Verizon Wireless, a joint venture of Verizon Communications (VZ: Quote) and Vodafone (VOD: Quote,VOD.L), has agreed to pay $1.25 million to settle the U.S. Federal Communications Commission investigation into blocking of consumers' access to certain mobile broadband applications, the FCC said.
The FCC said it launched an investigation after reports suggested that Verizon Wireless had successfully requested that a major application store operator block Verizon's customers from accessing tethering applications from its online market.
The Commission said it also received an informal complaint alleging that Verizon Wireless had violated the FCC's C Block rules by making such a request.
As per the terms of settlement, Verizon Wireless has committed to notifying the application store operator that it no longer objects to the availability of the tethering applications to C-Block network customers in the operator's online market.
Verizon Wireless has also agreed to implement a compliance plan, requiring that employees will receive training on compliance with the C Block rules; future communications with application store operators regarding the availability of applications to Verizon Wireless customers will be reviewed in advance by legal counsel; and Verizon will report any instances of noncompliance with the rule at issue that might occur during the two-year term of the plan.
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by RTT Staff Writer
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