Verizon ordered to comply with FCC data roaming rules

A federal court rejected Verizon's challenge to the Federal Communications Commission's data roaming rules on Tuesday. The court has unanimously upheld the Federal Communications Commission's requirements that major wireless carriers make their mobile broadband networks available to smaller providers through roaming agreements with "reasonable" rates.

The commission has long required that cellphone service providers offer reasonable voice roaming terms to their competitors. Roaming occurs when subscribers travel beyond their own carrier's network and use another company's cell towers to complete a call. The commission adopted an order last year that expanded those roaming rules to cover wireless Internet service.

Verizon opposed the rules, claiming that the FCC overstepped its authority under the Communications Act. Verizon said the rules represented an "unprecedented and unbounded theory of regulatory power over wireless Internet service."

"This is a decisive victory for consumers and an extremely positive outcome for competitive carriers and competitive policies," said Competitive Carriers Association President and CEO Steven Berry, in a statement. "This is one important piece of the puzzle to ensure competitive carriers may deploy 4G LTE services to consumers across the nation."

"Our rules have empowered consumers and expanded their ability to enjoy the benefits of seamless and nationwide access to mobile data services, including wireless Internet and e-mail," FCC chairman Julius Genachowski said in a statement. "Enacting data roaming rules is one of many strong actions the FCC has taken in this area, and we will continue to promote broadband investment and innovation."

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