Verizon executive kicks off week two of US v Google antitrust trial

WASHINGTON: The Justice Department’s first witness when the government kicks off the second week of the Google antitrust trial will be a Verizon executive, who will likely face questions about agreements that the search and advertising giant reached with wireless carriers to be the default on their smartphones.

The trial began Tuesday with talk of the “future of the internet” but quickly plunged into the weeds of commercial agreements with Android makers like Motorola and Samsung.

On Monday, the first witness will be Brian Higgins from Verizon who says on his LinkedIn profile that he is a “senior vice president of device and consumer product marketing” who focuses on Verizon’s “device, product, and accessory portfolio.”