Slashdot Mirror
Verizon Sues FCC over 700MHz Open Access Rules
Carterfone writes "Verizon is upset at the open access conditions for the 700MHz spectrum auction, and they're going to court to get them overturned. The company has filed a lawsuit in the Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, urging the court to overturn the rules. 'In its petition for review, Verizon argues that the FCC exceeded its authority in mandating the two open access conditions, accusing the Commission of being "arbitrary" and "capricious," and saying that the rules are "unsupported by substantial evidence and otherwise contrary to law." Google is critical of Verizon's lawsuit: 'It's regrettable that Verizon has decided to use the court system to try to prevent consumers from having any choice of innovative services. Once again, it is American consumers who lose from these tactics.'"
> Under the FCC's rules, whoever wins the spectrum auction must allow consumers to use any device and any lawful application on their networks.
No wonder they're pissed.
Verizon: We never stop working... for ourselves.
Hey Verizon? Too bad. You don't own anything. The airwaves are OURS, no matter what our corrupt FCC/DOJ want to lead you to believe.
They can't do that. The auction already has a build-up clause. The winner of the auction must build up infrastructure (or convert existing owned infrastructure) to deliver to a certain percentage of the population within 2 years, and then a larger one in 5 years - don't remember the numbers off the top of my head. I believe if they fail to do so, they lose their ownership of the band, or at least heavy penalties until they build it out.
http://www.checkyourphonebill.com/index.html
http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/006/ripoff0006518.htm
http://www.phoneplusmag.com/articles/0c1rnew4.html?cntwelcome=1
tons more. Verizon has tried their hardest to screw the customer for a really long time.