Gosh, this is unexpected. Rumours are emerging this afternoon which claim AT&T may be preparing to announce support for Skype and Google Voice calls over its network.
That’s what the Washington Post is claiming, citing industry sources “close to the thinking of AT&T executives” (which we hope doesn’t mean psychiatrists or seers) who are making these claims.
If these claims are true then it’s possible we’ll be hearing news of support for the VoIP services over AT&T’s network as soon as Wednesday, when the carrier is expected to make some kind of splash at the CTIA Conference.
This news of course comes on the heels of the Google Android-Verizon announcement where Verizon announces it will be open to Google Voice on its network.
The report claims executives have been thinking about making the move “for weeks”, and the new VoIP glasnost will extend to all phones, including the iPhone.
A decision hasn’t been officially announced and AT&T won’t comment on the claims, saying it’s Apple’s decision as to whether it will permit Skype, Google Voice or other VoIP apps on the iPhone.
These moves emerge as the brouhaha over Google Voice continues, with Apple claiming it continues to evaluate VoIP apps on the iPhone (does anyone else ever wonder if there’s an iChat connection to all this?)
Net neutrality and the need to follow open policies when it comes to network use are also likely to be informing AT&T thinking.
We wonder what Apple will do should AT&T permit VoIP calling over its network?
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