FCC: we'll review complaints regarding AT&T's FaceTime regulations

The Federal Communications Commission's top dog said his agency will look into complaints regarding AT&T's rules regarding FaceTime if it becomes necessary, according to a report published Tuesday.

Speaking at Vox Media's offices in Washington, D.C., Julius Genachowski, chairman of the FCC, intimated the commission wouldn't balk from reviewing any complaints regarding AT&T's policies or net neutrality violations.

While he wouldn't offer comment on the situation specifically, Genachowski said the agency will exercise its responsibilities if a "good-faith effort" to resolve complaints against the carrier isn't made.

Those complaints could come any day now as several net neutrality advocacy groups just last week gave notice that they plan to file a formal grievance against AT&T.

FaceTime frenzy

One of Apple iOS 6's most noted improvements is the ability to talk via FaceTime over 3G, which works on certain devices like the iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, and iPad 3, on Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint's networks.

However, whereas Verizon will offer unlimited FaceTime to its cellular subscribers, the same can't be said of rival AT&T.

In order to utilize FaceTime over 3G on AT&T, customers would have to switch to one of the new shared data plans introduced.

This has caused a furor with net neutrality groups, including Free Press and the New American Foundation's Open Technology Institute, with most of the criticism pointed at AT&T for allegedly violating the FCC's net neutrality rules.

The FCC is listening

Though a formal complaint against AT&T has yet to be filed, the FCC's chairman said his agency is aware of the growing mass of objections to the cellular carrier's plans.

Genachowski said he hopes AT&T would attempt to work out the issues before the FCC had to intervene. If that doesn't happen, his agency will act, he said.

AT&T wrote a blog post last month calling the outcry merely a "knee jerk reaction" to the planned limitations, however the FCC isn't turning it's back on what it could easily ignore.

Until a formal complaint is filed, something that's been threatened by several different groups, the FCC remains on the sidelines.

Via The Verge