• The Wall Street Journal, Monday, August 3, 2009 2:04 PM

Last week, the Federal Communications Commission launched an inquiry into Apple's rejection of Google Voice, the search giant's Internet telephony service. In letters sent to the two companies and AT&T, Apple's wireless network provider, the FCC said it wanted to know why Apple rejected the Google Voice application and other related applications from its App Store, and what role AT&T played in that decision.

Google Voice gives users a single phone number for users' cell phone, landline and Voice Over Internet Protocol accounts, while also allowing free text messaging and cheap phone calls. The Wall Street Journal notes that Apple has previously blocked Internet telephony programs from its App Store for repeating key iPhone functions.

Some industry watchers are already calling the case the equivalent of net neutrality for the wireless industry. In a statement released Friday, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said the federal organization "has a mission to foster a competitive wireless marketplace, protect and empower consumers, and promote innovation and investment." He added that the letters "reflect the Commission's proactive approach to getting the facts and data necessary to make the best policy decisions."

The Journal report notes that the inquiry isn't a formal investigation, but is significant in particular because the FCC hadn't received a formal complaint about Apple's rejection of Google Voice. In a statement, Google noted Apple's rejection of its app, and said the company would "continue to work to bring our services to iPhone users, for example by taking advantage of advances in mobile browsers."

Read the whole story at The Wall Street Journal »