Verizon Wireless's "FreeBee" program that exempts online services from data caps is proving to be pretty popular, at least among services that are either owned by Verizon or affiliated with the company. Two of the first online services to "pay" Verizon for data cap exemptions were Verizon's own Go90 streaming video service and the Verizon-owned AOL. Now Verizon is also zero-rating the "NFL Mobile from Verizon" application.

"Don't miss a moment of the action by streaming live local and primetime games on CBS, NBC, ESPN, FOX, and NFL Network, all without using any data," Verizon Wireless says on its website.

NFL Mobile is owned by the NFL rather than Verizon, but premium features such as live game video for phones work only on the Verizon network. The app's name is displayed as "NFL Mobile from Verizon" even when you open it on a phone connected to another network, such as T-Mobile's.

Verizon has previously claimed that it isn't treating its own services any differently from non-Verizon services. While the services Verizon owns have decided to pay for data cap exemptions, any other company is free to do so, Verizon says. AT&T made a similar argument when it recently exempted its own DirecTV video service from mobile data caps.

We asked Verizon today if the NFL mobile data cap exemption is being paid for by the NFL alone or by both the NFL and Verizon. We also asked for an updated list of services that are zero-rated through FreeBee Data, but haven't heard back yet. When Verizon announced FreeBee Data in January this year, the first non-Verizon services to get exemptions were Hearst Magazines and Lantern Software's GameDay.

Verizon's zero-rating comes as the Federal Communications Commission continues a lengthy investigation into zero-rating. The FCC's net neutrality rules prevent ISPs and mobile carriers from speeding up online services in exchange for payment, but they don't include a specific ban on zero-rating. Instead, the FCC reviews zero-rating on a case-by-case basis to determine whether specific implementations harm customers or competitors. The FCC began its review of zero-rating in December 2015 but still hasn't said when it will announce a resolution.

Netflix criticized zero-rating schemes that require payment in an FCC filing last week, saying they create incentives "for ISPs to maintain artificially low caps."