Verizon Opens Its Network to Outside Phones

Verizon will open its cell-phone service to any phone builder willing to meet its technical specs, the Wall Street Journal reports. The provider has so far restricted access to its own retailer, but hopes to stave off pressure from regulators, consumers, and tech companies pushing for a more universal industry.

Verizon's CEO points out that the company needs to partner with makers of "next-generation devices" in order to stay competitive. The move, set for later this year, will inch the US mobile market towards the global standard—in many countries customers can pair any service with any handset. Rival wireless companies are also planning steps toward a more open market. (More Verizon stories.)