In addition to blocking Skype from working over 3G (a block that was recently lifted) you might recall that AT&T also blocked the iPhone Slingbox app from working over their 3G network. In May of last year, AT&T issued a statement saying that the application was blocked because it "could create congestion and potentially prevent other customers from using the network." Of course that congestion was happening anyway due to iPhone users, and many users felt AT&T was involved in selective reasoning, given they banned Slingbox, but allowed the streaming of Major League Baseball games.

But after some negotiations with Sling, and as AT&T makes strides in boosting wireless capacity, AT&T's now apparently willing to open the doors and will be allowing Slingbox over 3G. According to a company statement, AT&T has been testing a new, bandwidth-friendlier version of the app since mid-December, and the telco has just informed Sling Media and Apple that the optimized app can run on its 3G network.

"The key for AT&T was that Slingbox was willing to work with us to revise the app so it was more bandwidth sensitive," says AT&T. "They made important changes to more efficiently use 3G network bandwidth and conserve wireless spectrum so that we were able to support the app on our 3G mobile broadband network."

Combined with the decision to allow Skype to operate over 3G, this is good news for fans of "open" wireless networks. It's also a welcome indication that AT&T's going to be flexible, or at least realizes that trying to fight evolution may be a futile endeavor. You might want to send a little thanks the FCC's way, given their recent network neutrality inquiries into why certain applications were being blocked (like Google Voice), probably lit a bit of a fire under AT&T's posterior.