Court: Verizon Must Offer Data Roaming to Competitors

Verizon must offer roaming data agreements to its competitors, after a U.S. appeals court refused to overturn a 2011 decision that companies providing mobile data services have to offer access to other carriers. The decision in Cellco Partnership v. FCC benefits mostly smaller, regional carriers that without roaming internet and data agreements would lose customers to larger national wireless providers. AT&T also opposed to roaming rule.

"Verizon may choose not to provide mobile-Internet service" if it disagrees with the ruling, according to Judge David Tatel, who wrote the decision for the three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. "The data roaming rule merely defines the form mobile-Internet service must take for those who seek a license to offer it."

The ruling follows a similar decision for roaming mobile voice services.