Verizon appeal will be early test of corporate strategy to combat mass arbitration [telecom]

By Alison Frankel

(Reuters) - Corporations worried about the prospect of mass consumer arbitration should be paying close attention to Verizon Wireless Inc’s new case at the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Verizon is appealing a July 22 ruling in which U.S. District Judge Edward Chen of San Francisco denied the telecom’s motion to compel arbitration of customer claims that the company deceptively tacked on administrative fees to their monthly wireless bills.