CARRIERS BACK AT&T'S CASE AGAINST GOOGLE -- AND AGAINST AT&T

摘要

AT&T and Google are both engaging in "impermissible" self-help, two small rural carriers said in an ex parte letter to the FCC. Northern Valley Communications and Sancom said they agree with AT&T that Google shouldn't be allowed to block calls to free- conferencing and other numbers with high access charges. But "AT&T is engaging in a very similar conduct to 'reduce its access expenses' by simply refusing to pay its bills, thereby forcing small, rural LECs across the country to institute costly collection actions in federal courts," they said. The FCC "should act on AT&T's recommendation and hold AT&T -- and all [interexchange carriers] -- to the same standards to which AT&T now seeks to hold Google." AT&T didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.