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AT&T to Allow Skype and Google Voice to Operate on Its Mobile Network?

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MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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30,846


The Washington Post reports that AT&T may be planning to announce support for Skype, Google Voice, and other related Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services over its mobile networks, including via Apple's iPhone.
One source close to the thinking of AT&T executives said the company has been deliberating the decision for weeks and that top executives have said they were close to accepting voice over Internet services on all AT&T phones, including the iPhone. The source spoke on the condition of anonymity because a decision hadn't been officially announced. Skype currently operates on the iPhone through WiFi access, but not on AT&T's 3G mobile network.
Click to expand...
Apple reportedly rejected a Google Voice iPhone application in late July, sparking an inquiry into the situation from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). In its response to the FCC, Apple claimed that it had not formally rejected the application and was still reviewing it, but Google's response painted a very different picture, claiming that Apple senior vice president Phil Schiller had directly delivered the rejection notice to a Google executive via telephone.

For its part, AT&T noted that it played no role in the specific Google Voice iPhone application review process, although the company's agreement with Apple does reportedly require that it provide permission for any iPhone functionality to originate or terminate a VoIP connection on its network.

Article Link: AT&T to Allow Skype and Google Voice to Operate on Its Mobile Network?
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2009/10/06/atandt-to-allow-skype-and-google-voice-to-operate-on-its-mobile-network/
blizaine

blizaine

macrumors 6502
Sep 17, 2003
355
157
wow, this coupled with push notifications, may allow you to receive calls as well, when the app isn't open.
 
1

125037

Cancelled
Sep 10, 2007
2,121
0
NICE! Arn't unlimited minutes on skype only like $2.99 a month. (non - comp to comp)
 
daniel4

daniel4

macrumors member
Oct 6, 2009
31
9
New York
Great News!

This is great news!

I'm glad to see some competetion!

The only bad thing is that VoIP over 3G drains the battery very very quickly (2 hours) and the phone gets very hot especially if it's in a case. Be careful! :-D
 
charlituna

charlituna

macrumors G3
Jun 11, 2008
9,636
816
Los Angeles, CA
this isn't a total shock, the recent 'net neutrality' stuff probably has ATT legal telling the bigs that they are likely going to be forced to do this same thing in the very near future anyway. by doing it now they look like the good guys cause they did it 'voluntarily' and didn't have to be forced.

oh and that whole "provide permission for any iPhone functionality to originate or terminate a VoIP connection on its network" stuff sure sounds like ATT has a say in apps since they can refuse permission. and if there was any change that Google Voice or Skype could lose them money you know they would have done just that.
 
I

infiniteentropy

macrumors regular
Sep 9, 2009
233
1,001
This would all be nice... but how about the tethering in the USA? COME ON AT&T!!! AHHH!!! Okay, had to get that out of my system. I'd love to ditch my Verizon modem and just have a single device for everything. If my iPhone could tether, my enjoyment of the device would be complete, as I regularly (nearly always) get better data rates on my iPhone than on my Verizon card, even though Verizon is supposed to be better.

If AT&T announces tethering at CTIA tomorrow, I'll be doing a happy dance.
 
S

solace

macrumors regular
Apr 6, 2006
235
193
spazzcat said:
GV is not VOIP service. It is nothing like Skype or Vonage.
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THANK YOU.

how many people need to state this before people start to understand it?

do that few people actually have Google Voice accounts in that a wide swath of people still believe it's some sort of VOIP system?

:(
 
W

wrlsmarc

macrumors newbie
Oct 1, 2007
21
0
It is not VOIP but they provide VOIP in a traditional sense however they carry calls at the same price points as VOIP so they fit in the same category.

spazzcat said:
GV is not VOIP service. It is nothing like Skype or Vonage.
Click to expand...
 
sishaw

sishaw

macrumors 65816
Jan 12, 2005
1,147
19
spazzcat said:
GV is not VOIP service. It is nothing like Skype or Vonage.
Click to expand...

Right, it's more something to help you manage your phones. I basically use it to screen out solicitation calls, and people that have several phones can forward them all to one number. You can also set up groups that have different screening rules and greetings for different callers.
 
A

aegisdesign

macrumors 6502a
Apr 19, 2005
875
0
blizaine said:
wow, this coupled with push notifications, may allow you to receive calls as well, when the app isn't open.
Click to expand...

Except the VoIP carrier would have to implement push notification AND a custom app on the iPhone AND you're still at the mercy of your VoIP call being interrupted by one of Apple's apps taking priority.

It's a step in the right direction but Apple need to stop pissing about and allow 3rd party background tasks OR implement their own SIP stack that other VoIP providers can access like Nokia do.
 
spazzcat

spazzcat

macrumors 68040
Jun 29, 2007
3,680
4,768
sishaw said:
Right, it's more something to help you manage your phones. I basically use it to screen out solicitation calls, and people that have several phones can forward them all to one number. You can also set up groups that have different screening rules and greetings for different callers.
Click to expand...

I use it as my super secret number. that I only give to friends...Well at lease that is what I tell them when I give them my GV number.
:)
 
D

dr_lha

macrumors 68000
Oct 8, 2003
1,633
176
wrlsmarc said:
It is not VOIP but they provide VOIP in a traditional sense however they carry calls at the same price points as VOIP so they fit in the same category.
Click to expand...
Its not in the same category at all because you still use phone minutes to make and receive calls in Google Voice, so you're not taking revenue away from AT&T by using it (apart from international calling I guess, but who would call abroad from their cell phone, give AT&Ts ridiculous rates?) Google voice is really no different from using a calling card for making outgoing calls.

Google Voice works just fine now on AT&T's network, the only thing that doesn't work about it is that Apple have rejected or pulled all the Apps that make Google Voice easier to use on the iPhone. It still works on the iPhone if you go to the Google Voice webpage through Mobile Safari.
 
slffl

slffl

macrumors 65816
Mar 5, 2003
1,303
4
Seattle, WA
I don't see what AT&T is worried about. Just like SMS vs chat apps, most people aren't nerds and don't have everyone they know also using chat. Same goes with VoIP. Personally I know nobody who would use chat and VoIP apps, yet they all have cell phones and use SMS.
 
E

eh270

macrumors regular
Mar 19, 2009
166
2
As much as I am all for this in theory, I can't help but wonder the toll it will take on their already strained 3G network.
 
*LTD*

*LTD*

macrumors G4
Feb 5, 2009
10,703
1
Canada
eh270 said:
As much as I am all for this in theory, I can't help but wonder the toll it will take on their already strained 3G network.
Click to expand...

Good point.

AT&T bit off more than it could chew with the iPhone, and this might be more of the same.
 
D

drumrobot

macrumors member
Oct 6, 2009
37
0
sishaw said:
Right, it's more something to help you manage your phones. I basically use it to screen out solicitation calls, and people that have several phones can forward them all to one number. You can also set up groups that have different screening rules and greetings for different callers.
Click to expand...

Google Voice's screening feature is very useful...

I love Night Watch!
 
D

drumrobot

macrumors member
Oct 6, 2009
37
0
wrlsmarc said:
It is not VOIP but they provide VOIP in a traditional sense however they carry calls at the same price points as VOIP so they fit in the same category.
Click to expand...

Calls on Google Voice are free (as long as they are not international), which is different from VOIP services.
 
DipDog3

DipDog3

macrumors 65816
Sep 20, 2002
1,191
812
Wait.

AT&T's 3G is overloaded as it is!

Isn't this just going to make things worse?
 
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