Verizon lost its stay request concerning its win back marketing saga. Cable companies filed a formal complaint with the FCC claiming that Verizon was illegally trying to “court” customers back after they decided to switch phone service to a competing cable company. In a strange turn of events, the FCC Enforcement Bureau sided with Verizon, but FCC commissioners voted in favor of the cable companies. Verizon then appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, which voted 2 to 1 to reject Verizon’s stay request. This decision, in effect, keeps the FCC’s decision in place and prevents Verizon from using these tactics to win back. It’s a rare loss for a large incumbent, and a big win for its cable competitors.
