If you think that GV Mobile "looks good", you haven't tried the official app on BlackBerry or Android yet. One of the biggest annoyances of GV Mobile is that I have to have an internet connection in order to place a call (It sends out an API call to Google Voice, which then calls my phone back). On the GV app on BB, it originates the call over cell, so if for some reason my internet is not working on my phone (it's happened; I've had my iPhone for about a month and at least three times I've had the ability to make phone calls, but no data network), I can still make calls FROM my GV number.

GV mobile is nice...but it's really far less than ideal. I've also had it be hit or miss in terms of stability (about 1 in 4 calls placed from GV Mobile never actually go through, in my (admittedly) limited experience).

Two different apps. The one that the FCC is all in a tizzy about is the "official" Google Voice app, created by Google.

GV mobile is an app created by a third-party. And, quite frankly, compared to the "official" app (guessing based upon the BlackBerry version) it PALES in comparison. I find GV Mobile on my iPhone (I got it before it was pulled from the App Store) to be almost completely useless. Google Voice on my BlackBerry is useFUL.

Yes, but the official Google Voice app* (or even the 3rd party ones that were kicked out) do NOT use VOIP for their connection. Which was the whole point.

* - I'm extrapolating on the "official" iPhone app, since it doesn't exist, but that's how the BlackBerry app works

As has been explained - Google Voice may use VOIP technology on its backend, but users do not interact with it via VOIP - it's all "regular" POTS or cell network, so, again, it may use VOIP internally, but it's not VOIP from the end-user, so yes, you still use just as many AT&T minutes.

Good point. The free SMS is probably what they are afraid of. I keep forgetting about that, since Grand Central (the precursor to GV) didn't have SMS, so I'm not used to having it in Google Voice.

The only long distance fees that are avoided are international. Who the hell pays "long distance" on their iPhone?

Actually, my statement was not 100% correct - GV does use VOIP...but on the back-end. The connection between the customer's handset and GV is over POTS or cellular radio, not IP or data. So while technically there is some VOIP going on, it's not the kind of VOIP that bypasses using AT&T customers' minutes, which is all AT&T cares about.

Except...that Google Voice is NOT VOIP - if I use the Google Voice app on my BlackBerry to make an outgoing call...it still dials up via the radio to a "Google Voice Access Number". It's still going over the AT&T network. The way people are using GV for "free calls" is by putting their GV access number in their "five" or "circle" or whatever your carrier calls that list of numbers you can call for free. Also, they lose on international calls (since you call domestic to go outbound, but then it is international).