AT&T was not invoked to deny/not approve the app.
Apple and AT&T were very clear on this point. To wish otherwise is to simply believe Apple and AT&T were plainly lying to the FCC...not a good thing to do with the org entrusted to regulate your entire industry.
Please refer to the Section 1(c), page 7 of the AT&T's letter I have no intention at all to discuss "wishes" and "feelings".
Question 2. Did Apple act alone, or in consultation with AT&T, in deciding to reject the Google Voice application and related applications? If the latter, please describe the communications between Apple and AT&T in connection with the decision to reject Google Voice. Are there any contractual conditions or non-contractual understandings with AT&T that affected Apple’s decision in this matter?
Apple is acting alone and has not consulted with AT&T about whether or not to approve the Google Voice application. No contractual conditions or non-contractual understandings with AT&T have been a factor in Apple’s decision-making process in this matter.
No not only was AT&T not even consulted on the matter, Apple make it very clear that the contract with AT&T (including therefore provisions regarding VOIP apps) was not a factor.
The section you referenced from AT&T's letter is also discussed in Apple's letter:
Quote:
Question 3. Does AT&T have any role in the approval of iPhone applications generally (or in certain cases)? If so, under what circumstances, and what role does it play? What roles are specified in the contractual provisions between Apple and AT&T (or any non-contractual understandings) regarding the consideration of particular iPhone applications?
Apple alone makes the final decisions to approve or not approve iPhone applications.
There is a provision in Apple’s agreement with AT&T that obligates Apple not to include functionality in any Apple phone that enables a customer to use AT&T’s cellular network service to originate or terminate a VoIP session without obtaining AT&T’s permission. Apple honors this obligation, in addition to respecting AT&T’s customer Terms of Service, which, for example, prohibit an AT&T customer from using AT&T’s cellular service to redirect a TV signal to an iPhone. From time to time, AT&T has expressed concerns regarding network efficiency and potential network congestion associated with certain applications, and Apple takes such concerns into consideration.
Notice that GV is not mentioned in this section by Apple at all.
Like I said, regardless of how much you might wish AT&T were involved or to blame, unless you are claiming Apple is openly lying to the FCC, it just isn't so. regardless of feelings.
Comments
All 3 parties --- Apple, AT&T and Google --- said that AT&T had nothing to do with the rejection of GV.
Please care to read more than one single page of AT&T's letter. They've put their acknowledgements rather in the rear part of the document.
Please care to read more than one single page of AT&T's letter. They've put their acknowledgements rather in the rear part of the document.
And Apple was very, very blunt in their response. AT&T was not involved in denying/not approving the app. The contract between Apple and AT&T was not invoked to deny/not approve the app.
Apple and AT&T were very clear on this point. To wish otherwise is to simply believe Apple and AT&T were plainly lying to the FCC...not a good thing to do with the org entrusted to regulate your entire industry.
And Apple was very, very blunt in their response. AT&T was not involved in denying/not approving the app. The contract between Apple and AT&T was not invoked to deny/not approve the app.
Apple and AT&T were very clear on this point. To wish otherwise is to simply believe Apple and AT&T were plainly lying to the FCC...not a good thing to do with the org entrusted to regulate your entire industry.
Please refer to the Section 1(c), page 7 of the AT&T's letter I have no intention at all to discuss "wishes" and "feelings".
Please refer to the Section 1(c), page 7 of the AT&T's letter I have no intention at all to discuss "wishes" and "feelings".
You mean the section dedicated to discussing VOIP apps on the iPhone? How totally irrelevant.
Please refer to Apple's response.
Particularly:
Question 2. Did Apple act alone, or in consultation with AT&T, in deciding to reject the Google Voice application and related applications? If the latter, please describe the communications between Apple and AT&T in connection with the decision to reject Google Voice. Are there any contractual conditions or non-contractual understandings with AT&T that affected Apple’s decision in this matter?
Apple is acting alone and has not consulted with AT&T about whether or not to approve the Google Voice application. No contractual conditions or non-contractual understandings with AT&T have been a factor in Apple’s decision-making process in this matter.
No not only was AT&T not even consulted on the matter, Apple make it very clear that the contract with AT&T (including therefore provisions regarding VOIP apps) was not a factor.
The section you referenced from AT&T's letter is also discussed in Apple's letter:
Question 3. Does AT&T have any role in the approval of iPhone applications generally (or in certain cases)? If so, under what circumstances, and what role does it play? What roles are specified in the contractual provisions between Apple and AT&T (or any non-contractual understandings) regarding the consideration of particular iPhone applications?
Apple alone makes the final decisions to approve or not approve iPhone applications.
There is a provision in Apple’s agreement with AT&T that obligates Apple not to include functionality in any Apple phone that enables a customer to use AT&T’s cellular network service to originate or terminate a VoIP session without obtaining AT&T’s permission. Apple honors this obligation, in addition to respecting AT&T’s customer Terms of Service, which, for example, prohibit an AT&T customer from using AT&T’s cellular service to redirect a TV signal to an iPhone. From time to time, AT&T has expressed concerns regarding network efficiency and potential network congestion associated with certain applications, and Apple takes such concerns into consideration.
Notice that GV is not mentioned in this section by Apple at all.
Like I said, regardless of how much you might wish AT&T were involved or to blame, unless you are claiming Apple is openly lying to the FCC, it just isn't so. regardless of feelings.