http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/google-says-its-now-blocking-fewer-than-100-numbers-in-google/ Engadget Comments for Google says it's now blocking 'fewer than 100' numbers in Google Voice http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/google-says-its-now-blocking-fewer-than-100-numbers-in-google/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/google-says-its-now-blocking-fewer-than-100-numbers-in-google/Oct 29th 2009 3:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/google-says-its-now-blocking-fewer-than-100-numbers-in-google/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/google-says-its-now-blocking-fewer-than-100-numbers-in-google/
Even if phone companies where able to block you still have other phone companies to take your business to. It's like like before when no one had cell phones and you only could go with your home land line phone company. I have AT&T and if they blocked, well I will go to another company that didn't.]]>Oct 29th 2009 7:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/google-says-its-now-blocking-fewer-than-100-numbers-in-google/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/google-says-its-now-blocking-fewer-than-100-numbers-in-google/
If you own one of these 100 numbers or are calling one of these numbers then your choices are restricted based on a corporate decision, not freedom of choice by the end user.]]>Oct 29th 2009 8:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/google-says-its-now-blocking-fewer-than-100-numbers-in-google/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/google-says-its-now-blocking-fewer-than-100-numbers-in-google/
@Izzy -- TINSTAAFL. In this case, Google and/or their advertisers are paying for the service. Google Voice may be generating a small amount of revenue for some calls (international?) but like all of Google's services it is generally a free service to the consumer. If I use almost ANY service, I face restrictions that are "corporate decisions" -- Google is not required to provide the Voice service at all, and the fiscal burden of compliance with archaic FCC regs could very well make it not viable for providing the service free to anyone.

The day that Google runs a wire to my house and provides the actual backbone for calls is the day they should comply with the same regs that AT&T has to. Until then, it is a virtual service that is ultimately replaceable by any number of competitors (Vonage, Skype, etc.), so either enjoy the free service or STFU.]]>Oct 29th 2009 10:09AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/google-says-its-now-blocking-fewer-than-100-numbers-in-google/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/google-says-its-now-blocking-fewer-than-100-numbers-in-google/
The government subsidizes rural phone companies by allowing them to charge much higher interchange fees. This is meant to subsidize the high fixed costs of providing phone lines in the remote areas with low density. The interchange fees are substantially higher than the marginal cost of providing a minute of services, but are set up so that with normal call volume they cover the fixed price of line maintenance, etc.

What some of the rural phone companies and certain customers realized was that they could set up "free conference-call" numbers abusing these regulations and the prevalence of unlimited calling plans. They allow people from all over the country to call one of their special numbers to set up a conference call, allowing people to call in for free. The conference call company and the rural phone company split the absurdly high interchange fees, which are much greater than their costs of hosting the call. Free profit by driving up their call volume to provide conference calls to people who don't live in their calling area. Profit that they'd never get except for regulations designed to ensure phone service to people who do live in their rural calling area.

"If you own one of these 100 numbers or are calling one of these numbers then your choices are restricted based on a corporate decision, not freedom of choice by the end user."

If you own one of these 100 numbers or are calling one of them, then your choices are restricted based on the fact that you're trying to participate in the abuse the regulations in a legal scam. Granted, people calling in to the number often don't realize that regulation abuse is going on, they just know that they're getting a good deal on free conference calling.

I understand why the telcos want Google to face the same restrictions as they do, though I think that these calls should be blocked, or else the rural subsidies should just go away.]]>Oct 29th 2009 4:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/google-says-its-now-blocking-fewer-than-100-numbers-in-google/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/google-says-its-now-blocking-fewer-than-100-numbers-in-google/
652059, the google service does run through the phone lines. how do u think it calls the party on the other end? how do u think your phone will ring if someone on the service calls you? google pays a third party company to provide them with access to the phone lines. therefore it runs through the phone. therefore it should be subject to regulations.

izzy, rank up

brian, thats the point, at&t CANT block any numbers. no phone company can. its illegal.]]>Oct 29th 2009 2:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/google-says-its-now-blocking-fewer-than-100-numbers-in-google/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/google-says-its-now-blocking-fewer-than-100-numbers-in-google/
The reason? The FCC regs require telcos to pay each other for INBOUND calls. BBS services were around 99.99% inbound (system would usually call out nightly on a single line to get forum updates). This means the telco would get paid a pile of cash, and the same lines would very rarely, if ever, make an outbound call. Lots of money in, no money out.

For those born after 1978: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulletin_Board_System]]>Oct 29th 2009 2:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/google-says-its-now-blocking-fewer-than-100-numbers-in-google/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/google-says-its-now-blocking-fewer-than-100-numbers-in-google/Oct 29th 2009 10:00PM