Cellphone carriers have generally met net neutrality proposals with varying levels of hostility, but Verizon and MetroPCS have been particularly belligerent: in 2011, they sued to overturn the FCC's then-newly adopted Open Internet rules. Since then, the two have consistently argued in court against the rules, which they've said undermine the freedom to run their networks as they see fit. But as T-Mobile finalizes its merger with MetroPCS, it's decided it doesn't want an old lawsuit to come with its new spectrum. In a court statement filed today, T-Mobile has moved to dismiss its appeals claim.

T-Mobile's decision to back out doesn't mean the suit is over. Verizon will continue its litigation, though the court document indicates that it knows about the move and will make no attempt to stop it. And the Open Internet rules themselves haven't stopped companies from pushing the boundaries of what constitutes blocking the competition. AT&T has maintained that it was in the right to block FaceTime over its network, and Comcast started favoring its own Xfinity TV app even after the rules took effect. But for now, Verizon is alone among US carriers in its legal challenge.