Verizon Forced to Allow Roaming by FCC

Verizon Learning to Share Its' Network  & Allow Roaming

The Federal Communications Commission approved a data roaming rule today that would allow consumers to access the Internet from their smartphones anywhere in the nation even if their carrier doesn’t have coverage in an area. The new rule requires that carriers with cell phone coverage allow other carriers to offer roaming services to their customers assuming.

Does this mean that Verizon won't be able to charge its exorbitant roaming fees?  We do know this is great news for AT&T who will soon be the only GSM carrier and allows them to screw more customers.  However, it royally screws Verizon's whole marketing campaign of "More Coverage in More Places".  There are many CDMA carriers in the US who will want to roam on their network which is the most extensive.  But at what price?  So you must ask yourself does the AT&T / T-Mobile merge still make sense in light of this FCC ruling and unfair CDMA & GSM competition?

“The framework the FCC will adopt today will spur investment in mobile broadband and promote competition,” said FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski. “It will ensure that rural and urban consumers have the ability they expect to use their mobile phones throughout the nation for voice calls or data like e-mail or mobile apps.”

Verizon Wireless immediately opposed the order saying that the FCC doesn’t have the authority to regulate Internet service providers. Rural carriers such as Cellular South have argued that they are at a competitive disadvantage to the national major carriers because they can’t offer users full Internet access in the nation. The rules would require carriers to work out reasonable negotiations for roaming partnerships, and the FCC said it would punish companies that delay deals or “negotiate in bad faith.”

This is a huge step for the FCC who must be congratulated for taking this bold action despite the opposition of the two largest oligopolies U.S. wireless carriers who have lobbied against this. AT&T’s proposed acquisition of T-Mobile and the threat Verizon poses to the continued wireless competition it is mandatory that the FCC stand up to these companies who are holding us back from innovation and are only worried about paying dividends to shareholders.

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