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AT&T Blocking Video Chats in Google Hangouts

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isn't it

sp_5015

May 16, 2013, 8:18 AM
against the law to do this? i could be totally wrong, but i thought that providers couldn't discriminate against certain types of data traffic on their networks
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Downscripting

May 16, 2013, 8:25 AM
sp_5015 said:
against the law to do this? i could be totally wrong, but i thought that providers couldn't discriminate against certain types of data traffic on their networks


No it's not against the law... It all has to do with the fact that it's "preloaded" onto the phone. It's not preloaded on iOS therefore it will work. It's because of the way ATT has their network set up, you have to be on a currently offered tiered data plan and have your acc enabled for facetime over cellular before you can do it over the cellular data network.
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WernerCD

May 16, 2013, 10:07 AM
They haven't blocked the iPhone from doing it... hard to argue that they are discriminating against certain things when they allow others to do it.
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T Bone

May 16, 2013, 2:47 PM
Of course they can block whatever they want, they are one providing you with the service, if you don't like what they offer, find another provider. That's like saying it should be illegal for cable companies to not offer HBO. Hey if they don't want to offer it, they don't have to.
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Zpike

May 16, 2013, 3:05 PM
Sort of. But the FCC mandates that some spectrum that was bought in some of their auctions cannot be used to discriminate about data traffic. The 700 MHz block comes to mind as Verizon recently got in trouble for charging for tethering on their 4G (700 MHz) network. They had to backtrack and allow their customers to freely use their phones as a wifi access point. So, depending on what spectrum the carrier is using, there are limitations to the limitations they can impose.
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Versed

May 16, 2013, 3:44 PM
For better or worse, that isn't part of AT&T's spectrum license agreement. But this is why we need need neutrality.
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T Bone

May 16, 2013, 8:13 PM
No....we do not need neutrality....neutrality is a stupid idea...

It's like mandating the Post Office always charge the same rate for first class mail regardless of the size or weight of the package being sent.....demanding that the charge for sending 1,000 lb package be no higher than the cost of sending a postcard....it's ridiculous.,

Some websites are more demanding than others...checking your email doesn't use as much bandwidth as streaming from Netflix...the notion that ISP's shouldn't treat heavy traffic differently than light traffic is absurd.
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Versed

May 17, 2013, 12:57 AM
I can understand network managment, but to ban something thats offered by other similar devices is a different story. BTW, did the modification on my GN2 to allow it, took llke 5 mins. And honestly don't see myself using it all that much. Even to get the version of Hangout's to allow it, tossed my TMO sim in my ATT GN2 and downloaded it.
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johnhr2

May 17, 2013, 12:32 PM
I am paying for my internet on my phone and if I want to use a preloaded app instead of downloading an app I should be allowed to.

They shouldn't be allowed to block web traffic since we are paying for it, if I go over my limit I'll pay the fee. But if i'm using more than my share of bandwidth then throttled me until I'm not hogging bandwidth.

Neutrality is not a stupid idea, they should allow for us to use the internet they way we see fit. But make us pay for our share since we have data limits. Like if I go to a post office and send a 100 lb package is should cost more than the person next to me sending a postcard. Let me use the post office to send what I want, but make me pay for it.
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