As reportedbySlashGeartoday, video discuss capacityin Google’snew Hangouts appfor Androidis infirmwhen continuoustoanAT&T mobile network—you’re presentedwith the accessible summarythat“youmustbeon the Wi-Fi networkto stick on the video call.”The limitation seemstobe singulartoAT&T; the Verizon devicewe tested functionsjust fine.

Ifthestory rings the bell,itshould:AT&Twent bythis final yearwhenit quickly shut off businessnoton the singleofitsnew Mobile Share skeletonfrom accessing FaceTime over cellular.Atthe time,AT&T deserted claimsthatthe besiege disregarded FCC policies, arguingthatthe Commission’s mannerswere written privatelyto forestall carriersfrom restraintthedownloadof appsthat contestwiththeirown-branded services; FaceTime,whichis built-inratherthan downloaded,wouldbe freefrom those manners (orsoAT&T argued). Nevertheless,the conduit in the future relented, wanting non-Mobile Share userstogeton FaceTime calls but wantingto bondto Wi-Fi.

Whenaskedaboutthe incidentwith Hangouts today,AT&T refusedto residencethe app privately (emphasis ours):

AllAT&T Mobility businesscanuseany video discuss app over mobilethatisnot pre-loadedontheir device,butwhichthey downloadfromthe Internet.For video discuss appsthat come pre-loadedon devices,we indicateall OSand device makersthe capabilityfor those appsto work over cellularforour businesswhoareon Mobile Share, Tieredand shortly Unlimitedplan businesswhohave LTE devices.It’s upto any OSand device makersto capacitatetheir systemsto concede pre-loaded video discuss appsto work over mobileforour businesson those plans.

Regardless,the allude to speaks volumes:AT&T seemstobe observantthatitwould’ve“let” Hangout video chats duty over cellular,had Googleonlyasked.It’salso receivingthe rather extended jumpthat Hangouts,whichisan app downloadedfromthe Play Store,is still“pre-loaded”by traitofthe actualitythatit replacesan Android phone’sin-built Google Talk app.

If Google indeed isn’t cooperating,that’sthemost worrisome scenario

It’sno tipthatother pre-loaded appsdo workonanAT&T mobile tie— FaceTimeand BlackBerry 10′s BBM,for instance.The expect mandatein sequenceforAT&Tto emanate the immature lightare unclear,but authorized apps appeartobe“aware”ofthe interpretationplanthat the patronisonin sequenceto establish eitherto concedethe callto proceed.

Still,the incident leavesuswith some-morequestionsthananswers.Whywould Googlechoosetohave the Nexus 4,which operates wholly outwardofAT&T’s globeof influence, imitatewiththis orderand destroy gracefullywith the summarythatthe usermustbeon Wi-Fi?Andisthenew Hangouts app,just expelled today, unequivocally“pre-loaded”inthe normal clarityofthe word?

If Google indeed isn’t auxiliarywithAT&T,that’sthemost worrisome probable unfolding—itwould indicatethatAT&Tis actively detectingthe sortof trade entrance outofan unlocked, unbranded deviceandmaking thedecisionto rejectit.If Googleiscooperating,of course,that’s thehuge regardinitsownright.

We’ve reached outto Googlefor clarification.