Verizon Wireless fights for the little guy again, poses ammendment to roaming laws
Well isn’t Big Red just the Robin Hood of US carriers… First Verizon announced a new policy where handset exclusivity is concerned — promising small carriers with 500,000 subscribers or less would have access to VZW-exclusive handsets six months after launch — and now the carrier is posing an amendment to roaming agreement laws. This time around, Verizon Wireless sent a letter to several senators recommending that large carriers should be required by law to enter into roaming contracts with smaller carriers in areas where they do not currently have coverage. These contracts should have minimum durations of two years, says Verizon, in order to give said small carriers time to build out their own networks. Awwee, sharing is caring. As generous as Verizon thinks its proposition is, at least one small carrier doesn’t exactly concur. Laurie Itkin, Leap Wireless’ director of government affairs, had this to say:
Verizon itself has relied on roaming agreements for over two decades as it built out its network and acquired competitors, but now has unilaterally decided that its remaining competitors are only entitled to roaming for two or three years.
You know what they say… Give ‘em an inch and they take a mile. Truth be told of course, expecting a tiny carrier to build out a massive network in two years is a bit on the ridiculous side. Then again, considering there is currently no law covering this type of agreement, something may be better than nothing.
i <3 Verizon
Aw how sweet. To bad as stated this won’t really help any small carries but at least they tried.
Didn’t you guys hear Paris Hilton is starting her own wireless carrier?
Its Huge!
Yes, Verizon cares about the smaller carriers and is the most noble carrier in the world…either that, or they could be doing it to avoid registrations going into effect, creating much longer roaming agreements on their network, meanwhile, these smaller carriers are buying up spectrum and not even utilizing it, relying on major carriers for roaming and allowing them to keep their prices lower (by not having to deal with network maintenance/expansion and hording their profits).
Verizon is doing this to solely cover their asses.
Halo invented the cell phone industry.
Vzw is a giant with a “helping hand” but vzw is only looking out for vzw. Business is business.
@ David Thande
What’s that gonna be called? Dumb Ass Wireless?
lol
I think Laurie from Leap wireless should shut her god damn mouth! BFD if Verizon relied on roaming agreements when they were building out the network; all VZW is saying is that it is willing to share it’s turf for the likes of Leap…
Laurie….You should take an effin’ hint! This is a very generous move…one that doesn’t need to happen but it is. You should take some Midol and chill the eff out!
My hope at this point is that VZW just retracts it’s statement until Leap has boarded up their windows and gone bankrupt, then Laurie can shake her fist at Verizon when she is serving me my Whopper with cheese. What a c__t! (fill in the blank)
Nope…It’s going to be called Herpaghonasyphilaids Wireless! I don’t think it will take off as the phones look “super hott” but when you look under the hood, all you can see is a battery with green and yellow discharge.
^ in response to VZW’s comment
Anybody want some fried chicken?
what a fucking idiot to say that she should take a midol just because she is a woman.
don’t share your stupidity with the world.
^Needs something stronger than Midol….maybe a hysterectomy
Who’s the idiot? Do men take Midol?
Just a side note….I am highly educated.
P.S. Being that it sounds like you are a woman and take great offense to your monthly menstrual cycle and all the is bundled with it, maybe you should take some Midol.
That woman should probably get somebody to explain to her what the phrase minimum duration actually means since she seems to have missed the point.
It amazes me that when the government wants to probe the wireless industry that all of a sudden Verizon wants to be open and charitble. Don’t be fooled gang, it’s C-Y-A.
Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone).
I wouldn’t trust VZW or most any other company. They are doing what is best for their business. Who is to say they won’t come back two years down the line and buy the small cell company, now with better infrastructure, that it only invested a small portion to.