Verizon Changes Course, Supports Open-Access Plan

VERIZON CHANGES COURSE, SUPPORTS OPEN-ACCESS PLAN
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Kim Hart]
In a last-minute policy shift, Verizon Wireless said yesterday that it would support a plan requiring a portion of airwaves to be available to any wireless device. But the company that builds the network on those airwaves, Verizon said, shouldn't have to guarantee that all applications, such as games and videos, will work properly. Verizon has firmly opposed a proposal put forth by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin J. Martin that would require that a large swath of airwaves, to be auctioned in January, be used to build a network open to any wireless device or service. Currently, wireless carriers control the handsets and features available to consumers. Google and other Internet companies have argued that opening the network to all devices would benefit consumers and allow a new entrant into the wireless market. But Verizon has said such a requirement would hurt traditional wireless carriers, which want to buy the spectrum to roll out services on their networks.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/25/AR200707...
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