
AT&T: iPhone deal blocks VoIP over cellular - jacquesm
http://government.zdnet.com/?p=5279
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st3fan
The really silly thing about the No VoIP deal is that even though it is an
agreement with AT&T, it is still enforced on non-AT&T networks.

For example in The Netherlands all the big telcos have no problems with users
doing VoIP. Yet, my SIP client (XSPhone) is only allowed to work over Wifi.

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trezor
The same applies to the iPhone Skype client.

Where I live (Norway) I know no operator which actively blocks applications on
phones. You pay for data, you get data. A simple and fair deal. But because
AT&T in the US doesn't like it, I can't use Skype here unless I have I am
connected to some wifi network.

With the iPhone being sold worldwide I find it odd that Apple are willing to
limit it (and hence its appeal) globally by forcing application developers to
cripple their applications.

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shrikant
In the normal world, _"would not take affirmative steps to enable an iPhone to
use AT &T’s wireless service to make VoIP calls"_ would mean stay out of the
way and be a passive observer.

In the iPhone-world however, because of the app review process, I suppose
allowing an app onto the Store would count as an "affirmative step". But this
also directly flies in the face of _"if a third party enables an iPhone to
make VoIP calls using AT &T’s wireless service, Apple would have no obligation
to take action against that third party."_

The way I parsed that (what I perceive to be) lawyer-speak is: Apple should
not be bundling or giving away VoIP apps for the iPhone, but if someone else
does so, whatever. Or does the third-party stipulation only protect Apple from
VoIP apps being installed in jailbroken iPhones via Cydia?

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Retric
I think a website that enabled VOIP on an iPhone would also fall under this
exclusion.

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Derrek
If you're up for it, you can also Jailbreak your iPhone and install a Cydia
app named 3G Unrestrictor from Kim Streich. This allows the phone to get
around any network limitations imposed by Apple/AT&T such as making a Skype
call over the cell network.

I haven't installed it, but it appears to have a decent following.

