FCC will probe if Google may have advantage over phone carriers

 Federal Communications Commission was urged by the US lawmakers to investigate into Google’s ability to block some calls on its Google Voice service in a move to save on costs.

AT&T Inc filed a complaint alleging that while US phone carriers are banned from blocking calls Google enjoys this privilege. The largest US mobile operator says that it would be unfair for Google to have an advantage if Google's Voice service is not subject to the rules applied to phone operators.

Following this complaint a group of 20 Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, mostly representing rural areas, submitted a letter to the FCC asking the probe into the legitimacy of Google’s conduct.

"We are formally requesting an investigation by the FCC into the nature and function of Google Inc's voice service," they wrote in the letter to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski.

In its fight with Google, AT&T has said the Google Voice service was blocking costly calls to phone numbers in certain rural areas in order to cut down on expenses.

An AT&T spokesperson said on Thursday that once policymakers collect the data from an investigation, they can determine if Google is enjoying a "double-standard."

Google has said its Voice service is not a traditional phone call because it originates from a Web software tool and should not be regulated like telephone companies.