Several days ago I posted a bit of a diatribe here talking about the action carriers have been taking against FreeConferenceCall.com (and arguably, free services of this type in general as this is setting a precedent.

I got an email message this morning from the public relations team as a follow-up to my post. I'm going to see what I can arrange regarding a phone chat with David Erickson, founder and CEO of Free Conferencing Corp (creators of FreeConferenceCall.com).

I know you have been following the recent attempts by Cingular/AT&T Wireless and Sprint/Nextel to block the conference bridges of providers such as FreeConferenceCall.com and FreeConference.com in what has emerged as an explosively-charged topic now that AT&T/Cingular has officially positioned itself as a Goliath among the Davids like my FreeConferenceCall.com client.

In response to the outpouring of support from bloggers, industry thought leaders, consumer interest groups and the media, FreeConferenceCall.com has created a special web site --http://blog.freeconferencecall.com/Default.aspx-- to set the record straight on the call blocking and law suits being leveraged by the major carriers including Cingular/AT&T Wireless and Sprint/Nextel.  This site includes links to current blog postings, blocking FAQs, forum for visitors to blog, and, most importantly, a "Know your Rights" section directing people to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) web site so customers fully understand how their rights are being violated.  The Know your Rights section includes links to learning about current FCC regulations, filing a complaint with the FCC, contacting your state attorney general and reading about historic cases that refute the claims of the telecommunications carrier  Goliaths. FreeConferenceCall.com is also encouraging site visitors to subscribe to a list to join the fight in a class action suit.

It appears that my prediction of class action lawsuit material has come to pass.

If this is an issue that concerns you...if you're concerned about your carrier dictating to whom you may place calls, in essence censoring your ability to use the PSTN, I encourage you to follow the link and get more information

Technorati Tags: FreeConferenceCall.com, call blocking, Cingular, AT&T, Sprint Nextel