Verizon Thwarting Nexus 7 LTE Activations

Verizon customers who purchased the 4G LTE version of the Google Nexus 7 tablet are raising a stink over the fact the company is refusing to activate the device on their networks, despite technical compatibility. Journalist and professor Jeff Jarvis was the first to notice Verizon's odd and annoying behavior, complaining that the device clearly is compatible with T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon's LTE networks.

"This is not yet a device that is Verizon 4G LTE certified," Verizon is telling outlets like Android Central . "We’ll let folks know when it's certified."

Users note you can plug in an authorized Verizon SIM for another LTE device (like say an iPad) into the Nexus 7 and it will work. You can't, however, take your Nexus 7 into the Verizon store and demand a new LTE SIM for it just yet.

Many people (including Jeff Jarvis) quite correctly note that Verizon's LTE spectrum comes with open access provisions requiring they allow any compatible device to connect to it, though as noted previously those rules have enough loopholes as to not be worth all that much. Even if the rules were solid, they'd require regulators with the courage to enforce them (good luck there).

Verizon had many, many months to get the Nexus 7 certified, though this is

a company that has taken increasing heat from Android fans in particular for not being particularly open, and for operating on a different time scale than the rest of the wireless universe.